Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Management and Development - Queensland

Location map of Atherton

Groundwater Management Unit: Atherton

Introduction

Management Context:

Increasing demand for groundwater is a major concern with environmental and social implications for the Atherton GMU. As traditional crop types, in recent times, have given way to the expanding sugar cane industry, there are indications that the groundwater resource is fully committed. Water courses fed by aquifer discharge are also considered to be fully allocated. Further extraction from the aquifer would have the potential to influence flow regime in numerous streams and in turn impact upon both consumptive and non-consumptive water supply.

Water quality is also a social concern. Although monitoring shows groundwater to be of a good standard, only limited testing for bacteria has been conducted. Testing in a limited number of bores found groundwater in excess of safe bacteria limits for human consumption.

Priority issues

Declining Water Levels

 NO

Salt Water Intrusion

 NO

SALINISATION

Dryland

 NO

Irrigation

 NO

Groundwater

 NO

Surface Water

 NO

Urban

 NO

Point Source Pollution

 YES

Diffuse Source Pollution

 YES

Subsidence

 NO

Artificial Recharge (ML/yr)

 no data

Ecosystems Protection

 YES

Surface Water Interaction

 YES

Management Plans

 YES

Defined Minimum Water Level

 NO

Comments on Management Responses

2020 Management Response:

A maximum forecast use estimate of 14500 Ml/yr in 2020 is based upon the sustainable yield and desired level of management in the GMU.

2050 Management Response:

A maximum forecast use estimate of 14500 Ml/yr in 2050 is based upon the sustainable yield and desired level of management in the GMU.

See QLD Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report for a review of management responses.

Assessment of monitoring in Atherton

Efficacy of the network:

The current monitoring network for the Atherton groundwater management unit consists of 53 observation bores with a proposed bi-annual to monthly monitoring frequency. Water level monitoring is ongoing since 1949 while post-1990 water quality data exists for 84 bores in the GMU.

Data management requirements:

Queensland groundwater monitoring data, including water level and water quality, is stored within the Groundwater Database (GWDB) system. The new GWDB system uses web technology and is available through the department's intranet.

Allocation and use data is obtained through the Water Entitlements Registration Database (WERD) which is an electronic database for water licences.

Both databases are managed locally at district level, with respect to the collection and entering of water monitoring, allocation and use data; and are accessed statewide.

Protective management:

As traditional crop types, in recent times, have given way to the expanding sugar cane industry, there are indications that the groundwater resource is fully committed. Water courses fed by aquifer discharge are also considered fully allocated. Further extraction from the aquifer would have the potential to impact upon the flow regime of numerous streams and in turn impact upon both consumptive and non-consumptive water supply.

Water quality is also a social concern. Although monitoring shows groundwater to be of a good standard, only limited testing for bacteria has been conducted. Testing in a limited number of bores found groundwater in excess of safe bacteria limits for human consumption.

Continued monitoring and comprehensive water quality testing will be required to appraise environmental responses to groundwater use and the integrity of the groundwater resource.

Options for monitoring:

A Water Management Plan (WMP), due for implementation in November 2000, will provide a set of policies, principles and guidelines for the management of the Atherton groundwater resource. The approved WMP will have a statutory effect under the Water Resources Act 1989 and will allow for extensive community consultation and input.

See QLD Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report for a review of monitoring.

What is the estimated demand for groundwater?

Sustainable Yield

Comment about sustainable yield figure: 

The sustainable groundwater yield from the Atherton basalts within the GMU is 14500 Ml/yr. This assessment was calculated by water balance method in 1999.

Sustainable yield:

ML/yr

Threshold year for sustainable year:

1,998 

Abstraction Volume 1996/1997:

14,500 ML 

Current Resource development categorisation:

Estimated Use in 2020

Comment:

Estimated use in 2020:

14,500 ML 

% change from 1996/1997:

0 

Resource development categorisation:

Estimated in 2050

Comment:

Estimated use in 2050:

14,500 ML 

% change from 1996/1997:

0 

Resource development categorisation:

 

What assumptions were used in this assessment

Development Potential:

There is currently no potential to develop the groundwater resource of the Atherton GMU as it is over-allocated and fully abstracted. A Water Management Plan (WMP), due for implementation in November 2000, will provide a set of policies, principles and guidelines for the management of the Atherton groundwater resource. The approved WMP will have a statutory effect under the Water Resources Act 1989 and will allow for extensive community consultation and input.

Estimate of Use:

Forecast use estimates for the years 2020 and 2050 are based upon the current sustainable yield and desired level of management in the GMU.

Data Availability,Gaps and Recommendations

Data Availablility:

The availability of water level data varies between monitoing bores in the Atherton GMU. Earliest monitoring commenced in 1949 with some gaps in sampling. Post-1990 water quality data, of limited parameters, exists for 84 bores within the GMU. Allocation and abstraction data was avilable for the Atherton GMU however is incomplete.

Current Gaps and Recommendations:

Data Gaps: Monitoring in the Atherton GMU is generally of a high standard, however only limited bacteriological contaminant monitoring, to determine the suitability of water supplies, has been undertaken.

Recommendations: High levels of bacteria in a limited number of bores indicates a need to conduct further monitoring.

Future Gaps:

Monitoring in the Atherton GMU is generally of a high standard and should continue. However the limited bacteriological contaminant monitoring needs to be increased to determine the suitability of water supplies and the extent and severity of the pollution.

Further information

Key

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