Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Overview - Western Australia


Location map of SWMA Sandy Desert

Basin & Surface Water Management Area: Sandy Desert

Introduction

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Name: Sandy Deser

Description: Central upper catchment, arid climate. Natural vegetation tree and shrub steppe. Land use Crown Land, National Park and some lead mining.

Vital Statistics:

Area: 404,325 Km2
Total storage volume: no data
Total surface water use: 0 ML/yr
Development category: LOW DEVELOPMENT
Mean annual run-off: 0 ML/yr

Please note: No data were supplied about total surface water use for some river basins (eg. unregulated basins in NSW).

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.

CategoryDevelopment status
1<30% Low development
230 - 70% Moderate development
370 - 100% Highly developed
4100% Overdeveloped

* Water use as a percentage of sustainable flow regime (surface water) and sustainable yield (groundwater)

PLEASE NOTE:

Sustainable Yield:

Sustainable yields are considered nominal only and no detailed calculation of these figures has been undertaken.

PLEASE NOTE:

Categorisation:

Categorisation for SWMA's and Sub Areas based on NLWRA classifications for 1996/97 Water Use as a percentage of Sustainable Yield.

How saline are the surface water resources in the Sandy Desert surface water management area?

Table: Surface water resource by salinity class.

Total Volume, Divertible Yield (ML/Yr)
Total volume (ML/yr), DIVERSION0
<500 mg/l (ML/yr)0
500 mg/l (ML/yr) - 1500 mg/l (ML/yr)0
1500 mg/l (ML/yr) - 5000 mg/l (ML/yr)0
5000 mg/l (ML/yr) - 14000 mg/l (ML/yr)0
> 14000 mg/l (ML/yr)0

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

Key

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