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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 - Queensland
Basin & Surface Water Management Area: O'Connell River
Introduction
The O'Connell SWMA is located in North of Queensland, south of Proserpine and North of Bowen. The major town is Calen. The major streams are the O' Connell River, Andromache River, St Helens Creek, Jolimont Creek and Blackrock Creek. The catchment is bordered in the north west by the O'Connell Range, in the south west by the Clarke range and in the east by the Coral sea and the Tonga range. The vegetation density varies from scattered to medium. The ranges are covered in tropical forest. The 50 year annual rainfall (1920- 1967) ranges from 1600 to 2400 mm across the catchment. There are no major storages in the area. Landuse in the flat sections of the catchment is sugar cane.
Vital Statistics:
| Area: | 2,435 Km2 |
|---|---|
| Total storage volume: | no data |
| Total surface water use: | 16,646 ML/yr |
| Development category: | LOW DEVELOPMENT |
| Mean annual run-off: | 1,392,000 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.
There is a low level of development in this SWMA and no major storages.
How saline are the surface water resources in the O'Connell 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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