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Case Study
Burdekin Irrigation Area
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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.
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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
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The Burdekin Delta
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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
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Management Response
• Introduces water sharing rules.
• Can restrict use based on observations from monitoring bores.