Bureau Home » Water Information » National Water Account » 2022 Account » Canberra » Supporting information » Supporting information

Canberra: Supporting information

  • Rainfall during the 2021–22 year was the third highest on record, contributing to extremely high runoff and storage inflows across the region.
  • Total storage at 30 June 2022 was 100% full for the second consecutive year.
  • 8% of surface water allocations and 7% of groundwater allocations were taken in 2021-22, all for individual users.

Schematic representation of the Canberra region. In 2021–22, runoff was 121% more than average. Storage volumes at 30 June 2022 were 100% full, much higher than the previous year. 8% of the total surface water allocation (9 GL) was taken. 7% of the total groundwater allocation (5 GL) was taken.

For further information on the region's water accounting statements scroll down this page or click on the links below:

 

Water assets

Aerial cityscape, Canberra region (Bureau of Meteorology © Andrew Terracini)

 

  • Total water asset volumes in the region at 30 June 2022 were 328 GL, 86% of which is water held in surface water storages.
  • Around 13% of the water assets are held in rivers, lakes and wetlands, while the remaining 1% of water assets are part of the urban water supply system.

 

Table S1 Accessible storage volume in the Canberra region at 30 June 2022 compared with the previous ten years
  2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
Bendora 11,446 11,446 9,506 5,038 9,094 8,111 8,101 10,508 9,841 8,119 9,319
Corin 70,787 70,787 30,332 16,827 23,478 43,554 27,436 26,905 42,891 42,333 70,787
Cotter 76,196 76,196 57,487 62,067 72,762 74,366 75,033 63,850 41,759 6,360 3,844
Googong 119,409 119,409 55,439 73,147 86,395 107,950 119,409 119,409 119,409 119,409 119,409
Accessible total 277,838 277,838 152,764 157,079 191,729 233,981 229,979 220,672 213,900 176,221 203,359
Dead storage 5,058 5,058 5,058 5,058 5,058 5,058 5,058 5,058 5,058 5,058 1,880
Total storage 282,896 282,896 157,822 162,137 196,787 239,039 235,037 225,730 218,958 181,279 205,239
Total capacity 282,898 282,898 282,898 282,898 282,898 282,898 282,898 282,898 282,898 282,898 207,380
% full 100.0% 100.0% 55.8% 57.3% 69.6% 84.5% 83.1% 79.8% 77.4% 64.1% 99.0%

 

  • Storage volumes remained stable at 100% from 30 June 2021 to 30 June 2022.
  • This is the second year running that end-of-year storages have remained stable at 100%.
  • In 2013, the Cotter Dam was enlarged, increasing the region's total storage capacity to better deal with water demand during periods of drought (see 2013 Account).
  • Due to extraordinary rainfall and flooding in March 2012, the Cotter Dam spilled during construction. In July 2016, the newly constructed dam spilled for the first time.

 

Map of Canberra region showing the status of each storage at 30 June 2022. The storages are colour coded into eleven categories of volume as a proportion of capacity. Canberra storages at 30 June 2022 were 100% full, the same as last year.
Figure S1 Percentage-full volume on 30 June 2022 for each storage and total daily storage volume from 2009–2022 (inset)

  • Storage volume remained at, or near, 100% for the 2021-22 year following the region's third wettest year on record.
  • None of the storages fell below 95% throughout the entire year, reflecting the continuous rainfall events which occurred over the region during the 2021-22 year.
  • More detailed information on the individual storages within the region is available on the Bureau of Meteorology's Water Storage website.

 

Water liabilities

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

 

  • Water liabilities in the Canberra region refer to the volume of allocation remaining on licence entitlements at the end of the 2021-22 year.

 

Table S2 Volume of surface water allocation remaining at 30 June 2022
Description Surface water (ML)
  Opening balance at 1 July 2021 0
add Allocation 9,255
less Allocated diversion 782
less Adjustment and forfeiture 8,473
  Closing balance at 30 June 2022 0

 

Table S3 Volume of groundwater allocation remaining at 30 June 2022
Description Groundwater (ML)
  Opening balance at 1 July 2021 0
add Allocation 4,646
less Allocated extraction 319
less Adjustment and forfeiture 4,327
  Closing balance at 30 June 2022 0

 

  • The water supply licences for the region have a water management year that ends on 30 June. The portion of water allocation that has not been abstracted at the end of the water year is either forfeited or is carried over into the next water year.
  • For individual users and the urban licence entitlement the unused portion of the allocation is assumed to be forfeited and the allocation remaining at the end of the year was 0 ML.
  • A more detailed description of water allocations in the Canberra region is given in the Water use section below.

 

Water flows

Scrivener Dam, Canberra region (Bureau of Meteorology © Andrew Terracini)

 

  • Total water inflows into the Canberra urban region was 2,337 GL, 81% more than last year.
  • Surface water inflows contributed 2,143 GL (92%) of total water inflows. Inflow from outside the region contributed to 57% of the total surface water inflows.
  • Groundwater inflows contributed 99 GL (4%) of total water inflows. Recharge from surface water contributed to 97% of the total groundwater inflows.
  • Urban water inflows contributed 95 GL (4%) of total water inflows. Wastewater collected contributed to 52% of the total urban water inflows.
  • Total water outflows from the Canberra urban region was 2,824 GL, 102% more than last year.
  • Surface water outflows contributed 2,734 GL (97%) of total water outflows. Outflow contributed to 91% of the total surface water outflows.
  • Groundwater outflows contributed 1 GL (<1%) of total water outflows. Extraction of statutory rights contributed to 58% of the total groundwater outflows.
  • Urban water outflows contributed 90 GL (3%) of total water outflows. Treated wastewater discharge to surface water contributed to 49% of the total urban water outflows.
  • A more detailed breakdown of inflows and outflows is given in the Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for the Canberra urban region.

 

Water availability

 

Table S4 Annual surface water available in the Canberra region from 2012–2013 to 2021–22
  2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Water availability 1,151,902 902,532 321,694 350,229 465,387 654,598 645,710 596,252 575,622 537,565
Water accessible 55,140 59,069 65,131 61,554 60,164 56,205 56,838 54,360 54,497 49,670
Water taken 46,667 50,747 58,662 56,148 55,300 52,765 53,824 49,735 51,260 49,486

 

  • Physical surface water availability is calculated as the sum of storage volumes at the start of the year (see Water assets) and estimated inflows into storages and rivers during the year.
  • Surface water availability in the Canberra region in 2021-22 was the highest on record, reflecting the region's wettest 24-month period since records began in 1900. As physical water availability is much higher than the region's water needs, water allocations vary little between years.
  • Surface water accessible is calculated as the sum of surface water allocations and other statutory rights, plus carryover at the start of the year.
  • Water taken during the year is influenced by the physical water available.  Typically, water taken from surface water resources is lower than water availability and water accessible.
  • During the 2021-22 year, surface water accessible for take and water taken from surface water resources was at its lowest since 2013-14, likely influenced by the region's saturated catchments, meaning there was less demand for consumptive use during the year.

 

Water use

Evening cityscape, Canberra region (Bureau of Meteorology © Andrew Terracini)

 

Consumptive use

 

Table S5 Surface water taken for consumptive use in the Canberra region for the previous four years
Surface water 2022 2021 2020 2019
Individual users 782 933 2,784 2,890
Urban system 45,390 49,319 55,383 52,961
Statutory rights 495 495 495 297
Total 46,667 50,747 58,662 56,148

 

Table S6 Groundwater taken for consumptive use in the Canberra region for the previous four years
Groundwater 2022 2021 2020 2019
Individual users 319 549 1,064 763
Statutory rights 434 434 435 435
Total 753 983 1,499 1,198

 

  • Water taken from surface water and groundwater resources for consumptive use was 47,420ML
  • Total surface water diverted in the region was 46,667 ML, a slight decrease from the previous year.
  • 97% of the total surface water diverted was for the urban system, while the remaining 3% was supplied to individual users under allocated diversions and statutory rights.
  • Total groundwater extracted in the region was 753 ML, a slight decrease from the previous year.
  • All groundwater extractions were for individual users; 42% of the extractions were allocated extractions while 58% was made under a statutory right.

 

Allocations and diversions

 

Table S7 Surface water allocations and diversions in the Canberra region for the year ending 30 June
Surface water 2022 2021 2020 2019
Individual users
Carryover 0 0 0 0
Allocated announcements 9,255 9,255 9,253 8,296
Allocated diversions 782 933 2,784 2,890
% used 8% 10% 30% 35%

 

  • In 2021-22, total surface water allocation (not including urban water supply) was 9,255 ML, with 8% of the allocated surface water taken.
  • Allocated diversions were less than the previous year. This could be attributed to the increase in rainfall and soil moisture.

 

Table S8 Groundwater allocations and diversions in the Canberra region for the year ending 30 June
Groundwater 2022 2021 2020 2019
Individual users
Carryover 0 0 0 0
Allocated announcements 4,646 4,698 2,448 2,537
Allocated extractions 319 549 1,064 763
% used 7% 12% 43% 30%

 

  • In 2021-22, total groundwater allocation was 4,646 ML, all for private and commercial use.
  • 7% of the allocated groundwater was taken.
  • Allocated extractions for individual users were less than the previous year.

 

Urban supply system

 

Table S9 Water sources used in Canberra's urban supply system during the 2021-22 year compared with the previous eleven years
  2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
Surface water 45,390 49,319 55,383 52,961 52,198 49,958 50,403 47,115 48,695 47,838 41,790 40,944
Total urban water supplied 45,390 49,319 55,383 52,961 52,198 49,958 50,403 47,115 48,695 47,838 41,790 40,944

 

  • Total inflow to the urban water supply system was 45,390 ML, approximately 8% less than the previous year.
  • Surface water diversions from the region's storages made up 100% of the urban supply.

 

Water restrictions

Irrigation system (istock © Phillip Minnis)

 

  • Icon Water introduced permanent water conservation measures for potable water use in November 2010, which govern how water can be used on gardens and lawns and for pool filling, car washing, and cleaning.
  • For more information, refer to the Bureau of Meteorology's Water Restrictions website.