National Water Account 2016

Adelaide: Key findings

  • Water supply from the River Murray more than doubled from last year, mitigating the declining inflows to surface water storage.
  • Total water use increased from the previous year, which reflected the drier conditions
    across the region.
  • Aquifer recharge decreased by more than 75%; this was the third succesive year where a drop in aquifer storage was observed.
calendar icon showing water year from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016

CLIMATE AND WATER

Rainfall

Rainfall icon

546 mm

less than long-term average

Streamflow

Streamflow icon

below average

more than last year

Storage

Storage icon

52% full

9% more than last year   

WATER USE

Graph showing breakdown of water sources use in the Adelaide region for 2015–16. 25,078 megalitres of surface water was diverted or approximately 11% of total water sourced; Groundwater extracted was 57,458 megalitres or 25% of total water sourced; Desalinated water produced was 7,686 ML or 3% of total water sourced; and Inter-region water was 136,789 ML or less than 60% of total water sourced.

227,011 ML

Water sourced

Water supplied

groundwater

25%

surface water

11%

desalinated
water

3%

inter-region
water

60%

2%

more water used than last year

arrow pointing rightGraph showing breakdown of water supplied to users in the Adelaide region for 2015–16. 9,089 megalitres was supplied to the irrigation scheme or 4% of total water supplied; 156,804 ML was supplied to the urban system or 69% of total water supplied and 61,118 ML was supplied to individual users or 27% of total water supplied

urban system

69%

irrigation scheme

4%

individual users

27%

WATER STATUS

water entitlements icon

Entitlements

255,356 ML

total surface water and groundwater entitlements

Water accounting icon

Water assets

180,191 ML

closing net water assets
at 30 June 2016

7,001 ML more than last year

Future outlook icon

Outlook

230,000 ML

expected water assets
at 30 June 2017

increase from this year