Objectives

Learn the Principles of Water Allocation Planning

Background
Regional Profile of the South East region of South Australia

Figure 1. The South East Region of South Australia

Population

64,000

Economy

$2.7B per annum, 3.9% of SAs Gross State Product (GSP)1,

Primary Industries

Agriculture, forestry and the fishing industry accounting for 20% of

all direct employment compared with a figure of 5% for SA.

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http://www.waterforgood.sa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/south-east-regional-profile.pdf

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Tourism

600,000 visitors a year

Environmental values

Ramsar-listed Bool and Hacks Lagoons and part of the Coorong

and Lower Lakes Wetlands
World Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves

Environmental
condition

Wetlands once characterised the landscape in the South East,

Drainage and land clearance has seen their reduction from 44%
of the South East to less than 6% of their original extent.
10% of these remaining wetlands are intact
77% of remnant wetlands are groundwater dependant

Community values

90% of the regional population identified water as the most

important natural resource in the South East.

Water resources

Drainage

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Very few surface water streams or rivers

Water is primarily sourced from the ground water system; an
upper unconfined aquifer commonly named the Tertiary
Limestone Aquifer and a deeper confined aquifer referred to as
the Tertiary Confined Sand Aquifer.
Approximately 90 per cent of the total groundwater resource
allocated to support economic activity in the South East is
sourced from the unconfined aquifer.

2,515 km of drainage channel

Removes surface water, controlling saline groundwater levels
and improving regional agricultural productivity
Dehydrated remaining wetlands

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Challenge

The regions economy is heavily dependent on forestry and wood processing. There has
been a softwood forest industry in the region for 100 years.

Tax changes in the 1990s and 2000s in Australia encouraged investment into hardwood
(blue gum) plantations. New hardwood plantations were established in the region, often in
areas with naturally shallow ground water.

In the 2000s, southern Australia suffered a decade long drought. Water tables in the
South East began to drop, particularly in areas under blue-gums (Figure 2).

The drawdown threatened existing irrigators, and wetlands systems that were dependent
on groundwater. Modelling shows that as the groundwater levels decline, the area of
habitat for groundwater dependent wetlands is progressively lost, with no wetlands
remaining when the groundwater level is 1.5 m (Figure 3).

The Government has asked for a review of the Water Allocation Plan:
o

What are the consequences of do nothing

What are the recommended changes in the Water Allocation Plan, if any?

What is an appropriate Consumptive Pool?

How will forestry be accounted for?

What will be the implications of the new Water Allocation Plan on the
regional hydrology, ecology and economy?

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What are the reasons for the suggested changes

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Figure 2. The drawdown in water table for the SE region of South Australia between 2004 and
2009.

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Figure 3. Modelled Wetland Vegetation Classes (WVC) were assigned to each of 72 focus
wetlands based on their known plant communities. The WVC models specify a vertical elevation
range for each WVC so the depth and vertical sequence of vegetation in the wetlands could be
predicted. As groundwater levels decline wetlands are progressively lost until 1.5m when no
wetlands remain.

Economy
Employment2

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Source: ABS 2006 Census

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Production3

Forestry: 128,000 of softwood and 60,000 of blue gum4. The forest industry contributes
28% to the gross regional product ($750,000) coming from the South East annually5

Forestry: The region harvests in excess of 2 million cubic metres of softwood log each
year (This is around 16% of Australias total). The right to harvest the next three forward
rotations of these forests has recently been sold by the state government to a private
buyer.

Wine: 16,000 hectares of vineyard plantings (for wine) worth $365 M wholesale.

Dairy: 330 million litres of milk produced, farm gate value of $115 M

Livestock: production value $370 M

Field crops: production value $200 M

Potatoes: 130,000 tonnes per annum; Value added $125M, 300 full time jobs

Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (Commercial Forestry)6

Amendments were made to the State Government of South Australias Natural Resources
Management Act 2004, to ensure that the use of water by forestry was accounted for.

Under the Act, a new forest water licensing and permit systems recognise the unique
nature of forest water impacts and have been designed to integrate with existing water
licences and permits under the NRM Act.

http://www.rdalimestonecoast.org.au/index.php/regional/
http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/forestry/home/forestry_in_south_australia
5
http://www.rdalimestonecoast.org.au/uploads/Information_Update_Forestry_1.pdf
6
http://www.waterforgood.sa.gov.au/rivers-reservoirs-aquifers/water-resources-and-forests/nrmcommercial-forests-bill/
4

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Task
1. Describe the consequences of doing nothing.
2. Set a new Consumptive Pool (a level of water extraction that is sustainable, inclusive of a
level of uncertainty) that includes forestry water use.
3. Issue new licenses to forestry for their water use.
4. Reduce all allocations so that the total equals the new Consumptive Pool amount.
5. What will be the implications of the new Water Allocation Plan on the regional hydrology,
ecology and economy?
6. Can you think of other ways to achieve a sustainable level of water use that is less
disruptive?

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Consumptive Pool
Use the following table to estimate a new Consumptive Pool. Consider the need to take into
account the errors in estimating the recharge, and the likely future impact of climate change.

Process

Inflows

Outflows

Net Recharge
Allocation

Recharge
Surface water inflows
Rainfall on surface water
bodies
Total inflows =
Evaporation from surface
water bodies
Discharge from
groundwater springs
Discharge from surface
water creeks
Total outflows =
Inflows outflows =
Allocate 50%
Allocate 75%
Allocate 90%

80%
100%
120%
Estimated
Estimated
Estimated
Volume (GL)
Volume (GL)
Volume (GL)
1,004
1,256
1,507
14
15
18
247

309

371

1,265

1,580

1,896

481

601

721

78

97

116

79

99

119

638
627
313.5
470.25
564.3

797
783
391.5
587.25
704.7

956
940
470
705
846

Disclaimer: These are not official figures of recharge and should be used only for the purposes of
training.

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Existing Users
Under a Natural Resources Management Plan, existing users must get a license based on their
current level of use.

The current licenses are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Existing Water Licenses for the Unconfined Aquifer in the South East
Volume (GL)
680
24
704

Groundwater extraction for irrigation licenses

Stock and domestic use licenses
TOTAL CONSUMPTIVE POOL

Disclaimer: These are not official figures of extraction and should be used only for the purposes of
training.

Under the new Natural Resources Act (Forestry) 2010, the use of water by forestry must be
accounted for in the Water Allocation Plan. The current level of water use in the region is shown in
Table 3.

Table 3. Current Water Use for Different Users of the Unconfined Aquifer in the South East

Groundwater extraction for irrigation

Stock and domestic use
Interception of recharge by plantation forestry
Direct extraction from plantation forestry
CURRENT WATER USE

Volume (GL)
268
17
199
106
590

Disclaimer: These are not official figures of water use and should be used only for the purposes of
training.

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