Burdekin: Statement details
Although the region only received below average rainfall during the 2015–16 year, it was higher than that of last year's wet season, particularly in February and March 2016. The increased inflows elevated storage volumes to over 90% and increased the available water asset to 1,979,038 ML.
Water assets
Surface water assets
Surface water asset volumes in the Burdekin region were 1,871,324 ML at 30 June 2016. The location of each storage within the region and the volume of water in each storage as a percentage of total storage capacity at the end of the year is shown in Figure S1.
The volume of water in rivers, lakes and wetlands could not be quantified due to a lack of available data; however, the volume of water held in channels and lakes is considered to be relatively small compared to the volume held in storages.
Figure S1 Percentage-full volume on 30 June 2016 for each storage
The volume of water in Lake Dalrymple contains more than 90% of the total surface water storage in the region. The water volume in Lake Dalrymple increased during the 2015–16 year from 72% at the start of the year to 91% full at 30 June 2016, which can be attributed to rainfall and associated inflows received in February and March 2016 (see Climate and water).
With the exception of Paluma Dam, all other storages within the Burdekin region were more than 90% capacity at 30 June 2016. More detailed information on the individual storages within the region is available on the Bureau of Meteorology's Water Storage website. Total surface water storage volume at 30 June 2016 compared with the previous three years is given in Figure S2.
Figure S2 Total storage volume in the region at 30 June 2016 compared with the previous 3 years
Groundwater assets
The aquifers in the Burdekin region are described in the Groundwater section of the 'region description' section. A physical asset volume could not be defined for water stored in the aquifers. Instead, a non-physical groundwater asset was used in the Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities based on the total licensed entitlements.
Water liabilities
Water liabilities in the Burdekin region refer to the volume of allocation remaining on licence entitlements at the end of the 2015–16 year.
All the listed water supply licences for the region have a water management year that ends on 30 June. Carry-over volumes for surface water and groundwater licence entitlements are summarised in tables S1 and S2 below.
A more detailed description of water allocations and associated water rights in the Burdekin region is given in the Water rights note.
| Individual users (ML) | Urban Systems (ML) | Irrigation scheme (ML) | Inter-region Transfer (ML) | |
| Opening balance at 1 July 2015 | 3,655 | 0 | 40,090 | 0 |
| Allocation | 440,725 | 11,973* | 681,079 | 31,425 |
| Allocation diversion | (134,177) | (2,263) | (533,681) | (13,096) |
| Adjustment and forfeiture | (309,383) | (9,710) | (187,488) | (18,329) |
| Closing balance at 30 June 2016 | (820) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*Supplemented volumes only.
| Individual users (ML) | |
| Opening balance at 1 July 2015 | 0 |
| Allocation | 55,715 |
| Allocated extraction | (28,434) |
| Adjustment and forfeiture | (27,281) |
| Closing balance at 30 June 2016 | 0 |
Water asset increases
Total water asset increases for the region (2,707,153 ML) comprised:
- surface water increases—2,594,670 ML
- groundwater increases— 112,483 ML
The key water asset increase for the region was runoff, which made up more than 95% of total surface water asset increases. Runoff increased by 53% from the previous year and this reflects the comparable higher rainfall that occurred during the wet months of February and March 2016 (see Climate and water).
A detailed description on all the water inflows associated with the surface water and groundwater stores are provided in the Water stores note.
Water asset decreases
Total water asset decreases were 2,215,401 ML for the region during the 2015–16 year.
The key water asset decreases for the region were outflow from the region and evaporation, which make up approximately 75% and 16% of the total water asset decreases, respectively. Both of these flows are climate-dependent. The comparable higher rainfall in 2015–16 increased the river outflow to sea by 65% (see Climate and water).
Water flows
Total water inflows to the region (2,707,153 ML) is equal to the volume of Water asset increases provided above.
Total water outflows from the region (2,927,052 ML) was higher than the volume of Water asset decreases (2,215,401 ML) because the volume of water outflows also includes the flows corresponding to the accrual transactions, i.e. the allocated water abstractions (see the Water liabilities section above).
A detailed description on all the water flows associated with the surface water and groundwater stores is provided in the Water stores note.
Unaccounted-for difference
The volume recognised in the water accounting statements of 625,935 ML represents the total unaccounted-for difference in the Burdekin region for the 2015–16 year.
The unaccounted–for difference is the volume necessary to reconcile the opening water storage and closing water storage with the total water inflows and total water outflows reported in the water accounting statements. It is calculated according to Table S3.
| Volume ML | |
| Opening water storage balance 1 July 2015 | 1,573,002 |
| Total inflows | 2,707,153 |
| Total outflows | (2,927,052) |
| Closing water storage balance (30 June 2016) | (1,979,038) |
| Unaccounted-for difference | 625,935 |
The unaccounted–for difference can also be calculated by adding the volumes necessary to reconcile (balance) the opening and closing storage with the water inflows and outflows of each of the separate water stores of the region, as shown in Table S4.
| Volume ML | |
| Surface water store | 643,722 |
| Groundwater store | (17,787) |
| Unaccounted-for difference | 625,935 |
Details regarding the balancing item's calculation for surface water and groundwater stores are provided in the Water stores note.