NORTHERN AUSTRALIA DATA
Water resources
94% of the north's annual rainfall falls during November to April
credit: CSIRO
Northern Australia accounts for 60% of Australia's surface water runoff and 45% of Australia's potentially divertible water yield.
credit: CSIRO Northern Rivers Dams Assessment
Water entitlements from the Rookwood Weir are being sold for agricultural use. Up to 1 million macadamia trees are being planted near Rockhampton.
credit: CRCNA Water Security for Northern Australia, Lower Fitzroy Node (AT.7.2223014)
Tropical agriculture on the Ord River began in 1941, and Lake Argyle was created in 1971, which remains the largest freshwater storage on mainland Australia.
credit: CRCNA Water Security for Northern Australia, Ord River Irrigation Area Node (AT.7.2223014)
The maximum capacity of Lake Argyle is 10,770 gigaliters which is 20 times more than Sydney Harbour. It’s so big it can be seen from space.
credit: CRCNA Water Security for Northern Australia, Ord River Irrigation Area Node (AT.7.2223014)
The Daly River has over 100 different fish species and is home to one of the largest remaining populations of freshwater sawfish in the world. The River is key to sustaining the NT's aquatic ecosytem.
credit: CRCNA Water Security for Northern Australia, Daly River node (AT.7.2223014)
The Daly River is fed by 100s, if not 1000s of springs and flows all year round.
credit: CRCNA Water Security for Northern Australia, Daly River node (AT.7.2223014)
Waterholes in dry tropical rivers in Northern Australia are culturally important – they are places for meeting, resting, as food sources and for celebration.
credit: CRCNA Water Security for Northern Australia, Gilbert River catchment node (AT.7.2223014)
Between Broome and Cooktown there’s more than 60 major rivers and hundreds of smaller streams, combined they extend over 1 million km.
credit: The Nature of Northern Australia report, 2007.
These major rivers and streams are the highest density of continuous intact tropical river ecosystems globally, carrying two-thirds of Australia's fresh water.
credit: The Nature of Northern Australia report, 2007.