Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Allocation and Use

Australia

Introduction to water use and allocation

Australia's population of 18.3 million people uses about 24,000 GL (`000 ML) of water each year for agricultural, pastoral, industrial, commercial and urban purposes. Of the 24,000 GL of water used, about 19,100 GL or 80% is sourced from surface water and 5,000 GL or 20% from groundwater sources. The gross value of irrigated agriculture is estimated at $7254 million (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2000).

Australia has one of the highest per capita consumption of water in the world at 1.31 ML/person/year, most of it used in agriculture (18,000 GL - 75%).

In a typical Australian household each person used around 350 L/day in 1996/97, with gardening responsible for up to half, while flushing toilets used about a quarter of this amount. People from Asia, Africa and Latin America use 50-100 L/day; people from the USA use 400-500L/day.

Urban water use in several of the State capitals (while variable) declined over the 1990s. Industrial use is not large and is falling as industries become more water efficient-in some cases achieved indirectly because of energy efficiency gains (AATSE/IAE 1999).

Please note: The tables set out below detailing Level 1 and Level 2 water use categories. The sum of the Level 2 water use volumes will not necessarily equal the total Level 1 water use volumes. This is primarily due to lack of more detailed water use data. However, where Level 2 use = Level 1 use then blank cells in the table does not indicate water use unaccounted for in these categories.

How has total water use changed since 1985?

Comparison between the 1985 and 1996 'snapshot' assessments is difficult. Factors include the time between assessments (more than 15 years); seasonality and variability of climate; significant potential for changes in land use; and fluctuations in domestic and global market demands. However it has been estimated that water use has increased by 65% since the early 1980s - increasing from 14,600 GL to 24,000 GL.

Climate

Extract from the Australian Bureau of Statistics "Water Account for Australia"(2000).

Water Use, Climate and the Audit Baseline Year - 1996/97

The baseline year for the Audit is the 1996/97 agricultural year starting on the 1st April and ending on 31st of March. For water use the data has been compiled for the period 1 July 1996 to 30 Junr 1997 (water calendar year). When it was necessary to collect information for more than one year, the data collected covers that year or, was appropriately adjusted to provide a best estimate for that year.

For water use data States and Territories were requested to provide a 5 yearly average value based on the 1996/97 year. Use figures were adjusted in areas where, due to climatic conditions, the water use was not considered 'average'.

Climate in 1996/97

During 1996 there was a transition from the weak large-scale climate controls to a strong El Nino condition after March 1997. This resulted in a drying over a large part of southern and eastern Australia. From July until September 1996 Victoria had unusually cold and wet weather. The remainder of the southern half of Australia was also wet for three months. Significant areas in south-west Queensland, western and central New South Wales, South Australia, western Victoria, and southern Western Australia had rainfall totals within the highest 10% on record.

During the summer of 1996-97, there was a very active monsoonal season in the tropical zones in western Australia and the Northern Territory. However, this finished abruptly and early, as El Nino developed rapidly in autumn 1997. From October 1996 very dry conditions prevailed over most of Victoria, the grain belts of South Australia and north-east Tasmania. Areas of southern Victoria through to south-east South Australia had the driest October to June period on record.

May 1997 brought rain to southern Australia and average to above average rain to parts of Queensland. There was some relief to farmers from the dry and hot conditions over southern Australia in early 1997. In parts of southern Victoria and south-east South Australia the driest October to June period was reported." (ABS Water Account, 2000)

Climate in 1983/84 (Water Review 85)

Water use in any particular year is affected by weather conditions. For much of Australia, the period, July 1983 to June 1984, was equivalent to a normal year in which water use was about average. In south-east Australia, however, abnormal weather patterns were experienced. In general, rainfall totals throughout Victoria were high during the first half of the year but were lower than average in the second half. These weather conditions, along with a continuing sensitivity to water use following the 1982/83 drought, had a marked effect on water usage. Although the 1982/83 drought that affected most of Victoria was broken by above-average rains early in the year, water restrictions in many urban areas were not lifted until much later in the year. Urban water use was therefore less than average, due both to the heavy rains and to the continuance of water restrictions.

The above-average rains in the first half of 1983-84 greatly reduced irrigation demands, and by mid-season virtually unrestricted supplies of water were made available to farmers (for example, 200% of water rights in the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation District). The drier conditions in the latter half of the year somewhat compensated for this, but total usage for the year was generally far less than average.

Rural usage was also less than average, again due to the early wet conditions and sensitivity about excessive water use following the 1982-83 drought. (DPIE, 1987). 

Map of Change in total water use by river basin since 1985.

Note:

In not all cases does the change in water use volume from 1985 to 1996 reflect factors that effect consumption patterns and volumes such as population growth, industry or land-use change or operational improvements. The observed difference may be due to differences in the approaches used to estimate water use within each river basin.

Estimates of groundwater use for the Great Artesian Basin are not included in the total use reported for the surface water river basins in NSW.

A direct comparison between data reported for 1985 and 1996 cannot be made for the Murray Riverina Basin due to a change in the boundary definition of the Basin. For this current assessment the Murray Riverina Basin has been defined as the regulated stretch of the Murray River extending from Lake Hume to the South Australian border. In 1985 the Murray Riverina Basin is defined as an area on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, extending from Hume Dam to a point just upstream of the confluence with the Murrumbidgee River.

Graph of Proportion of total water use by consumptive use classes
Region   Use in 1983-84 (GL/yr) Use in 1996-97 (GL/yr) % Change
Australia15,852 24,082 52
South Australia Total1,067 1,176 10
Surface 682 747 9
Ground 385 430 12
Australian Capital Territory Totalno data73 no data
Surface no data68 no data
Ground no data5 no data
Northern Territory Total80 179 123
Surface 31 51 64
Ground 48 128 166
Queensland Total2,444 4,592 88
Surface 1,247 2,970 138
Ground 1,195 1,623 36
New South Wales Total6,319 10,009 58
Surface 5,975 9,000 51
Ground 344 1,009 193
Tasmania Total205 471 130
Surface 199 451 126
Ground 6 21 238
Victoria Total4,252 5,788 36
Surface 4,053 5,166 27
Ground 198 622 214
Western Australia Total1,485 1,796 21
Surface 701 659 -6
Ground 784 1,138 45

Note: Water use in 1996/97 represents the average water use determined under the 1996 levels of water resource development. The water use is therefore independent of weather conditions.

 

Chart of Proportion of total water use by consumptive use classes coloured by surface water/groundwater for 1985 and 1996

How much of Australia's surface water resources are allocated?

34 of Australia's 325 surface water basins are currently over-utilised and 2 are over-allocated in terms of meeting sustainable flow regimes. Currently 31 of Australia's 325 basins, have formal allocations for the environment. The benefits of these allocations to the environment will be assessed over time as the progress is monitored against environmental targets and thresholds. 

Map of Total surface water allocation in 1996 by drainage basin. Legend for reliability map

Note: Water Resource Allocation for each Surface Water Management Area represents the volume of that areas surface water resources allocated for use within that area, and for use in other SWMAs.

Graph of Proportion of total water use by allocation use classes
RegionSurface water use in 1996 (GL/yr)Surface water annual allocation in 1996 (GL/yr)

Use : Allocation (%)

Australia19,109 20,627 93
South Australia741 747 101
Australian Capital Territory71 68 96
Northern Territory53 51 97
Queensland3,202 2,970 93
New South Wales9,825 9,000 92
Tasmania412 451 110
Victoria5,470 5,166 94
Western Australia856 659 77

Note: The Victorian figures do not include the diversion and allocation from the Mitta Mitta River SWMA to NSW (814 GL/yr). The Tasmanian figures do not include the diversion and allocation to hydro-electricity power schemes.

How much of Australia's groundwater resources are allocated?

83 of Australia's 538 groundwater management units are over-allocated in terms of their nominated sustainable yield, while 57 are over-used. Currently 3 (in Victoria) of Australia's 538 groundwater management units, had formal allocations for the environment reported. 

Map of Total groundwater allocation in 1996 by groundwater province.

Australia has 25,780 GL of groundwater suitable for potable, stock and domestic use, and irrigated agriculture that can be extracted sustainably each year of which 2,489 GL is used.

RegionSustainable yield of groundwater management units with salinity less than 5000 (mg/L)Allocation for those GMUs (GL/yr)Use for those GMUs (GL/yr)
Australia25,699 95 129
South Australia1,121 no datano data
Australian Capital Territory103 7 5
Northern Territory6,455 73 105
Queensland2,618 no datano data
New South Wales6,298 no datano data
Tasmania2,531 no datano data
Victoria1,483 15 20
Western Australia5,092 no datano data

What uses are Australia's total water resources allocated to?

On balance, and not surprisingly, water use and allocation are comparable at a national scale. More detail analysis of water use to allocation is presented at State and individual basin and groundwater management unit scales.

Table: Current allocation volume (GL/yr)

RegionIrrigationRuralUrban / IndustrialIn Situ
Australia20,171 1,357 5,412 3,163
South AustraliaSurface558 3 180 no data
Ground561 40 57 24
Total1,119 43 237 24
Australian Capital TerritorySurface5 2 65 no data
Ground3 5 no data1
Total8 6 65 1
Northern TerritorySurface7 4 43 no data
Ground8 33 34 no data
Total14 36 77 0
QueenslandSurface2,288 22 893 26
Ground470 358 158 no data
Total2,758 379 1,051 26
New South WalesSurface8,507 176 1,142 no data
Ground2,165 323 179 no data
Total10,672 499 1,321 0
TasmaniaSurface216 1 196 3,101
Ground10 4 8 no data
Total225 4 203 3,101
VictoriaSurface4,055 286 1,130 no data
Ground563 62 142 13
Total4,618 348 1,272 13
Western AustraliaSurface481 8 368 no data
Ground281 37 821 no data
Total761 45 1,188 0

Note: For Victoria, the total allocation volume does not include the volume of water diverted from the Mitta Mitta River SWMA to NSW (814 GL/yr). The Tasmanian in-situ allocation includes the total volume of water allocated for hydro-electricity power generation.

Further information

Further introductory information about water resources is available for each State and Territory:

View the Australian Water Resources Assessment 2000 report

Key

   Links to an another web site
   Opens a pop-up window