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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
Groundwater Management Unit: Oakey Creek Management Area
Introduction
Oakey is a small town along the banks of the Oakey Creek and is situated 30 km north-west of Toowoomba. Oakey Creek is a tributary of the Condamine River System located along the eastern margin of the Condamine Basin (4223), west of the Great Dividing Range. The Oakey Creek Groundwater Management Unit (GMU) covers an area of approximately 213 sq km and incorporates the alluvium associated with the Oakey Creek from Cooby Dam downstream to Jondaryan. The Oakey Creek is the main drainage system and the major tributaries include, the lower parts of Westbrook, Gowrie, Cooby, Meringandan and Gomaren Creeks. The Oakey Creek drains the GMU in a westerly direction into the Condamine River System. The GMU is located within the Shires of Jondaryan and Rosalie.
The groundwater resource of the Oakey Creek Management Area GMU is of great significance to the local economy and is extensively developed as a source of irrigation, industrial and urban water supply. The townships of Oakey and Jondaryan extract groundwater from the Oakey Creek alluvial aquifers for town water supplies. Yields from irrigation bores can be up to 30 l/s.
Generally, water quality within the GMU is suitable for for the irrigation of all medium and high salt tolerant crops with the salinity of the groundwater being of marginal to brackish quality. There are isolated bores with high levels of nitrates which may make it unsuitable for human consumption.
The Oakey Creek Management Area GMU experiences a temperate and sub-humid climate. The town of Oakey receives an average annual rainfall of 680 mm with 60 % occuring between the months of October and February, inclusive.
Vital Statistics:
| Area: | 213 Km2 |
|---|---|
| Total water allocated: | no data |
| Total water consumed: | 4,612 ML/yr |
| Average salinity: | 1,345 mg/l |
| Sustainable yield: | 7,000 ML/yr |
| Depth to top of aquifier: | 16 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)
- Ma Ma Creek (QLD)
- Myall / Moola Creek North (QLD)
- Myall Creek (QLD)
- Nobby Basalts (QLD)
- North Coast Fractured Rocks (NSW)
- 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.
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