Burdekin: Water resources and systems
Introduction
The following set of notes provides water accounting statements for each of the water stores and systems within the Burdekin region during the 2014–15 year. Information on all water flows to and from each water store and system are presented in this note, including between-store flows and transfers that are not presented in the consolidated water accounting statements (which are shown in italics).
For more information about the region, please refer to the General description section of the 'Contextual information'. For more information on between-store flows and transfers that occur in the region, please refer to the Supporting information note.
Surface water
Statement of surface water assets and surface water liabilities
The Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities presents the volume of water assets and water liabilities at the start and end of the reporting year.
Surface water assets of the region include physical water assets (e.g., storages and rivers) and rights or claims to water. Surface water liabilities include commitments to deliver water to users at the end of the year. The closing net water assets are the volume of surface water assets in the region minus the surface water liabilities at the end of the reporting year (Figure N10).
Figure N10 Surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the Burdekin region at 30 June 2015
Details on the region's surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the 2014–15 year are also provided in Table N16.
| 2015 ML | 2014 ML | |
| Water assets | ||
| Storages | 1,479,551 | 2,003,189 |
| Unregulated river | – | – |
| Regulated river | – | – |
| Lakes and wetlands | – | – |
| Total surface water assets | 1,479,551 | 2,003,189 |
| Water liabilities | 53,654 | 92,202 |
| Allocation remaining: individual users | 53,654 | 92,202 |
| Allocation remaining: urban system | 0 | 0 |
| Allocation remaining: irrigation | 0 | 0 |
| Total water liabilities | 53,654 | 92,202 |
| Opening net water assets | 1,910,987 | 2,003,839 |
| Change in net water assets | (485,090) | (92,852) |
| Closing net water assets | 1,425,897 | 1,910,987 |
Statement of changes in surface water assets and surface water liabilities
The Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities presents the changes in water assets and water liabilities that occurred during the reporting year.
This statement is prepared on an accrual basis. Figure N11 shows the transactions that changed the surface water assets and surface water liabilities of the region, including:
- accrual (non-physical) transactions, indicated by the glass-of-water symbols
- actual water flows (both natural and engineered), indicated by the arrows.
Figure N11 Changes in surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the Burdekin region during the 2014–15 year
Details on the changes in surface water assets and surface water liabilities for the 2014–15 year are also provided in Table N17.
| 2015 ML | 2014 ML | |
| Water asset increases | ||
| Precipitation | 90,680 | 87,791 |
| Runoff | 1,639,923 | 3,510,350 |
| Point return: irrigation | – | – |
| Discharge: urban supply | – | – |
| Discharge: groundwater | – | – |
| Total water asset increases | 1,730,603 | 3,598,141 |
| Water liability decreases | ||
| Adjustment and forfeiture: individual users | 353,344 | 54,740 |
| Adjustment and forfeiture: urban system | 10,361 | 10,681 |
| Adjustment and forfeiture: irrigation | (25,439) | 94,567 |
| Total water liability decreases | 338,266 | 159,988 |
| Water asset decreases | ||
| Evaporation | 504,892 | 310,309 |
| Outflow | 1,007,196 | 1,862,192 |
| Recharge: groundwater | – | – |
| River and floodplain losses | – | – |
| Leakage: landscape | – | – |
| Non-allocated diversion: individual users | 115,336 | 92,117 |
| Transfer inter-region | 0 | 0 |
| Total water asset decreases | 1,627,424 | 2,264,618 |
| Water liability increases | ||
| Allocation: individual users | 464,916 | 468,730 |
| Allocation: urban system | 12,318 | 12,335 |
| Allocation: irrigation | 641,286 | 637,457 |
| Total water liability increases | 1,118,520 | 1,118,522 |
| Balancing item—surface water | 191,985 | (467,841) |
| Change in net water assets | (485,090) | (92,852) |
Statement of surface water flows
The Statement of Water Flows presents the actual water inflows and outflows associated with the water stores of the region that occurred during the reporting year.
Figure N12 shows the actual surface water flows, including flows corresponding to the accrual transactions shown in Figure N11 above.
Figure N12 Surface water flows for the Burdekin region during the 2014-15 year
Details on the surface water flows for the 2014–15 year are also provided in Table N18.
| 2015 ML | 2014 ML | |
| Water inflows | ||
| Precipitation | 90,680 | 87,791 |
| Runoff | 1,639,923 | 3,510,350 |
| Point return: irrigation | – | – |
| Discharge: urban supply | – | – |
| Discharge: groundwater | – | – |
| Total water inflows | 1,730,603 | 3,598,141 |
| Water outflows | ||
| Evaporation | 504,892 | 310,309 |
| Outflow | 1,007,196 | 1,862,192 |
| River and floodplain losses | – | – |
| Recharge: groundwater | – | – |
| Leakage: landscape | – | – |
| Non-allocated diversion: individual users | 115,336 | 92,117 |
| Allocated diversion: individual users | 150,120 | 321,788 |
| Allocated diversion: urban system | 1,957 | 1,654 |
| Allocated diversion: irrigation | 666,725 | 542,890 |
| Transfer inter-region | 0 | 0 |
| Total water outflows | 2,446,226 | 3,130,950 |
| Balancing item—surface water | 191,985 | (467,841) |
| Opening water storage | 2,003,189 | 2,003,839 |
| Change in water storage | (523,638) | (650) |
| Closing water storage | 1,479,551 | 2,003,189 |
Groundwater
Statement of groundwater assets and groundwater liabilities
The Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities presents the volume of water assets and water liabilities at the start and end of the reporting year.
Groundwater assets of the region include physical water assets (e.g., water table aquifer and underlying aquifers) and rights or claims to water. Groundwater liabilities include commitments to deliver water to users at the end of the year. The closing net water assets are the volume of groundwater assets in the region minus the groundwater liabilities at the end of the reporting year (Figure N13).
Figure N13 Groundwater assets and groundwater liabilities for the Burdekin region at June 2015
Details on the region's groundwater assets and groundwater liabilities for the 2014–15 year are also provided in Table N19.
| 2015 ML | 2014 ML | |
| Water assets | ||
| Water table aquifer | – | – |
| Underlying aquifers | – | – |
| Total water assets | – | – |
| Water liabilities | ||
| Allocation remaining: individual users | 0 | 0 |
| Total water liabilities | ||
| Opening net water assets | (–) | (–) |
| Change in net water assets | 0 | 0 |
| Closing net water assets | (–) | (–) |
Statement of changes in groundwater assets and groundwater liabilities
The Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities presents the changes in water assets and water liabilities that occurred during the reporting year.
This statement is prepared on an accrual basis. Figure N14 shows the transactions that changed the groundwater assets and groundwater liabilities of the region, including:
- accrual (non-physical) transactions, indicated by the glass-of-water symbols
- actual water flows (both natural and engineered), indicated by the arrows.
Figure N14 Changes in groundwater assets and groundwater liabilities for the Burdekin region during the 2014–15 year
Details on the changes in groundwater assets and groundwater liabilities for the 2014–15 year are also provided in Table N20
| 2015 ML | 2014 ML | |
| Water asset increases | ||
| Inter-region inflow | – | – |
| Inter-region coastal inflow | – | – |
| Recharge: landscape | – | – |
| Recharge: surface water | – | – |
| Managed aquifer recharge: individual users | 81,673 | 34,275 |
| Discharge: urban supply | – | – |
| Leakage: irrigation | – | – |
| Total water asset increases | 81,673 | 34,275 |
| Water liability decreases | ||
| Adjustment and forfeiture: individual users | 38,591 | 5,000 |
| Total water liability decreases | 38,591 | 5,000 |
| Water asset decreases | ||
| Inter-region outflow | – | – |
| Inter-region coastal outflow | – | – |
| Discharge: landscape | – | – |
| Discharge: surface water | – | – |
| Non-allocated extraction: individual users | 37,010 | 35,072 |
| Total water asset decreases | 37,010 | 35,072 |
| Water liability increases | ||
| Allocation: individual users | 56,441 | 10,000 |
| Total water liability increases | 56,441 | 10,000 |
| Balancing item—groundwater | (26,813) | 5,797 |
| Change in net water assets | 0 | 0 |
Statement of groundwater flows
The Statement of Water Flows presents the actual water inflows and outflows associated with the water stores of the region that occurred during the reporting year.
Figure N15 shows the actual groundwater flows, including flows corresponding to the accrual transactions shown in Figure N14 above.
Figure N15 Groundwater flows for the Burdekin region during the 2014–15 year
Details on the groundwater flows for the 2014–15 year are also provided in Table N21.
| 2015 ML | 2014 ML | |
| Water inflows | ||
| Inter-region inflow | – | – |
| Inter-region coastal inflow | – | – |
| Recharge: landscape | – | – |
| Recharge: surface water | – | – |
| Managed aquifer recharge:individual users | 81,673 | 34,275 |
| Discharge: urban supply | – | – |
| Leakage: irrigation | – | – |
| Total water inflows | 81,673 | 34,275 |
| Water outflows | ||
| Inter-region outflow | – | – |
| Inter-region coastal outflow | – | – |
| Discharge: landscape | – | – |
| Discharge: surface water | – | – |
| Non-allocated extraction: individual users | 37,010 | 35,072 |
| Allocated extraction: individual users | 17,850 | 5,000 |
| Total water outflows | 54,860 | 40,072 |
| Balancing item—groundwater | (26,813) | 5,797 |
| Opening water storage | – | – |
| Change in water storage | 0 | 0 |
| Closing water storage | – | – |