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National Water Account 2019

Burdekin: Water access and use

  • 60% of the region's water allocations were for irrigation supply, mainly in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area.
  • Less than half of the total water allocation was used in 2018–19 compared with 56% used last year.

 

 

For further information on water rights and water use within the Burdekin region during the year scroll down this page or click on the links below:

 

Water rights and use

Burdekin River, Queensland (Bureau of Meteorology © Graham Hawke)

 

Surface water rights

Graph showing surface water allocation for water supply systems in the region
Figure S6 Surface water allocation for water supply systems in the region

 

  • There are more than 800 surface water licences in the region, mostly for water sourced from the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme. More information is available on the Bureau's Water Markets Dashboard.

 

Graph showing allocated surface water diversions for each licence purpose in the region
Figure S7 Allocated surface water diversions for each licence purpose in the region

 

  • 45% of the allocated surface water was used. Most of the surface water diverted in the region was to the Burdekin River Irrigation Area for irrigated agriculture.
  • The remaining diversions were mainly to individual users for agricultural and industrial purposes.

 

Graph of surface water allocations and diversions in the Burdekin region for the year ending 30 June, from 2014–2019

Figure S8 Surface water allocations and diversions in the Burdekin region for the year ending 30 June, from 2014–2019 

 

  • Surface water diversions for the irrigation scheme were 15% less than last year and the lowest in more than six years.
  • The decrease in irrigation supply was influenced by the wetter conditions across the region's irrigation scheme areas, particularly following the high rainfall in late-January to early February 2019 associated with an intense monsoon low.
  • Surface water diversion for individual users decreased from last year, which follows the continued reduction in surface water use by individual users in the region over the last few years.

 

Groundwater rights

Graph showing allocated groundwater extractions for each licence purpose in the region
Figure S9 Allocated groundwater extractions for each licence purpose in the region

 

  • 61% of the allocated groundwater was used. Most of the groundwater extracted in the region was to the Burdekin River Irrigation Area for irrigated agriculture.
  • The remaining extractions were for town supply and industrial purposes.

 

Graph of groundwater allocations and extractions in the Burdekin region for the years ending 30 June, from 2014–2019

Figure S10 Groundwater allocations and extractions in the Burdekin region for the years ending 30 June, from 2014–2019 

 

  • Allocations and extractions for the irrigation scheme were less than the previous year. Similar to surface water supply for irrigation, the decrease in groundwater use for irrigation was influenced by the wetter conditions across the region.
  • Groundwater extractions to individual users remained unchanged from last year.
  • The large increase in non-allocated extractions to individual users in 2017–18 was due to a number of additional licences being issued during that year.

 

Water market activity

Refinery light rail, Burdekin region (Bureau of Meteorology © Rikki Garstone)

 

  • In 2018–19, a total of 32,630 ML of surface water allocations and 26,718 ML of surface water entitlements were traded.
  • A total of 4,468 ML of groundwater entitlements were traded during the year.
  • For more information on water trade in the region, see the Bureau's Water Market Dashboard.
  • For information on the allocation and trading rules, see the Burdekin Basin water management protocol.

 

Cultural and environmental water

Sugar Cane, Burdekin region (Bureau of Meteorology © Rikki Garstone)

 

Cultural benefit

  • The water plan for the Burdekin region supports water-related cultural values, including the values of the traditional owners in the plan area, and provides mechanisms that support water being made available for Indigenous communities (see the Cultural water management section in the 'Region description').
  • Cultural water provisions are generally linked to the environmental water requirements in the plan.

 

Environmental benefit

Environmental water provisions

  • Environmental water provisions are defined at several rivers in the Burdekin region to maintain the rivers' natural ecological processes.
  • The environmental water release requirements for the region's Burdekin Haughton and Bowen Broken water supply schemes are outlined in Attachment 2 of the schemes' Resource Operations Licence (see the Queensland Government website).

 

Environmental water outcomes

  • Environmental water outcomes relating to the Burdekin Haughton and Bowen Broken water supply schemes were not available for the 2019 Account.