Adelaide region
Overview: 2013–14
The Adelaide region is located in the southeast of South Australia, on the east coast of the Gulf St Vincent. It extends from the Barossa Valley in the north to the Fleurieu Peninsula in the south, and includes metropolitan Adelaide, the Northern Adelaide Plains and the Western Mount Lofty Ranges. The region includes the Gawler, Little Para, Torrens, Onkaparinga and Myponga rivers, which drain into the Gulf St Vincent, flowing west and southwest from the Mount Lofty Ranges. The region also includes several smaller rivers along the Fleurieu Peninsula that flow west into the Gulf St Vincent and southeast into the Southern Ocean.
The 2013–14 year was a much more favourable year in the Adelaide region in terms of rainfall and storage volumes. After the below average conditions experienced in the previous year where several major water storages decreased in volume, above average rainfall, including well above average rainfall experienced in July-August 2013 and February 2014, helped to replenish storage volumes from 87,330 ML at 30 June 2013 to 122,502 ML at 30 June 2014. The highest gains were seen in the Kangaroo Creek, South Para and Mount Bold Reservoirs where some volumes increased by over 50%. Closing net water assets in the Adelaide region were 204,375 ML, compared to 171,155 ML at the end of the 2012–13 year. For more information on the region's water assets, refer to Water accounting statements.
The Adelaide region relies on a diverse range of water resources to supply its urban water system. Although the volume of water supplied to the urban water system has remained similar in the past two years, the type of water sourced has varied. The 2013–14 year saw an increase in desalinated water supplied from the Adelaide Desalination Plant at Port Stanvac. Water supplied from this facility has increased each year since it was commissioned in December 2012. The plant can produce up to 100,000 ML per year and has provided 3,816 ML in 2011–12, 36,472 ML in 2012–13 and 60,950 ML in 2013–14. The desalination plant provides the Adelaide region with a climate independant water source and helps to alleviate demand on surface water storages, and inter-region tranfers from the River Murray. Further information on urban water can be found in the Urban water system note.
Several irrigation schemes are reported in the Account including Barossa Infrastructure Limited, Virginia Pipeline Scheme and Willunga Basin Water Company. The volume of water supplied to these companies was around 15% less than the volume supplied in the 2012–13 year. Around 75% of water supplied in 2013–14 was the delivery of recycled water from wastewater treatment plants or from community wastewater management schemes. A further 24% was delivered through inter-region transfer of River Murray water and the remainder was recycled water provided from groundwater extracted through the Aldinga Aquifer Storage and Recovery Scheme. The irrigation schemes of the region are explained in the Irrigation Scheme note.
The key water account information for the Adelaide region during the 2013–14 year is presented in the following table. Information on the uncertainty associated with the volumes presented in the table is provided in the relevant sections of the account.
Contextual information
 | 2013–14 | 2012–13 | Long–term average |
Rainfall: 712 mm |
Rainfall: 443 mm |
Rainfall: 634 mm | |
| For more detail on the Adelaide climate refer to Climate overview. | |||
 | Myponga River | North Para River | Onkaparinga River |
| above mean annual flow | below mean annual flow | well below mean annual flow | |
| For more detail on streamflow in the Adelaide region refer to Water overview. | |||
Water accounting statements
 | 2013–14 | 2012–13 | |
| Total water assets (as at 30 June) | 211,107 | 175,670 | |
| Total water liabilities (as at 30 June) | 6,732 | 3,941 | |
| Change in net water assets | 33,220 | (11,904) | |
| Closing net water assets | 204,375 | 171,155 | |
| For more detail on water assets and water liabilities refer to Water Accounting statements. | |||
Notes: supporting information
 | 30 June 2014 | 30 June 2013 | |||
| Total capacity | Volume | % of capacity | Volume | % of capacity | |
| 197,871 ML | 122,502 ML | 62% | 87,330 ML | 44% | |
| For more detail on surface water storage in the Adelaide region refer to Surface water. | |||||
 | Total water abstracted | ||
| 2013–14 | 2012–13 | Recent activity | |
Surface water: 68,783 ML | Surface water: 60,297ML | Groundwater abstractions for other statutory rights have decreased. Surface water diversions for urban water supply have increased. | |
Groundwater: 43,699 ML | Groundwater: 54,287 ML | ||
| For more detail on water abstraction in the Adelaide region refer to Surface water and Groundwater. | |||
 | Total water supplied | ||
| 2013–14 | 2012–13 | Recent activity | |
| 159,198 ML | 162,173 ML | Increased intake of desalinated water to the urban water system. Decreased reliance on River Murray water. | |
| For more detail on the urban water system in the Adelaide region refer to Urban water system. | |||
 | Total water supplied | ||
| 2013–14 | 2012–13 | Recent activity | |
| 25,576 ML | 29,664 ML | Slight reduction in demand from irrigation schemes, which slightly reduced reliance on River Murray Water. | |
| For more detail on the irrigation scheme in the Adelaide region refer to Irrigation scheme. | |||