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National Water Account 2018

Burdekin: Geographic information

  • The Burdekin River is one of Australia's larger rivers.
  • Lake Dalrymple is the primary surface water resource in the region.
  • Bowling Green Bay National Park is a Ramsar-listed wetland of international importance.
  • Surface and groundwater resources support the main water users in the region, including irrigation for sugarcane and horticulture, mining, and urban supply.

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For further geographic information about the region scroll down this page or click on the links below:

 

 

General description

Area: 133,600 km2
Population: 33,633 (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] 2016)

 

Map showing the key water features of the Burdekin region. The Burdekin region is in the drier part of the Queensland tropics and its boundary is defined physically by the Burdekin River and Haughton River surface water catchments. The town of Ary is located within the Burdekin River delta area. Other towns in the region include Charters Towers in the central north and Collinsville and Glendon located further towards the coast along the eastern boundary of the region. Lake Dalrymple, located in the central part of the region is the primary water resource in the region.
Figure R1 Contextual map of the Burdekin region 

 

  • The Burdekin region lies within the northeast coast drainage division, in the drier part of the Queensland tropics. 
  • The region is physically defined by two surface water catchments: the Burdekin River and the Haughton River.
  • About 5.4 % of Australia's water use occurs in the region. Most of the water use is from surface water for irrigation purposes.

 

Land use

Map showing the distribution and land use types within the Burdekin region. The town of Charters Towers is located in the central north of the region. Other towns in the region include Ayr, located within the Burdekin river delta and Collinsville and Glendon located further towards the coast along the eastern boundary of the region The main land uses includes grazing and conservation and natural environments. Irrigated agriculture is of significant importance in the Burdekin river delta area.
Figure R2 Land use in the Burdekin region 

Source: (Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences 2016)

 

  • Urban centres include Ayr, Charters Towers and Home Hill.
  • Almost 90% of the region is for pastoral grazing; about 5% of the region contains conservation areas and natural environments.
  • 1% of the region contains irrigated agriculture, primarily associatted with  sugarcane farming and horticulture products   concentrated around Ayr.
  • Mining is also important in the region and makes up approximately 0.1% of the land area.

 

Significant aquatic ecosystems

 Map showing the locations of significant wetlands within the Burdekin region. Bowling Green Bay wetland is Ramsar listed and contains examples of rich coastal habitats. In addition, nationally-important wetlands are distributed throughout the region. In the north of the region Minnamoolka Area, Walruna Lake, Lake Lucy Wetlands and Poison Lake are located. In the middle of the region, and within 100km of the Burdekin delta, the Serpentine Aggregation, Barrattas Channels and Junction of the Bogle River and Kirknie Creek are located. Further south and within 100km of Lake Dalrymple, Turkey Mound and Iron Pot Spring, Bowen River: Birralee-Pelican Creek, Scartwater Aggregation and Why Not Aggregation are situated. Lake Eungella and Doongmabulla Springs complete the list towards the southern extent of the region.
Figure R3 Wetlands within the Burdekin region

 

  • The region contains several significant aquatic ecosystems, including Ramsar-listed wetlands.
  • Bowling Green Bay National Park is a Ramsar-listed wetland and contains examples of rich coastal habitats that are typical of northeast Australia's coastal wet-dry tropics.

 

Water resources

  • Surface water is the primary water source in the Burdekin region. The two primary surface water resources are Lake Dalrymple (Burdekin Falls Dam) and Lake Eungella.
  • Groundwater resources of the lower Burdekin aquifers are regionally significant and both resources support irrigation for sugarcane and horticulture, mining, and urban supply. 

 

Surface water

Storages

 Map showing the locations of major storages within the Burdekin region. Lake Dalrymple (Burdekin Falls Dam), located in the Burdekin River catchment in the central part of the region is the region's largest storage with a capacity of approximately 1,860,000 ML. The remaining 10 storages, located across the region, provide approximately 160,000 ML in additional water storage capacity. Paluma Dam is the most northerly located storage in the region. Charters Towers Weir is located about 15km from Charters Towers on the Burdekin River. Giru, Val Bird and Clare weirs are located within 80km of the Burdekin Delta area. Further south, Blue Valley Weir, Gorge Weir, Bowen River Weir and Gattonvale offstream storage are located within 80km of Collinsvale and Lake Eungella (the second largest surface water storage) is located on the mid-western boundary of the Burdekin region.
Figure R4 Surface water storages within the Burdekin region

 

  • Lake Dalrymple, formed by Burdekin River Dam, operates in conjunction with the other smaller storages and weirs of the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme which provides water to irrigators within the lower Burdekin region.
  • Lake Eungella, Bowen River Weir, and Gattonvale offstream storage make up the water stores for the Bowen Broken Water Supply Scheme. The scheme primarily provides water for urban water supply and for industrial use, including mining and the Collinsville Power Station.
  • Water stored in the Paluma Dam can be diverted outside of the region to the headwaters of Crystal Creek to supplement Townsville's urban water supply if required. Water can also be diverted from the Haughton River (as part of the Burdekin Haughton water supply scheme) to Townsville.

 

Rivers

 Map showing the locations of key gauging stations along the main rivers within the Burdekin region. Burdekin River at Sellheim, station number 120002C, near the town of Charters Towers, Cape River at Taemas, station number 120302B and Suttor River at St Anns, station number 120303A both upstream of Lake Dalrymple and finally, Bowen River at Myuna, station number 120205A is located approximately 120km west of Glenden.
Figure R5 Key flow gauging stations along the main rivers within the Burdekin region

 

Figure R6 Mean monthly flows along the Bowen, Burdekin, Cape and Suttor rivers and mean monthly rainfall for the Burdekin region

Figure R6 Mean monthly flows along the Bowen, Burdekin, Cape and Suttor rivers and mean monthly rainfall for the Burdekin region  

  • Seasonal flow characteristics of rivers within the Burdekin region reflect the region's annual rainfall pattern. Most of the rainfall occurs during the wet season (November–April). Consequently, most of the streamflow within the region occurs between December and April.
  • Upstream of Lake Dalrymple (e.g., Cape and Suttor rivers), flows in the streams are very low or cease to flow during the dry season (May–October). Flows below Lake Dalrymple (Burdekin River) and Lake Eungella (Bowen River) are regulated by releases from the dams, and consequently, flows are generally perennial.

 

Groundwater

Map showing the locations of the five key groundwater zones and management areas within the Burdekin region. There are three subartesian areas, the Greater Western subartesian area extends along the western boundary of the region, the Highlands covers a large portion of the south and the Burdekin subartesian area (Burdekin Groundwater Management Area) occupies a large area in the delta region, surrounding the township of Ayr. Groundwater is also managed and extracted from the Lower Burdekin region, adjacent to Burdekin subartesian area supplying irrigators and other users in the delta area. The Great Artesian Basin also underlies the region occupying a similar area to the Greater Western subartesian area along the western boundary of the region.
Figure R7 Groundwater zones and management areas within the Burdekin region

 

  • There are three subartesian areas that are in the region; Greater Western, Highlands and Burdekin;The Burdekin groundwater management area comprises 13 subareas associated with the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme.
  • Lower Burdekin Water manages the groundwater system in the Lower Burdekin region. 
  • The Burdekin River is used to replenish the coastal aquifer via artificial pits. Groundwater replenishment in the region is used to manage seawater intrusion and improve the quality of water supplied for agriculture, domestic, and industrial purposes.
  • The Water Resource (Great Artesian Basin) Plan 2006 and the Great Artesian Basin Resource Operations Plan 2006 also apply to the western sections of the Cape–Campaspe and the Suttor–Belyando subcatchments however these do not feature as part of this account.
  • Groundwater is extracted from the Burdekin GMA and the Lower Burdekin region and is used primarily for agriculture (predominantly sugarcane production), domestic water supply, town water supply, and industrial purposes.
  • The groundwater system within the Burdekin River delta is generally considered to be unconfined. Recharge to the aquifer occurs via a range of mechanisms, including rainfall infiltration, channel seepage, percolation through artificial recharge facilities, overbank flood flows, and irrigation return flows.

 

Water systems

Burdekin irrigation areas

Map showing the locations of the two key irrigation areas within the Burdekin region. The Burdekin River Irrigation Area is the larger of the areas, occupying land along the coast and a large portion of the Burdekin delta region. The irrigation area extends up the Burdekin river to within 50km of Burdekin Falls dam. The smaller, Lower Burdekin Irrigation area sits downstream of the Burdekin River Irrigation Area, flanking the estuarine reaches of the river before discharging in to the ocean. The area is one of the most productive agricultural districts in Australia.
Figure R8 Irrigation areas within the Burdekin region

 

  • The Burdekin River Irrigation Area comprises an open channel network that is used to distribute water for irrigated agriculture. The irrigation area is located around the lower reaches of the Burdekin and Haughton rivers.
  • Irrigation water is diverted from the Burdekin River via pumping stations located in the Clare Weir area. The pumping stations divert water into three main distribution channels. On one side of the Burdekin River, water is diverted to the Haughton and Barratta main channels, which provide water to customers between the Burdekin and Haughton rivers; on the other side of the river, water is diverted into the Elliot main channel, which provides water to the Leichhardt Downs area.
  • Lower Burdekin Water manage a series of sand-dams within the lower Burdekin River to support water diversions for off stream groundwater recharge pits.

 

Water supply schemes

Map showing the locations of the Burdekin Haughton and the Bowen Broken water supply schemes. The Burdekin Haughton scheme occupies all of the Burdekin River downstream of Lake Dalrymple and comprises important bulk water infrastructure downstream via a series of storages, weirs and pipelines. The scheme also occupies approximately 50km of the Haughton River in the northern portion of the delta region. The Bowen Broken scheme supplies water for several irrigation farms. Infrastructure includes the Lake Eungella, situated on Broken River, approximately 40 kilometres north east of the township of Glenden.
Figure R9 Water supply schemes within the Burdekin region

 

  • There are two water supply schemes in the Burdekin region; the Burdekin Haughton and the Bowen Broken.
  • These schemes are managed and operated by SunWater and provide surface water to irrigators within the Burdekin River Irrigation Area, for town water supply and for industrial use.
  • Both schemes comprise a series of storages, weirs and pipelines used to divert and distribute surface water to users. Refer to the SunWater website for more information on the water supply schemes within the Burdekin region.