Introduction

As resource demands and pressure increases so to do the requirements of both management and information needs. Outlined below are the key issues facing the region as determined by the State / Territory water management agency.

What is the estimated demand for surface water in Herbert River?

How was this assessment undertaken in the Herbert River Surface Water Management Area?

Development Potential:

This SWMA is the largest within the Wet Tropics Management Authority area. It has diversified land uses throughout the catchment and is commonly referred to as the Upper Herbert and Lower Herbert systems.Ingham is the largest Urban centre in the basin. The main industries throughout the catchment include sugar cane production, tourism, grazing and to a lesser extent forestry activities. Within the Lower Herbert system the Southern Wet Tropics Overview Study has identified the following:

• Existing sources for urban water supplies will be able to be maintained to meet expected demand up until at least 2023.
• The two Sugar Mills (Macknade and Victoria) near Ingham will have sufficient water from the existing sources to meet expected demands in the future.
• Future demand projections for irrigation of sugar cane crops will remain low, as most crops will be able to be grown without the need for irrigation.

Within the Upper Herbert System the FNQ2010 Regional Planning Project has identified the following:

• The major urban centres of the Upper Herbert include Herberton, Ravenshoe and Mount Garnet. The Regional Growth Management Plan anticipates some controlled urban expansion. Existing water supply infrastructures are expected to be able to meet future urban demands within the timeframe of FNQ 2010.
• Expansion of irrigated agriculture along the upper Herbert and the recent drought have resulted in a review of the ability of the upper Herbert to meet the water requirements for irrigation. New management strategies and/or on-stream storage may be required to meet future agricultural demand in this area.
• Development options considered as part of the Tully Millstream Project could also provide opportunity for regulation of flows for irrigation along the upper Herbert as well as power generation.

The SWMA and region generally attracts large numbers of visitors each year. Tourism and Recreational pursuits within the catchment are focused primarily at the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics Rainforest Areas, plus the southern end of the Atherton Tablelands, around the town of Millaa Millaa, and the visitation of Millstream Falls. A limit to any potential development would be the fact that 20% of the catchments area is contained in Lumholtz National Park, while an additional 10% is allocated as State Forest. Also, part of these dedicated land uses (a total of 15% of the basin) have been World Heritage listed and are contained in Wet Tropics rainforest declared area. This SWMA drains into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park World Heritage Area.

Management goals and objectives:

No Detailed Management Plans have yet been developed.

See QLD Water Resources Assessment 2000 Report and Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report for comment on methods and assumptions.

Comments on Management Responses in the Herbert River Surface Water Management Area

Current Management Response:

Desired (Current) Management Response:

2020 Management Response:

NA

2050 Management Response:

NA

See QLD Water Resources Assessment 2000 Report for comment on management responses.

Assessment of Monitoring

Efficacy of the network:

The Department of Natural Resources (Queensland) carries out extensive monitoring of the States water resources. Flows are continuously monitored and data is kept in the HYDSYS database. Water quality is continuously monitored at selected gauges and is also sampled when hydrographers visit the gauges. All quality data is stored in the HYDSYS database. This monitoring network is reviewed periodically.

All water use in the State is licensed. Use on unregulated streams and from overland flow is not measured. Use from regulated streams is metered with the meters being read at regular intervals. Data on water allocations made by the The Department of Natural Resources (Queensland) is held in the WERD database. Data on water allocated by an Order in Council or a Government Act is not held in a centralised database.

All Referable Storages are licensed.

The streams in this SWMA are unregulated.

This SWMA is in an isolated area with little development or potential development unless an emerging industry is found. There is currently little need for data in this area.

There are currently twelve gauging stations in operation recording height and discharge including two stations that recorded water quality in addition. Ten gauging stations that recorded gauge height and discharge and three gauging stations that recorded gauge height only have been closed.

Data management requirements:

See the main database for additional comments on Current and Desired Management responses.

Protective management:

Any major developments, which require the use of water or are liable to effect water quality within Queensland, are required to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment. This is required for both developed and undeveloped catchments.

Options for monitoring:

NA

See QLD Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report for an assessment of monitoring

Data Availability, Gaps and Recommendations

Data Availability:

There are twelve stream gauges currently operating within the SWMA

Water quality has been monitored at fourteen sites in the SWMA.

Information and records for the gauges are held in the HYDSYS database.

Records of allocations for all licenced users are kept in the WERD database. Regulated users have volumetric allocations and unregulated users have an irrigated area allocation. Unregulated water users are not metered and there is no record of water use. Allocations granted under an Order in Council for special users such as Local Authorities or under Government Acts are not held in a centralised database.

Current Gaps and Recommendations:

Data Gaps: No measurement of unregulated water use. No measurement of water harvesting use. No detailed environmental flow assessment of key sites in the SWMA. Recommendations:

Future Gaps:

Water resource system models are the main management decision tools which will need to be linked in the future to improve economic, financial, social and environmental response models. Good data and information are fundamental to the accuracy and validity of these tools. Some of the needs and gaps associated with this data and information are discussed below:

There is little knowledge of the land use impacts on stream flow over a period of time.

There are limited records of the quantity of water extracted from the main stream and overland flow by water harvesting.

A database is required for all water allocations other than those already contained in the WERD database. This would include all allocations made by Government Act and Order in Council.

No information is available for unregulated water use as these users do not have meters. Much of the water harvesting in the state is also unmetered unless it is on a regulated stream.

See QLD Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report for a review of data availability,gaps and recommendations.

Further information

• Queensland Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report
• Link to data available for download on the Surface Water Management Areas
• Link to the Map Maker to make a map using this information.