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Canberra: Region description

  • The Canberra region is located in the upper reaches of the Murrumbidgee River catchment; the Murrumbidgee is the main source of the region's water supply.
  • The region covers the Australian Capital Territory and parts of New South Wales.
  • Surface water is the main water source and is used primarily for urban supply to Canberra.

Canberra region map. Water use: 0.3% of Australia's water use. Land use: 47% of the region used for conservation of the natural environment. Ecosystems: 12 nationally important wetlands. Water resources: 98% sourced from surface water.

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

 

Geographic information

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

 

General description

Area: 4,202 km²
Population: 450,000 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016)

 

Map of the main rivers and water catchments. The region is defined by 5 surface water catchments. Cotter River catchment is located in the west. Gudgenby River catchment is located in the southwest. Part of the Murrumbidgee River catchment is located in the centre and north. Molonglo River catchment is located in the east and northeast. Queanbeyan River catchment is located in the southeast.
Figure R1 Contextual map of the Canberra region

 

  • The Canberra region is located in the southeast of Australia and within the Murray–Darling Basin.
  • The Canberra region boundary encompasses the Australian Capital Territory and extends into New South Wales.
  • Included in the region are five river catchments: Cotter River, Gudgenby River, Molonglo River, Murrumbidgee River (part) and Queanbeyan River.
  • Only 0.3% of Australia's water use occurs within the region. Most of the water used is from surface water stores for urban purposes.

Land use

Map showing distribution and land use types. The city of Canberra is located in the central north of the region. Other towns include Hall and Queanbeyan, located within 15 km from Canberra, and Captains Flat in the region's southeast. Urban land use is concentrated in the Canberra metropolitan area. Primary land use is conservation and natural environments followed by grazing.
Figure R2 Land use in the Canberra region

 

  • The Canberra urban area is the major population centre in the region. It accounts for 11% of the region's land use and is home to approximately 432,000 residents.
  • Conservation and natural environment areas account for 47% of the region's land use, and are particularly extensive over the south and west of the region.
  • 29% of the region is used for grazing, which is a key land use activity outside the urban centres.

 

Significant aquatic ecosystems

Map of national parks and nationally important wetlands. National park areas are mainly in the west and southwest of the region. There are 12 nationally-important wetlands. Cotter Flats, Ginini and Cheyenne Flats, Rock Flats, Rotten Swamp, Scabby Range, Upper Cotter River, Upper Naas Creek, Bendora Reservoir and Nursery Swamp are located within the national parks in the west and southwest of the region. Coopers Swamp is in the southeast of the region. Horse Park Wetland is in the north near Hall. Jerrabomberra Wetlands are next to Lake Burley Griffin, south of Canberra.
Figure R3 Significant wetlands in the Canberra region

 

  • The Canberra region contains the Ramsar-listed Ginini Flats Wetland Complex in the Namadgi National Park, which consists of a series of interconnected flats known as the Ginini Flats and the Cheyenne Flats.
  • The region contains 12 nationally important wetlands listed in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia (Environment Australia 2001).
  • The nationally important wetlands in the region are located upstream of any water abstraction or storage and so are unaffected by water resource management activities.

 

Water resources

  • Most of the region's water supply comes from surface water, including a small volume of water transferred from outside the region to supply the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council service area.
  • Groundwater resources are used primarily for town supply and stock and domestic purposes. Recycled wastewater is used for treatment plant operations and irrigation of sports fields.

 

Surface water

Rivers

Map of key gauging stations. Molonglo River at Burbong, station ID 410705, is located east of Queanbeyan, upstream of the confluence of the Molonglo and Queanbeyan River. Cotter River at Gingera, station ID 410730, is in the west of the region. Queanbeyan River Upstream Googong Dam, station ID 410781, is in the central east part of the region.
Figure R4 Key flow gauging stations on the Cotter, Molonglo, and Queanbeyan rivers within the Canberra region

 

  • The three main rivers in the Canberra region are the Molonglo, Cotter and Queanbeyan rivers, which all contribute to the Murrumbidgee River.
  • The Murrumbidgee is the largest river that flows through the Canberra region, draining much of southern New South Wales and all of the Australian Capital Territory.

 

Graph of mean monthly flows along the Molonglo, Cotter, and Queanbeyan rivers and mean monthly rainfall for the Canberra region
Figure R5 Mean monthly flows along the Molonglo, Cotter, and Queanbeyan rivers and mean monthly rainfall for the Canberra region

 

  • The seasonal flow characteristics of rivers within the region reflect seasonal variations in evapotranspiration more so than rainfall, which is relatively uniform throughout the year.
  • Typically, high streamflows occur in winter and spring following high runoff from partially saturated catchments in autumn and winter. Summer typically sees drier catchment conditions due to higher evapotranspiration.

 

Storages

Map of 4 major storages. Googong Reservoir located on the Queanbeyan River in the centre of the region is the largest with a capacity of 121,084 ML. The remaining 3 storages are within the Cotter River catchment. Cotter Reservoir in the northwest has a capacity of 79,374 ML. Bendora Reservoir in the central west has a capacity of 11,543 ML. Corin Reservoir in the southwest has a capacity of 70,897 ML.
Figure R6 Major storages in the Canberra region; capacity of each storage is also shown

 

  • The four major storages in the region are Bendora, Corin, Cotter and Googong Reservoir. All are used mainly for urban supply.
  • The region also has three lakes used for recreational purposes and water pollution control: Lake Burley Griffin, Lake Ginninderra and Lake Tuggeranong.

 

Groundwater

  • The Canberra region falls within the Lachlan Fold Belt geologic province. The region encompasses low-yield fractured volcanic aquifers overlain in places by minor, high-yield aquifers in superficial, unconsolidated alluvium and colluvium.
  • The alluvial aquifers have local significance as a source of water, but across the wider region groundwater is a minor component of total water use.

 

Map of 3 groundwater management areas. A small part of the Yaas Catchment Groundwater Management Area is located at the northern edge of the region. Most of this management area extends north beyond the region boundary. The Australian Capital Territory Groundwater Management Area covers the central, west and southwest of the Canberra region. The Lachlan Fold Belt Groundwater Management Area covers the central east and southeast of the region, as well as a small area in the northwest of the region. It extends beyond the region boundary to the south, west and northeast
Figure R7 Groundwater management areas in the Canberra region

 

  • There are three groundwater management areas in the Canberra region: the Australian Capital Territory, the Lachlan Fold Belt, and the Yass Catchment. The Lachlan Fold Belt and Yass Catchment groundwater management areas extend beyond the region's boundaries.

 

Water systems

Urban water system

Map of the urban water system infrastructure. There are 2 pump station abstraction points along the Murrumbidgee River. There are 3 wastewater treatment plants, 2 water treatment plants, and 1 sewer mining facility located in the central north of the region.
Figure R8 Key infrastructure of the urban water system in the Canberra region

 

  • Water service providers in the region are Icon Water, a statutory body of the Australian Capital Territory government, and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.
  • Icon Water owns and manages most of the region's water supply system, including major storages and two water treatment plants. The Mount Stromlo Water Treatment Plant receives water from the Corin, Bendora, and Cotter reservoirs; the Googong Water Treatment Plant receives water diverted from the Googong Reservoir.
  • Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council receives bulk water from Icon Water, supplies potable water through its reticulation system and collects and treats wastewater for its own local government area.
  • More information about the Canberra urban water system can be found at the Icon Water website.

 

Recycled water

  • Three wastewater reuse schemes operate in the Australian Capital Territory: North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme, Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre effluent reuse scheme, and Southwell Park Watermining® Project.
  • Most treated wastewater from Icon Water is discharged to the Molonglo River, with the balance recycled for internal use at the treatment plants and/or irrigation purposes.

 

Farm dams

  • Farm dams refer to landscape catchment storages used to harvest runoff, floodwater, or collected rainwater. They are an important water resource in the region; however, water held in farm dams is considered to be taken from the shared pool of water resources and, as such, is not included as part of the region's water assets.
  • Water held in farm dams is primarily used for stock and domestic, and agricultural purposes.
  • The majority of the region's farm dams are filled by rainfall–runoff capture; it has been estimated that runoff harvesting to farm dams reduces runoff to surface water in the Canberra region by approximately 1%.
  • A smaller portion of farm dams are filled by groundwater extractions, surface water diversions, or recycled water transfers. Farm dams in the region hold approximately 7,500 ML, or 2% of the total surface water storage capacity in the region.

 

Water management

Canberra lake, Canberra region (Bureau of Meteorology © Andrew Terracini)

 

Surface water and groundwater management

Water legislation

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
  • The Water Resources Act 2007 (ACT) provides for the management of surface water and groundwater resources within the ACT through the issuing of water access entitlements and water licences.
  • The Territory Plan 2008 provides the policy framework for the administration of planning in the ACT. It also details the management policies for environmental values in every catchment and serves as an umbrella document for the 2013 Environmental flow guidelines.
  • The ACT Water Strategy 2014–44: Striking the Balance (ACT Water Strategy) guides management of the Territory’s water supply, management, and catchment practices over the next 30 years.
  • Lake Burley Griffin is an Australian Government responsibility and is administered by the National Capital Authority in accordance with the Lakes Ordinance 1976.
New South Wales (NSW)

 

Water management plans

ACT
  • The region is divided into 14 water management areas (WMAs), with 32 subcatchment areas within the WMAs.
  • WMAs in the ACT are consistent with the planning framework of the Territory Plan 2008. The ACT Government manages the WMAs that fall within the ACT boundary. The NSW Government manages the sections outside the ACT boundary.

 

Map of 14 water management areas. Cotter and Paddys water management areas are within the Cotter River catchment in the west. Gudgenby and Naas water management areas are within the Gudgenby River catchment in the southwest. Upper Murrumbidgee, Lower Murrumbidgee, and Ginninderra water management areas are in the Murrumbidgee River catchment in the centre and north. Jerrabomberra Headwaters, Tuggeranong, Upper Molonglo, Central Molonglo, and Lower Molonglo are in the Molonglo River catchment in the east and northeast. Googong and Lower Queanbeyan water management areas are within the Queanbeyan River catchment in the southeast.
Figure R9 Water management areas in the Canberra region

 

  • WMAs in the ACT cover both surface water and groundwater resources. Within each WMA, maximum surface water plus groundwater abstractions are set.
  • The management of each WMA is dictated by the primary environmental value of the subcatchments within that WMA. Subcatchments within the ACT boundaries are assigned one of three potential primary environmental values: conservation, water supply, drainage and open space.
  • The management policies for each type of catchment are detailed in section 11.8 of the Territory Plan 2008.
NSW
  • The Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012 (New South Wales Office of Water 2012a) provides detailed information on granting and managing access licences: 'Part 7 Rules for granting access licences' and 'Part 8 Rules for managing access licences'.

 

Environmental water management

Environmental water legislation

ACT
  • Environmental water within the region is managed by the ACT Government's Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate.
  • The Water Resources Act 2007 provides for the identification and management of water for ecosystems, which are identified in the 2013 Environmental flow guidelines.
  • Environmental water in the Canberra region is delivered in two ways:  releases from storages and  restrictions on the volume of water that can be abstracted from a catchment (National Water Commission 2011).
NSW
  • The Water Management Act 2000 recognises the following classes of environmental water: environmental health water, supplementary environmental water and adaptive environmental water.
  • For groundwater, planned environmental water is derived from the average annual rainfall recharge volumes and storage volumes as described in the Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray–Darling Basin Porous Rock Groundwater Sources (New South Wales Office of Water 2012b).

 

Environmental water provisions

ACT
  • Environmental water provisions are the responsibility of the relevant ACT minister and are administered and managed through the ACT Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
  • The 2013 Environmental flow guidelines is the primary document which outlines environmental water provisions in the ACT. The purpose of the guidelines is to identify the components of flow from the variable flow regime that are necessary to maintain stream health.
  • The 2013 Environmental flow guidelines categorise each of the 14 WMAs and 32 subcatchments as one of four possible aquatic ecosystem types and assigns each an environmental management goal. The guidelines also identify four components of environmental flow to be maintained within these ecosystem types.
NSW
  • Section 8 of the Water Management Act 2000 defines the environmental water requirements in NSW. In addition, the NSW Department of Industry recognises that a significant number of water access licences are purchased and/or held for an environmental purpose. This type of licensed environmental water is described in the Environmental Water Register as having a 'non-statutory' environmental purpose. A licence is classified as having a 'non-statutory' environmental purpose by agreement between the NSW Department of Industry and the holder of the respective licence.
  • The Environmental Water Register provides a record of: licensed environmental water information, environmental water set aside as 'rules' in water sharing plans and environmental water use plans approved by the Minister.
  • The Environmental Water Register provides reports on: the assignment of water allocations to and from adaptive environmental water access licences and changes in the share component of adaptive environmental water access licences over time.

 

Cultural water management

  • The Aboriginal Water Initiative was established in June 2012 to improve Aboriginal involvement and representation in water planning and management within NSW.
  • The NSW Department of Industry monitor the success of water sharing plans in meeting their statutory requirements for Aboriginal-specific performance indicators, including: providing water for native title rights and recognising spiritual, social, customary and economic values of water to Aboriginal people.
  • The Ngunnawal people are the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region. Neighbouring regions include the Ngarigo, Wolgalu, Gundungurra, Yuin and WIradjuri people.
  • River corridors play an important role in travel routes, and provide varied flora and fauna which are readily available food sources. Access to rivers is important in ensuring knowledge of Country, dreaming and future land management is passed down to younger generations.
  • One of the actions in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government's Water Strategy 2014–44 is to "Ensure that indigenous and other cultural values are recognised in managing water planning and use", addressing the strategic objective to 'engage the community on understanding and contributing to a more sustainable city.'
  • For further information refer to the ACT Water Strategy 2014–44: Striking the Balance (Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (ACT) 2014).

 

Organisations responsible for water management

  • Organisations responsible for water management within the Canberra region are shown below.

 

Table R1 Organisations responsible for water management in the Canberra region
OrganisationResponsibilityMajor storages operated within the region
ACT Government, Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD)
  • manages ACT water resources
  • approves water trades within and outside the ACT
  • grants water entitlements
  • manages and monitors environmental flows.
n/a
Icon Water
  • manages urban water supply
  • manages and maintains water supply infrastructure
  • operates water distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, and wastewater recycling infrastructure operator.
  • Corin Reservoir
  • Cotter Reservoir
  • Bendora Reservoir
  • Googong Reservoir
NSW Office of Environment and Heritage1
  • manages the environment
  • manages water quality, water pollutions and water treatment
  • conserves and manage wetlands
  • secures water for the environment.
n/a
NSW Department of Industry1
  • sets policy and necessary legal instruments and oversees mechanisms to manage water within NSW.
n/a
ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS)
  • plans and manages ACT's parks, reserves, forestry plantations, and public domains.
  • Lake Ginninderra
  • Lake Tuggeranong
Environmental Protection Authority (ACT)n/a
National Capital Authority
  • manages Lake Burley Griffin.
  • Lake Burley Griffin
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council
  • distributes urban water in Queanbeyan and Captains Flat regions.
n/a

1 From 1 July 2019, these government departments merged to form the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

 

Water rights

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

 

Operating rules and constraints

Urban water restrictions

  • Icon Water, with the approval of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government, can impose urban water restrictions in the Canberra region.
  • The ACT Water Strategy 2014–44: Striking the Balance (ACT Water Strategy) guides management of the ACT's water supply, management, and catchment practices over the next 30 years, building on the achievements of the original ACT Water Strategy, Think Water, Act Water.
  • Water restrictions in the region are managed by Icon Water and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council. Permanent water conservation measures by Icon Water have been in place since 1 November 2010 and by Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council since 1 November 2011.
  • Further information on water restrictions can be found on the Bureau's water restriction's site.

 

Murray–Darling Basin Cap
  • The Murray–Darling Basin Cap (the Cap) was established in 1995, introducing long-term limits on how much surface water could be taken from rivers in 24 designated river valleys (Cap valleys). The Cap is managed in accordance with Schedule E of the Australian Government Water Act 2007 (Water Act). The implementation of the Cap within a State or Territory is the responsibility of the concerned Government.
  • The Basin Plan sets sustainable diversion limits (SDLs), which represent the maximum long-term average annual volumes of water that can be taken for consumptive use on a sustainable basis from Basin water resources. It includes 29 surface water SDL resource units and 80 groundwater SDL resource units for the whole region.
  • Valleys managed under the Cap framework will transition to management within an SDL framework from 1 July 2019.

 

Map of 2 surface water sustainable diversion limit (SDL) resource units. The SS1 Australian Capital Territory SDL resource unit covers the central, west and southwest of the region. The SS15 Murrumbidgee SDL resource unit covers the southeast of the region, as well as a small area in the north. The Murrumbidgee SDL resource unit extends beyond the region boundary to the south, west and north.
Figure R10 Surface water sustainable diversion limit resource units in the Canberra region

 

Map of 2 groundwater sustainable diversion limit (SDL) resource units. The GS52 Australian Capital Territory SDL resource unit covers the central, west and southwest of the region. The GS20 Lachlan Ford Belt SDL resource unit covers the southeast of the region, as well as a small area in the north. The Lachlan Ford Belt SDL resource unit extends beyond the region boundary to the south, west and north.
Figure R11 Groundwater sustainable diversion limit resource units in the Canberra region

 

Water entitlements and other statutory water rights

ACT

  • A water access entitlement is a statutory instrument issued under the Water Resources Act 2007 (ACT) and represents a share of the water resources controlled by the ACT. It is expressed as either a volume; or a percentage share of the water available in a defined water management area (WMA). In addition, a separate licence stating the location and use of water, is required to abstract water.
  • The types of water access entitlements issued by the ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate are described below.

 

Table R2 Water access entitlements issued by the ACT Government for the Canberra region
Type of water access entitlementDescription
surface waterSpecifies the volume of surface water that the holder is entitled to use from a WMA, on an annual basis.
groundwaterSpecifies the volume of groundwater that the holder is entitled to use from a WMA, on an annual basis.
groundwater and surface waterSpecifies as a single total the combined volume of groundwater and surface water that the holder is entitled to use from a WMA, on an annual basis. For these types of water access entitlements, an associated licence may specify the amount that can be extracted as groundwater with the remaining volume being available from surface water.
urban water utilitySpecifies the volume of water that the holder is entitled to use on an annual basis, for the purpose of urban water supply to the region.

 

  • Within the ACT, some basic water rights exist that do not require a water licence. These include abstraction of surface water for stock and domestic purposes, rainwater harvesting via a rainwater tank and various short-term water uses as detailed in the Water Resources Regulation 2007 (ACT).

NSW

  • The Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources (New South Wales Office of Water 2012a), which commenced in 2012, covers the region.
  • All NSW surface water licences specify volume and purpose and are attached to the land.

 

Water allocations

  • All water entitlement holders are entitled to abstract water as specified in the licences, subject to environmental flow conditions, unless restrictions are in place by relevant State/Territory authorities. Restrictions may be placed on water abstractions when the flow is unavailable.
  • For the NSW portion of the region, water allocation details are given in the Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources (New South Wales Office of Water 2012b), under the Water Management Act 2000.

 

Trades and water rights transfers

ACT

  • The Water Resources Act 2007 allows for interstate trades; however, the required mechanisms are not yet in place for this trading to occur.
  • The Water Resources Act 2007 allows for inter–valley trades. Water access entitlements can be traded within and between WMAs; however, water licences cannot be traded.
  • Water access entitlement trade between WMAs can only occur if the licence amount in the receiving WMA is not fully developed. Where trade can occur, groundwater entitlements are tradeable on the same basis as surface water entitlements.
  • Icon Water holds the urban water access entitlement from ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate without any charge. Trading of this entitlement or allocated water is not allowed.

NSW

  • There are no interstate trades of water permitted in the NSW-administered area of the region.
  • Inter-valley trading rules are defined in State legislation, water resource plans, and the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement.
  • Intra-valley trading rules are defined in State legislation and water resource plans.
  • Surface water trading within valleys is usually available within regulated systems. Groundwater trading within an aquifer is available in the developed water resource plan.