What is the estimated demand for surface water in O'Connell River?

How was this assessment undertaken in the O'Connell River Surface Water Management Area?

Development Potential:

This SWMA is a relatively less developed catchment than those surrounding it. It has no major townships within its boundaries other then smaller settlements of Seaforth, Laguna Keys and Midge Point townships that are focussed mainly on Tourism. The primary land uses within the basin are sugar cane production, tourism, grazing and forestry activities. The small Cape Hillsborough National Park (near Seaforth) and part of the much larger Eungella National Parks combine to form the foundation of the basins natural attractions. Presently there are no major water storages within the catchment, however potential exists for the development of a storage in line with comments in the Mackay Regional Water Resources Strategy Stage 2, Final Report - May 1998 by the Mackay Tourism and Development Bureau Ltd. This report identified that the adjoining catchment of Proserpine (SWMA 122) transferred 6100ML to this SWMA for urban water supply in the Laguna Keys area. Presently, this has resulted in SWMA 122 to become fully allocated with respect to its water commitments. As a considerable potential to develop further irrigated pasture also exists in SWMA 122, then the present inter-basin transfers that are committed to this basin (SWMA 124) and SWMA 121 need to be analysed to determine if additional source of water supplies can be augmented. The report recommends further investigation of a scheme to develop along the OConnell River. This would certainly allow for additional expansion of the identified agricultural lands (requiring Irrigation water) for sugar cane production (this would be dependent on the local sugar mill increasing its processing capacity), plus alleviate the pressure to supply urban water to Laguna Keys from the Proserpine basin (SWMA 122). Finally, an impedient to any potential development that would need to be considered is that 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 O'Connell 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 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 both regulated and unregulated. There are currently three gauging stations in operation recording height and discharge and one gauging station recording, in addition, the water quality.

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 three stream gauges currently operating within the SWMA.

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

All regulated users are metered and water use is measured at regular intervals.

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.