National Water Account 2017

South East Queensland: Key findings

For the water account period 1 July 2016–30 June 2017

  • Total annual rainfall was below average for the second year in a row.
  • Storage volumes at 30 June 2017 decreased from last year due to below-average rainfall for most of the year, despite record high rainfall and streamflow in March 2017 from ex-tropical cyclone Debbie.

Climate and water

Rainfall

Rainfall icon

945 mm

below the long-term average

Streamflow

Streamflow icon

well below average

for most of the year

Storage

Storage icon

75% full

Downward pointing arrow indicating decrease in storage

8% less than last year   

Water use

Water sourced

Graph showing breakdown of water sources use in the South East Queensland region for 2016–17. 365,653 ML of surface water was diverted or approximately 95% of total water sourced; groundwater extracted was 17,515 ML or 5% of total water sourced; desalinated water was 1562 ML or less than 1% of total water sourced.

groundwater

5%

surface water

95%

desalinated

water

<1%

Water supplied

Graph showing breakdown of water users in the South East Queensland region for 2016–17. 341,966 ML of water was for urban use or approximately 90% of total water supplied; 36,041 ML was for individual use or 10% of total water supplied.

379,329 ML

urban

system

90%

individual users

10%

Water status

Allocations

554,786 ML

total surface water and groundwater allocations

Water assets

2,044,927 ML

closing net water assets at 30 June 2017

Downward pointing arrow indicating decrease in net water assets

179,525 ML less than last year

Outlook

2,178,000 ML

expected water assets at 30 June 2018

Upward pointing arrow indicating expected increase in net water assets for 2017–18

increase from this year