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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: Stewart River
Introduction
The Stewart Surface Water Management Area (SWMA) is located in far northern Queensland on the eastern coast of the Cape York Peninsula. The SWMA covers an area of 2795 sq km and is bounded to the west by the McIlwrath and Great Dividing Ranges. The catchment contains the Stewart and Rocky Rivers and their major tributaries including the Terrible, Massy, Breakfast, Balcultha and Gorge Creeks. The SWMAs surface water flows into the Coral Sea at Port Stewart.
This is an isolated area with little development.
The mean annual rainfall for the 50 year period 1920 to 1969 varies between 1100mm and 1800 mm.
Vital Statistics:
| Area: | 2,795 Km2 |
|---|---|
| Total storage volume: | no data |
| Total surface water use: | 0 ML/yr |
| Development category: | LOW DEVELOPMENT |
| Mean annual run-off: | 1,049,000 ML/yr |
Please note: No data were supplied about total surface water use for some river basins (eg. unregulated basins in NSW).
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 Stewart 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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