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National Water Account 2019

Ord: Water access and use

  • 89% of the region's water allocations were for water diversions from the Main Ord River to the Ord River Irrigation Area.
  • Around 75% of the total water allocation was used in 2018–19 compared with 54% used last year.

 

 

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

 

Water rights and use

Ord River Irrigation Area (istock © John Carnemolla)

 

Surface water rights

Graph of surface water allocation for water resource plan subareas in the region
Figure S6 Surface water allocation for water resource plan subareas in the region

 

  • There are approximately 100 surface water licences in the region, mostly for water sourced from the main Ord River channel. More information is available on the Bureau's Water Markets Dashboard.

 

Graph of surface water diversions for each licence purpose in the region
Figure S7 Surface water diversions for each licence purpose in the region


  • 75% of the allocated surface water was used. Most of the surface water diverted in the region was to the Ord River Irrigation Area for irrigated agriculture.
  • The remaining diversions were mainly to individual users for agricultural purposes.

 

Graph of surface water allocations and diversions in the Ord region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019
Figure S8 Surface water allocations and diversions in the Ord region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019


  • Water allocations for irrigation scheme supply were slightly less than the previous year; however, actual diversions to the Ord River Irrigation Area were much higher than previous years.
  • The increase in irrigation scheme supply was influenced by the drier conditions across the region over the last two years, as well as the continued expansion of irrigation in the Goomig Farmlands (see Major water reforms).
  • Surface water allocations and diversions for individual users and the urban system remained relatively unchanged. Town supply in particular changes little from year to year.

 

Groundwater rights

Graph of groundwater extractions for each licence purpose in the region
Figure S9 Groundwater extractions for each licence purpose in the region


  • There are approximately 50 groundwater licences in the region, all within the Canning–Kimberley Groundwater Management Area.
  • 75% of the allocated groundwater was used. Most of the groundwater extracted in the region was for mining purposes.
  • Less than one third of the region's groundwater extraction was for town supply.

 

Graph of groundwater allocations and extractions in the Ord region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019
Figure S10 Groundwater allocations and extractions in the Ord region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019

 

  • Water allocations and extractions for individual users were similar to last year.
  • The large decrease in allocations for individual users in 2017–18 was due mainly to an adjustment in water entitlement for the Argyle Diamond Mine, one of the larger groundwater licences in the region.
  • Allocations and extractions for the urban system remained relatively unchanged. Town supply changes little from year to year.

 

Water market activity

Irrigation channel, Ord region (Bureau of Meteorology © Dene Moliere)

 

  • During the 2018–19 year, no water entitlement trades or transfers occurred in the region.
  • Information on water entitlement transactions that can occur in the region can be found on the Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation website.

 

Cultural and environmental water

Cathedral Gorge, Purnululu National Park, Ord region. Source: istock © Photon-photos

 

Cultural benefit

  • Periods of low flow in the lower Ord River are administered to support traditional hunting and fishing activities (see the Cultural water management section in the 'Region description'). This occurs when maintenance or inspection works on dam infrastructure is required.
  • During the 2018–19 year there were no reductions in flow administered in the lower Ord River.

 

Environmental benefit

Environmental water provisions

  • Environmental water provisions in the region are defined for the lower Ord River and include baseflow and wet season flood event requirements.

 

Graph of example water provisions for the lower Ord River; required baseflows and wet season flood events are also shown
Figure S11 Example water provisions for the lower Ord River; required baseflows and wet season flood events are also shown

 

  • The required flow regimes are maintained from a combination of water releases from Lake Argyle and Lake Kununurra, and unregulated catchment inflow.
  • Larger, less frequent wet season flood events are also a component of the environmental water provisions, but are not shown on the figure above. These events occur as a result of runoff from the catchment downstream of Lake Argyle and cannot be managed by water releases from the storages.
  • A more detailed description of the environmental water provisions for the lower Ord River is provided in Chapter 4 of the Ord Surface Water Allocation Plan.

 

Environmental water outcomes

Graph of flow in the lower Ord River compared with the required flow regime during the 2018–19 year
Figure S12 Flow in the lower Ord River compared with the required flow regime during the 2018–19 year

 

  • Flow in the lower Ord River exceeded the minimum baseflow requirements; however, not all of the wet season peak flow requirements were met (e.g. flow did not exceed 425 m3/s).
  • Larger, less frequent flood peaks that meet the required 1 in 2- and 1 in 4-year flood events (average daily discharge >750 m3/s and >1,400 m3/s respectively) have not occurred in the lower Ord River for the last two years.