South East Queensland: Water access and use
Water rights, entitlements, allocations and restrictions
Introduction
This note provides information about the water access rights granted by jurisdictions to the users of the region's water resources and the associated allocation announcements and abstractions.
The 2015 Account acknowledges that the legislative water resource management frameworks related to Australian water rights vary greatly across jurisdictions, sometimes making comparisons difficult. To facilitate meaningful comparisons between the water accounting reports included in the 2015 Account, the Bureau of Meteorology has developed and applied an accounting concept to classify and report water entitlements within a water asset/water liability framework.
According to that framework, water rights for the South East Queensland region for the 2014–15 year have been classified as shown below.
Surface water rights
In the South East Queensland region, surface water allocations for individual users/the urban water system are equal to 100% of the water access entitlement; however, allocation for the Lower Lockyer water supply scheme (WSS) is a percentage of the entitlement, which is also announced at the start of the water year that commences 1 July for the 2014–15 year and onwards.
The volume of surface water entitlements, corresponding water allocations and diversions for the 2014–15 year, compared to the 2013–14 year, are shown in Figure N24. The percentage shows the ratio of diversion to the water access entitlement.
Note that water allocations and diversions related to the urban water system appear in the Surface water note; however, they do not appear in the water accounting statements because they are transactions that occurred within the region. These transactions did not impact the region's total water assets and water liabilities.
Figure N24 Surface water access entitlements, allocations and diversions in the South East Queensland region for the 2013–14 and 2014–15 years
Figure N24 shows that the surface water diversion to individual users during the 2014–15 year increased from the previous year. The reason for the reported amount being so low in the previous year was due to transitional processing of the data from the resource operations plan (ROPs) when the SEQ Water Grid Manager was still an entity and subsequently merged with Seqwater in July 2013. However, allocation for the urban system inreased slightly compared with the previous year. Seqwater reported that there was no unsupplemented water licence/allocation diversions for the individual users in the 2014–2015 year, there were only stock and domestic and riparian diversions, a result total non-allocated diversion for the individual years reduced compared with previous year.
Surface water diversions to the urban water system during the 2014–15 year increased very marginally from the previous years.
Groundwater rights
In the South East Queensland region, groundwater allocations were almost 100% of the water access entitlement.
The volume of groundwater allocation and abstraction for the 2014–15 year, compared with the previous year, is shown in Figure N25. The percentage shows the ratio of abstraction to the allocation announcement. Both non-allocated and allocated groundwater extraction to individual users have decreased marginally from the previous year. Only 3% of the total groundwater extraction came from non-allocated extraction of groundwater to urban water system.
Note that water allocations and abstractions related to the urban water system appear in the Groundwater note; however, they do not appear in the water accounting statements because they are transactions that occurred within the region. These transactions did not impact the region's total water assets and water liabilities.
Figure N25 Groundwater access entitlements, allocations and extractions in the South East Queensland region for the 2013–14 and 2014–15 years
Water restrictions
The South East Queensland region was on permanent water conservation measures (PWCM) from 1 December 2009 until April 2012, when the PWCM were amended to remove a number of mainly non-residential restrictions that already existed in the South East Queensland region. The residential restrictions only had minor changes which would not have significantly impacted on the overall consumption. The PWCM were then lifted on 1 January 2013 as a result of the abolition of the Queensland Water Commission. It was noted that Yarraman was under Level 1 restrictions and Crow's Nest was under PWCM in 2014–15. For more information on water restrictions, refer to Water restrictions on the Bureau's website.
Water market activity
In the South East Queensland region, trade or lease of water entitlements or allocations do not occur between water supply schemes but can occur within them. Trade or lease of water entitlements or allocations between the region and outside the region do not occur. Trade or lease of groundwater entitlements or allocations in the region do not occur.
Regulated water access entitlements are separate from land rights, and are tradeable and registered on the former Queensland Government Department of Environment and Resource Management's (DERM's) water allocation register. This function is now managed by the DNRM and/or the Department of Energy and Water Supply (DEWS). There are currently markets for surface water rights trade only, but markets for groundwater rights trade may be developed in the future. The rules for trade of water access entitlements are detailed in the relevant ROP. The rules for water allocation trade are detailed in the Queensland Water Regulations 2002, and the relevant ROP and interim resource operations licence (IROL).
Accordingly, surface water trade (Table N27) reported for the South East Queensland region during the 2014–15 year includes surface water entitlement trades, and leases, and allocation trades within water supply schemes in the region.
The following information on water trades is reported:
- trade of surface entitlements within the region
- lease of surface entitlements within the region
- trade of surface water allocations within the region.
| Water trade | Volume (ML) | No. of trades |
| Trade of surface water entitlement within region | 1,370 | 18 |
| Lease of surface water entitlement within region | 0 | 0 |
| Surface water allocation trade within region | 1,043 | 29 |
Water use
Economic, social and cultural benefit
The Gold Coast, Logan Basin and Moreton ROPs require that water be managed for general and ecological purposes. This includes social and cultural benefits. The Gold Coast, Logan Basin and Moreton water resource plans (WRPs) require that water be managed for general and ecological purposes. This includes social and cultural benefits.
There are no formal entitlements held for social or cultural purposes in the Gold Coast, Logan Basin or Moreton WRP areas. Surface water stores are managed through a rules-based system outlined in the WRPs and ROPs.
In Queensland, entitlements and allocations do not have intended use as an attribute, and all metered abstractions do not have entitlement priority or use as attributes. Water held for cultural, social or economic purposes cannot be differentiated explicitly.
Environmental benefit
Introduction
Information on legislative, administrative and governing arrangements of environmental water in the South East Queensland region is available in the Environmental water management section of the 'Contextual information'.
In the South East Queensland region, environmental benefit is delivered through three water management scenarios:
- Planned partly supplemented surface water: the dominant feature of environmental water management in this scenario is the ability to control or influence flow by operational releases from storage.
- Planned unsupplemented surface water: in this scenario, water is managed for environmental benefit through controlling the water access regime.
- Top-up release: it does not apply to Seqwater; an exception can be made for Mt Crosby Weir where water is sometimes released from Wivenhoe Dam to maintain environmental flows and use for WTP.
For clarity of presentation, the environmental water determinations, environmental commitments and environmental outcomes are summarised/presented for each WRP area. Further details about these items are noted below.
- Environmental water determinations, including ecological and environmental flow objectives, are identified in WRPs. There are three water management areas and subsequently three WRPs that apply to the South East Queensland region (a map of the WRP areas can be seen in Figure C2 in the General description section of the 'Contextual information').
- The 'environmental water commitment' describes how these objectives are achieved through operating and environmental management rules and access rules for water allocations detailed in ROPs.
- Environmental outcomes, including whether environmental flow objectives were achieved and compliance with operating and environmental management rules, are reported on as part of the monitoring and reporting requirements in the ROPs.
Within each WRP area, water allocations are made for WSSs with regard to supplemented surface water and for water in a river with regard to unsupplemented surface water.
The ecological and environmental flow objectives detailed in the relevant WRP apply to both WSSs and unsupplemented water allocations; however, the operating and environmental management rules applicable to the WSSs are different from the access rules applicable to unsupplemented water allocations. Rules for WSSs prescribe operating levels for infrastructure such as storages and weirs, and require releases from storages to satisfy minimum flow conditions. Rules for unsupplemented water allocations prescribe rates of taking water and that the licence holder must comply with any specific conditions of the licence.
Gold Coast water resource plan area: planned partly supplemented and unsupplemented
surface water
Environmental water determination
Schedule 5 of the Gold Coast WRP identifies ecological and environmental flow objectives for the catchments located within the Gold Coast WRP area.
Environmental flow objectives are identified for specific locations along the watercourses within the management area (referred to as 'nodes') and are described in Schedule 4 of the WRP. Schedule 5 of the WRP describes in detail the low, medium and high flows and seasonal flow objectives for each of these nodes. In addition to detailing the environmental flow objectives the Gold Coast WRP also sets out performance indicators for environmental flow objectives, described in Clause 12 of the WRP (Gold Coast environmental flow objectives).
Ecological outcomes expected of the Gold Coast WRP are described in clause 11 of the plan. Briefly, they are to minimise changes to:
- the flow regimes of rivers described as waters of high ecological value in the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 1997
- river-forming processes and changes to flow regimes in the Nerang River and Nerang Creek.
Environmental water commitment
The Gold Coast ROP describes the operating and environmental management rules and water access rules for the Nerang WSS (supplemented) and the lower Nerang Water Management Area (unsupplemented).
Nerang Water Supply Scheme: supplemented (regulated) system
The Gold Coast ROP sets out the rules the licence holder (Seqwater) must follow to achieve the outcomes of the Gold Coast WRP. The ROP requires Seqwater to make releases from water storages as described in Table N28 (see clauses 71 and 72A of the ROP).
| Storage | Storage volume/level | Storage Release (ML/day) |
| Hinze | water level 45.6 mAHD water level 45.6 mAHD and flow at Numinbah gauging station on the Nerang River is greater than 100ML/day | 7.25 12 |
| Little Nerang | water level > 139.3 mAHD | 3 |
mAHD = metres Australian height datum
Lower Nerang water management area: unsupplemented
Water access rules that apply to water allocations in the Lower Nerang water management area are detailed in clause 94 of the Gold Coast ROP and include that:
- water is abstracted at a rate not exceeding the maximum rate on the allocation
- the allocation holder complies with any special conditions on the allocation.
Environmental water outcomes
In accordance with clauses 118A and 119 in the ROP, the resource operations licence (ROL) holder is responsible for reporting on streamflow levels, infrastructure levels, and releases from infrastructure and ultimately their compliance with environmental objectives throughout the water year. Data on streamflow is available through the Queensland Government's water monitoring website.
Top–up environmental releases (ROL holder releases from infrastructure) did not occur within the Gold Coast WRP area.
Seqwater allowed 3,829 ML (Little Nerang Dam 1,095 ML and Hinze Dam 2,734 ML) specific releases for environmental purposes at various times during the 2014–15 year.
Moreton water resource plan area: planned partly supplemented and unsupplemented surface water
Environmental water determination
The Moreton WRP identifies ecological and environmental flow objectives for the catchments located within the Moreton WRP area as described in schedules 1, 4 and 5 of the WRP. Although the Moreton WRP also includes several groundwater management units, environmental objectives specific to the groundwater resource are not described in it. Therefore, it is considered that there are no environmental water provisions for groundwater in this area.
Environmental flow objectives are identified for specific locations along the watercourses within the management area (referred to as 'nodes') and are described in Schedule 6 of the WRP. Schedule 7 of the WRP describes in detail the low flow, medium to high flow and seasonal flow objectives for each of these nodes. In addition to detailing the environmental flow objectives the Moreton WRP also sets out performance indicators for environmental flow objectives, described in Clause 14 of the WRP (Moreton environmental flow objectives).
Ecological outcomes expected of the Moreton WRP are described in clause 12 of the plan. Briefly, they are to:
- minimise changes to flows that support river-forming processes and to the low flow regime in the Stanley River and tributaries
- provide freshwater flows to the Boondall Wetlands.
Environmental water commitment
Water supply schemes: supplemented
The Moreton ROP describes the operating and environmental management rules for the three WSS operating under a ROL within the Moreton WRP area. Environmental water rules, in the form of storage releases, are in force for two WSS and are described in Table N29:
- Central Brisbane River and Stanley River WSS (Seqwater): see clause 96
- Cressbrook Creek WSS (Toowoomba Regional Council): see clauses 106 and 107.
| Water supply scheme | Storage | Storage release rate | Storage release conditions/criteria |
| Central Brisbane River and Stanley River WSS | Mount Crosby Weir | Minimum flow of 8.64 ML/day | When critical water sharing arrangements are not in force, daily flows past Mount Crosby Weir are required |
| Cressbrook WSS | Cressbrook Dam | Once triggered, the release should satisfy the following conditions:
| The following conditions need to be satisfied to trigger a release:
|
| Cressbrook WSS | Perseverance Dam | Minimum flow of 4.92 ML/day. | When:
|
mAHD = metres Australian height datum
As well as the Pine Valleys WSS, water supply schemes that currently operate under an IROL do not include any environmental provisions.
Moreton WRP area: unsupplemented
Water access rules that apply to water entitlements in the Moreton WRP area that are unsupplemented are detailed in clause 37 of the Moreton ROP and include that:
- water is abstracted at a rate not exceeding the maximum rate on the allocation
- the allocation holder complies with any special conditions on the allocation.
Environmental water outcomes
In accordance with clauses 143 and 144 in the ROP, the ROL holder is responsible for reporting on streamflow levels, infrastructure levels, releases from infrastructure and ultimately, their compliance with environmental objectives throughout the water year.
Seqwater allowed 5,662 ML from Wivenhoe as specific release for environmental purposes at various times during the 2014–15 year.
Logan Basin water resource plan area: planned partly supplemented and unsupplemented surface water
Environmental water determination
The Logan Basin WRP identifies ecological and environmental flow objectives for the catchments located within the Logan Basin WRP area as described in Schedules 2 and 3 of the WRP.
Environmental flow objectives are identified for specific locations along the watercourses within the management area (referred to as 'nodes') and are described in Schedule 4 of the WRP. Schedule 5 of the WRP describes in detail the low flow, medium to high flow and seasonal flow objectives for each of these nodes. In addition to detailing the environmental flow objectives the Logan Basin WRP also sets out performance indicators for environmental flow objectives, described in clause 12 of the WRP (Logan Basin environmental flow objectives).
Ecological outcomes expected of the Logan WRP are described in clause 11 of the plan. Briefly, they are to minimise changes to:
- the flow regimes of rivers described in clause 11(b)
- the flooding regime in the Carbrook wetlands.
Environmental water commitment
Logan Water Supply Scheme: supplemented
The Logan Basin ROP describes the operating and environmental management rules for the Logan WSS (regulated/supplemented). The ROP requires Seqwater to make releases from water storages as described in the Table N30 (see clauses 23 and 24 of the ROP). The ROL holder must minimise the occurrence of adverse environmental impacts by ensuring release of water incrementally from the storages depending on the flow criteria (Environmental flow release).
| Storage | Storage release rate | Storage release conditions/criteria |
| Lake Maroon | equal to the volume of inflow 4 ML/day | when inflow is equal to or less than 4 ML/day when inflow is > 4ML/day |
| Bromelton Weir | equal to the volume of inflow 5 ML/day | when inflow is equal to or less than 5 ML/day when inflow is > 5ML/day |
| Cedar Grove Weir | equal to the volume of inflow 5 ML/day | when inflow is equal to or less than 5 ML/day when inflow is > 5ML/day |
| Wyaralong Dam | 0 ML/day 2 ML/day 5 ML/day 50 ML/day | when inflow to Wyaralong Dam is less than 2 ML/day when inflow to Wyaralong Dam is equal to or greater than 2 ML/day, but less than 5 ML/day when inflow to Wyaralong Dam is equal to or greater than 5 ML/day, but less than 50ML/day when inflow to Wyaralong Dam is equal to or greater than 50 ML/day |
Logan WRP area: unsupplemented
The area covered by unsupplemented water allocations in the Logan WRP area are described in Attachment 2 of the ROP. Water sharing rules are detailed in Chapter 5 of the ROP and require that relevant licence holders:
- ensure that water is abstracted at a rate not exceeding the maximum rate on the allocation
- ensure that annual volumetric limits are not exceeded.
Environmental water outcomes
In accordance with clauses 48 and 49 in the ROP, the ROL holder is responsible for reporting on streamflow levels, infrastructure levels, releases from infrastructure and, ultimately, their compliance with environmental objectives throughout the water year.
Top–up environmental releases (ROL holder releases from infrastructure) did not occur within the Logan Basin WRP area.