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National Water Account 2019

South East Queensland: Water access and use

  • 87% of the region's water allocations are for urban water supply, primarily for residential use.
  • Around 70% of the total water allocation was used in 2018–19 compared with 62% used last year.

 

Diagram showing percentages of water allocated for individual user and urban use, total surface water allocations volume and total groundwater allocation volume for the South East Queensland region for the 2018–19 year

 

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

 

Water rights and use

Wyaralong Dam, SEQ region (Seqwater © 2010)

 

Surface water rights

Graph of surface water allocations for water management areas in the region
Figure S9 Surface water allocations for water plan areas in the region

 

  • Most of the region's surface water allocations were for water sourced from the Moreton water plan area.
  • 69% of the allocated surface water was used. Most of the surface water diverted was for urban system supply.

 

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

 

  • Surface water allocations for individual users and the urban water system were similar to the previous few years.
  • Allocated diversions for individual users and urban supply were higher than last year. This increase was influenced by the drier conditions across the region resulting in a relatively high water demand from customers.

 

Groundwater rights

Graph of groundwater access allocations and extractions in the South East Queensland region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019
Figure S11 Groundwater access allocations and extractions in the South East Queensland region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2019

 

  • Groundwater allocations remained unchanged from last year.
  • Groundwater extraction for individual users increased by more than 80% from last year. This increase was likely influenced by the dry conditions across the region resulting in an increased water demand from customers.

 

Water market activity

Wivenhoe Dam, SEQ region (istock © Alecia Scott)

 

  • All trade or lease of water access entitlements or allocations is for surface water only.
  • In 2018–19, 8,599 ML of surface water allocations and 1,326 ML of surface water entitlements were traded.
  • For more information on water markets in the region, see the Water Markets Dashboard.

 

Cultural and environmental water

Lamington National Park, SEQ region (istock © Robert Downer)

 

Cultural benefit

  • The Gold Coast, Moreton, Mary Basin and Logan Basin water plans define general and ecological outcomes, and outline strategies to achieve these outcomes. This includes water for social and cultural benefits.

 

Environmental benefit

Environmental water provisions

  • Environmental water provisions are defined for rivers in all four water plan areas (Gold Coast, Moreton, Mary Basin, and Logan Basin) to maintain the rivers' natural ecological processes.
  • Environmental water requirements are met using two different water management scenarios: planned, partly regulated surface water and planned, unregulated surface water.

 

Environmental water outcomes

  • The environmental outcomes under the four water plans have been derived in consideration of the current state of the water resources in the respective plan areas, recognising that the natural state of the water courses, lakes and springs has changed because of water infrastructure, flow supplementation and water use.
  • Environmental outcomes are generally assessed over a longer time frame and combine streamflow, water supply scheme and ecological research data.