National Water Account 2018

Region report

Key findings

Climate and water

Water Accounting Statements

Supporting information

Region description

Reference information

Focus area

Border Rivers

Murray–Darling Basin: Water stores

Surface water store

• The volume of surface water in the region decreased from 18,798,507 ML at 1 July 2017 to 14,614,234 ML at 30 June 2018.
• The balancing item of 0 ML does not imply that there are no uncertainties associated with the surface water store. Errors and uncertainties are incorporated within the river and floodplain losses, which is estimated using a water balance approach (see Methods).

Surface water flows

Figure S5 Water inflows and outflows for the surface water store during the 2017–18 year

• The largest natural water flow was runoff. Runoff was below average compared to previous years, which reflects the relatively poor rainfall conditions experienced across the region (see Climate and water).
• The largest water transfer in the region (delivery: inter-region agreement) comprised transfers from Snowy Hydro Limited (1,575,600 ML) and Glenelg River (2,218 ML). The delivery of water from Snowy Hydro Limited decreased by 41% from the previous year due to a decrease in entitled water for the River Murray.

Figure S6 Allocated gross surface water diversions during the 2017–18 year in the region's key water management areas

• Total surface water diverted in the region was 10,679,471 ML.
• 90% of the surface water diversions were associated with an allocation (9,665,574 ML); the remainder was made under non-allocated licences.
• 71% of the allocated diversions were for individual users; 25% were for environmental purposes, mainly from the Victorian Murray, Northern Victoria and SA River Murray water resource plan areas; and less than 5% were supplied to the urban system.
• Total net surface water diversion in the region was 9,733,025 ML.
• For a more detailed description of the water usage in the region, and the associated entitlements, see the Surface water rights note.

Groundwater store

• The volume of groundwater in the region is equivalent to the sustainable diversion limit and, therefore, generally remains unchanged from year to year.
• It is likely that the balancing item is primarily attributed to uncertainties associated with groundwater recharge from the landscape and groundwater discharge to the landscape, which are estimated from a groundwater model (see Methods).

Groundwater flows

Figure S7 Water inflows and outflows for the groundwater store during the 2017–18 year

• The largest natural groundwater flows were recharge: landscape and recharge: surface water, which combined made up almost all of the total inflows into the region's aquifers.
• Groundwater recharge was lower than previous years, which reflects the below-average rainfall and streamflow conditions across the region during most of the year (see Climate and water).

Figure S8 Allocated groundwater extractions during the 2017–18 year in the region's key water management areas

• Total groundwater extracted in the region was 1,641,137 ML.
• 86% of the groundwater extractions were associated with an allocation (1,403,816 ML); the remainder was made under a statutory right.
• 96% of the allocated extractions were supplied to individual users; 3% were for the urban system; the remainder was extracted for salinity and water table management.
• No groundwater extractions were made for environmental purposes during the year.
• For a more detailed description of the water usage in the region, and the associated entitlements, see the Groundwater rights note.