Burdekin: Water stores
- Heavy rainfall in late-January to early-February 2019 contributed to high runoff across the region and an increase in storage volumes.
- 55% of the region's water supply was for irrigation from the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme.
- Water supply for irrigation was 471 GL, more than 15% less than last year.
For a water balance on each of the region's water stores for the 2018–19 year scroll down this page or click on the links below:
Surface water store
| Description | Volume (ML) | |
| Opening surface water store | 1,890,101 | |
| add | Inflows | 20,435,828 |
| less | Outflows | 21,802,608 |
| add | Balancing item | 1,471,808 |
| Closing surface water store | 1,995,129 | |
- The volume of surface water in the region increased from 1,890 GL at 1 July 2018 to 1,995 GL at 30 June 2019.
- The balancing item is almost three quarters of the closing surface water store and is primarily attributed to uncertainties associated with the runoff estimate (see Methods).
Surface water flows
Figure S3 Water inflows and outflows for the surface water store during the 2018–19 year
- The largest natural water flows in the region were runoff and river outflow. Both were well above average due to heavy rainfall in late-January to early-February 2019 associated with an intense monsoon low that impacted the northern part of the region (see Climate and water).
Figure S4 Surface water diversions during the 2018–19 year from the region's water supply schemes and other areas
- Total surface water diverted in the region was 685 GL.
- More than 70% of the total surface water diversions were from the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme, mainly for irrigation supply.
- About one third of the diversions were for individual users, mostly non-allocated diversion (160 GL) from areas outside of the region's two major water supply schemes.
- Approximately 2% of the total surface water diverted was for inter-region supply; less than 1% was 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 | 168,704 | |
| add | Inflows | 184,150 |
| less | Outflows | 168,302 |
| add | Balancing item | 3,688 |
| Closing groundwater store | 188,240 | |
- The groundwater asset in the region is equivalent to the total allocated and non-allocated licensed entitlement volume, which generally changes little from year to year.
Groundwater flows
Figure S5 Water inflows and outflows for the groundwater store during the 2018–19 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.
- Total groundwater extracted in the region was 168 GL.
- Approximately 82% of the groundwater extractions were for individual users, mostly non-allocated extraction.
- 18% of the extractions were for irrigation scheme supply; less than 1% was for the urban system.
- For a more detailed description of the water usage in the region, and the associated entitlements, see the Groundwater rights note.