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South East Queensland: Supporting information

  • Rainfall during the 2021–22 year was the region's second wettest year on record, contributing to high runoff and storage inflows across the region.
  • Total storage volumes increased by 32% during the 2021-22 year to finish at 90% full by 30 June 2022, the highest since 2014–15.
  • 14% of surface water allocations and 13% of groundwater allocations were taken in 2021–22.

Schematic representation of the South East Queensland region. In 2021–22, runoff was 324% more than average. Storage volumes at 30 June 2022 were 90% full, significantly higher than the previous year. 14% of the total surface water allocation (91 GL) was taken. 13% of the total groundwater allocation (28 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

Lake Perserverance, SEQ region (Bureau of Meteorology © Habibur Rahman)

 

  • Total water asset volumes in the region at 30 June 2022 were 2,316 GL, around 99% of which was water held in surface water storages.
  • The remaining amount is water held in rivers and aquifers.

 

Table S1 Accessible storage volume in the SEQ region at 30 June 2022 compared with the previous eight years
  2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Atkinson 30,428 1,357 1,637 1,637 1,840 1,888 1,660 9,287
Baroon Pocket 60,653 57,718 55,902 61,536 59,661 34,963 43,953 58,947
Bill Gunn 6,939 320 200 199 297 656 595 5,853
Cedar Pocket 740 700 616 742 742 702 737 738
Clarendon 23,993 60 60 60 289 2,159 4,154 8,738
Cooloolabin 8,270 5,737 6,498 8,227 8,132 5,359 6,877 8,216
Cressbrook Creek 79,096 28,429 28,443 30,171 41,673 51,971 62,489 70,942
Engoggera 4,306 4,257 4,138 4,175 4,210 4,267 4,294 4,275
Ewen Maddock 16,281 15,144 13,454 17,106 16,083 16,353 16,672 16,629
Gold Creek 829 805 714 635 817 811 833 815
Hinze 311,810 304,377 292,946 289,608 301,057 313,926 311,792 310,573
Lake Kurwongbah 14,215 14,148 13,514 9,344 8,590 8,471 10,387 12,223
Lake MacDonald 8,088 8,122 8,042 8,309 8,219 7,618 7,937 8,178
Lake Manchester 25,963 25,908 25,509 24,916 25,749 26,083 25,605 25,057
Leslie Harrison 13,048 12,892 11,798 10,008 12,274 13,026 10,690 12,860
Little Nerang 6,303 5,382 5,402 5,554 5,089 6,752 6,731 5,689
Maroon 44,414 44,006 25,169 33,286 42,783 44,329 43,428 44,098
Moogerah 84,308 34,798 23,736 48,428 71,421 82,741 74,966 83,265
North Pine 145,412 141,383 131,323 148,363 184,089 150,576 147,885 184,523
Perseverance 26,944 7,474 7,474 7,285 10,153 11,299 14,327 18,612
Poona 487 554 658 544 648 568 486 519
Somerset 311,569 270,546 296,486 291,699 294,389 291,040 303,672 381,312
Wappa 4,714 4,710 4,699 4,734 4,718 4,682 4,728 4,725
Wivenhoe 1,048,125 484,462 564,817 647,289 871,153 820,820 966,953 1,150,974
Accessible total 2,276,935 1,473,289 1,523,235 1,653,855 1,974,076 1,901,060 2,071,851 2,427,048
Dead storage 6,464 6,464 6,464 6,464 6,464 6,464 6,464 6,464
Total storage 2,283,399 1,479,753 1,529,699 1,660,319 1,980,540 1,907,524 2,078,315 2,433,512
Total capacity 2,537,064 2,537,064 2,537,064 2,537,064 2,537,064 2,537,064 2,537,064 2,542,701
% full 90.0% 58.3% 60.3% 65.4% 78.1% 75.2% 81.9% 95.7%

  

  • Storage volume increased from 58% full at 30 June 2021 to 90% full at 30 June 2022, the highest since 2014-15.
  • Four storages (Wivenhoe, Somerset, Hinze and North Pine) make up more than 75% of the region's total surface water storage.

 

Figure S1 Percentage-full volume on 30 June 2022 for each storage and total storage volume from 2009–2022 (inset)

  • Storage volumes remained round 55%, the lowest since March 2009, for the first six months of the 2021-22 year.
  • However, following the second wettest February on record, storage volumes rose above 100%, peaking close to 150% in early April, and remained above 100% until early June.
  • By 30 June 2022, storages had dropped to 90%, but finished the year with the highest end-of-year storage level since 2014-15.
  • More detailed information on the individual storages within the region is available on the Bureau of Meteorology's Water Storage website.

 

Water liabilities

Farm irrigation, Queensland (istock © George Clerk)

 

  • Water liabilities in the South East Queensland 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 90,573
less Allocated diversion 12,782
less Adjustment and forfeiture 77,791
  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 28,395
less Allocated extraction 3,631
less Adjustment and forfeiture 24,764
  Closing balance at 30 June 2022 0

 

  • All water supply licences for the region have a water management year that ends on 30 June.
  • As there are no carry-over provisions for water supply licences in the South East Queensland region, the portion of water allocation that has not been abstracted at the end of a water year is forfeited and the allocation remaining at the end of the year is 0 ML.
  • A more detailed description of water allocations in the South East Queensland region is given in the Water use section below.

 

Water flows

Brisbane River, SEQ region (istock © Wendy Townrow)

 

  • Total water inflows into the South East Queensland region was 16,790 GL, 253% more than last year.
  • Surface water inflows contributed 16,095 GL (96%) of total water inflows. Runoff contributed to 93% of the total surface water inflows.
  • Groundwater inflows contributed 24 GL (<1%) of total water inflows. Leakage from urban water system contributed to 100% of the total groundwater inflows.
  • Urban water inflows contributed to 671 GL (4%) of total water inflows. Wastewater collected contributed to 53% of the total urban water inflows.
  • Total water outflows from the South East Queensland region was 17,929 GL, 321% more than last year.
  • Surface water outflows contributed 17,296 GL (96%) of total water outflows. Outflow contributed to 89% of the total surface water outflows.
  • Groundwater outflows contributed 15 GL (<1%) of total water outflows. Extraction to the urban system contributed to 66% of the total groundwater outflows.
  • Urban water outflows contributed 617 GL (4%) of total water outflows. Supply of drinking water to urban users contributed to 46% 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 SEQ urban region.

 

Water availability

 

Table S4 Annual surface water available in the South East Queensland region at 30 June 2022 compared with the previous eight year
  2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Water availability 17,039,121 5,445,163 4,899,604 3,194,724 4,717,411 5,178,461 3,724,996 7,014,430
Water accessible 390,315 406,668 447,788 373,567 387,043 395,553 356,200 361,600
Water taken 312,524 341,526 405,148 341,121 343,355 356,631 319,924 347,260

 

  • 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.
  • In 2021-22, surface water availability in the South East Queensland region was the highest in recorded history, and above average for the first time since 2014-15, reflecting the region's second wettest year on record, which contributed to the significant increase in physical surface water availability.
  • Surface water accessible is calculated as the sum of surface water allocations and other statutory rights at the start of the year, 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.

 

Water use

Brisbane River, SEQ region (istock © zstockphotos)

 

Consumptive use

 

Table S5 Surface water taken for consumptive use in the South East Queensland region for the previous four years
Surface water 2022 2021 2020 2019
Individual users 12,782 25,431 48,273 30,103
Urban system 294,592 310,808 351,787 305,896
Inter-region 3,993 3,992 3,806 3,810
Total 311,366 340,231 403,866 339,809

 

Table S6 Groundwater taken for consumptive use in the South East Queensland region for the previous four years
Groundwater 2022 2021 2020 2019
Individual users 3,631 7,510 11,222 10,905
Urban system 10,089 13,698 14,842 6,688
Total 13,720 21,208 26,064 17,593

 

  • Water taken from surface water and groundwater resources for consumptive use was 325,086 ML.
  • Total surface water diverted in the region was 311,366 ML, 8% less than the previous year.
  • 95% of the total surface water diverted was to the urban system by the Queensland bulk water supply authority, Seqwater.
  • 4% of the total surface water diversion was for individual users (comprising allocated and non-allocated diversions) while 1% was for inter-region users under a statutory right.
  • Total groundwater extracted in the region was 13,720 ML, 35% less than the previous year.
  • 26% of groundwater extraction was for individual users (comprising both allocated and non-allocated extraction) while 74% was used for the urban water system.

 

Allocations and diversions

 

Table S7 Surface water allocations and diversions in the South East Queensland region for the year ending 30 June
Surface water (ML) 2022 2021 2020 2019
Individual users
Carryover 0 0 0 0
Allocated announcements 90,573 90,573 90,913 62,549
Allocated diversions 12,782 25,431 48,273 30,103
% used 14% 28% 53% 48%

 

  • In 2021–22, total surface water allocation was 90,573 ML, all for individual users. 14% of the allocated surface water was taken.
  • Total allocations for individual users were the same as last year and comparable to 2020, but higher than 2019 because of the relatively wet conditions compared to three years ago.
  • Total diversions were 50% less than last year because of the favourable wet climate conditions, reducing the demand for allocated water.

 

 
Table S8 Groundwater allocations and diversions in the South East Queensland region for the year ending 30 June
Groundwater (ML) 2022 2021 2020 2019
Individual users
Carryover 0 0 0 0
Allocated announcements 28,395 28,395 28,395 11,115
Allocated extractions 3,631 7,510 11,222 10,905
% used 13% 26% 40% 98%

 

  • In 2021–22, total groundwater allocation was 28,395 ML, all for private and commercial use. 13% of the allocated groundwater was taken.
  • Total groundwater allocation remained the same as the last two years.
  • Groundwater extractions for individual users were relatively low compared to the previous year. The lower groundwater supply compared to the last two years was likely influenced by the relatively wet climate conditions across the region, resulting in reduced groundwater extractions by users.

  

Urban supply system

 

Table S9 Water sources used in the South East Queensland's urban supply system at 30 June 2022 compared with the previous eight years
  2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Surface water 294,592 310,808 351,787 305,896 320,949 328,914 287,410 285,030
Groundwater 10,089 13,698 14,842 6,688 7,396 7,868 8,301 7,449
Desalinated water 12,714 19,486 13,805 6,438 2,803 1,562 1,524 1,161
Inter-region inflow 0 7 14 14 14 55 0 0
Total urban water supplied 317,395 343,999 380,448 319,036 331,162 338,399 297,235 293,640

 

  • Total inflow to the urban supply system was 317,395 ML, approximately 8% lower than last year.
  • Surface water inflow made up almost 93% of urban supply; groundwater and desalinated water made up for the remaining 7%.
  • The contribution of desalinated water to urban supply system was 35% lower than last year.
  • For more information on the use of desalinated water for the South East Queensland, please visit Seqwater's Water Treatment webpage.