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This web site is no longer being updated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
Surface Water Management Area: Bulloo River (Qld)
Introduction
The Bulloo SWMA is located in West Queensland and northern New South Wales.
The major towns are Quilpie and Thargomindah.
The major river in the catchment, the Bulloo river, flows from north to south and flows into inland lakes and swamps. This is a completely inland basin. The terrain is flat and flow in many of the tributaries does not reach the main stream except in times of extreme flood.
The total catchment area is 71600 sq km. The mean annual rainfall for the 50 year period 1920-1969 ranges between 160mm and 400 mm across the catchment.
Significant volumes of water is extracted from this SWMA by water harvesting.
Vital Statistics:
| Area: | 71,612 Km2 |
|---|---|
| Total storage volume: | no data |
| Total surface water use: | 135 ML/yr |
| Development category: | LOW DEVELOPMENT |
| Mean annual run-off: | 546,000 ML/yr |
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. A Water Management Plan is currently being developed for this SWMA.
PLEASE NOTE:
Categorisation:
No sustainable yield studies are available for this SWMA. A Water Management Plan is currently being developed 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. Significant use is made of groundwater rather that surface water in this SWMA. There is little demand water in this catchment due to its isolation and low population.
How saline are the surface water resources in the Bulloo River (Qld) 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.