Burdekin: Climate and water

  • High rainfall early in the wet season contributed to above average annual rainfall in 2020–21.
  • Heavy rainfall resulted in high streamflows across the region in January 2021.

Schematic representation of the Burdekin region. In 2020–21, rainfall was 683 mm, less than average. Streamflow in Burdekin River in 2020–21 was 6,586 GL compared to the average value of 4,653 GL. Soil moisture was average.

For further information on the region's climate and water conditions during the 2020–21 year scroll down this page or click on the links below:

 

About the region

  • The Burdekin region lies within the dry tropics of northern Australia, which has a distinct and predictable climatic seasonality.
  • Most of the rainfall occurs during the wet season (November–April). As a consequence, flow in the rivers is strongly seasonal.

 

Climate conditions

Rainfall

Figure C1 Annual and monthly rainfall deciles for the Burdekin region during the 2020–21 year

 

  • Total area-averaged rainfall for the year was 683 mm, slightly above the mean value of 656 mm.
  • Although the climate across most of northern Australia was influenced by moderate La Niña conditions in the Pacific Ocean, most of the above-average rainfall occurred over the Top End of Northern Territory and northern Western Australia; less rainfall was experienced over Queensland.
  • Showers and thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall over the region in late-December 2020, which contributed to well above-average rainfall for that month over large parts of the region.

 

Figure C2 Total monthly rainfall for the Burdekin region during the 2020–21 year compared with the average and percentiles for the region

 

  • Despite the late start, rainfall was generally average to above average throughout the 2020–21 wet season (November–April). December rainfall was equivalent to the 90th percentile for the month.

 

Actual evapotranspiration

Figure C3 Annual and monthly actual evapotranspiration deciles for the Burdekin region during the 2020–21 year

 

  • Total area-averaged actual evapotranspiration was average across most of the region.
  • Evapotranspiration was below average across most of the region in December 2020 due to low water availability following poor early wet-season rainfall in November 2020.
  • Evapotranspiration was above average over large parts of the region during January–February 2021 due to increased water availability following high rainfall in late-December 2020 and early-January 2021.

 

Soil moisture

Figure C4 Annual and monthly soil moisture deciles for the Burdekin region during the 2020–21 year

 

  • Soil moisture in the root zone (0–1m depth) was average across most of the region.
  • Poor wet-season rainfall in 2019–20 meant root-zone soil moisture was below average during July–September 2020, particularly over the southern part of the region.
  • Soil moisture was well above average across most of the region in January 2021 due to high rainfall in late-December 2020 and early-January 2021. Generally average rainfall during the remainder of the wet season meant that by June 2021 soil moisture was average to above average across the region.
  • More information on soil moisture distribution across the Burdekin region is available in the Australian Landscape Water Balance.

 

Streamflow responses

Map of key gauging stations. Burdekin River at Sellheim, station number 120002C, near Charters Towers, Cape River at Taemas, station number 120302B, in the central east and Suttor River at St Anns, station number 120303A, in the south are located upstream of Lake Dalrymple. Bowen River at Myuna, station number 120205A, approximately 30km west of Collinsville is located on a major tributary of Burdekin River downstream of Lake Dalrymple.
Figure C5 Key flow gauging stations along the main rivers within the Burdekin region

 

  • The Burdekin, Cape and Suttor rivers are three primary rivers that flow into Lake Dalrymple, which supports the region's Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme.
  • The Bowen River is downstream of Lake Eungella and provides water for the region's Bowen Broken Water Supply Scheme.

 

Figure C6 Total monthly flow for major rivers in the Burdekin region during the 2020–21 year compared with the average and percentiles

 

  • Total annual flows in the Burdekin River, the region's largest river, were above average. For example, total annual flow in the Burdekin River at Sellheim (Station 120002C) was 6,586 GL compared to the average value of 4,653 GL.
  • Most of the region's annual flow occurred during January 2021 following high rainfall in late-December 2020 and early-January 2021.
  • Flow during the remainder of the wet season (February–April 2021) was generally below average, particularly in the Bowen, Cape, and Suttor rivers in the central and southern parts of the region.