Bureau Home » Water Information » National Water Account » 2019 Account » Canberra » Supporting information » Water access and use

National Water Account 2019

Canberra: Water access and use

  • 87% of the region's water allocations were for urban supply, primarily for residential use.
  • Around 69% of the total water allocation was used in 2018–19, similar to last year.

 


 

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

 

Water rights and use

Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra region (Bureau of Meteorology © Malcolm Watson)

 

Surface water rights
Figure S9 Surface water allocation for water management areas in the region

 

  • Most of the region's surface water allocations were for water sourced from the Cotter and Googong water management areas.
  • 70% of the allocated surface water was used. Most of the surface water diverted was for urban system supply.

 

Graph of surface water allocations and diversions in the Canberra region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019
Figure S10 Surface water allocations and diversions in the Canberra region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019

 

  • Allocations for the urban system remained the same as previous years. Actual diversions to the urban system were relatively high, similar to last year, which reflect the dry conditions across the region over the last two years resulting in an increased water demand from customers.
  • Surface water allocations and extractions for individual users were similar to last year.

 

Groundwater rights

Graph of groundwater allocations and extractions in the Canberra region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019

Figure S11 Groundwater allocations and extractions in the Canberra region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019

 

  • Groundwater allocations and extractions for individual users were similar to last year.
  • The small increase in allocations in 2017–18 was a result of water entitlement increases to a few licences.

 

Combined surface water and groundwater rights

  • There are provisions to abstract water from either surface water or groundwater resources as specified in the entitlement category 'combined surface water and groundwater rights'.
  • The combined surface water and groundwater entitlement volume was 2,412 ML.

 

Water restrictions

 

  • Icon Water introduced permanent water conservation measures for potable water use in November 2010, which govern how water can be used on gardens and lawns and for pool filling, car washing, and cleaning.
  • For more information, refer to the Bureau of Meteorology's Water Restrictions website.

 

Water market activity

Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra region (Bureau of Meteorology © Perry Wiles)

 

  • The volume of water allocation and entitlement traded in the region is small, typically representing less than 1% of the total water allocation.
  • For more information on water markets in the region, see the Water Markets Dashboard.

 

Cultural and environmental water

Sunset on Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra region (Bureau of Meteorology © Andrew Terracini)

 

Cultural benefit

  • Cultural water values within the region are closely aligned with environmental water outcomes. In cases where complementary outcomes can be achieved, environmental water, delivered for environmental purposes, then also meet the cultural water requirements.
  • More information on cultural water requirements are provided in the Cultural water management section in the 'Region description'.

 

Environmental benefit

Environmental water provisions

  • Environmental water provisions are defined for aquatic ecosystem categories and specific river reaches in Chapter 5 of the 2013 Environmental Flow Guidelines.
  • Environmental water requirements for one of these river reaches, on the Cotter River below Corin Dam, are presented below.

 


Figure S12 Example environmental water provisions for the Cotter River below Corin Dam

 

  • The required environmental flows are maintained through a combination of strategic water releases or spills from storages, as well as by restricting the volume of water that can be diverted from a catchment.
  • The baseflow requirement is specified on a monthly basis, with fortnightly variations in the rate of release preferred compared to constant discharge for the month.
  • Drawdown limits for impoundments, and protection of larger, less frequent 'channel maintenance' flows are also a part of the environmental water provisions, but are not shown on the figure above.

 

Environmental water outcomes


Figure S13 Flow in the Cotter River compared with the required flow regime during the 2018–19 year

 

  • Flows in the Cotter River below Corin Dam exceeded the monthly baseflow requirements and bi-monthly riffle maintenance requirements; however, the annual pool maintenance requirements were not met.