Introduction

There is no major infrastructure or diversion for surface water extraction within this SWMA. This management area is same as the NT portion of Hay River Basin. About 25% of the SWMA is leasehold land, 54% is for other use, and 22% is Aboriginal land. About one fifth of the land has soils with moderate limitation to agriculture. The management area covers twelve pastoral leases, and five of these leases have more than 70% of their land within this SWMA. Hay is the main river, and the others are Marshall and Plenty. All these rivers flow from the hills through the escarpment country. Flows tend to reduce and disappear near the sand plains and sand dune country of Simpson Desert. The rivers flow, but not every year, and also do not flow the entire reach during an average rainfall year. It is said that once in every ten years Hay and other rivers flow the entire reach. The mean annual rainfall varies from 100 mm in the south to 200 mm in the north. There is no surface water licensing, and surface water usage is for stock watering and domestic water supply.

Vital Statistics:

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.

* 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 the 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 Hay River (NT) surface water management area?

Table: Surface water resource by salinity class.

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.