National Water Account 2017

South East Queensland: Outlook for 2018 Account

as at 1 June 2018

Average rainfall conditions were observed across the South East Queensland region during the first 11 months of the 2017–18 year. This is likely to contribute to an increase in end of year storage after two years of below average rainfall. Water use during the year is expected to be similar to 2016–17.

 

Diagram showing expected rainfall, storage and water use conditions for the South East Queensland for the 2017–18 year.

 

For further information on the expected inflows and future commitments for the region during the 2017–18 year scroll down this page or click on the links below:

 

 

Future prospects

Figure S20 Water outlook for the South east Queensland region for 2016–17

Figure S20 Water outlook for the South East Queensland region for 2017–2018

 

  • There is a surplus of available water assets and future water rights over water liabilities and future water commitments that are expected to be settled within 12 months of the reporting date.

 

Expected inflows

Figure S21 Rainfall deciles for the South East Queensland region from July 2017–May 2018
Figure S21 Rainfall deciles for the South East Queensland region from July 2017–May 2018

 

  • Rainfall during the first 11 months of the 2017–18 year (July–May) was average across most of the region. Storages were 80% full at 1 June 2018 compared to 76% full at the same time last year.
  • According to the Bureau of Meteorology's climate outlook (from 31 May 2018), below-average pressure over the Tasman Sea, associated with warmer ocean temperatures, are likely to weaken the westerlies that bring rain systems to southeast Australia during the winter months. This means the region is likely to experience below-average rainfall in June 2018.
  • The expected inflows for the 2017–18 year are based on storage levels as at 1 June 2018.

 

Future commitments

  • Water use for the 2017–18 year is expected to be similar to the previous few years.

 

Contingent water assets

Desalinated water

  • The Gold Coast Desalination Plant produces desalinated water which can be blended with other Gold Coast water supplies to supplement the South East Queensland Water Grid.
  • The plant has mostly been been operating in 'hot standby' mode (25 ML/day, two days per week) since December 2010, but can scale up to full production (133 ML/day) within 72 hours.
  • More than 20 Gold Coast suburbs were supplied with water from the plant from 15–19 August 2016 while the Molendinar Water Treatment Plant was shut down for maintenance.
  • The contingent water asset associated with the plant is the difference between the maximum operating capacity (133 ML/day) and the minimum operating rate (7 ML/day average based on hot standby mode) and equates to 126 ML/day.

 

Non–extractable portion of groundwater

  • The benefitted portion of the Lockyer Valley groundwater management area (GMA) located within the Moreton water plan area and the Cooloola Sandmass subartesian aquifer were the only aquifers included as a store in the water accounting statements.
  • Groundwater limits define the entitled maximum volume that can be extracted from these aquifers as 9,340 ML and 1,775 ML, respectively.
  • The remaining portion of the groundwater within these two aquifers and all other groundwater within the South East Queensland region is considered a contingent water asset.
  • Legislative or regulatory changes that alter the extraction limits, such as the setting of volumetric extraction limits within the non-benefitted area of the Lockyer Valley groundwater aquifer, could result in further portions of the groundwater being included as an asset.
  • There is no estimate available of the total volume stored in the groundwater aquifers of the South East Queensland region.