1. Overview of water resources and water
management in Queensland
Presentation to the Visiting Chinese Delegation
Greg Claydon
Executive Director, Strategic Water Initiatives
Department of Environment and Resource Management
23 February 2011, Brisbane

2. A warm welcome
to our distinguished visitors

3. Presentation Outline
1. Background to DERM and its role
2. Background to water resources and water
management in Queensland
3. Concluding Remarks

5. About Queensland
• Second largest state in Australia by area, covering 1.73
million km2
• The third largest by population, with 4.4 million people
• Fastest growing State with South East Queensland
(SEQ) the fastest growing region
• Over half the population is located in the south east of
the state, which includes Brisbane
• The majority of the remaining population live in towns
located along the east coast
• The Queensland economy relies heavily on exports
from the mining (especially coal) and agriculture
sectors and on tourism

6. Queensland’s Annual Rainfall
• Queensland’s annual
rainfall is generally
within the range of 1000
to 1600 mm
• The extremes vary from
200 mm/a in the south
west to 3200 mm/a in
the State’s Wet Tropics
region
• Generally, rainfall is
highest near the coast
and decreases further
inland – highly variable

7. Queensland’s Runoff
• Around 53 percent of the State’s total
runoff of approx 160,000 GL/a (about
40% of Australia’s total) comes from
catchments on the State’s east coast
• 41 percent of runoff occurs in the
sparsely populated catchments that
drain to the Gulf of Carpentaria
• 6% of the water in rivers drains to
inland river systems and less than 5%
occurs in the heavily populated SEQ
region
• Runoff from catchments on the north-
east coast and in the Gulf is heavily
associated with tropical cyclones –
highly variable

8. Great Artesian Basin
• Largest known artesian basin in
the world;
• Covers an area of more than 1.7
million square kilometres.
• Stores 64.9 million GL of water.
• Underlies more than 65% of
QLD.
• Currently, 1.5 GL/day is
discharged from the basin.
• Sole source of water for stock
and domestic use in many areas.

9. Qld Rainfall Change 50th Percentile Annual (CSIRO/BOM 2007)

10. Water Use in Queensland
5% Total average annual water consumption
2%
2% is about 4,500 GL/a
4%
10% Agriculture
Household
Water supply, sewerage and drainage
services
Manufacturing
11%
Mining
Electricity and gas
67%
Other industries
Source: ABS

11. Water in Queensland
• Water supplies are drawn from a variety of sources:
– Unsupplemented Surface Water;
– Supplemented Surface Water; and
– Groundwater.
• Although proportions vary from area to area, each of these
sources accounts for around 1/3 of total water use
• Qld has 21 dams with a capacity exceeding 100 GL
• These dams are owned by either the State Government
(SunWater, SEQwater) or Local Governments
• About 12,500 tradable water access entitlements have been
granted with a total volume of about 4,055 GL and a value
of over $4 billion

12. Queensland Department
of Environment and Resources Management
• In Qld, the Department of Environment and Resource
Management (DERM) is the State Government’s lead agency
for policy, legislation and programs relating to the planning and
management of the State’s environment and natural resources,
including water resources.
• DERM works together with industry, community, landholders,
Local Governments and other agencies with the aim that the
management of water is efficient, effective, innovative,
responsible and balanced, and sustainable.
• State Governments are not accountable to the Commonwealth
Government, although they receive significant funding from the
Commonwealth and hence are subject to its influence. The
exception is the Murray Darling Basin – States have given rights
for setting sustainable diversion limits, environmental watering
plans, water quality and salinity management plans, and water
market rules back to the Commonwealth.

13. DERM’s Role: key areas of responsibility
(Strategic Plan 2010-2014)
• Delivering fit-for-purpose services to our clients
• Meeting the challenge of climate change
• Ecosystems are healthy, protected and bio-diverse
• Managing Queensland’s land, water and vegetation resources
responsibly
• Protecting and enhancing the state’s natural environment and
cultural heritage
• Securing water for Queensland’s future

15. Water and Ecosystem Outcomes
Water & Ecosystem
Outcomes
Strategic Water Water Allocation Water Quality Urban Water Policy
Ecosystem Outcomes
Initiatives and Planning and Accounting and Management
Strategic Water Water Planning Healthy Waters Environment
Urban Water Policy
Programs and Projects South West Policy Regulation
Water Supply
Strategic Water Water Planning
Water Accounting Regulation Wild Rivers
Policy Central
Improvement
Water Legislation, Water Planning Water Information and Sustainable Water Vegetation
Policy and Pricing North Systems Entity Governance Management
Regional Water Water Planning Water Efficiency Biodiversity Offsets
Supplies South East Programs and Assessment
Strategic Water Plans LWMP/One Plan
Water Management
and Partnerships Regulatory Simplification
Strategic Water Planning
Policy & Support

16. Queensland’s water management challenges
Increasing population Declining groundwater
and challenges in and environmental
supporting lifestyle and condition in some areas
economic growth
Responding to Record droughts
climate change and floods
and extreme
climate variability
Securing safe and
Increasing costs for
reliable water
new water supply
supplies for towns
sources
and industries
Efficient and sustainable
water resource Maintaining
development, use and knowledge, skills
management and capacity

17. Water reform approach in Queensland
Institutional
to ensure to define
Reform
commercial relationship
viability of between dam
water service Planning Reform owner,
provision customer/water
user and regulator
to ensure certainty, security,
transparency and confidence on
planning outcomes/processes
Pricing Entitlements
Reform Reform
to define
‘product’ and
‘price’
- All underpinned by best available science and active stakeholder engagement

18. Outcomes
In the context of water, Queensland is focussed on
achieving the following ‘outcomes’:
• Healthy river and aquatic systems
• Efficient and sustainable water use and management
• Bulk water supply security
• Safe drinking water quality
• Asset reliability/infrastructure capability
• Streamlined and effective regulation
• Capable and skilled water industry
• Resilient regional communities

19. Queensland’s water management solutions
Skilled and Develop and
Increasing source efficient water manage water
diversity and industry supplies within
climate resilient
sustainable
supplies to reduce
resource limits
risks
Planning reforms
Integrating and based on total
optimizing system water cycle, best
performance to available
achieve agreed ‘levels information and
of service’ empowered
communities
Institutional,
pricing and Increasing water
management efficiency and
Increasing recycling and
reforms improving demand
water reuse
management

20. Concluding Remarks
• Sustainable water management and water supply security
are still critically important issues in Queensland/Australia
• Queensland has extensive experience and capability in
achieving multiple outcomes for the water sector and is
looking to further engage with other partners and parties
in local and international water business
• More information on Queensland Government activities
from our Websites
www.derm.qld.gov.au
www.qwc.qld.gov.au
www.water.qld.gov.au
Thank you!