1.5.1 Current water accounts

Summary

The Maranoa-Balonne-Condamine subregion includes the river basins of the Condamine‑Balonne River (including the Maranoa River), the Moonie River and the portion of the Border Rivers river basin that is located in Queensland. The historical mean annual surface water availability of the subregion is between 1462 GL and 2670 GL (Welsh et al., 2014). There are four major public water storages in the Condamine-Balonne river basin with a combined storage capacity of 219.2 GL. In comparison, the numerous private offstream water storages in the lower parts of the river basin have an estimated combined storage volume of 1916 GL. The Moonie river basin is one of the most cleared in southern Queensland and is dependent on surface water for most of its irrigation needs. There is no major public water storage in the basin, but there are estimated to be 87 private off stream water storages with an estimated total volume of 125 GL. The Maranoa-Balonne-Condamine subregion contains only the north-western part of the Border Rivers river basin, which includes the Weir River, Macintyre Brook, Callandoon Creek and the northern flank of the Macintyre-Dumaresq-Barwon river system. Coolmunda Dam on Macintyre Brook is one of the major public water storage dams in the area with a storage capacity of 69 GL. Surface water provides more than 90% of the water used for irrigation in the Border Rivers river basin.

Groundwater is used for agriculture, stock and domestic, industrial and urban water uses in Maranoa-Balonne-Condamine subregion. This report considers groundwater use within the Surat Cumulative Management Area identified in the Underground Water Impact Report (QWC, 2012), which covers 65% of the Maranoa-Balonne-Condamine subregion. Estimated total non-petroleum and non-CSG water extraction in the Surat Cumulative Management Area is 215 GL/year from about 21,200 water bores (QWC, 2012). This is comprised of 85 GL/year from GAB aquifers and 130 GL/year from other aquifers. Approximately 1800 ML/year of water is extracted by conventional petroleum activites. The mean water production for coal seam gas activities over the period 2005 to 2013 was 13,476 ML/year with an increasing trend over the years. Water extraction for petroleum and CSG activities accounts for 7.1% of the average annual extraction for non-petroleum and non-gas activities.

The Maranoa-Balonne-Condamine subregion partially or fully overlaps the following Water Resource Plans (WRP) managed under Queensland’s Water Act 2000: Condamine and Balonne, Moonie Basin, Border Rivers, Warrego-Paroo-Bulloo-Nebine, Cooper Creek and Fitzroy catchments and the Great Artesian Basin (GAB). The extent of the surface water catchments defines the areal extent of the WRPs, with the exception of the GAB aquifers, which are managed under the GAB WRP in Queensland and the Great Artesian Basin shallow groundwater sources water sharing plan in New South Wales.

Last updated:
5 January 2018