Murray–Darling Basin
2.5 Other groundwater assets

Supporting information
Quantification approach

Supporting information

The volumetric value for the line item for the 2012–13 year was 4,193,166 ML for the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) region. The line item includes long-term estimates of volumes for extraction, basic landholder rights or unlicensed stock and domestic rights (where these are not included in the long term extraction estimates in the water resource plan), and for New South Wales the volume of supplementary access licence that was available for use in the 2012–13 year.

Following two tables provide a summary and a breakdown of volumetric details of the line item. More details about the groundwater asset volumes and other data within the region are available in the Groundwater regional note.

Summary of groundwater asset volumes in the MDB region at the start and end of the 2012–13 year
Groundwater resource plan area		State	Groundwater asset volume¹ at 30 June 2013 (ML)	Groundwater asset volume² at 30 June 2012 (ML)
Code	Name	State	Groundwater asset volume¹ at 30 June 2013 (ML)	Groundwater asset volume² at 30 June 2012 (ML)
GW22	Warrego–Paroo–Nebine	Qld	–	–
GW21	Condamine–Balonne	Qld	–	–
GW20	Moonie	Qld	–	–
GW19	Qld Border Rivers	Qld	–	–
GW18	New South Wales Border Rivers Alluvium	NSW	8,804	8,804
GW17	New England Fractured Rock and Northern Basalts	NSW	255,376	255,376
GW16	Eastern Porous Rock	NSW	272,326	266,579
GW15	Gwydir Alluvium	NSW	39,697	40,954
GW14	Namoi Alluvium	NSW	316,339	319,452
GW13	New South Wales Great Artesian Basin Shallow	NSW	406,599	406,599
GW12	Macquarie–Castlereagh Alluvium	NSW	99,603	72,602
GW11	Lachlan and South Western Fractured Rock	NSW	121,524	178,575
GW07	Darling Alluvium	NSW	17,120	–
Sub-total Northern Basin			1,537,388	1,548,941
GW11	Lachlan and South Western Fractured Rock	NSW	953,570	903,442
GW7	Darling Alluvium	NSW	1,529	1,529
GW10	Lachlan Alluvium	NSW	219,670	124,743
GW9	Murrumbidgee Alluvium	NSW	351,100	300,478
GW8	Murray Alluvium	NSW	217,396	219,453
GW6	Western Porous Rock	NSW	557,233	557,233
GW2	Goulburn–Murray	Vic.	255,802	254,372
GW3	Wimmera–Mallee (groundwater)	Vic.	13,371	18,477
GW5	Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges	SA	11,426	11,426
GW4	SA Murray Region	SA	74,681	73,521
GW1	ACT (groundwater)	ACT	–	–
Sub-total Southern Basin			2,655,778	2,464,674
Total for the region			4,193,166	4,013,615

– = Data not available

^1–2 Water table, underlying or combined aquifers

Details of groundwater asset volumes for each resource plan area in the MDB region at the start and end of the 2012–13 year
Groundwater resource plan area	Groundwater sustainable diversion limit area		Groundwater plan/groundwater management area	State	Groundwater asset volume as at 30 June 2013 (ML)	Groundwater asset volume as at 30 June 2012 (ML)
Groundwater resource plan area	Code	Name	Groundwater plan/groundwater management area	State	Groundwater asset volume as at 30 June 2013 (ML)	Groundwater asset volume as at 30 June 2012 (ML)
GW18 New South Wales Border Rivers Alluvium	GS32 and GS33	NSW Border Rivers Alluvium and NSW Border Rivers Tributary Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Border Rivers Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	8,804	8,804
GW17 New England Fractured Rock and Northern Basalts	GS18	Inverell Basalt	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	25,807	25,807
	GS22	Liverpool Ranges Basalt	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	19,075	19,075
	GS37	New England Fold Belt	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	204,784	204,784
	GS49	Warrumbungle Basalt	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	5,710	5,710
GW16 Eastern Porous Rock	GS17	Gunnedah-Oxley Basin MDB	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Porous Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	211,418	205,671
GW16 Eastern Porous Rock	GS41	Sydney Basin MDB	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Porous Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	60,908	60,908
GW15 Gwydir Alluvium	GS24	Lower Gwydir Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Lower Gwydir Groundwater Source 2003	NSW	38,976	40,954
GW15 Gwydir Alluvium	GS43	Upper Gwydir Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Gwydir Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	721	n/a
GW14 Namoi Alluvium	GS29	Lower Namoi Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for Upper and Lower Namoi Groundwater Sources 2003	NSW	95,566	97,654
	GS30	Manilla Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Namoi Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	1,229	n/a
	GS40	Peel Valley Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for Peel Valley Regulated, Unregulated, Alluvium and Fractured Rock 2010	NSW	80,562	80,562
	GS47	Upper Namoi Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for Upper and Lower Namoi Groundwater Sources 2003	NSW	137,214	141,236
	GS48	Upper Namoi Tributary Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Namoi Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	1,767	n/a
GW13 New South Wales Great Artesian Basin Shallow	GS34 to GS 36	NSW Great Artesian Basin Surat Shallow, Warrego Shallow and Central Shallow	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Great Artesian Basin Shallow Groundwater Sources 2011 Water Sharing Plan for the Intersecting Streams Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	NSW	406,599	406,599
GW12 Macquarie–Castlereagh Alluvium	GS11	Bell Valley Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Macquarie Bogan Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	3,299	n/a
	GS14	Castlereagh Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Castlereagh River (below Binnaway) Unregulated and Alluvial 2011	NSW	621	621
	GS15	Collaburragundry–Talbragar Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Macquarie Bogan Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	3,473	n/a
	GS16	Cudgegong Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Macquarie Bogan Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	2,533	n/a
	GS26	Lower Maquarie Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for Lower Macquarie Groundwater Sources	NSW	71,742	71,981
	GS45	Upper Macquarie Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Macquarie Bogan Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	17,935	n/a
GW11 Lachlan and South Western Fractured Rock	GS19	Kanmantoo Fold Belt	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	121,524	178,575
	GS10	Adelaide Fold Belt	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	26,018	30,292
	GS 20	Lachlan Fold Belt	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	901,815	847,413
	GS39	Orange Basalt	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	16,208	16,208
	GS51	Young Granite	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Fractured Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	9,529	9,529
GW7 Darling Alluvium	GS23	Lower Darling Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Lower Murray-Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	NSW	1,529	1,529
GW7 Darling Alluvium	GS42	Upper Darling Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Barwon–Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	17,120	n/a
GW10 Lachlan Alluvium	GS12	Belubula Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Lachlan Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	2,883	n/a
	GS25	Lower Lachlan Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for Lower Lachlan Groundwater Source 2003	NSW	122,619	124,743
	GS44	Upper Lachlan Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Lachlan Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	94,168	n/a
GW9 Murrumbidgee Alluvium	GS21	Lake George Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	1,268	n/a
	GS28	Lower Murrumbidgee Alluvium (deep; Calivil Formation and Renmark Group)	Water Sharing Plan for Lower Murrumbidgee Groundwater Source 2003	NSW	283,359	287,478
	GS28	Lower Murrumbidgee Alluvium (shallow; Shepparton Formation)	Water Sharing Plan for Lower Murrumbidgee Groundwater Source 2003	NSW	13,000	13,000
	GS31	Mid Murrumbidgee Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	53,473	n/a
GW8 Murray Alluvium	GS13	Billabong Creek Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	7,500	n/a
	GS27	Lower Murray Alluvium (Deep: Renmark Group and Calivil Formation)	Water Sharing Plan for Lower Murray Groundwater Source	NSW	113,894	205,344
	GS27	Lower Murray Alluvium (shallow; Shepparton Formation)	Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	NSW	81,893	205,344
	GS46	Upper Murray Alluvium	Water Sharing Plan for Murray Unregulated and Alluvial	NSW	14,109	14,109
GW6 Western Porous Rock	GS50	Western Porous Rock	Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Porous Rock Groundwater Sources 2011	NSW	557,233	557,233
*Sub-total New South Wales*					*3,837,886*	*3,655,819*
GW2 Goulburn-Murray	GS08	Goulburn-Murray (Shepparton Irrigation Region, sedimentary plain, highlands and deep)	Alexandra Groundwater Management Area	Vic.	1,973	1,969
			Barnawatha Groundwater Management Area	Vic.	2,158	2,154
			Katunga Water Supply Protection Area	Vic.	61,306	61,172
			Kinglake Groundwater Management Area	Vic.	2,525	2,551
			Loddon Highlands Water Supply Protection Area	Vic.	22,171	21,955
			Lower Campaspe Valley Water Supply Protection Area	Vic.	57,367	57,231
			Lower Ovens Groundwater Management Area	Vic.	29,222	29,018
			Mid Goulburn Groundwater Management Area	Vic.	15,262	15,312
			Mid Loddon Groundwater Management Area	Vic.	37,964	37,906
			Mullindolingong Groundwater Management Area	Vic.	7,092	7,084
			Shepparton Irrigation Region Water Supply Protection Area	Vic.	3,746	3,456
			Upper Ovens River Water Supply Protection Area	Vic.	4,640	4,646
			Unincorporated areas	Vic.	10,376	9,918
GW3 Wimmera-Mallee (groundwater)	GS09	Wimmera-Mallee (sedimentary plain, highlands and deep)	Murrayville Water Supply Protection Area	Vic.	11,297	11,217
			West Wimmera Groundwater Management Area	Vic.	1,316	5,840
			Unincorporated areas	Vic.	758	1,420
*Sub-total Victoria*					*269,173*	*272,849*
GW5 Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges	GS01	Angas Bremer (Quaternary Sediments and Murray Group Limestone)	Angas-Bremer Prescribed Wells Area	SA	6,500	6,500
GW5 Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges	GS04	Marne Saunders (Murray Group Limestone and Renmark Group)	Marne Saunders Prescribed Water Resources Area	SA	4,926	4,926
GW4 SA Murray Region	GS03	Mallee (Pliocene Sands, Murray Group Limestone and Renmark Group)	Noora Prescribed Wells area	SA	5,138	5,138
	GS03	Mallee (Pliocene Sands, Murray Group Limestone and Renmark Group)	Mallee Prescribed Wells Area Water Allocation Plan 2000	SA	63,560	62,400
	GS05	Peake–Roby–Sherlock (unconfined and confined)	Peake, Roby and Sherlock Prescribed Wells Area	SA	5,983	5,983
*Sub-total South Australia*					*86,107*	*84,947*
Total					4,193,166	4,013,615

– = Data not available

GW13 New South Wales Great Artesian Basin Shallow water resource plan area includes 2,002 ML for Paroo alluvial and Warrego alluvial groundwater sources extracted from the Water Sharing Plan for the Intersecting Streams Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011.

Volumes provided in the above tables are based on information available at the sources (see 'Data source') at the data collection stage for the account. It is likely that any subsequent changes to groundwater information in the water resource planning areas after the data collection stage have not been included in the above tables. In addition, sustainable diversion limit (SDL) areas other than included in the above tables do exist and may be relevant to the line item; however, relevant information was not available for the account. For example, SDL areas for which approved groundwater plans are not available (i.e., the annual extraction limit has not been set by a water resource plan) are not included for the line item.

No information on groundwater asset volumes was available for Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory areas within the MDB region for the 2013 Account. This was due to the absence of statutory water resource plans for groundwater, and lack of reliable information in existing water resource plans and other sources.

More information on basic rights within the MDB region is included in line item 18.7 Extraction: other statutory rights.

Quantification approach

Data source

Data were sourced from:

NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics
jurisdictional groundwater plans
Victorian Permissible Consumptive Volume Groundwater Order 2011
Victorian Water Account 2011–12.

Provided by

The Bureau of Meteorology.

Method

The extractable volume of groundwater has been estimated as the sum of the following attributes as stated in the relevant groundwater plan, if there was such plan in place during the 2012–13 year:

long-term estimates of volumes for extraction
basic land holder rights or unlicensed stock and domestic rights (where these are not included in the long term extraction estimates in the water resource plan)
for New South Wales the volume of supplementary access licence that was available for use in the 2012–13 year.

If a plan commenced after 30 June 2013, it was excluded from the account. Where a plan was abolished after 30 June 2012, the value of the plan in effect for the 2012–13 year was included in the 2013 Account.

Basic landowner rights are added to the long-term annual extraction limits for those plans that do not include this extractable volume in the plan extraction limit to get an estimate of what is legally extractable from the aquifers. In addition, for New South Wales the volume of supplementary access licences for the 2012–13 year was included to better reflect the total volume of water that can be extracted from the aquifer for the 2012–13 year.

Assumptions, limitations, caveats and approximations

The basic landowner rights were considered as those at the commencement of the groundwater plan.

Uncertainty information

The uncertainty estimate was not quantified.

Murray–Darling Basin 2.5 Other groundwater assets