Burdekin: Supporting information

For the water account period 01 July 2022 - 30 June 2023

  • Total annual rainfall was above average for the third consecutive year, with the region experiencing its tenth-wettest year on record, increasing runoff and storage inflows across the region.
  • End-of-year storage volume decreased by seven percentage points, finishing at 92% full by 30 June 2023 - the lowest end-of-year storage volume since 2014-15.
  • Approximately, 47% of surface water allocations were taken in 2022-23, mainly for irrigation users. There were no groundwater allocations in the Burdekin region.

Schematic representation of the Burdekin region. In 2022–23, runoff was 15% more than average. Storage volumes at 30 June 2023 were 92% full, higher than the previous year. 55% of the total surface water allocation (1,319GL) was taken. 100% of the total groundwater allocation (107 GL) was taken.

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

 

Water assets

Lake Dalrymple, Burdekin region (Roslyn Budd, Budd Photography © 2019)

 

  • Total water asset volume in the Burdekin region at 30 June 2023 was 2,015 GL, around 91% of which was held in surface water storages.
  • Around 9% of the water assets are held in aquifers, while the remaining amount is water held in rivers.

 

Table S1 Accessible storage volume in the Burdekin region over the past six water accounting periods ending 30 June
Surface water 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Burdekin Falls 1,690,213 1,850,538 1,804,949 1,728,597 1,837,447 1,741,962
Clare Weir 13,096 14,401 15,691 15,512 13,609 13,603
Eungella 109,530 92,526 91,926 97,396 111,425 109,725
Giru Weir 690 682 711 764 759 540
Lake Paluma 10,229 9,427 11,309 7,846 11,490 10,625
Accessible total 1,823,758 1,967,574 1,924,586 1,850,115 1,974,730 1,876,455
Dead storage 9,405 9,405 9,405 9,405 9,405 9,405
Total storage 1,833,163 1,976,979 1,933,991 1,859,520 1,984,135 1,885,860
Total capacity 2,000,897 2,000,897 2,000,897 2,000,897 2,000,897 2,000,897
% full 91.6% 98.8% 96.7% 92.9% 99.2% 94.3%

 

  • Storage volumes decreased from 98.8% full at 30 June 2022 to 91.6% full at 30 June 2023 - a decrease of 7.2% from last year.
  • Lake Dalrymple, formed by Burdekin Falls Dam, accounts for almost 92% of the region's total surface water storage.

 

Map of Burdekin region showing the status of each storage at 30 June 2021. The storages are colour coded into ten categories of volume as a proportion of capacity. All storages (Lake Dalrymple, Lake Eungella, Clare Weir, and Giru Weir) were over 80% full. An inset line graph shows the time series of percentage-full storage volume between 1 July 2013–30 June 2021. Burdekin storages at 30 June 2021 were 97% full, slightly less than last year.
Figure S1 Percentage-full volume on 30 June 2023 for each storage and total storage volume from 2009-2023 (inset)

  • Storages sharply rose at the beginning of the 2022-23 year, following the region's wettest July on record, with storages peaking around 115% full at the end of July 2022.
  • Despite the region experiencing its seventh-wettest spring on record, storages gradually fell to around 90% full by December 2022.
  • Heavy rainfall during January 2023 resulted in storages peaking around 135% full during February 2023, however, following average to below-average rainfall for the remainder of the 2022-23 year, the region's storages steadily dropped through to the end of June, with the region's end-of-year storages sitting at 91.6% full on 30 June 2023.
  • More detailed information on the individual storages within the region is available on the Bureau of Meteorology's Water Storage website.

 

Water liabilities

Lake Dalrymple, Burdekin region (CSIRO © 2007)

 

  • Water liabilities in the Burdekin region refer to the volume of allocation remaining on licence entitlements at the end of the 2022-23 year.

 

Table S2 Opening and closing balance of surface water allocations for individual users in the Burdekin region over the past six water accounting periods
Description 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Opening balance at 01 July 0 159,976 108,151 119,813 74,084 58,824
add Allocation 1,140,600 1,140,093 1,181,223 1,170,327 1,159,180 1,139,906
less Allocated diversion 531,900 531,871 540,953 645,988 524,908 632,041
less Adjustment and forfeiture 608,700 768,198 588,445 536,001 588,543 492,605
Closing balance at 30 June 0 0 159,976 108,151 119,813 74,084

 

  • All the water supply licences for the region have a water management year that ends on 30 June.
  • A more detailed description of water allocations in the Burdekin region is given in the Water use section below.

 

Water flows

Burdekin River near Charters Towers (CSIRO © Willem van Aken)

 

  • Total water inflows into the Burdekin region was 12,941 GL, double in comparison to last year.
  • Surface water inflows contributed 11,905 GL (92%) of total water inflows, with runoff accounting for 93% of the total surface water inflows.
  • Runoff into the region's surface water storages was 15% above average (based on modelled data from 1971 to 2022), and the highest since 2018-19, reflecting the above-average rainfall increasing surface water availability across the region.
  • Groundwater inflows contributed 1,036 GL (8%) of total water inflows, with recharge from surface water accounting for 81% of the total groundwater inflows.
  • Total water outflows from the Burdekin region was 14,433 GL, 81% more than last year.
  • Surface water outflows contributed 14,326 GL (99%) of total water outflows, with outflow to sea accounting for 80% of the total surface water outflows.
  • Outfow to sea was 15% above average (based on modelled data from 1971 to 2022), and the highest since 2018-19, reflecting the excess surface water availability following the region's tenth-wettest year on record.
  • Groundwater outflows contributed 107 GL (1%) of total water outflows, with non-allocated extraction to irrigation users accounting for 97% of the total groundwater outflows.
  • A more detailed breakdown of inflows and outflows is given in the Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for the Burdekin region.

 

Water availability

 

Table S3 Annual surface water available in the Burdekin region over the past six water accounting periods ending 30 June
Surface water 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Water availability 13,574,716 8,063,680 12,231,676 4,687,760 23,548,736 9,641,177
Water accessible 1,319,440 1,478,335 1,447,413 1,448,179 1,393,504 1,364,350
Water taken 710,740 710,137 698,992 804,027 685,148 797,661
% water accessible taken 54% 48% 48% 56% 49% 58%

 

  • 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 the storages and rivers during the year.
  • Following the region's tenth-wettest year on record, surface water availability in the Burdekin region was 68% above last year, and 38% above the long-term average (based on modelled data from 1971 to 2022).
  • 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 surface water available. Typically, when water availability is low, water taken during the year is high due to the increased demand from customers when conditions are dry (see Water use section below).
  • During the 2022-23 year, water taken from surface water resources was slightly more than last year, despite a decrease in water accessible for take in comparison to last year.

 

Water use

Burdekin River, Queensland (Bureau of Meteorology © Graham Hawke)

 

Consumptive use

 

Table S4 Surface water taken for consumptive use in the Burdekin region over the past six water accounting periods ending 30 June
Surface water 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Individual users - - 255,420 261,377 227,258 240,525
Industrial users 17,400 16,876 - - - -
Inter-region supply 12,700 12,700 12,539 20,108 15,705 25,780
Irrigation users 500,030 500,569 429,153 520,330 440,911 517,544
Other users 150,350 150,153 - - - -
Stock and domestic 28,810 28,426 - - - -
Urban users 1,450 1,413 1,880 2,212 1,274 13,812
Total 710,740 710,137 698,992 804,027 685,148 797,661

 

Table S5 Groundwater taken for consumptive use in the Burdekin region over the past six water accounting periods ending 30 June
Groundwater 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Individual users - - 148,028 147,521 136,748 112,866
Commercial users 100 104 - - - -
Industrial users 675 679 - - - -
Irrigation users 103,535 103,720 - - - -
Mining users 560 556 - - - -
Other users 360 364 - - - -
Stock and domestic 650 648 - - - -
Urban users 564 564 - - - -
Total 106,544 106,635 148,028 147,521 136,748 112,866

 

  • Water taken from surface water and groundwater resources for consumptive use was 816,984 ML, similar to last year.
  • Total surface water diverted in the Burdekin region was 710,740 ML, almost the same as last year.
  • Around 72% of the surface water taken was for the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme, mainly for irrigation users
  • Allocated diversions accounted for 75% of the surface water taken for consumptive use, while the remaining 25% of surface water taken was for non-allocated diversions.
  • Total groundwater extracted in the Burdekin region was 106,244 ML, all of which was non-allocated extractions, mainly for irrigation users.

 

Allocations and diversions

 

Table S6 Surface water allocations and diversions in the Burdekin region over the past six water accounting periods ending 30 June
Surface water 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Carryover 0 0 159,976 108,151 119,813 74,084
Allocated announcements 1,140,600 1,140,093 1,181,223 1,170,327 1,159,180 1,139,906
Allocated diversions 531,900 531,871 540,953 645,988 524,908 632,041
% used 47% 47% 40% 51% 41% 52%

 

  • Total surface water allocated in 2022-23 was 1,140,600 ML, mostly for irrigation in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area.
  • Around 47% of the allocated water was used, reflecting the increase in water availability during the year.
  • There were no groundwater allocations and extractions for the 2022-23 year.