4618.0 - Water Use on Australian Farms, 2011-12

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/05/2013

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Contents Summary Agricultural Water Use Irrigation Activity by State and Territory Irrigation Activity by Murray-Darling Basin Irrigation Activity by Commodity Sources of Agricultural Water Australian Climate About this Release History of Changes Good rainfall means more water available for the agricultural sector (Media Release)	SOURCES OF AGRICULTURAL WATER In 2011-12, 38% of Australia's agricultural water (3,419 gigalitres) came from irrigation channels, and 27% (2,405 gigalitres) was sourced from rivers, creeks and lakes. Around 18% of agricultural water (1,589 gigalitres) came from groundwater, whilst on-farm dams and tanks accounted for 15% of agricultural water (1,315 gigalitres). In 2011-12, water supplied by irrigation channels was the major source of water for agriculture in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), accounting for 45% of agricultural water sourced in the region (2,768 gigalitres). Outside the MDB, groundwater was the major source of water for agriculture at 36% (1,021 gigalitres). Annotation(s): MDB=Murray-Darling Basin;MDB=Murray-Darling Basin Source(s): Water Use on Australian Farms (cat. no. 4618.0) Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.