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National Water Account 2017

Adelaide: Statement details

Above-average rainfall contributed to increased runoff across the region. As a result, end of year storage volumes increased to 56% full compared to 52% full last year. The increase in the region's surface water availability meant inter-region transfer from the River Murray to the urban system was the lowest in over six years.


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For further information on the region's water accounting statements scroll down this page or click on the links below:

 

Water assets

Surface water assets

  • Surface water asset volumes in the Adelaide region were 111,177 ML at 30 June 2017.

Figure S1 Total storage volume in the region at 30 June 2017 compared with the previous 5 year 

Figure S1 Total storage volume in the region at 30 June 2017 compared with the previous 5 years

 

  • Storage volumes increased from 52% full at 30 June 2016 to 56% full (111,177 ML) at 30 June 2017. This is the region's second consecutive increase in end of year storage volume.
  • Above-average rainfall during winter and spring 2016 contributed to storage volumes exceeding 100% full in mid-October 2016. Storage volumes then steadily decreased for the remainder of the year.

 

Figure S2 Percentage-full volume on 30 June 2017 for each storage

Figure S2 Percentage-full volume on 30 June 2017 for each storage

 

  • Just over half of the Adelaide metropolitan storages were above 60% full on 30 June 2017.
  • More detailed information on the individual storages within the region is available on the Bureau of Meteorology's Water Storage website.

 

Inter-region claims

  • Inter-region claims refer to the volume of allocation remaining on licence entitlements from inter-region sources at the end of the 2016–17 year.

 

Table S1 Volume of inter-region claims remaining at the end of the 2016–17 year
 Volume
ML
Opening balance at 1 July 20160
Increase of claims: inter-region130,000
Delivery: inter-region agreement34,994
Decrease of claims: inter-region(95,006)
Closing balance at 30 June 20170

 

  • Water supply from the River Murray is the primary source of water supply outside the region boundary.
  • A more detailed description of inter-region water sources for the Adelaide region is given in the Region Description.

 

Groundwater assets

  • Groundwater asset volumes in the Adelaide region at 30 June 2017 were 86,356 ML (see Groundwater store note).
  • The asset volume includes groundwater extraction limits and the non-licensed groundwater extractions described by each water allocation plan. It does not change from year to year, unless the water allocation plan is amended.
  • Volumes of water stored in the aquifers cannot be quantified due to a lack of available data; however, information on the total annual change in aquifer storage is available.

 

Figure S3 Total change in aquifer volume in the region at 30 June 2017 compared with the previous five years

Figure S3 Total change in aquifer volume in the region at 30 June 2017 compared with the previous five years

 

  • Above-average rainfall across the region contributed to a large increase in aquifer storage; the first annual increase in aquifer storage for the region in 4 years and the first significant increase in 6 years.

 

Irrigation scheme assets

  • Irrigation scheme asset volumes include an inter-region claim to River Murray water. The claim is facilitated by a Class 3a water access entitlement (for irrigation purposes) held by Barossa Infrastructure Limited to shares in the River Murray.

 

Table S2 Volume remaining for irrigation at the end of the 2016–17 year
 Volume
(ML)
Opening balance at 1 July 20160
Increase of claims: irrigation5,740
Delivery: irrigation(5,683)
Decrease of claims: irrigation57
Closing balance at 30 June 20170

 

  • Unused water remaining at the end of the year is forfeited as entitlement conditions do not allow carryover of unused water, resulting in a closing balance of 0 ML for the irrigation scheme claim on inter-region water.

 

Water liabilities

  • Water liabilities in the Adelaide region refer to the volume of allocation remaining on licence entitlements at the end of the 2016–17 year.

 

Table S3 Volume of surface water allocation remaining for individual users at the end of the 2016–17 year
 Volume
(ML)
Opening balance at 1 July 2016377
Allocation12,659
Allocated diversion(4,995)
Adjustment and forfeiture (7,691)
Closing balance at 30 June 2017 350

 

Table S4 Volume of groundwater allocation remaining for individual users at the end of the 2016–17 year
 Volume
(ML)
Opening balance at 1 July 20169,088
Allocation98,905
Allocated extraction(40,608)
Adjustment and forfeiture(45,644)
Closing balance at 30 June 201721,741

 

  • The surface water licences in the Adelaide region have a management year which ends on 30 June.
  • The Barossa Prescribed Water Resources Area licensees for the North Para River and tributaries may carry over the unused portion of their allocation.
  • A more detailed description of water allocations and associated water rights in the Adelaide region is given in the Water rights note.

 

Water asset increases

  • Total water asset increases for the year was 1,183,877 ML.
  • The key item contributing to surface water asset increases for the region was runoff, which made up approximately 70% of the total water asset increases. Runoff was much higher than last year, which reflects the above-average rainfall conditions experienced across the region (see Climate and water).
  • Groundwater increases primarily represents recharge: landscape. This was 10% more than last year, reflecting the improved rainfall and streamflow conditions across the region, particularly during the winter and spring months (see Climate and water).
  • Urban water system increases comprised wastewater collected and delivery: desalinated water. The volume of wastewater collected within the Adelaide region changes little from year to year; however, desalinated water has fluctuated due to the initial commissioning and testing of the Adelaide Desalination Plant (see Urban water store note).
  • Barossa Infrastructure Limited's inter-region claim on the River Murray made up 91% of all irrigation scheme increases.

 

Water asset decreases

  • Total water asset decreases for the year was 818,163 ML.
  • The key item contributing to water asset decreases was river outflow from the region, which made up approximately 50% of all water asset decreases. Outflow was much higher than last year reflecting the above average rainfall experienced across the region during the year (see Climate and water).
  • Urban water system decreases primarily represents supply system delivery: urban users and discharge: sea. Both of these flows generally change little from year to year.

 

Water flows

  • Total water inflows to the region was 1,088,814 ML, which differs from the volume of Water asset increases (1,183,877 ML). Total water inflows includes the volume of water delivered under inter-region claims; total water asset increases includes the annual allocation for inter-region claims.
  • Total water outflows from the region was 768,703 ML, which differs from the volume of Water asset decreases (818,837 ML). Total water outflows includes the flows corresponding to the accrual transactions—allocated diversions and allocated extractions. Total water asset decreases includes the forfeiture of inter-region claims (see the Water liabilities section above).
  • A detailed description on all the water inflows associated with the surface water store, groundwater store, urban water system, and irrigation scheme are provided in the Water stores note.

 

Unaccounted-for difference

  • 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.

 

Table S5 Calculation of unaccounted-for difference for the 2016–17 year
 Volume
ML
Opening water storage balance at 1 July 2016189,656
Total inflows1,088,814
Total outflows(768,703)
Closing water storage balance at 30 June 2017(197,533)
Unaccounted-for difference312,234

 

  • The unaccounted-for difference value is primarily attributed to uncertainties associated with the runoff estimate, as well as the volume of water in rivers not being able to be quantified.