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Murray–Darling Basin: Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities

For the water account period 01 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 

  • Water availability in the Murray-Darling Basin's assets decreased by 17% during 2023–24.
  • Water availability is represented by the net water assets, which are the volume of water assets minus the water liabilities.

Schematic representation of the Murray–Darling Basin region. Total surface water and groundwater assets at 30 June 2023 was 28,480 GL. Total water liabilities was 8,119 GL. Closing net water assets at 30 June 2023 was 20,361 GL, 7% less than last year.

The Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities is provided in the table below.
The statement presents the volume of water assets, and water liabilities at the start and end of the reporting year.

 

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 2024 (ML)2023 (ML)2022 (ML)2021 (ML)2020 (ML)2019 (ML)
Water assets
Surface water 20,428,65524,837,77725,992,72717,543,28311,670,549 9,516,977
Accessible storage 15,780,23418,935,24218,087,64312,758,9707,625,799 6,588,733
Dead storage 302,271302,271302,271302,271302,271 302,271
Rivers 497,7851,225,5123,017,661801,585433,506291,676 
Lakes and wetlands 3,848,3654,374,7524,585,1523,680,4573,308,973 2,334,297
 
Groundwater 3,472,4503,472,4503,472,4503,472,4503,472,4503,472,450 
Aquifers (Sustainable diversion limit) 3,472,4503,472,4503,472,4503,472,4503,472,4503,472,450
  
Total water assets 23,901,10528,310,22729,465,17721,015,73315,142,999 12,989,427
Water liabilities
Surface water liability 6,140,3367,185,7756,809,0205,096,4733,039,687 1,944,631
Carryover for individual users 4,816,1465,593,1485,298,3984,057,8832,461,579 1,147,426
Carryover for urban system 00000 0
Carryover for environmental purposes 1,324,1901,592,6271,510,6221,038,590578,108 797,205
 
Groundwater liability 844,743844,743809,637668,249698,153 608,164
Carryover for individual users 844,743844,743809,637668,249698,153 608,164
Carryover for urban system00000 0
Carryover for salinity and water table management00000 0
Carryover for environmental purposes00000 0
 
Total water liabilities6,985,0798,030,518 7,618,6575,764,7223,737,840 2,552,795
Net water assets
Net surface water assets 14,288,31917,652,00219,183,70712,446,8108,630,862 7,572,346
Opening net surface water assets 17,652,00219,183,70712,446,8108,630,8627,572,346 11,001,979
Change in net surface water assets (3,363,683)(1,531,705)6,736,8973,815,9481,058,516(3,429,633) 
Closing net surface water assets 14,288,31917,652,00219,183,70712,446,8108,630,862 7,572,346
 
Net groundwater assets 2,627,7072,627,7072,662,8132,804,2012,774,297 2,864,286
Opening net groundwater assets 2,627,7072,662,8132,804,2012,774,2972,864,286 2,789,616
Change in net groundwater assets 0(35,106)(141,388)29,904(89,989) 74,670
Closing net groundwater assets 2,627,7072,627,7072,662,8132,804,2012,774,297 2,864,286
Total closing net water assets 16,916,02620,279,70921,846,52015,251,01111,405,159 10,436,632
Total change in net water assets (3,363,683)(1,566,811)6,595,5093,845,852968,527 (3,354,963)

 

Note: quantification approaches used to derive each item volume are provided in the Methods