Water resources - Overview - Queensland
Basin & Surface Water Management Area: Ducie River
Introduction
The Ducie SWMA occupies an area of 6746 sq km and is located on the far north-west coast of the Cape York Peninsula in Northern Queensland. It is bordered in the east by the Great Dividing Range. The SWMA is in an isolated part of the state and as such there are no large population settlements or major water storages. There are significant areas of Aboriginal Reserves in the north and north- east of the SWMA.
The five main rivers in the SWMA are the Ducie, Skardon, Jackson, Doughboy and MacDonald which all terminate at the Gulf of Carpentaria. There are numerous small streams and creeks also in the SWMA.
The SWMA is characterised by medium to dense scattered vegetation with small parcels of swamp land and some rainforest. This vegetation type occurs consistently across the SWMA except in the northern region which is predominantly swamp land.
The terrain of the SWMA is relatively flat in the west, however in the east near the Great Dividing Range the elevation ranges between 100m and 150m above sea level.
Rainfall is relatively consistent across the SWMA, ranging between 1500mm/yr in coastal regions to 1600mm/yr inland and near the Great Diving Range. The mean annual rainfall across the SWMA is approximately 1520mm/yr. The majority of this rainfall occurs in the period November April.
Vital Statistics:
| Area: | 6,746 Km2 |
|---|---|
| Total storage volume: | no data |
| Total surface water use: | 360 ML/yr |
| Development category: | LOW DEVELOPMENT |
| Mean annual run-off: | 4,050,000 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:
No sustainable yield studies are available for this SWMA.
PLEASE NOTE:
Categorisation:
No sustainable yield studies are available for this SWMA.
This SWMA is in an isolated area with little or no development. Rainfall is distinctly seasonal and extremely variable on an annual basis. There is little demand water in this catchment due to its isolation and low population.
How saline are the surface water resources in the Ducie River surface water management area?
No data were available about the salinity of surface water resources in the Basin / SWMA for the Australian Water Resources Assessment 2000.
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 Queensland Water Resources Assessment 2000 Report
- View the Queensland 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.nrm.qld.gov.au
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