Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Overview - Queensland

Location map of Great Artesian Basin - Eastern Recharge B - Queensland

Groundwater Management Unit: Great Artesian Basin - Eastern Recharge B - Queensland

Introduction

The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) comprises 23 hydrologic zones (accounting for interstate / territory boundaries). These zones were determined by the Great Artesian Basin Consultative Council (GABCC) in 1999. The total area of the GAB is approximately 1.8 million sq km.

The Eastern Recharge B Groundwater Management Unit (GMU) is one of these hydrologic zones. Its area is about 62000 sq km which accounts for 3.4% of the total GAB area.

The Eastern Recharge B zone straddles 50 km either side of the Great Dividing Range northeast of Blackall and extends some 400 km along the Range as far southeast as the town of Miles.

Natural surface levels predominantly range from 300 m to 800 m above mean sea level. Natural surface levels are as low as 200 m in the southeast and as high as 1200 m on the mid- eastern GMU boundary.

Rainfall in the Eastern Recharge B zone varies from about 480 mm/yr in the western region of the GMU to approximately 650 mm/yr in the east.

Average annual evaporation may exceed average annual rainfall by up to 1600 mm/yr, with the northern most region having an annual rainfall deficit of up to 2400 mm/yr. Approximately 70% of rainfall occurs in the months November to March.

The dominant land use is for cattle industry purposes. Some agricultural and sheep grazing land use occurs in the southern region.

Freehold land tenure dominates this zone. Leasehold, Forest Reserve and Nature Conservation Reserve land tenure are also represented.

The vegetation within this GMU comprises equal proportions of tussock grassland (open and closed), woodland (open and closed), sedgeland and open forest.

Vital Statistics:

Area: 61,880 Km2
Total water allocated: no data
Total water consumed: 37,140 ML/yr
Average salinity: 405 mg/l
Sustainable yield: 32,450 ML/yr
Depth to top of aquifier: 0 m

Further Information

Key

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