4618.0 - Water Use on Australian Farms, 2011-12 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/05/2013   
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Im‫age: A dam 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).

Graph Image for Sources of Agricultural Water

Annotation(s): MDB=Murray-Darling Basin;MDB=Murray-Darling Basin

Source(s): Water Use on Australian Farms (cat. no. 4618.0)