Murray–Darling Basin: Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities
as at 30 June 2018
- Water availability in the Murray–Darling Basin region decreased during 2017–18.
- Water availability is represented by the net water assets, which are the volume of water assets minus the water liabilities.
The Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities is provided in the table below. The statement presents the volume of water assets, and water liabilities at the start and end of the reporting year.
Select comparative year
| 2018 ML | 2017 ML | 2016 ML | 2015 ML | 2014 ML | 2013 ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water assets | ||||||
| Surface water | 15,013,966 | 19,066,107 | 13,521,272 | 13,697,589 | 16,858,230 | 19,157,567 |
| Storages | 11,991,640 | 15,919,026 | 9,059,525 | 9,681,284 | 13,156,647 | 16,021,764 |
| Rivers | 772,331 | 976,365 | 1,960,497 | 897,210 | 1,126,812 | 1,009,288 |
| Lakes and wetlands | 1,836,095 | 1,890,208 | 1,875,002 | 1,865,132 | 1,893,866 | 1,799,526 |
| Claims: inter-region | 399,732 | 267,600 | 608,143 | 1,238,860 | 670,826 | 306,397 |
| Other assets | 14,168 | 12,908 | 18,105 | 15,103 | 10,079 | 20,592 |
| Groundwater | 3,471,390 | 3,333,740 | 3,333,740 | 3,333,740 | 3,262,640 | 4,193,166 |
| Aquifers | 3,471,390 | 3,333,740 | 3,333,740 | 3,333,740 | 3,262,640 | 4,193,166 |
| Total water assets | 18,485,356 | 22,399,847 | 16,855,012 | 17,031,329 | 20,120,870 | 23,350,733 |
| Water liabilities | ||||||
| Surface water liability | 3,903,767 | 5,198,631 | 2,778,789 | 2,854,285 | 3,257,667 | 4,346,391 |
| Allocation remaining: individual users | 3,004,881 | 4,323,652 | 2,143,692 | 1,977,002 | 2,567,603 | 4,346,391 |
| Allocation remaining: urban system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Allocation remaining: environmental purposes | 898,886 | 874,979 | 635,097 | 877,283 | 690,064 | 0 |
| Groundwater liability | 620,448 | 768,521 | 727,997 | 739,556 | 819,799 | 805,000 |
| Allocation remaining: individual users | 604,414 | 757,535 | 723,668 | 737,300 | 819,700 | 805,000 |
| Allocation remaining: urban system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Allocation remaining: salinity and water table management | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Allocation remaining: environmental purposes | 16,034 | 10,986 | 4,329 | 2,256 | 99 | 0 |
| Total water liabilities | 4,524,215 | 5,967,152 | 3,506,786 | 3,593,841 | 4,077,466 | 5,151,391 |
| Net water assets | ||||||
| Net surface water assets | 11,110,200 | 13,867,477 | 10,742,483 | 10,843,304 | 13,600,563 | 14,811,176 |
| Opening net surface water assets | 13,867,477 | 10,742,483 | 10,843,304 | 13,600,563 | 14,811,176 | 17,960,856 |
| Change in net surface water assets | (2,757,277) | 3,124,993 | (100,821) | (2,757,259) | (1,210,613) | (-3,149,680) |
| Closing net surface water assets | 11,110,200 | 13,867,477 | 10,742,483 | 10,843,304 | 13,600,563 | 14,811,176 |
| Net groundwater assets | 2,850,942 | 2,565,219 | 2,605,743 | 2,594,184 | 2,442,841 | 3,388,166 |
| Opening net groundwater assets | 2,565,219 | 2,605,743 | 2,594,184 | 2,442,841 | 3,388,166 | 3,260,315 |
| Change in net groundwater assets | 285,723 | (40,524) | 11,559 | 151,343 | (945,325) | 127,851 |
| Closing net groundwater assets | 2,850,942 | 2,565,219 | 2,605,743 | 2,594,184 | 2,442,841 | 3,388,166 |
| Total closing net water assets | 13,961,141 | 16,432,695 | 13,348,226 | 13,437,488 | 16,043,404 | 18,199,342 |