Galilee Water Accounts Table: volumes and purposes

Abstract

The dataset was derived by the Bioregional Assessment Programme. The parent datasets are identified in the Lineage field in this metadata statement. The processes undertaken to produce this derived dataset are described in the History field in this metadata statement.

This dataset contains the estimated groundwater use of all non-monitoring bores in the Galilee subregion that have not been reported as abandoned or disused.

Purpose

This dataset was created to provide information for GAL1.5 Current water accounts and to feed into the Galilee groundwater model.

Dataset History

This dataset was created using the methodology below:

1. Compile a list of all bores in the Galilee subregion using data available from the Queensland groundwater database.

2. For each bore, where data are available incorporate interpreted stratigraphic picks for screened intervals into the dataset.

3. For each bore, where data are available, incorporate the most recent standing water level and bore maximum discharge data into the dataset. Maximum discharge will need to be re-calculated from L/second to ML/year.

4. From the water licence dataset, incorporate the licensed water allocation volume, bore use and GMA information.

5. Incorporate relevant Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative (GABSI) data into the dataset and ensure that information in GABSI dataset is accurately reflected by the bore facility status records.

6. Investigate the bore facility status records. Bore facility status categories include: existing; abandoned but usable; abandoned and destroyed and proposed. Only those classed as 'existing' or 'abandoned but usable' were kept in the dataset. It is assumed that bores in other categories are not functional.

7. Interrogate bore use records. Remove any bore from the dataset that is tagged as a monitoring bore. It is assumed that monitoring bores are not being used for any purpose other than groundwater monitoring.

8. Insert two new blank columns, 'BA groundwater usage' and 'groundwater use source' in the dataset. The 'BA groundwater usage' column is where the estimate for annual groundwater usage is recorded for a bore in ML/year. The 'groundwater use source' column is where the decision on how yearly groundwater usage is assigned is recorded.

9. Populate the 'BA groundwater usage' and 'groundwater use source' columns.

Queensland Government (2014b) provides some information on the estimation of annual water usage for groundwater bores in Queensland. Some steps to determining an estimate of groundwater usage for each bore are as follows:

1. Populate the BA groundwater usage column with water licence allocations that are greater than 0 ML/year. While the full allocation may not actually be used, this will provide a maximum allowable water allocation that could be pumped from a particular area. This has the potential to conserve the unused allocations when estimating groundwater usage for an area.

2. Sub-artesian bores - Queensland Government (2014b) suggests 5 ML/year or bore maximum flow rate, whichever is least.

3. Controlled Artesian Bore - Queensland Government (2014b) suggests 30 ML/year or the maximum flow rate, whichever is least.

4. Uncontrolled Artesian Bore - Queensland Government (2014b) suggests use the flow rate in ML/year.

5. Uncontrolled artesian bores missing flow rate information - the average flow rate for all uncontrolled artesian bores was calculated from existing data and used as a nominal value. For Galilee this equated to 124 ML/year.

Reference:

Queensland Government (2014b) Estimating water usage for stock and domestic bores. email from Queensland Government officers to Tim Evans outlining some figures that could be used to estimate stock and domestic use. Email dated Tuesday, 9th September 2014.

Dataset Citation

Bioregional Assessment Programme (2015) Galilee Water Accounts Table: volumes and purposes. Bioregional Assessment Derived Dataset. Viewed 10 December 2018, http://data.bioregionalassessments.gov.au/dataset/1eb39a00-f557-4183-9fce-508a5c0e01d6.

Dataset Ancestors

• Derived From QLD Dept of Natural Resources and Mines, Groundwater Entitlements 20131204

• Derived From QLD Department of Natural Resources and Mines Groundwater Database Extract 20142808

• Derived From QLD Dept of Natural Resources and Mines, Groundwater Entitlements linked to bores v3 03122014