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National Water Account 2019

Fitzroy: Geographic information

  • The Fitzroy region is one of Australia's larger surface water catchments.
  • The Fitzroy is the largest catchment to drain into the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Lagoon.
  • Surface water is the main water resource in the region and is primarily used for agricultural purposes.

Fitzroy region map. Water use: 1.7% of Australia’s water use. Land use: 78% of the region used for grazing. Ecosystems: 10 nationally important wetlands, predominantly riverine systems. Water resources: 96% sourced from surface water 

For further geographic information about the region scroll down this page or click on the links below:

 

General description

Area: 142,544 km2
Population: 159,101 (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] 2016)

 

Map of the Fitzroy River catchment. The catchment is divided into 6 sub-basins that include Comet, Dawson, Fitzroy, Isaac, Mackenzie and Nogoa rivers. Towns in the region include Moranbah in the north, Emerald in the central west, Taroom in the south and Rockhampton and Biloela in the east.
Figure R1 Contextual map of the Fitzroy region

 

  • The Fitzroy region is located close to the the central Queensland coast and is physically defined by the Fitzroy Basin surface water catchment. More than 20,000 kilometres of waterways flow through this catchment.
  • The Fitzroy is the largest catchment to drain into the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Lagoon, and comprises six main rivers: the Isaac, Nogoa, Comet, Fitzroy, Mackenzie and Dawson.
  • The region accounts for 1.7% of Australia's water use, primarily taken from surface water for agricultural purposes.

 

Land use

Map of distribution and land use types. Major towns include Moranbah, Emerald, Rockhampton, Biloela and Taroom. Primary land use is grazing followed by forestry, dryland agriculture, and conservation and natural environments.

Figure R2 Land use in the Fitzroy region

 

  • Approximately 78% of the region is used for pastoral grazing, primarily beef cattle.
  • Mining areas make up a relatively small portion of the region but 40 of Queensland’s 55 coal mines are located in the region.
  • Irrigated agriculture is concentrated around the Emerald and Theodore Irrigation Areas, with some dryland cropping to the west of the region.
  • Rockhampton, Emerald, Moranbah, and Biloela are the main regional centres.

 

Significant aquatic ecosystems

Map of Ramsar wetlands and nationally important wetlands. Nationally important wetlands are mainly in the northeast of the region along the coast, with several others distributed across inland areas. The Ramsar-listed wetland, Shoalwater and Corio Bay Wetland, is adjacent to the region approximately 100 km north of Rockhampton.

Figure R3 Significant wetlands in the Fitzroy region

 

Water resources

  • Surface water storages are the primary water resource in the Fitzroy region, including the Fitzroy Barrage, Lake Maraboon and numerous smaller reservoirs and weirs.
  • Groundwater is also an important resource in some areas, in particular the Callide Valley, where groundwater recharge is promoted by hydraulic control structures on the surface water systems.

 

Surface water

Storages

Map of 14 major water storages. Fairbairn Dam, just upstream of Emerald, is the largest, capacity approximately 1,300,000 ML. The other 13 storages are located across the region, total capacity approximately 350,000 ML.

Figure R4 Surface water storages within the Fitzroy region

 

  • Lake Maraboon, formed by Fairbairn Dam, is the region's largest water storage. It is used for irrigation, mining, and industrial water supply, as well as public water supply to the towns of Emerald, Blackwater, Bluff, Tieri, Dysart and Middlemount.
  • The Fitzroy Barrage is the water supply for Rockhampton, the region's largest town.
  • There are numerous other weirs, dams, and channel systems used as part of water supply schemes in the region.

 

Rivers

Map of key gauging stations. Nogoa River at Craigmore, station number 130209A, approximately 40 km upstream of Fairbairn Dam. Comet River at The Lake, station number 130506A. Dawson River at Taroom, station number 130209A, in the south near Taroom. Isaac River at Yatton, station number 130401A, in the north. Mackenzie River at Coolmaringa, station number 130105A, approximately 100 km west of Rockhampton. Fitzroy River at The Gap, station number 130005A, approximately 50 km upstream of Rockhampton.

Figure R5 Key flow gauging stations along the main rivers within the Fitzroy region

 

Figure R6 Mean monthly flows along the Fitzroy and Isaac rivers and mean monthly rainfall for the Fitzroy region.
Figure R6 Mean monthly flows along the Fitzroy and Isaac rivers and mean monthly rainfall for the Fitzroy region.

 

  • The seasonal flow characteristics of rivers within the Fitzroy region reflect the region's annual rainfall pattern. Most of the rainfall occurs between November and April. Consequently, most of the streamflow within the region occurs between December and April.
  • Most of the rivers and creeks in the region can cease to flow during May–October. Releases from Fairbairn Dam regulate flows in the Nogoa River for water supply during these months. Flows in the lower reaches of the Fitzroy River are generally perennial.

 

Groundwater

Map of groundwater management areas and the Great Artesian Basin. Highlands management area covers the central west. Carnarvon covers the south around the township of Taroom and is underlain by the Great Artesian Basin. Callide management area is in the east, close to the township of Biloela. Fitzroy management area is in the northeast, close to the township of Rockhampton. Isaac Connors management area covers the north.

Figure R7 Groundwater management areas in the Fitzroy region

  • There are five groundwater management areas in the region: Isaac Connors, Highlands, Carnarvon, Callide, and Fitzroy.
  • Groundwater resources in the Carnarvon Groundwater Management Area form part of the Great Artesian Basin; however, the Great Artesian Basin resources are excluded from this account.
  • Water extracted from aquifers in the Callide Valley is used for irrigated agriculture, town supply, mining, and industry. Control structures on Callide and Kroombit creeks are used to promote groundwater recharge into these aquifers after release of surface water from Callide and Kroombit dams.

 

Water systems

Irrigation areas

  • The Theodore and Emerald irrigation areas are located around the Dawson Valley and Fairbairn Dam respectively. These areas use irrigation channel systems to distribute water for irrigated agriculture.
  • Cotton is the main irrigated crop in these areas. Irrigation is carried out throughout the water supply schemes and water management areas (see below) using supplemented and unsupplemented water.

 

Water supply schemes

Map of four water supply schemes. The Nogoa Mackenzie scheme is located in the central northern part of the region along the Nagoa and Mackenzie rivers and includes Fairbairn Dam. The Dawson Valley scheme is located along the Dawson River extending from the central eastern part of the region to the south near Taroom. The Callide Valley scheme is in the east near Biloela. Lower Fitzroy and Fitzroy Barrage scheme covers a 100 km stretch of the Fitzroy river northwest of Rockhampton.

Figure R8 Water supply schemes in the Fitzroy region

 

  • Water supply schemes in the region are managed and operated by SunWater, except for the Fitzroy Barrage Water Supply Scheme, which is managed and operated by Fitzroy River Water, a commercial entity of Rockhampton Regional Council.
  • The schemes use numerous reservoirs, weirs, and pipelines to distribute water to users for irrigation, town water supply, mining, and industrial purposes.

 

Water management areas

Map of five water management areas. Comet water management area extends along the Comet river in the central west. Nogoa Mackenzie water management area extends along the Mackenzie river and part of the Nogoa river in the central north. Fitzroy water management area extends along the Fitzroy river in the northeast. Theresa Retreat water management area extends along a small portion of Theresa Creek in the northwest. Dawson Valley water management area extends along the Dawson River in the central eastern part of region to the south near Taroom. Lower Callide groundwater sub-area is in the east, along Callide Creek.

Figure R9 Water management areas in the Fitzroy region

 

  • Water management areas in the region are managed by the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.
  • Unsupplemented water is provided to irrigators within these management areas.