Case Study

Burdekin Irrigation Area

The Burdekin Groundwater Resources

• The lower Burdekin is Australia‟s foremost irrigation user of groundwater and northern Australia‟s largest irrigation area at 80,000 hectares.

• The region generates more than $450 million in gross value of production from irrigated sugar and horticulture.

• It is also home to substantial areas of high cultural and environmental significance, with one of the largest concentrations of wetlands in eastern Australia, including the Ramsar–listed Bowling Green Bay Wetland, and a marine environment comprising the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, together with two Declared Fish Habitat Areas.

The Burdekin Delta

Estimated use – 210 to 530GL/yr

Source: Effects Of Groundwater Pumping On Saltwater Intrusion In The Lower Burdekin Delta, North Queensland K. A. Narayana, C. Schleebergerb, P. B. Charleswortha and K. L. Bristowa

The Burdekin Delta

Key Issues

• Rising groundwater levels causing soil salinity and waterlogging

• Groundwater quality changes due to irrigation returns

• Groundwater nutrient loads• Sea-water intrusion• Irrigation drainage impacts on marine

environments• Groundwater discharge impacts on marine

environments

Source: SKM, 2009. A Science Plan for the Sustainable Management of the Lower Burdekin Groundwater System

Management Response

• Introduces water sharing rules.

• Can restrict use based on observations from monitoring bores.