Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Overview - Queensland

Location map of Great Artesian Basin - Surat - Queensland

Groundwater Management Unit: Great Artesian Basin - Surat - 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 Downs (QLD) Groundwater Management Unit (GMU) is one of these hydrologic zones. Its area is about 88050 sq km which accounts for about 4.9% of the total GAB area.

The Eastern Downs (QLD) zone lies in the eastern region of the GAB. It extends up to 240 km north of the New South Wales border into Queensland and at its maximum width, extends almost 420 km east-west. The town of St George lies within the Eastern Downs (QLD) zone.

Natural surface levels predominantly range from 100 to 500 m above mean sea level increasing towards the north.

Rainfall in the Eastern Downs (QLD) zone 350 mm/yr in the west to over 600 mm/yr in the east. Evaporation generally exceeds average annual rainfall by 800 to 2400 mm/yr. This deficit increases towards the west.

The dominant land use is for cattle, sheep and agricultural industry purposes. Some land in the central and southeastern areas of the zone is used for the cotton industry while small, scattered areas are used for other industry purposes.

Freehold land tenure predominates this zone with some small, scattered areas of Leasehold Land, Forest Reserve and Nature Conservation Reserve.

Most of the zone is reasonably evenly proportioned between woodland and grassland, with a small section of sown pasture along the eastern zone boundary.

Vital Statistics:

Area: 88,050 Km2
Total water allocated: no data
Total water consumed: 96,720 ML/yr
Average salinity: 983 mg/l
Sustainable yield: 71,960 ML/yr
Depth to top of aquifier: 0 m

Further Information

Key

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