State of the Environment

2006

Indicator: IW-08 Groundwater used for irrigation

Data

Mean annual groundwater use (GL) by use categories
Irrigation Urban/ Industrial Rural In situ Total
New South Wales 643 160 205 0 1 008
Victoria 431 127 54 10 622
Queensland 816 265 541 0 1 622
Western Australia 280 821 37 0 1 138
South Australia 354 23 42 24 419
Tasmania 9 7 4 0 20
Northern Territory 47 48 33 0 128
Australian Capital Territory 2 0 3 0 5
Total 2 582 1 451 919 34 4 962

Source: National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001, Australian Water Resources Assessment 2000, Land and Water Australia, Canberra, viewed 13 Apr 2005, http://audit.ea.gov.au/ANRA/water/docs/national/Water_Use.html, Table 23

Change in mean annual groundwater use between 1983/84 and 1996/97
Total use 1983/84 groundwater (GL) Total use 1996/97 groundwater (GL) Percent change in groundwater use 1983/84 - 1996/97
New South Wales 318 1 008 217
Victoria 206 622 202
Queensland 1 121 1 622 45
Western Australia 373 1 138 205
South Australia 542 419 -22
Tasmania 9 20 122
Northern Territory 65 128 97
Australian Capital Territory n/a 5 -
Total 2 634 4 962 88

Source: National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001, Australian Water Resources Assessment 2000, Land and Water Australia, Canberra, viewed 13 Apr 2005, http://audit.ea.gov.au/ANRA/water/docs/national/Water_Use.html, Table 22

Australia's mean annual water use (GL) by surface and groundwater - 1996/97
Total use surface water (GL) Total use groundwater (GL) Ratio of surface water to groundwater use
New South Wales 9 000 1 008 9
Victoria 5 166 622 8.3
Queensland 2 969 1 622 1.8
Western Australia 658 1 138 0.6
South Australia 746 419 1.8
Tasmania 451 20 22.6
Northern Territory 51 128 0.4
Australian Capital Territory 68 5 13.6
Total 19 109 4 962 3.9

adapted from Source: National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001, Australian Water Resources Assessment 2000, Land and Water Australia, Canberra, viewed 13 Apr 2005, http://audit.ea.gov.au/ANRA/water/docs/national/Water_Use.html, Table 13

What the data mean

Irrigation is the main use of groundwater. Groundwater usage rate continues to increase. NT and WA are proportionally the greatest users of groundwater while Queensland is the largest absolute user.

Data Limitations

No recent data available.

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Inland Waters - Catchment scale influences - Hydrological condition - Ground-water availability and human use 

Quantity of groundwater used for irrigation is a direct measure of this pressure.

Other indicators for this issue:

Inland Waters - Human response - policy and management - Management of surface and groundwaters 

An understanding of groundwater use will improve management of resources that rely on groundwater for their continued existence, such as groundwater dependent ecosystems. Quantity of groundwater used for irrigation is a direct measure of this pressure and the effectiveness of management responses to it.

Other indicators for this issue:

Human Settlements - Pressures created by human settlements on the environment - Water use 

Quantity of groundwater used for irrigation is a direct measure of one aspect of water use.

Other indicators for this issue:

Further Information

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