You are here: ANRA home » Natural resource topics » Water » Overview » Queensland
This web site is no longer being updated
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
Groundwater Management Unit: Ma Ma Creek
Introduction
The Ma Ma Creek groundwater management unit is located in the south west of the Lockyer Valley, approximately 7 km west of Gatton, in south east Queensland and covers approximately 54 sq km. Ma Ma Creek flows towards the north and is a minor tributary of Lockyer Creek, the main component of the Lockyer Valley's drainage system. The Lockyer Valley is a major sub- catchment of the Brisbane River (1432) drainage basin and is located approximately 100 km west of Brisbane, in south-east Queensland, at the base of the Great Dividing Range.
The Lockyer Valley is a major economic vegetable producing region of Queensland and is heavily dependent upon the quality and quantity of the available groundwater used for irrigation. Irrigation water in the Ma Ma Creek GMU is predominantly drawn from boreholes sunk into the alluvium along the valley floor and creek banks, with most bores terminating above the sandstone bedrock. Topography and soil type primarily control the land use within the GMU and the Lockyer Valley as a whole, with the alluvial plain accommodating the most intensive agricultural development due to the soil quality and the relative availability of groundwater for irrigation. The lower catchment area of the Ma Ma Creek GMU sustains potato, tomato and cabbage crops, whilst the mid to upper catchment areas produce only lucerne and barley due to a deterioration in groundwater quality. The upper catchment areas are mainly used for grazing and natural revegetation. The groundwater resources of the Ma Ma Creek GMU are not expected to sustain any significant increase in development due to variable quality and quantity.
The Ma Ma Creek groundwater management unit experiences a subtropical climate. The average annual rainfall is 820 mm, with the majority of annual rainfall occurring between the months of October and March.
Vital Statistics:
| Area: | 54 Km2 |
|---|---|
| Total water allocated: | no data |
| Total water consumed: | 970 ML/yr |
| Average salinity: | 4,001 mg/l |
| Sustainable yield: | 970 ML/yr |
| Depth to top of aquifier: | 12 m |
Further Information
- The following groundwater management units also occur in Clarence-Morton Province
- Alstonville Basalt (NSW)
- Central Lockyer Valley (QLD)
- Condamine - Condamine Groundwater Management Area Sub-Area 4 (QLD)
- Condamine River Alluvium (Cunningham to Ellangowan) (QLD)
- Condamine River Alluvium (Killarney to Murrays Bridge) (QLD)
- Condamine River Alluvium (Murrays Bridge to Cunningham) (QLD)
- Dalrymple Creek Alluvium (QLD)
- Flagstone Creek (QLD)
- Glengallan Creek (QLD)
- Kings Creek Alluvium (QLD)
- Laidley Creek (Upper Reach) (QLD)
- Lockyer - Helidon (QLD)
- Logan / Albert Rivers (QLD)
- Lower Lockyer Creek (QLD)
- Lower Oakey Creek Alluvium (QLD)
- Myall / Moola Creek North (QLD)
- Myall Creek (QLD)
- Nobby Basalts (QLD)
- North Coast Fractured Rocks (NSW)
- Oakey Creek Management Area (QLD)
- Richmond Coastal Sands (NSW)
- Richmond River Alluvium (NSW)
- Sandy Creek (QLD)
- Swan Creek Alluvium (QLD)
- Tenthill Creek (QLD)
- Toowoomba City Basalt (QLD)
- Unincorporated Area - Clarence Moreton (QLD)
- Unincorporated Area - Clarence-Morton Basin (NSW)
- Upper Hodgson Creek (QLD)
- Upper Lockyer Creek (QLD)
- View the Queensland Water Resources Assessment 2000 Report
- View the Queensland Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report
- For more information about water and other natural resource issues link to www.nrm.qld.gov.au.
- Link to data available for download on the Groundwater management units and provinces - ARC/INFO export
- Link to the Map Maker to make a map using this information.
Key
Links to an another web site
Opens a pop-up window