National Water Commission

The Barossa water management area is located to the north of the Mount Lofty Ranges and includes the towns of Tanunda, Nurioopta and Angaston with a total population of about 30,000. It is one of the smaller water management areas, covering approximately 529 km²; however, it is home to extensive vineyards, fruit, vegetables and poultry with a total value of $130 million (http://www.southaustralia.biz/sa_regions/barossa.htm).
 
Drainage is via the North Para River and there are no major surface water storages in the WMA. Water is sourced from a combination of surface water extraction, groundwater use and the Barossa Infrastructure Ltd. (BIL). BIL is a private company that uses SA Water infrastructure to transport water from the River Murray to supplement water supplies in the WMA (http://www.sawater.com.au/SAWater/AboutUs/AboutSAWater/Irrigation+Services.htm).

Water is managed by the South Australian Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation with bulk water supplied by SA Water.




Figure 1 Barossa water management area locality map

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Rainfall in 2004-05 was 538 mm (Table 1), which is about 102% of the long term average and about average compared with the last 10 years (Figure 2). Rainfall decreases steadily across the WMA from south to north (~40% decline). Rainfall in the area occurs primarily during the winter (Figure 3).

Streamflow in the North Para River was also about average in 2004-05 and about 130% of the streamflow during the last 10 years (Figure 4). Groundwater levels have been variable of the past 15 years with large, seasonal swings (~20 metres) of the water table (Figure 5). Groundwater levels are generally increasing, except for a period of about seven year (1993-2000), where lower than average rainfall caused a decline. The rise in groundwater levels is probably due to irrigation recharge.

There were no urban or rural permanent water conservation measures on water use over the season.

Table 1 Summary of Barossa water management area contextual information

Figure 2 Annual rainfall for the Barossa water management area (modified from BOM, 2006)




Figure 3 Monthly rainfall and evaporation for the Barossa water management area (modified from BOM, 2006 & Climate Atlas)




Figure 4 Representative streamflow hydrograph for the Barossa water management area for North Para River U/S Tanunda Creek Junction (gauge 5050536)




Figure 5 Representative hydrograph for the Barossa water management area

Summary of the Total Water Resources in the Basin

Table 2 Summary of water balance in the Barossa water management area, 2004-05

Figure 5 Water balance summary diagram for the Barossa water management area

Outcomes from the water cycle report

The following information becomes apparent from Table 2.

• There are no major storages in the Barossa.
• The overall error in the water balance was small at about 5%.
• Rainfall for 2004-05 was about the same as the long term average.
• Water use in the water management area was from a mixture of surface water (70%) and groundwater (30%).
• There was 287 ML/yr of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in the WMA.
• Total water use was about 22% of the total resource.
• The captured rainfall, extractions and diversions and outflow estimates dominated the water balance representing more than 85% of the overall water resource. The Water 2010 estimates were generally within an accuracy of ±50% (Category C) which would imply that the water balance was also within this error bound.
• Surface water flow out of the area (includes baseflow) was 8,064 ML.
• Twice the volume of groundwater recharge was discharged to surface water as baseflow. This was calculated using a digital filter which might have overestimated the magnitude of the baseflow component.
• Irrigation was a significant water use in the area with 3,585 ML of water used. Of this total 2,281 ML was brought into the WMA by the BIL.
• 38% of the extractions were from self-extracted water (e.g. groundwater bores).
• There was 63 ML of recycled effluent returns.
• In 2004-05 the environments’ share of the total flow in the Barossa water management area was defined by the water allocation plan.
• Data could not be obtained for the following items in the water balance:
• Soil - unsaturated zone storage volumes
• Groundwater discharge to springs
• The starting and ending volume of groundwater resources.
• The volume of water held in river channels
• Seepage from irrigation channels
• Seepage from wetlands
• Groundwater discharge to ET 

Download 2004-05 water cycle report: