Ord: Water stores
- Below-average rainfall during most of the wet season contributed to low runoff across the region and a decrease in storage volumes.
- Water use was higher than last year reflecting drier conditions in the region, as well as irrigation expansion in the Goomig Farmlands.
For a water balance on each of the region's water stores for the 2017–18 year scroll down this page or click on the links below:
Surface water store
| Description | Volume (ML) | |
| Opening surface water store | 11,832,376 | |
| add | Inflows | 4,248,765 |
| less | Outflows | 6,144,766 |
| add | Balancing item | (946,563) |
| Closing surface water store | 8,989,812 | |
- The volume of surface water in the region decreased from 11,832,376 ML at 1 July 2017 to 8,989,812 ML at 30 June 2018.
- The balancing item is more than 10% of the closing surface water store. Such a high balancing item is attributed to the fact that river losses cannot be quantified in the account, as well as uncertainties associated with the runoff estimate (see Methods).
Surface water flows
Figure S3 Water inflows and outflows for the surface water store during the 2017–18 year
- The largest natural water flows were runoff and outflow. Both were below average compared to previous years, and much lower than last year when near record rainfall was experienced across the entire region (see the 2017 Account).
Figure S4 Allocated surface water diversions during the 2017–18 year in the region's key water management areas
- Total surface water diverted in the region was 239,804 ML.
- 86% of the total diversion was for irrigation scheme supply, all within the Main Ord River management area.
- About 14% of the diversion was supplied to individual users; less than 1% was used for the urban system.
- For a more detailed description of the water usage in the region, and the associated allocations, see the Surface water rights note.
Groundwater store
| Description | Volume (ML) | |
| Opening groundwater store | – | |
| add | Inflows | 6,637 |
| less | Outflows | 6,637 |
| add | Balancing item | 0 |
| Closing groundwater store | – | |
- The volume of groundwater in the region is assumed to remain unchanged throughout the year.
- Total groundwater inflow is assumed to equal the volume of groundwater extracted, so the groundwater store is assumed to balance (i.e. the balancing item is zero).
Groundwater flows
Figure S5 Water inflows and outflows for the groundwater store during the 2017–18 year
- Groundwater movement across the region boundary as well as surface water–groundwater interactions are considered to occur within the region; however, these flows could not be quantified due to a lack of available data.
Figure S6 Allocated groundwater extractions during the 2017–18 year in the region's key water management areas
- Total groundwater extracted in the region was 6,637 ML.
- 73% of the total extraction was for individual users and 27% was used for the urban system.
- For a more detailed description of the water usage in the region, and the associated allocations, see the Groundwater rights note.