Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Allocation and Use - Queensland

Location map of Great Artesian Basin - Northwest - Queensland

Groundwater Management Unit: Great Artesian Basin - Northwest - Queensland

Introduction

The National Water Reform Framework requires the development of comprehensive systems of water allocations or entitlements, backed by separation of water property rights from land and clear specification of entitlements in terms of ownership, volume, reliability, transferability and, if appropriate, quality. In addition State agencies are required to undertake formal determination of water allocations or entitlements, including allocations for the environment as a legitimate user of water.

Water use estimates have been derived from a number of different methods including the use of licencing systems, information provided as part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics water account (with provider consent) and other information gathered from the State and Territory water agencies. In some cases water use was assumed to be the same as the allocation. For groundwater systems, it is well known that this assumption is often invalid (e.g. typically where use exceeds allocation significantly).

How is the groundwater being used?

Total water use for Great Artesian Basin - Northwest - Queensland is 12,230 ML/yr with a sustainable yield of 10,680 ML.

Chart of proportion of total water use by use classes

How much groundwater is allocated in the Great Artesian Basin - Northwest - Queensland Groundwater Management Unit, and for what purpose?

Chart of proportion of groundwater allocation by allocation classes

Allocation Methods and Policy:

GAB groundwater allocations must comply with that of the respective State / Territory legislation. Pertinent legislation for the Northwest zone includes the Water Resources Act 1989 for Queensland.

The average annual GAB groundwater abstraction (12230 ML/yr) in the Northwest zone comprises of about 11870ML/yr for rural supply, 130 ML/yr for irrigation supply, and 230 ML/yr for Urban/Industrial supply (which includes town water supply). These abstractions have been assumed equal to annual allocations within the GMU.

In Queensland, all GAB and non-GAB (ie. subartesian) bores located in the GAB plan area require a licence (except subartesian bores used for domestic purposes). The same bores fall under the jurisdiction of the Crown, and are administered by the Department of Natural Resource, DNR (Queensland).

General allocation policies are applied in the Queensland GAB area, depending on the type of groundwater use. There are three types of groundwater use; that classed for rural (stock) supplies, town water supplies, and other supplies.

Rural supply applications for GAB bore licences in Queensland are approved on the condition that the bore is fully controlled and water is distributed by pipeline to tanks and troughs. No volumetric allocation is attached to stock bore licences. Water for a feedlot is regarded as a commercial supply rather than a rural supply, and hence falls under the town water supply or other supply type of use depending on its location. Meters are not required on rural supplies but can be stipulated.

Town water supply applications for GAB bore licences in Queensland are approved. However, the volume required may be negotiated with local government to promote efficient use of water. Town water supplies are metered.

Other supply (eg. irrigation, feedlots, and industry) applications for GAB bore licences for bores in Queensland are considered on their merits. All bores require metering. Other policies apply to other supply bore applications. They vary depending on their location or the geographic areas they fall under.

Further information

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