Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Management and Development - Queensland

Location map of Barron Delta

Groundwater Management Unit: Barron Delta

Introduction

Management Context:

No issues of high priority are reported for the groundwater resource of the Barron Delta GMU however limitations on available data make this difficult to assess.

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

 NO

Diffuse Source Pollution

 NO

Subsidence

 NO

Artificial Recharge (ML/yr)

 no data

Ecosystems Protection

 NO

Surface Water Interaction

 NO

Management Plans

 NO

Defined Minimum Water Level

 NO

Comment: No priority issues are reported.

Comments on Management Responses

2020 Management Response:

No forecast of groundwater use can be made for the GMU in 2020 as there is currently no estimate of use.

2050 Management Response:

No forecast of groundwater use can be made for the GMU in 2050 as there is currently no estimate of use.

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

Assessment of monitoring in Barron Delta

Efficacy of the network:

Limited monitoring of groundwater level commenced in 1976 to early 1994 during which time a large sampling gap occured from 1986 to 1992. During this gap period a maximum of one level was taken in some years only. Post 1990 water quality data exists for 26 bores within the GMU. Allocation data was available for the Barron Delta GMU however no metered or estimated abstraction data exists.

The current monitoring network for the Barron Delta groundwater management unit consists of 10 observation bores with a proposed bi-annual to monthly monitoring frequency.

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

Protective management:

Management of the groundwater resource of the Barron Delta groundwater management unit aims at maintaining a longterm, sustainable resource and therefore, requires continued monitoring of water level and water quality. To increase coverage and effectiveness of monitoring, the reinstatement of a number of abandoned bores in the monitoring network is desired.

Options for monitoring:

No options for Commonwealth, State, industry or community groups to address data gaps are identified or reported for the Barron Delta GMU.

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: 

A sustainable yield of 3440 Ml was calculated for the GMU, in a 1982 report. This assessment was evaluated to prevent seawater intrusion and consequent permanent failure of the supply.

Sustainable yield:

ML/yr

Threshold year for sustainable year:

2,100 

Abstraction Volume 1996/1997:

131 ML 

Current Resource development categorisation:

Estimated Use in 2020

Comment:

Estimated use in 2020:

1,500 ML 

% change from 1996/1997:

1,046 

Resource development categorisation:

Estimated in 2050

Comment:

Estimated use in 2050:

3,000 ML 

% change from 1996/1997:

2,191 

Resource development categorisation:

 

What assumptions were used in this assessment

Development Potential:

Groundwater in the Barron Delta GMU is utilised mostly for the irrigation of sugar cane and is currently 90% allocated. Unless there are changes in land utilisation from irrigation, to tourism and commercial, it is considered unlikely that there will be a significant change in groundwater use.

Estimate of Use:

Forecast use estimates cannot be made for the Barron Delta GMU in the years 2020 and 2050 as there is currently no reasonable estimate of groundwater use.

Data Availability,Gaps and Recommendations

Data Availablility:

Limited monitoring of groundwater level commences in 1976 to early 1994 during which time a large sampling gap occured from 1986 to 1992. During the gap a maximum of one level was taken in some years only. Post 1990 water quality data exists for 26 bores within the GMU. Allocation data was available for the Barron Delta GMU however no metered or estimated abstraction data exists.

Current Gaps and Recommendations:

Data Gaps: Groundwater levels in the northern and southern parts of the GMU are not represented by the current monitoring network as observation bores are limited to the central region of the GMU.

Recommendations: An expansion of the current monitoring network, with the possibility of reinstating previousely abandoned observation bores, would enable a better assessment of groundwater resource.

Future Gaps:

The major requirement for the future management of the Barron Delta GMU is the reinstatement of the monitoring network. An expansion of the current network would enable a better assessment and coverage of water quality and quantity in the GMU.

Further information

Key

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