lower balonne water management area · 2021. 7. 19. · 3.2 management of waterharvesting ......

Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water

Lower Balonne Water Management Area March to April 2021 flow event report

Lower Balonne Water Management Area Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water

Version 1 last updated 9/07/2021

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This publication has been compiled by of Water Services, South Region, Department of Regional, Development, Manufacturing and Water.

© State of Queensland, 2021

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Version 1 last updated 9/07/2021 1

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Contents 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................. 3

2.0 Flow event hydrology ................................................................................... 3

3.0 Management of the flow event ..................................................................... 4

3.1 Management of environmental, stock and domestic water ........................................................................... 4 3.2 Management of waterharvesting ................................................................................................................... 5 3.3 Consultation and engagement with stakeholders ......................................................................................... 5

4.0 Waterharvesting access .............................................................................. 6

4.1 The announced period .................................................................................................................................. 6 4.2 Opportunity to take ........................................................................................................................................ 6 4.3 Actual take ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 4.4 Assurance ...................................................................................................................................................... 6

5.0 Outcomes of the flow event ......................................................................... 7

5.1 Flow extent .................................................................................................................................................... 7 5.2 Area of floodplain inundation ......................................................................................................................... 7 5.3 Contribution of held environmental water to flows ........................................................................................ 8 5.4 Flow event management rule triggers ........................................................................................................... 8

6.0 Water balance .............................................................................................. 8

7.0 Recommendations for the management of future events ............................ 9

Attachments

Attachment 1: BOM rainfall map .............................................................................................................................. 10 Attachment 2: Map of Lower Balonne distributary system ....................................................................................... 11 Attachment 3: Summary of stream flow data ........................................................................................................... 12 Attachment 4: Schedule of announcements made during flow event ...................................................................... 13 Attachment 5: Volume of water taken and volume of water accounted for by the CEWH ....................................... 15 Attachment 6: Flow extent ........................................................................................................................................ 17



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Tables

Table 3.1 Environmental, stock and domestic releases...................................................................................... 5 Table 6.1 Lower Balonne Flows and Diversions ................................................................................................. 8 Table 6.2 Lower Balonne Water Balance ........................................................................................................... 9

Figures

Figure 2.1 Stream flow data at gauging stations in close proximity to Beardmore Dam ..................................... 4 Figure 5.1 Inundated area – Lower Balonne floodplain ....................................................................................... 7



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1.0 Introduction This report provides information on the management and outcomes of the unsupplemented flow in the Lower Balonne that occurred in March and April 2021.

The water sharing rules for managing unsupplemented flow events in the Lower Balonne Water Management Area are in Chapter 6 and 9 of Condamine and Balonne Water Management Protocol.

This flow event occurred 12 months after the significant flows in February/March 2020. As with the previous event, this event resulted in a flow through in the Lower Balonne distributary system (LBDS) in the Culgoa, Birrie, Bokhara and Narran River systems. In comparison with the previous event, the total volume passing the St George gauging station and the flow peak recorded for this flow event were much smaller in magnitude. This flow event occurred mainly within the banks of the river channels with minor inundation of the Lower Balonne floodplain, in comparison to the extensive inundation of the floodplain from out of bank flows in the previous event.

2.0 Flow event hydrology Rainfall in the Maranoa and Condamine and Balonne catchments resulted in a period of two months of nearly continuous inflow to Beardmore Dam from early January 2021. 26 gigalitres (GL) of the inflow was accounted for and released to the LBDS as water for environmental, stock and domestic (ESD) purposes. The releases resulted in ESD water reaching downstream of the Queensland-New South Wales border in the Culgoa, Ballandool, Bokhara and Narran River systems by the beginning of March 2021. The storage volume in the dam at the end of the releases on 8 March 2021 was approximately forty-eight per cent.

Significant rainfall across Maranoa and Condamine and Balonne catchments upstream of St George was received during the second two weeks of March 2021. Attachment 1 shows the distribution of rainfall in Queensland over the period.

Rainfall on 17 March 2021 resulted in meaningful inflows to Beardmore Dam from the Maranoa and Balonne Rivers. The volume of flows past upstream gauges indicated Beardmore Dam was likely to fill triggering the start of releases of stored ESD water on 18 March 2021. Beardmore Dam reached full supply volume and started spilling on 21 March 2021. Following the commencement of releases of stored ESD water and the continuation of inflows, announcements for waterharvesting commenced on 21 March 2021.

Further rainfall events in the Condamine and Balonne catchment on 23 and 24 March 2021 saw announced periods for water-harvesting continue through to 11 April 2021. From mid-March through to the end of April 2021, a total volume of 433 (GL) was recorded passing the upstream gauging stations on the Maranoa River at Cashmere and the Balonne River at Weribone (see Attachment 6 for location of these gauging stations).

Stream flow data at gauging stations in close proximity to Beardmore Dam is provided in Figure 2.1.

The location of stream gauging stations in the Lower Balonne Water Management Area and across the border in northern New South Wales on the streams in the Lower Balonne distributary system are shown in Attachment 6.

https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/mining-energy-water/water/catchments-planning/water-plan-areas/condamine-balonne

https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/mining-energy-water/water/catchments-planning/water-plan-areas/condamine-balonne



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Figure 2.1 Stream flow data at gauging stations in close proximity to Beardmore Dam

From the commencement of the ESD water releases from Jack Taylor weir in March through to the end of April 2021, a total volume of 302 GL passed the St George gauge. By the end of April, a total volume of 138 GL had passed the upstream gauges on the Culgoa (422015), Birrie (422013), Bokhara (422032) and Narran (422030) Rivers in NSW. A summary of the stream flow data at each of the gauging stations is provided in Attachment 3.

3.0 Management of the flow event 3.1 Management of environmental, stock and

domestic water ESD inflows can be either stored (if there is sufficient air space in Beardmore Dam) or passed through Beardmore Dam depending on antecedent conditions downstream and an assessment of the value of either option. Management of ESD was as follows:

• 15 March 2021 – inflows to the dam of ESD water commenced. • 18 March 2021 – a volume of 1 400 megalitre (ML) of ESD water was stored and releases of ESD water

commenced at a targeted rate of 730 ML/day. • 19 March 2021 – as it became evident that Beardmore Dam was likely to fill within the next two days and there

would be continuing ESD inflows, releases of ESD water were increased to 1 000 ML/day. The ESD release rate is normally targeted at 730 ML/day to keep water in the distributary channels downstream and achieve the outcomes of channel wetting and filling waterholes. The release strategy aimed at ensuring the bulk of ESD water was ahead of the main flow to get best downstream outcomes.



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Table 3.1 Environmental, stock and domestic releases

Release periods Release volume (GL)1

Prior to the announced periods for waterharvesting 3.2

During the announced periods for waterharvesting 16.1

Following the announced periods for waterharvesting 6.5

Total ESD 25.8

Note: 1. Volumes have been rounded to the

nearest 0.1 GL

3.2 Management of waterharvesting The previous flow event where a period of access was announced occurred in February to March 2020.

Announced periods for waterharvesting in the Lower Balonne Water Management Area are required to take into account the flow event management rules according to Chapter 9 of the Protocol. The ‘Lower Balonne water management area waterharvesting announced period guide’ describes the methodology used to determine the announced periods during the flow event. This methodology ensures adequate flow is entering the system to meet estimated losses, environmental flows, and commitments to entitlement holders (including Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder entitlements) for the flow threshold that is announced.

The flow event saw a total period of 10 days of 10% reductions (under the flow event management rules) to the maximum rate of take for waterharvesting entitlements under the Narran Lakes support rule.

By the end of the announced periods for waterharvesting, flows had passed through to the end of the Culgoa, Birrie, Bokhara and Narran Rivers. Based on the analysis of stream flow data post flow event, a flow through event occurred commencing 2 April and finishing 25 May 2021.

3.3 Consultation and engagement with stakeholders

The Lower Balonne Flow Management Reference Group were engaged by the department before and during the flow event to discuss management strategies for releasing stored ESD water, to inform of flow event rules applying to the flow event and to discuss information and reasons used to determine announced periods for waterharvesting. Flow updates were also provided via email to a broad audience of entitlement holders, stakeholders, agency representatives and community. The following consultation occurred:

• 2 teleconferences pre-flow event - discussing ESD water and applications of flow event rules • 21 teleconferences during flow event – discussing announced periods for waterharvesting • 2 information emails pre-flow event - providing ESD water and flow event information.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Officer is a member of this flow reference group and was involved in this process.



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4.0 Waterharvesting access 4.1 The announced period The initial waterharvesting announced period for waterharvesting entitlements with flow conditions at St George commenced 21 March 2021. The flow event saw a total of 21 days of waterharvesting access, ending on 11 April.

A small number of waterharvesting entitlements on the downstream distributary streams have flow conditions based on local gauges. An announced period for one of these entitlements occurred in late March 2021.

Attachment 4 shows the schedule of announced periods that were made during the flow event and the announced periods when the reduction to the rate of take was applied.

4.2 Opportunity to take A volume of 227 GL of water was available to be taken or accounted for1 in accordance with the announcements for waterharvesting within the Lower Balonne Water Management Area. Reductions in the daily rate of take applied under the Narran Lakes support flow event management rule meant that an additional 12 GL remained in the system during the event.

4.3 Actual take A volume of 211.5 GL of water was recorded to have been taken by waterharvesters or accounted for under Commonwealth entitlements managed by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) entitlements during the event within the Lower Balonne Water Management Area (refer to Attachment 5 for details). This volume includes 42.8 GL accounted for under Commonwealth entitlements.

4.4 Assurance Authorisations to take unsupplemented water under water allocations and water licences to take overland flow water in the Lower Balonne Water Management Area are metered entitlements.

Field audits of meters and storage measurement equipment were completed in November 2020 to ensure equipment was in working order should flows occur during the summer months. Further field audits were performed during flows from 30 March to 1 April 2021 in the second week of announced waterharvesting. Continuing rainfall and wet conditions prevented further audits for the remainder of the event.

Entitlement holders reported meter readings during the event and these were reconciled against permitted take for the event.

1 The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia, manages significant entitlements held for environmental purposes in the Lower Balonne Water Management Area and accounts for water available under these entitlements.



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5.0 Outcomes of the flow event 5.1 Flow extent This flow event resulted in a flow through event starting on 2 April 2021 and finishing on 25 May 2021. The flow extent and recorded flows at gauging stations is provided in Attachment 6. The flows in the Borders Rivers, Moonie River and Warrego, Nebine and Paroo Rivers also flowed into NSW.

5.2 Area of floodplain inundation Minor inundation of the floodplain (or parts of the floodplain) supports grazing activities and several ecological and hydrological functions. The Lower Balonne floodplain area in Queensland (see Map below) is 3 637km² and the inundated area from this flow event within the floodplain was 102km². The area inundated during the flow event is shown in Figure 5.1.

Figure 5.1 Inundated area – Lower Balonne floodplain



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5.3 Contribution of held environmental water to flows

A volume of 42.8 GL was accounted for during the flow event against entitlements managed by the CEWH. This water was not diverted and remained instream for environmental benefit.

5.4 Flow event management rule triggers The flow event management rules for the Lower Balonne Water Management Area include several rules that are applied based on antecedent flow conditions. This flow event has reset the low flow rule trigger as follows:

Low flow

• The flow through event finished 25 May 2021 – reset for 1 year

The medium flow event management rules triggers were reset in the February-March 2020 flow event and will not trigger until:

• 3 March 2022 for a 60,000 ML/day flow; or • 2 March 2023 for a 100,000 ML/day flow.

6.0 Water balance The following tables include the flows and diversions in the Lower Balonne (Table 6.1) and a basic water balance (Table 6.2) to show the volumes of water entering and leaving the Lower Balonne Water Management Area and the volume of water either taken through authorised extraction or absorbed through watercourse losses and floodplain requirements.

Table 6.1 Lower Balonne flows and diversions

Component of flow volume Volume (GL)

Total flow passing the gauging station at Weribone and Cashmere 433

Flow passing the gauging station at St George 302

Volume of ESD water passing the gauging station at St George prior to and during the flow event

26

Volume of water left in-stream due to reductions under the Narran Lakes support rule

12

Volume of water permitted to be taken by waterharvesting entitlements 227

Volume of water accounted as taken by waterharvesting entitlements 169

Volume of water accounted for by Commonwealth waterharvesting entitlements (and left in-stream for environmental purposes)

43

Total flow passing the gauges stations on the Culgoa, Birrie, Bokhara and Narran Rivers (in NSW downstream of the border)

138



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Table 6.2 Lower Balonne water balance

Component of flow volume Volume (GL)

Total flow passing the gauging station at Weribone and Cashmere 433

Less Volume of water to fill Beardmore Dam (59)

Less Volume of water taken under supplemented water allocations (19)

Less Volume of water taken under unsupplemented water allocations (on stream waterharvesting entitlements)

(164)

Less Volume of water taken by unsupplemented water licences (floodplain waterharvesting entitlements)

(5)

Less Watercourse and floodplain losses (including river channel wetting water prior to announcing waterharvesting)

(48)

Total flow passing the gauges stations on the Culgoa, Birrie, Bokhara and Narran Rivers (in NSW downstream of the border)

138

7.0 Recommendations for the management of future events

The department consulted with the Lower Balonne Water Management Reference Group and sought feedback on the flow event report and management of the flow (including releases of environmental stock and domestic water).



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Attachment 1: BOM rainfall map

Lower Balonne Water Management Area



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Attachment 2: Map of Lower Balonne distributary system




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Attachment 3: Summary of stream flow data Lower Balonne Water Management Area and distributary system - period of streamflow#

Water Year 2020/2021 Flow Event No 1

Watercourse Gauging station No. Location

Total volume (GL)

Balonne River 422213A Weribone 369

Maranoa River 422404A Cashmere 64

Balonne River 422201F St George 302

Culgoa River##

422204A Whyenbah 143

422208B Woolerbilla 79

422015 Brenda 83

422006 Downstream of Collerina 139

Balonne-Minor River 422205B Hastings 135

Narran River##

422206A Dirranbandi Hebel Road 37

422030 New Angledool No.2 34

422029 Narran Park 31

Bokhara River 422209A Hebel 11

Ballandool River 422207A Hebel Bollon Road 6

Briarie Creek### 422211A Woolerbilla Hebel Road 1

Bokhara River## 422032 Upstream of Goodooga Weir 10

422005 Bokhara 11

Birrie River## 422013 Near Goodooga 12

422010 Talawanta 14 NOTES – • # - Assessed period of flow - 13 March to 30 April includes ESD water releases before and after

waterharvesting announced period. • ## - Flow through event commenced 2 April 2021 and ceased after this assessed period of flow on 25 May

2021 • ### - Local flows only




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Attachment 4: Schedule of announcements made during flow event

Schedule of announced periods during flow event (Balonne River at St. George) Lower Balonne Water Management Area Waterharvesting announced periods Water Year 2020/2021 Flow Event No 1

Announced Period Start of Announced Period

Duration of Announced Period (days)

Announced Passing Flow Condition ML/day

Flow Reference Point - 422201F Balonne River at St. George

Environmental, stock and domestic releases (commenced Thursday 18 March 2021)

No 1 Sun 21 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 18,000

No 2 Mon 22 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 16,000

No 3 Tue 23 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 16,000

No 4 Wed 24 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 14,000

No 5 Thu 25 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 8,000

No 6 Fri 26 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 8,000

No 7 Sat 27 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 7,000

No 8 Sun 28 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 7,000

No 9 Mon 29 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 8,000

No 10 Tue 30 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 8,000

No 11 Wed 31 Mar 2021 6:00 PM 1 # 14,000

No 12 Thu 1 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 16,000

No 13 Fri 2 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 16,000

No 14 Sat 3 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 12,000

No 15 Sun 4 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 10,000

No 16 Mon 5 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 7,000

No 17 Tue 6 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 7,000

No 18 Wed 7 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 7,000

No 19 Thu 8 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 7,000

No 20 Fri 9 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 7,000

No 21 Sat 10 Apr 2021 6:00 PM 1 2,000

End of Announced Periods (from Sunday 11 April 2021 6:00 pm)

Environmental, stock and domestic releases continue Notes • # - Narran Support Rule - a reduction to 90% of the maximum daily rate of take for each threshold for

waterharvesting stated on each waterharvesting entitlement applies during the announced period.




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Schedule of announced periods during flow event (Briarie Creek at Woolerbilla-Hebel Road) Lower Balonne Water Management Area Waterharvesting announced periods Water year 2020−2021 flow event no. 1

Announced period Start of announced period

Duration of announced period (days)

Announced passing flow condition ML/day

Flow Reference Point - 422211A Briarie Creek at Woolerbilla-Hebel Road

Environmental, stock and domestic releases (commenced Thursday 18 March 2021)

No 1 Tue 23 Mar 2021 4:00 PM 1 200

End of Announced Periods (from Wednesday 24 March 2020 4:00 pm) Provision of this information satisfies s23(3) of the Water Plan (Condamine and Balonne) 2019 which is that each decision by the chief executive to implement a flow management arrangement in the Lower Balonne is recorded and published




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Attachment 5: Volume of water taken and volume of water accounted for by the CEWH

Lower Balonne Water Management Area Water Use Data Lower Balonne Water Management Area Water Use Data Water Year 2020/2021 Flow Event No 1

ZONE Stream

Volume of water taken by waterharvesters (GL)

Volume of water accounted by CEWH (GL)

Total (GL)

Zone LBU-01 Balonne R 29.3 15.0 44.3

Zone LBU-02 Balonne R 39.5 6.8 46.2

Zone LBU-03 Culgoa R 48.7 12.7 61.4

Zone LBU-04 Balonne Minor R / Belah Ck 7.0 1.4 8.4

Zone LBU-05 Narran R / Donnegri Ck 17.9 6.3 24.3

Zone LBU-06 Balonne Minor 4.2 0.5 4.7

Zone LBU-07 Bokhara R 4.1 - 4.1

Zone LBU-08 Briarie Ck 0.1 - 0.1

Zone LBU-09 Thuraggi W/C 17.9 - 17.9

Zone LBU-10 Ballandool R - - -

Water Allocation Sub-total 164.0 42.8 206.8

Overland Flow Sub-total 4.0 - 4.0

Waterharvesting water licence Sub-total 0.7 - 0.7

TOTAL 168.7 42.8 211.5

Notes

• Zone volumes have been rounded to the nearest 0.1 GL. • Data will include estimates of water taken where measuring equipment has failed. • CEWH means the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, who manages entitlements owned by the

Commonwealth for environmental purposes. • Water available to be taken under Commonwealth entitlements was left in stream for environmental purposes.




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Water use data zone map =>




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Attachment 6: Flow extent

lower balonne water management area · 2021. 7. 19. · 3.2 management of waterharvesting ......

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