❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the drying of the Harvey River, south of Hoffman Mill, focusing on monitoring, water allocation, and hydrological studies. The Minister's response attributes the drying to low rainfall and climate change, highlighting reduced stream flows.
AnsweredQoN 5595Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the health of the Harvey River, south of the Hoffman Mill, which has dried out for the second consecutive summer, and I ask —
(1) Is river monitoring carried out on the Harvey River?
(2) If yes to (1) —
(a) please identify the monitoring stations;
(b) please identify which monitoring stations(s) are downstream of Hoffman Mill;
(c) please table monthly river level figures at each monitoring station for the mid-summer months for the past 10-15 years; and
(d) please table stream-flow data for the mid-summer months for the past 10 to 15 years.
(3) Does a surface water allocation plan for the broader Harvey River catchment exist?
(4) If yes to (3), please table the plan.
(5) If no to (3), why not?
(6) Have surface water allocations been made in the broader Harvey River catchment?
(7) If yes to (6) —
(a) please provide the total annual volume of surface water currently permitted for removal from this system;
(b) how much is licensed for mining; and
(c) how much for agricultural purposes?
(8) Have any hydrological studies of the river been undertaken?
(9) If yes to (8), please table the studies.
(10) If no to (8), why not?
(11) Have any hydrogeological studies of the connection between the river and nearby groundwater been undertaken?
(12) If yes to (11), please table the studies.
(13) If no to (11), why not?
(14) What, if anything, does the Minister intend to do to ensure that the Harvey River returns to a state of year round 'wetness'?
(1) Is river monitoring carried out on the Harvey River?
(2) If yes to (1) —
(a) please identify the monitoring stations;
(b) please identify which monitoring stations(s) are downstream of Hoffman Mill;
(c) please table monthly river level figures at each monitoring station for the mid-summer months for the past 10-15 years; and
(d) please table stream-flow data for the mid-summer months for the past 10 to 15 years.
(3) Does a surface water allocation plan for the broader Harvey River catchment exist?
(4) If yes to (3), please table the plan.
(5) If no to (3), why not?
(6) Have surface water allocations been made in the broader Harvey River catchment?
(7) If yes to (6) —
(a) please provide the total annual volume of surface water currently permitted for removal from this system;
(b) how much is licensed for mining; and
(c) how much for agricultural purposes?
(8) Have any hydrological studies of the river been undertaken?
(9) If yes to (8), please table the studies.
(10) If no to (8), why not?
(11) Have any hydrogeological studies of the connection between the river and nearby groundwater been undertaken?
(12) If yes to (11), please table the studies.
(13) If no to (11), why not?
(14) What, if anything, does the Minister intend to do to ensure that the Harvey River returns to a state of year round 'wetness'?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 June 2012
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Water
Response time
35 days
(1) Yes
(2a) Clifton Road and Dingo Road
(b) Dingo Road is located approximately 14 km downstream of Hoffman Mill.
(c-d) [see tabled paper no]
(3) No
(4) Not applicable
(5) The catchment area for the Harvey River in the Hoffman Mill area is well protected in State Forest and there is minimal demand.
(6) Yes
(7a) 147 601 500 kilolitres (kL)
(b) 8 950 000 kL
(c) 83 480 500 kL
(8) Yes
(9) The
Proposed Harvey Basin Surface Water Allocation Plan (1998)
is available at www.water.wa.gov.au.
(10) Not applicable
(11) No
(12) Not applicable
(13) The Harvey River catchment above the Darling Scarp is well protected in State forest and there is minimal groundwater demand.
(14) The "dry" being experienced at Hoffman Mill during the summer of 2010/11 is clearly shown in the flow data and is attributed to the extremely low rainfall for 2010 which at just over 500 millimetres is about half of the average rainfall for this area. For comparison the rainfall at Dingo Road for 2011 was over 1100 mm.
This "drying" situation is driven by a drying climate resulting in significant reductions in stream flow. The 2009 study by CSIRO "
Water yields and demands in south-west Western Australia
" predicted stream flows to reduce by 20-30 per cent (average 24%). Stream flows in the South West have now become highly variable and this is further demonstrated in the Dingo River data for the summer periods 2001-2004 which was also very dry.
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(2a) Clifton Road and Dingo Road
(b) Dingo Road is located approximately 14 km downstream of Hoffman Mill.
(c-d) [see tabled paper no]
(3) No
(4) Not applicable
(5) The catchment area for the Harvey River in the Hoffman Mill area is well protected in State Forest and there is minimal demand.
(6) Yes
(7a) 147 601 500 kilolitres (kL)
(b) 8 950 000 kL
(c) 83 480 500 kL
(8) Yes
(9) The
Proposed Harvey Basin Surface Water Allocation Plan (1998)
is available at www.water.wa.gov.au.
(10) Not applicable
(11) No
(12) Not applicable
(13) The Harvey River catchment above the Darling Scarp is well protected in State forest and there is minimal groundwater demand.
(14) The "dry" being experienced at Hoffman Mill during the summer of 2010/11 is clearly shown in the flow data and is attributed to the extremely low rainfall for 2010 which at just over 500 millimetres is about half of the average rainfall for this area. For comparison the rainfall at Dingo Road for 2011 was over 1100 mm.
This "drying" situation is driven by a drying climate resulting in significant reductions in stream flow. The 2009 study by CSIRO "
Water yields and demands in south-west Western Australia
" predicted stream flows to reduce by 20-30 per cent (average 24%). Stream flows in the South West have now become highly variable and this is further demonstrated in the Dingo River data for the summer periods 2001-2004 which was also very dry.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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