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In this section you will find detailed information, including national overviews and state and regional level assessments, from the 2000-2002 National Land and Water Resources Audit theme assessments.
Water resources - Overview - Northern Territory
Surface Water Management Area: Finke River (NT)
Introduction
There is no major infrastructure or diversions for surface water extraction within this SWMA. This management area is same as the NT portion of Finke River Basin. About 76% of the SWMA is leasehold land, 5% is parkland and 19% is Aboriginal land. About one third of the land has soils with moderate limitation to agriculture. Finke is the main river, and main tributaries are Hugh and Palmer rivers. All these flow from the escarpment country. During an average wet year, the flows are confined to certain reaches of the river, before it disappears into sand dunes. The river does not flow every year. About once in twelve years it flows its full length. The mean annual rainfall varies from 100 mm in the south to 250 mm in the north. There is no surface water licensing, and surface water usage is mainly for stock watering and domestic water supply.
Vital Statistics:
| Area: | 44,790 Km2 |
|---|---|
| Total storage volume: | no data |
| Total surface water use: | 75 ML/yr |
| Development category: | LOW DEVELOPMENT |
| Mean annual run-off: | 164,000 ML/yr |
A four-class classification system was developed to provide a simple method to communicate the status of the use and allocation of Australia's water resources in relation to sustainable water management.
It is important to recognise that adequately quantifying a sustainable flow regime or sustainable yield and consequent operating rules is a complex matter. State, Territory and scientific agencies continue to develop and apply methods and measures for determining sustainable flow regimes and sustainable yields.
This categorisation provides a general guide only. Please refer to the State and Territory Overview and Technical reports for detail on the analysis methods used.
| Category | Development status | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | <30% | Low development |
| 2 | 30 - 70% | Moderate development |
| 3 | 70 - 100% | Highly developed |
| 4 | 100% | Overdeveloped |
* Water use as a percentage of sustainable flow regime (surface water) and sustainable yield (groundwater)
PLEASE NOTE:
Sustainable Yield:
As this SWMA is in arid zone, the sustainable yield is estimated as 5% of the Divertible Yield. The assumptions, method and basis for estimation of environmental flow are explained in the section titled 'Environmental Flow Requirement' in NT Technical Report.
PLEASE NOTE:
Categorisation:
Categorisation was based on the percentage ratio of Use to Sustainable Yield.
How saline are the surface water resources in the Finke River (NT) surface water management area?
Table: Surface water resource by salinity class.
| Total Volume, Divertible Yield (ML/Yr) | |
|---|---|
| Total volume (ML/yr), DIVERSION | 164,000 |
| <500 mg/l (ML/yr) | 328,000 |
| 500 mg/l (ML/yr) - 1500 mg/l (ML/yr) | no data |
| 1500 mg/l (ML/yr) - 5000 mg/l (ML/yr) | no data |
| 5000 mg/l (ML/yr) - 14000 mg/l (ML/yr) | no data |
| > 14000 mg/l (ML/yr) | no data |
Major water storages
Table: Major water storage areas:
There were no major water storages reported in this area as part of the assessment
Further Information
- View the Northern Territory Water Resources Assessment 2000 Report
- View the Northern Territory Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report
- Link to data available for download on the:
- Surface Water Management Areas
- Data from the 1985 Review of Australia's Water Resources and Water Use
- Link to the Map Maker to make a map using this information.
- For more information about water and other natural resource issues link to www.nt.gov.au/nreta.