Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Overview - Queensland


Location map of SWMA Hinchinbrook Island

Basin & Surface Water Management Area: Hinchinbrook Island

Introduction

Copyright

Hinchinbrook Island (452 sq km ) is located in North Queensland off the coast near Ingham and Cardwell. It is mountainous. The mean annual rainfall for the 50 year period 1920 to 1969 varies between 2000 and 3200 mm. The island is covered in tropical rainforest. Major water use is for tourism since the island has been declared national park.

This SWMA also includes the Palm Island group of islands. Great Palm Island has an Aboriginal Community population of about 1800 people.

Vital Statistics:

Area: 452 Km2
Total storage volume: 487
Total surface water use: 500 ML/yr
Development category: LOW DEVELOPMENT
Mean annual run-off: 537,000 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.

CategoryDevelopment status
1<30% Low development
230 - 70% Moderate development
370 - 100% Highly developed
4100% 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 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 Hinchinbrook Island 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:

Storage name: Capacity (ML)
Solomon Dam (PI)487
Total487

Further Information

Key

   Links to an another web site
   Opens a pop-up window