Murray-Darling Basin Authority 2012A)
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Murray–Darling Basin 7. Murray–Darling Basin ................................................. 2 7.5.4 Flooding ............................................... 31 7.1 Introduction ........................................................ 2 7.5.5 Storage systems ................................... 33 7.2 Key information .................................................. 3 7.5.6 Wetlands .............................................. 35 7.3 Description of the region .................................... 4 7.5.7 Hydrogeology ....................................... 41 7.3.1 Physiographic characteristics.................. 6 7.5.8 Watertable salinity ................................. 41 7.3.2 Elevation ................................................. 7 7.5.9 Groundwater management units ........... 44 7.3.3 Slopes .................................................... 8 7.5.10 Status of selected aquifers .................... 48 7.3.4 Soil types ................................................ 9 7.6 Water for cities and towns ................................ 62 7.3.5 Land use .............................................. 11 7.6.1 Urban centres ....................................... 62 7.3.6 Population distribution .......................... 13 7.6.2 Sources of water supply ....................... 64 7.3.7 Rainfall zones ....................................... 14 7.6.3 Canberra and Queanbeyan ................... 64 7.3.8 Rainfall deficit ....................................... 15 7.7 Water for agriculture ......................................... 71 7.4 Landscape water flows .................................... 16 7.7.1 Soil moisture ......................................... 71 7.4.1 Rainfall .................................................. 17 7.7.2 Irrigation water ...................................... 72 7.4.2 Evapotranspiration ............................... 20 7.7.3 Irrigation areas ...................................... 72 7.4.3 Landscape water yield .......................... 23 7.7.4 Murray Irrigation Area ............................ 72 7.5 Surface water and groundwater ....................... 26 7.7.5 Murrumbidgee River basin .................... 76 7.5.1 Rivers ................................................... 26 7.7.6 Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area ................ 76 7.5.2 Streamflow volumes ............................. 28 7.7.7 Coleambally Irrigation Area ................... 79 7.5.3 Streamflow salinity ................................ 28 Murray–Darling Basin 7. Murray–Darling Basin 7.1 Introduction Spatial and temporal patterns in landscape water flows are presented, as well as an examination of This chapter examines water resources in the the surface and groundwater resources. The chapter Murray–Darling Basin region in 2011–12 and over concludes with a review of the water situation for recent decades. It starts with summary information urban centres and irrigation areas. The data sources on the status of water flows, stores and use. This and methods used in developing the diagrams and is followed by descriptive information for the region maps are listed in the Technical Supplement. including the physiographic characteristics, soil types, population, land use and climate. 2 Australian Water Resources Assessment 2012 7.2 Key information Table 7.1 gives an overview of the key components of the data and information in this chapter. Table 7.1 Key information on water flows, stores and use in the Murray–Darling Basin region Landscape water flows Region average Difference from 1911–2012 Decile ranking with respect to the long-term annual mean 1911–2012 record Rainfall 651 mm +40% 10th—very much above average Evapo- transpiration 559 mm +29% 10th—very much above average Landscape water yield 65 mm +110% 10th—very much above average Streamflow (at selected gauges) Annual total Predominantly above average flow throughout the region and numerous stream flow: gauges in the upper Darling River with very much above average flow Salinity: Annual median electrical conductivity predominantly below 1,000 μS/cm throughout the region Flooding: Major floods in the upper Darling River and in the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee rivers Surface water storage (comprising about 88% of the region’s total capacity of all major storages) Total 30 June 2012 30 June 2011 Change accessible accessible % of total accessible % of total accessible % of total capacity volume capacity volume capacity volume capacity 30,192 GL 25,230 GL 84% 22,006 GL 73% +3,224 GL +9% Wetlands inflow patterns (for selected wetlands) Currawinya Lakes and Very much above average flows in the normally wettest month of Paroo River wetlands: February and above average flows in December and March Gwydir wetlands: Very much above average flows in November, December and February Macquarie Marshes: Very much above average flows in March and April Barmah–Millewa Forest: Very much above average flows in March, above average flows in July and August Groundwater (in selected aquifers) Levels: Predominantly rising groundwater levels in the northern aquifers, variable to stable groundwater level trends in the southern aquifers Salinity: Non-saline groundwater < 3,000 mg/L) in most aquifers in the uphill areas, mostly saline (≥3,000 mg/L) in the downhill basin aquifers Urban water use (Canberra) Total sourced in 2011–12 Total sourced in Change Restrictions 2010–11 44 GL 41 GL +3 GL (+7%) Permanent Water Conservation Measures Annual mean soil moisture (model estimates) Spatial patterns: Predominantly very much above average throughout the region, with some areas of above average in the south and east of the region Temporal patterns in Consistently very much above average during the year regional average: Australian Water Resources Assessment 2012 3 Murray–Darling Basin 7.3 Description of the region The region has a diverse range of climatic conditions and natural environments, from the cool temperate The Murray–Darling Basin region covers more than rainforests of the eastern uplands, to the drier more 1,000,000 km2, one-seventh of mainland Australia, sparsely vegetated Mallee country of the southwest. including all of the Australian Capital Territory and There are subtropical areas to the northeast of the parts of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and region and the far western plains are hot and semi- South Australia (Figure 7.1). The region is bounded arid to arid. Subsections 7.3.7 and 7.3.8 provide more in the south and east by the Great Dividing Range. information on the rainfall patterns and deficits across In the northwest and southwest, the boundaries are the region. much less distinct, particularly in the Wimmera River Monsoonal events in the north of the Murray–Darling basin to the southwest and the Paroo River basin in Basin region and rainfall along the western slopes the northwest, which borders the Bulloo River basin of the mountains in the northern part of the Great of the Lake Eyre Basin region. Dividing Range contribute to the flow in the Darling Vast inland plains, including the Darling and Riverine River. Much of the flow in the various tributaries plains, and large areas of undulating hills dominate of the River Murray originates from rainfall run-off the region’s landscape. The region also includes the and snowmelt in the south and southeast of the three longest rivers in Australia: the River Murray, region. The headwaters of the Murrumbidgee River Murrumbidgee River and Darling River. Subsections are in the Snowy Mountains area of the Kosciuszko 7.3.1 to 7.3.4 give more detail on the physical National Park, whereas the headwaters of the River characteristics of the region. Murray, the Mitta Mitta River, and the Ovens River are in the Victorian Alps. The Broken and Goulburn The region has a population of over 2 million people rivers also contribute a substantial proportion to the or approximately 10% of Australia’s total population flow in the middle reaches of the River Murray. (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] 2011b). The major population centre is Canberra/Queanbeyan. The region is divided into three broad hydrogeological Other major towns are mostly located along subdivisions (Murray–Darling Basin Commission the southeast of the region (Figure 7.1). Further 2008), namely: discussion of the region’s population distribution and • the basinal aquifers in sedimentary deposits cities and towns can be found in subsections 7.3.6 (Murray Basin and Great Artesian Basin) within and 7.6.1 respectively. the flatter landscapes; Agriculture is the dominant economic activity in • the fractured rock aquifers in areas where the the region. Pasture, predominantly for livestock basement rock outcrops are present; and production, accounts for 75% of the land area of the basin. Important cropping activities include cereals • valley-fill alluvium (including the mid- (particularly wheat, barley and rice), oilseed, cotton, Murrumbidgee and upper Namoi) in the and horticulture (particularly citrus, stone and pome highlands bordering the basin. fruits, grapes and vegetables). Irrigated agriculture occupies a relatively small proportion of the region (2%) but is the major water user. More than half of all irrigation in Australia takes place in the region, which supports an agricultural industry that contributes about 40% to the gross value of irrigated agricultural production in Australia (ABS 2010). Section 7.7 has more information on agricultural activities in the region. 4 Australian Water Resources Assessment 2012 Figure 7.1 Major rivers and urban centres in the Murray–Darling