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National Water Account 2018

Fitzroy: Geographic information

  • The Fitzroy region is one of Australia's larger surface water catchments.
  • Important features in the region include the Fitzroy River Barrage and Fairbairn Dam, as well as many weirs, lakes and waterholes that supply surface water.
  • Water in the region is primarily used for agricultural purposes.

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

 

General description

Area: 142,544 km2
Population: 159,101 (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] 2016)

 

Map showing the key water features of the Fitzroy region. The Fitzroy region is located close to the central Queensland coast and its boundary is defined physically by the Fitzroy Basin surface water catchment. The catchment is divided in to 6 sub-basins, that include the Comet, Dawson, Fitzroy, Isaac, Mackenzie and Nogoa rivers. Rockhampton is the largest urban area, located in the east of the region towards the coast. Other towns in the region include Emerald in the central west, Moranbah in the north and Taroom in the south.
Figure R1 Contextual map of the Fitzroy region

 

  • The Fitzroy region is located close to the the central Queensland coast and is physically defined by the Fitzroy Basin surface water catchment. More than 20,000 kilometres of waterways flow through this catchment.
  • The Fitzroy is the largest catchment to drain into the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Lagoon, and comprises six main rivers: the Isaac, Nogoa, Comet, Fitzroy, Mackenzie and Dawson.
  • The region accounts for 1.7% of Australia's water use, primarily taken from surface water for agricultural purposes.

 

Land use

Map showing the distribution and land use types within the Fitzroy region. Populated areas are spread around the region and include the city of Rockhampton and the larger townships of Charters Towers, Emerald, Biloela, Taroom and Moranbah. The main land uses include grazing, forestry, dryland agriculture and conservation and natural environments. Irrigated agriculture is of significant importance in the areas surrounding Emerald and Biloela.

Figure R2 Land use in the Fitzroy region

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

 

  • Approximately 78% of the region is used for pastoral grazing, primarily beef cattle.
  • Mining is an important land use although covering a relatively small area; 40 of Queensland’s 55 coal mines are located in the region.
  • Irrigated agriculture is concentrated around the Emerald and Theodore Irrigation Areas, with some dryland cropping to the west of the region.
  • Rockhampton, Emerald, Moranbah, and Biloela are the main regional centres.

 

Significant aquatic ecosystems

Map showing the locations of significant wetlands within the Fitzroy region. The Shoalwater and Corio Bay wetland is Ramsar listed and lies adjacent to the region approximately 100km north of Rockhampton. In addition, nationally-important wetlands are distributed throughout the region with Hedlow Wetlands, Fitzroy River Floodplain, Fitzroy River Delta and The Narrows located within 100km of Rockhampton. Towards the east, Fairbairn Dam located approximately 40km south-west of Emerald (a significant water resource in the region), Lake Elphinestone in the north and Lake Nuga Nuga, Palm Tree and Robinson Creeks and Boggomoss Springs in the south.

Figure R3 Significant wetlands in the Fitzroy region

 

Water resources

  • Surface water is the primary water resource in the Fitzroy region, with many storages including the Fitzroy River Barrage, Fairbairn Dam and numerous smaller reservoirs and weirs.
  • Groundwater is an important resource in some areas, in particular the Callide Valley, where groundwater recharge is promoted by hydraulic control structures on the surface water systems.

 

Surface water

Storages

Map showing the locations of major storages within the Fitzroy region. Fairbairn dam, located in the Nogoa River catchment, approximately 40km south-west of Emerald is the largest storage with a capacity of approximately 1,300,000 ML, representing over 75% of total storage across the region. The remaining 13 storages, located across the region, provide approximately 350,000 ML in capacity. Neville Hewitt Weir, Moura Weir, Moura Offstream storage, Theodore Weir, Gyranda Weir, Glebe Weir, Callide and Kroombit are all located within the Dawson River catchment. The Fitzroy catchment contains Fitzroy Barrage and Mount Morgan No. 7 storages and Bingegang, Tartrus and Bedford Weirs are located in the Mackenzie River catchment.

Figure R4 Surface water storages within the Fitzroy region

 

  • Fairbairn Dam is the region's largest water storage, and is used for irrigation, public water supply to the towns of Emerald, Blackwater, Bluff, Tieri, Dysart and Middlemount, and mining and industrial water supply.
  • The Fitzroy Barrage is the water supply for Rockhampton, the region's largest town.
  • There are numerous other weirs, dams, and channel systems used as part of water supply schemes in the region.

 

Rivers

Map showing the locations of key gauging stations along the main rivers within the Fitzroy region. Nogoa River at Craigmore, station number 130209A, approximately 40km upstream of Fairbairn dam. Comet River at The Lake, station number 130506A. Towards the southern boundary Dawson River at Taroom, station number 130209A. In the northern portion of the region, Isaac River at Yatton, station number 130401A and within 100km to the west of Rockhampton, Mackenzie River at Coolmaringa, station number 130105A and Fitzroy River at The Gap station number 130005A.

Figure R5 Key flow gauging stations along the main rivers within the Fitzroy region

 

Figure R6 Mean monthly flows along the Fitzroy and Isaac rivers and mean monthly rainfall for the Fitzroy region.
Figure R6 Mean monthly flows along the Fitzroy and Isaac rivers and mean monthly rainfall for the Fitzroy region.  

  • The seasonal flow characteristics of rivers within the Fitzroy region reflect the region's annual rainfall pattern. Most of the rainfall occurs between November and April. Consequently, most of the streamflow within the region occurs between December and April.
  • Most of the rivers and creeks in the Fitzroy region can cease to flow during May–October. Releases from Fairbairn Dam regulate flows in the Nogoa River for water supply during these months. Flows in the lower reaches of the Fitzroy River are generally perennial.

 

Groundwater

Map showing the locations of the five key groundwater management areas within the Fitzroy region. The Highlands management area is the largest area, occupying the central west portion of the region. Carnarvon covers the southern extent of the region around Taroom and two smaller management areas Callide and Fitzroy, are located close to Biloela and Rockhampton respectively. The northern extent of the Fitzroy region is occupied by the Isaac Connors management area. In addition, the southern part of the region is underlain by the Great Artesian basin, the extent of which largely correlates with the boundary of the Carnarvon groundwater management area.

Figure R7 Groundwater management areas in the Fitzroy region

  • There are five groundwater management areas in the region: Isaac Connors, Highlands, Carnarvon, Callide, and Fitzroy.
  • Groundwater resources in the Carnarvon Groundwater Management Area form part of the Great Artesian Basin; however Great Artesian Basin resources are excluded from this account.
  • Water is supplied to irrigated agriculture, town supply, mining and industry from aquifers in the Callide Valley. Control structures on Callide and Kroombit creeks are used to promote groundwater recharge into these aquifers after release of surface water from Callide and Kroombit dams.

 

Water systems

Irrigation areas

  • Irrigation areas are concentrated around the Dawson Valley (Theodore Irrigation Area) and Fairbairn Dam (Emerald Irrigation Area), which each have two irrigation channel systems (Theodore and Gibber Gunyah, and Selma and Weema, respectively).
  • Cotton is the main irrigated crop and and irrigation is carried out throughout the water supply schemes and water management areas detailed below, using supplemented and unsupplemented water.

 

Water supply schemes

Map showing the locations of four water supply schemes within the Fitzroy region. The Nogoa Mackenzie scheme includes Fairbairn dam, the most significant surface water storage area in the region. The Dawson valley scheme is located approximately 20km from Taroom and occupies approximately 250km of the Dawson river. The Callide valley scheme supplies various users and the township of Biloela. Rockhampton is served by the Lower Fitzroy and Fitzroy Bridge schemes that occupy a 100km stretch of the Fitzroy river, north west of Rockhampton.

Figure R8 Water supply schemes in the Fitzroy region

 

  • There are five supplemented water supply schemes in the Fitzroy region: Callide Valley, Dawson Valley, Fitzroy Barrage, Lower Fitzroy and Nogoa Mackenzie.
  • These schemes are managed and operated by SunWater, except for the Fitzroy Barrage Water Supply Scheme which is managed and operated by Fitzroy River Water, a commercial entity of Rockhampton Regional Council.
  • Numerous reservoirs, weirs, and pipelines are used in these schemes to store and distribute water to users, for purposes including irrigation, town water supply, and mining and industrial use.

 

Water management areas

Map showing the locations of five key unsupplemented water management areas within the Fitzroy region. The areas include Dawson Valley, Nogoa Mackenzie, Comet, Fitzroy, Lower Callide Groundwater sub-area and Theresa Retreat. The southern half of the region includes the Comet River management area the extends northerly to Emerald and the Dawson River that intersects Taroom and extends northerly, linking up with the Nogoa and Fitzroy management areas. The Callide scheme is situated approximately 20km's from Biloela. The Fitzroy, Mackenzie and Theresa Schemes form a westerly succession of water management areas inland from Rockhampton.

Figure R9 Water management areas in the Fitzroy region

 

  • There are five unsupplemented water management areas in the region–Dawson Valley, Nogoa Mackenzie, Fitzroy, Comet, and Theresa Retreat–as well as the Lower Callide Groundwater sub-area.
  • Unsupplemented water is provided to irrigators from these areas, and is managed by the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.