Groundwater

About groundwater

Groundwater is found in the spaces and fractures in rock and sediment beneath the ground’s surface.
Where groundwater is held within an aquifer it can be pumped to the surface for use.
This page reports on statewide groundwater use, entitlements and compliance and trade for 2021-22.
Groundwater information is reported in these accounts by groundwater catchments or groundwater management units (GMUs).
Local reports can be selected and viewed by either GMU or groundwater catchment via the groundwater local reports page.
There are 20 groundwater catchments, 8 in the north and 12 in the south.
Within groundwater catchments, there are smaller management units — groundwater management units (GMUs) — which are either water supply protection areas (WSPAs) or groundwater management areas (GMAs). Groundwater resources that are licensed and used outside a WSPA or GMA are reported as ‘outside management units’.
There are 55 GMUs, and of these there are 44 GMAs and 11 WSPAs.

More information:

Groundwater resources are explained in Water resources.
Water management is detailed in How is water managed?
Groundwater accounting is detailed in How do we account for water?

2021-22 overview

Restrictions on use

There were fewer restrictions on licensed groundwater use than the previous year.

GMU changes

No gazetted changes to GMUs.

Water use

Less groundwater was taken for consumptive purposes than the previous year.

In 2021-22:

groundwater level trends were largely consistent with the previous year
4 GMUs were subject to restrictions on licensed groundwater use: one fewer than in the previous year
there were no gazetted changes made to GMUs
about the same volume of groundwater was available to take under entitlements
less groundwater was taken for consumptive purposes
there were fewer temporary trades and more permanent trades of groundwater take and use licences.

Groundwater level trends

Groundwater systems are dynamic and adjust continually to short-term and long-term changes in climate, groundwater withdrawal, and land use. Groundwater trends are one type of measure that can give an indication of the condition of the groundwater resource, somewhat analogous to storage levels for surface water. Trends in groundwater levels reflect differences between the amount of water flowing into (recharge) and out of (discharge or extraction) an aquifer.

For more information on why we report groundwater levels, see the Keeping track of Victoria’s water section of the How is water managed? page.

In the accounts, groundwater level trends for groundwater management units (GMUs) have been determined based on monitoring data from key bores in the State Observation Bore Network. Trend determinations are made quarterly by comparing each reading to a previous reading in the same season 5 years prior. That is, a summer record is compared to the summer record from 5 years before to account for seasonality.

Groundwater resources are being actively managed. For more detail on the management responses go to the groundwater sections on the Goulburn-Murray Water, Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and Southern Rural Water websites.

2021-22 groundwater level trends

In the June quarter of 2021-22, 5-year groundwater level trends were similar to the previous year.

Of 11 water supply protection areas (WSPAs), 6 were categorised as stable, 3 as rising and 2 as declining, compared to 4 stable, 3 rising and 4 declining in the previous year.

Of 41 groundwater management areas (GMAs), 20 were categorised as stable, 10 as rising and 11 as declining, compared to 18 stable, 12 rising and 11 declining in the previous year.

Table 1: Groundwater level trends

Groundwater management unit ^{1, 2}	2021-22				2020-21
Groundwater management unit ^{1, 2}	Sep-21	Dec-21	Mar-22	Jun-22	Sep-20	Dec-20	Mar-21	Jun-21
Groundwater management area
Barnawartha	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining
Broken	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining
Bungaree	Stable	Stable	Rising	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Cardigan	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Central Victorian Mineral Springs	Stable	Declining	Stable	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Colongulac	Stable	Declining	Stable	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Corinella	Rising	Rising	Rising	Stable	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising
Frankston	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Declining	Declining	Stable
Gellibrand	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Gerangamete	Stable	Stable	Rising	Rising	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Giffard	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Declining	Declining
Jan Juc	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining
Kiewa	Stable	Declining	Stable	Rising	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Lancefield	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Leongatha	Stable	Stable	Rising	Stable	Rising	Stable	Rising	Rising
Lower Ovens	Stable	Declining	Stable	Declining	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Merrimu	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Rising	Rising	Rising
Mid Goulburn	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining
Mid Loddon	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Stable	Declining
Moe	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining
Moorabbin	Rising	Rising	Declining	Rising	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising
Murrayville	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Nepean	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Newlingrook	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Orbost	Declining	Stable	Rising	Rising	Declining	Declining	Stable	Stable
Paaratte	Stable	Rising	Stable	Declining	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Portland ³	Stable	INS-DATA	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	INS-DATA	Stable
Rosedale	Stable	Declining	Stable	Declining	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Shepparton Irrigation Region	Declining	Declining	Stable	Stable	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining
South West Limestone	Stable	Rising	Stable	Declining	Stable	Stable	Stable	Rising
Stratford	Declining	Declining	Stable	Rising	Stable	Declining	Declining	Declining
Strathbogie	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Tarwin	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Upper Goulburn	Rising	Rising	Rising	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Upper Murray	Stable	Stable	Rising	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Wa De Lock	Declining	Stable	Rising	Rising	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Wandin Yallock	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Declining	Stable
West Goulburn	Stable	Declining	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Declining	Declining
West Wimmera	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
West Wimmera - Neuarpur subzone 1 ⁴	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining
Wy Yung	Declining	Rising	Rising	Rising	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Water supply protection area
Condah	Rising	Rising	Rising	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Deutgam	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Declining	Stable	Stable
Glenelg	Declining	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable
Katunga	Declining	Declining	Rising	Rising	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining
Koo Wee Rup	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Declining
Loddon Highlands	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Lower Campaspe Valley	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Stable
Sale	Declining	Declining	Stable	Rising	Stable	Declining	Declining	Declining
Upper Ovens River	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Rising	Stable
Warrion	Rising	Stable	Stable	Stable	Rising	Rising	Rising	Rising
Yarram	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining	Declining

Show notes

Response to water availability

The amount of water available for consumptive and environmental uses will vary from year to year. The water entitlement and planning frameworks include mechanisms to conserve and share water between users in response to seasonal variability and water shortages which come into play when water is scarce. These mechanisms include restrictions to licence volumes in groundwater systems.

Groundwater licences are all-year licences. Management plans for some GMUs may include levels that will trigger the introduction of a restriction that will reduce the volume that groundwater users can take under their licence.

Groundwater restrictions

In 2021-22, entitlement holders in four groundwater management units (GMUs) were subject to restrictions on groundwater use, one fewer GMU than in the previous year. Licence holders were restricted to a percentage of their total licence volume as follows:

Campaspe groundwater catchment - Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA, 75%.
Goulburn Broken groundwater catchment - Katunga WSPA, 70%.
West Port Phillip Bay groundwater catchment - Deutgam WSPA, 50%.
West Wimmera groundwater catchment – Neuarpur Sub-Zone 1 in the West Wimmera GMA, 80%.

Water use

In Victoria groundwater can be taken from aquifers under entitlements issued and authorised under the Water Act 1989. Generally, groundwater is allocated to either water corporations or to individuals, who are issued take and use licences. In addition to this, there is one groundwater bulk entitlement issued to Barwon Water for urban supply to the Greater Geelong area.

The Act also enables individuals to take groundwater for domestic and stock use without a take and use licence.

The summary below describes the amount of groundwater extracted for various uses. For the most part, groundwater use – irrigation/commercial, urban and power generation – is metered. Domestic and stock use is estimated based on the number of domestic and stock bores in each GMU and outside management units.

More information on groundwater accounting and use is detailed in How do we account for water?

2021-22 summary

In 2021-22, total groundwater licensed entitlement was 953,312 ML across the state (948,278 ML in 2020-21). The total groundwater use across the state including domestic and stock use was 289,741 ML, which was less than the volume used in 2020-21 (377,047 ML) (Table 2 and Figure 2).

Use in groundwater management units (GMAs and WSPAs):

852,788 ML licensed entitlement, 245,157 ML metered use (compared to 852,629 ML entitlement and 330,047 ML metered use in 2020-21).
22,825 ML estimated domestic and stock use (compared to 23,450 ML in 2020-21).

Use outside of management units:

100,524 ML licensed entitlement, 14,164 ML metered use (compared to 95,653 ML entitlement and 15,838 ML metered use in 2020-21).
7,595 ML estimated domestic and stock use (compared to 7,710 ML in 2020-21).

Use by type

- Less groundwater used for irrigation/commercial purposes (225,155 ML compared to 312,436 ML in 2020-21). This represents about 78% of total groundwater use.
Note: Data about irrigation and commercial categories are reported together as they cannot be separated for groundwater use.
- More groundwater was diverted for urban purposes (9,468 ML compared to 8,226 ML in 2020-21). This represents about 3% of total groundwater use.
- A similar volume of groundwater was diverted for power generation (24,698 ML compared to 25,229 ML in 2020-21). This represents about 9% of total groundwater use.
- A similar volume of groundwater was used for domestic and stock purposes (30,420 ML compared to 31,152 ML in 2020-21). This represents about 10% of total groundwater use.
- There are 18,205 domestic and stock bores in Victoria that were less than 30 years old (considered to be currently active) in 2020-21 (compared to 18,637 the previous year).

Table 2: Groundwater diverted for different consumptive uses (ML)

Groundwater management unit	Irrigation / commercial	Urban	Power generation	Domestic and stock	Total
Barnawartha GMA	2	0	0	62	64
Broken GMA	427	0	0	680	1,107
Bungaree GMA	1,789	16	0	131	1,936
Cardigan GMA	310	364	0	102	776
Central Victorian Mineral Springs GMA	1,176	47	0	2,044	3,267
Colongulac GMA	1,062	0	0	77	1,139
Condah WSPA	2,654	25	0	101	2,780
Corinella GMA	21	0	0	47	68
Cut Paw Paw GMA	0	0	0	5	5
Denison GMA	2,166	0	0	110	2,276
Deutgam WSPA	210	0	0	59	269
Eildon GMA	196	0	0	616	812
Frankston GMA	798	0	0	48	846
Gerangamete GMA	18	0	0	5	23
Giffard GMA	1,316	0	0	140	1,456
Glenelg WSPA	5,473	406	0	444	6,323
Glenormiston GMA	1,337	0	0	53	1,390
Jan Juc GMA	597	1,406	0	6	2,009
Katunga WSPA	14,882	40	0	1,520	16,442
Kiewa GMA	310	0	0	428	738
Koo Wee Rup WSPA	2,867	0	0	635	3,502
Lancefield GMA	184	0	0	53	237
Leongatha GMA	41	0	0	44	85
Loddon Highlands WSPA	4,411	630	0	748	5,789
Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA	25,347	121	0	738	26,206
Lower Ovens GMA	3,753	208	0	1,998	5,959
Merrimu GMA	0	0	0	12	12
Mid Goulburn GMA	2,632	0	0	248	2,880
Mid Loddon GMA	14,019	0	0	302	14,321
Moe GMA	218	0	0	111	329
Moorabbin GMA	769	0	0	257	1,026
Murrayville GMA	5,969	133	0	66	6,168
Nepean GMA	3,129	0	0	1,827	4,956
Newlingrook GMA	5	21	0	2	28
Orbost GMA	18	0	0	3	21
Outside management units	13,637	526	0	7,595	21,758
Paaratte GMA	0	318	0	2	320
Portland GMA	0	2,346	0	3	2,349
Rosedale GMA ¹	2,633	0	5,473	195	8,301
Sale WSPA	2,660	1,775	0	342	4,777
Shepparton Irrigation Region GMA	38,909	0	0	1,898	40,807
South West Limestone GMA	32,465	462	0	2,369	35,296
Stratford GMA ¹	13	0	19,225	26	19,264
Strathbogie GMA	486	0	0	450	936
Tarwin GMA	8	0	0	330	338
Upper Goulburn GMA	868	0	0	962	1,830
Upper Murray GMA	237	59	0	404	700
Upper Ovens River WSPA	763	0	0	248	1,011
Wa De Lock GMA	1,899	66	0	366	2,331
Wandin Yallock GMA	457	0	0	54	511
Warrion WSPA	2,419	0	0	161	2,580
West Goulburn GMA	990	0	0	144	1,134
West Wimmera GMA	22,496	499	0	760	23,755
Wy Yung GMA	177	0	0	12	189
Yarram WSPA	5,932	0	0	377	6,309
Total 2021-22	225,155	9,468	24,698	30,420	289,741
Total 2020-21	312,438	8,226	25,229	31,160	377,047

Entitlements and compliance

Entitlements

Entitlements provide the basis for how water is shared. The total volume of entitlements changes each year as new entitlements are issued or existing entitlements are modified. All groundwater management units have a permissible consumptive volume (PCV), which limits the volume of groundwater that can be allocated. In areas that have reached the PCV and allocated all available groundwater within the limit, no new entitlements are created unless water savings are made, and so there is no net increase in entitlement volume.

See the Groundwater section in the How do we account for water? page for more information.

There were no gazetted changes of PCV or boundaries made to GMUs in 2021-22. Full details of groundwater entitlements and use from each GMA and WSPA are below in table 3.

In 2021-22, the total licensed entitlement volume for Victoria was 953,312 ML. This is slightly higher than the amount available in 2020-21 (948,282 ML) (Table 3 and Figure 3).

Available water and take

Total groundwater available under entitlements represents the volume of groundwater that was available to be taken. This item is the sum of: opening carryover, allocation issued and the net trade in or out of water. The level of allocation issued is reduced if there are any restrictions in place.

In 2021-22 (Table 3 and Figure 4):

962,456 ML was available to take under entitlements (958,618 ML in 2020-21)
259,321 ML was taken under entitlements (345,877 ML in 2020-21).

Groundwater entitlement and groundwater taken for consumptive use

In Table 3 below:

permissible consumptive volume (PCV) sets the total volume of groundwater that may be licensed and taken in a GMU. PCVs are declared by the Minister for Water through an order published in the Victoria Government Gazette
licensed entitlement volume shows the volume of entitlements for each GMU as at the end of the water year
water available and taken under licenses columns show the total volume of groundwater available for extraction during the water year and licensed use in GMUs and outside management units. Total water available under entitlements is the sum of: opening carryover, allocation issued and the net trade in or out of water
compliance section shows how much groundwater was taken as a percentage of the PCV and if there was any licensed entitlement available
estimated domestic and stock use is based on the number of domestic and stock bores in each GMU and outside GMUs in each water corporation area.

The accounting method is explained further in How do we account for water?

Figure 5 below shows the licensed entitlement, licensed use and domestic and stock use for the last 5 years.

Table 3: Groundwater entitlement and groundwater taken for consumptive use

Groundwater management unit ¹	Entitlement volume (ML)		Water available and taken under licences (ML)					Compliance			Domestic and stock		Total use (licensed + domestic and stock) (ML)
Groundwater management unit ¹	PCV	Licensed entitlement	Carryover	Water allocated	Net trade	Total water available	Water taken under licences	Water taken as % of PCV	Water taken as % of available water	Licence volume available under PCV (ML)	No. of domestic and stock bores	Estimated use (ML)	Total use (licensed + domestic and stock) (ML)
Goulburn-Murray Water
Groundwater management areas
Barnawartha GMA	2,100	375	0	375	-	375	2	0%	1%	1,725	31	62	64
Broken GMA	3,732	2,976	0	2,986	1	2,988	427	11%	14%	756	340	680	1,107
Central Victorian Mineral Springs GMA	6,024	5,116	0	5,115	-	5,115	1,222	20%	24%	908	1,022	2,044	3,266
Eildon GMA	1,496	645	0	645	-	645	196	13%	30%	851	308	616	812
Kiewa GMA	3,852	3,107	0	3,109	-	3,109	310	8%	10%	745	214	428	738
Lower Ovens GMA	25,200	19,875	0	19,877	(6)	19,871	3,961	16%	20%	5,325	999	1,998	5,959
Mid Goulburn GMA	12,470	12,465	2,467	12,465	-	14,932	2,632	21%	21%	5	124	248	2,880
Mid Loddon GMA	34,037	33,927	9,915	33,927	-	43,841	14,019	41%	41%	110	151	302	14,321
Shepparton Irrigation Region GMA ²^{, 3}	n/a	185,737	0	185,737	-	185,737	38,909	n/a	21%	n/a	949	1,898	40,807
Strathbogie GMA	1,660	1,373	0	1,373	-	1,373	486	29%	35%	287	225	450	936
Upper Goulburn GMA	8,568	6,110	0	6,119	-	6,119	868	10%	14%	2,458	481	962	1,830
Upper Murray GMA	7,674	3,532	0	3,532	-	3,532	296	4%	8%	4,142	202	404	700
West Goulburn GMA ⁴	n/a	3,037	295	3,037	-	3,332	990	n/a	33%	n/a	72	144	1,134
Water supply protection areas
Katunga WSPA ⁵	60,577	60,201	0	42,077	(1)	42,075	14,923	25%	25%	376	760	1,520	16,443
Loddon Highlands WSPA	20,697	20,502	3,039	20,501	-	23,541	5,041	24%	25%	195	374	748	5,789
Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA ⁶	55,875	55,860	11,692	41,860	-	53,552	25,468	46%	46%	15	369	738	26,206
Upper Ovens River WSPA ⁷	n/a	3,577	0	3,426	(378)	3,048	763	n/a	21%	n/a	124	248	1,011
Outside management unit
Outside management units - Goulburn-Murray Water	n/a	15,008	0	15,013	4	15,017	2,767	n/a	18%	n/a	704	1,408	4,175
Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water
Groundwater management areas
Murrayville GMA	11,005	9,755	2,482	9,755	-	12,236	6,101	55%	63%	1,250	33	66	6,167
West Wimmera GMA ⁸^{, 9}	57,409	53,325	12,510	49,240	-	61,750	22,995	40%	43%	4,084	380	760	23,755
Outside management unit
Outside management units - Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water	n/a	9,571	0	9,601	-	9,601	1,372	n/a	14%	n/a	157	314	1,686
Lower Murray Water
Outside management unit
Outside management units - Lower Murray Water	n/a	5,000	0	5,000	-	5,000	823	n/a	16%	n/a	0	0	823
Southern Rural Water
Groundwater management areas
Bungaree GMA	5,334	5,293	0	5,309	-	5,309	1,805	34%	34%	41	87	131	1,936
Cardigan GMA	3,967	3,889	0	3,889	-	3,889	674	17%	17%	78	68	102	776
Colongulac GMA	4,695	4,401	0	4,404	-	4,404	1,062	23%	24%	294	51	77	1,139
Corinella GMA	2,550	662	0	662	-	662	21	1%	3%	1,888	31	47	68
Cut Paw Paw GMA	3,650	521	0	533	-	533	0	0%	0%	3,129	3	5	5
Denison GMA ¹⁰	18,502	18,499	0	19,020	-	19,020	2,166	12%	12%	3	73	110	2,276
Frankston GMA	3,200	2,670	0	2,670	-	2,670	798	25%	30%	530	32	48	846
Gellibrand GMA ¹¹	0	0	0	0	-	0	0	0%	0%	0	0	0	0
Gerangamete GMA ¹²	239	238	0	238	-	238	18	8%	8%	1	3	5	23
Giffard GMA	5,689	5,689	0	5,689	-	5,689	1,316	23%	23%	0	93	140	1,456
Glenormiston GMA	2,698	2,636	0	2,636	-	2,636	1,337	50%	51%	62	35	53	1,390
Jan Juc GMA ¹³	14,250	14,250	0	14,250	-	14,250	2,003	14%	14%	0	4	6	2,009
Lancefield GMA	1,485	1,378	0	1,378	-	1,378	184	12%	13%	107	35	53	237
Leongatha GMA	6,500	1,813	0	1,813	-	1,813	41	1%	2%	4,687	29	44	85
Merrimu GMA	451	8	0	8	-	8	0	0%	0%	443	8	12	12
Moe GMA	8,200	3,762	0	3,762	-	3,762	218	3%	6%	4,438	74	111	329
Moorabbin GMA	2,700	2,624	0	2,624	-	2,624	769	28%	29%	76	171	257	1,026
Nepean GMA ⁸	6,110	6,110	0	6,109	-	6,109	3,129	51%	51%	0	1,827	1,827	4,956
Newlingrook GMA	1,977	1,958	0	1,958	-	1,958	26	1%	1%	19	1	2	28
Orbost GMA	1,217	1,217	0	1,217	-	1,217	18	1%	1%	0	2	3	21
Paaratte GMA	4,606	3,159	0	3,159	-	3,159	318	7%	10%	1,447	1	2	320
Portland GMA	7,795	7,794	0	7,794	-	7,794	2,346	30%	30%	1	2	3	2,349
Rosedale GMA ⁸^{, 14}	22,372	22,272	0	18,441	-	18,441	8,106	36%	36%	100	130	195	8,301
South West Limestone GMA ¹⁵^{, 16}	n/a	81,173	23,655	81,227	-	104,882	32,926	n/a	41%	n/a	1,579	2,369	35,295
Stratford GMA ⁸^{, 14}	27,686	37,434	0	20,452	-	20,452	19,238	69%	51%	n/a	13	26	19,264
Tarwin GMA	1,300	58	0	58	-	58	8	1%	14%	1,242	220	330	338
Wa De Lock GMA ⁸^{, 10}	30,795	29,124	0	29,292	-	29,292	1,965	6%	7%	1,671	244	366	2,331
Wandin Yallock GMA	3,027	3,025	0	3,025	-	3,025	457	15%	15%	2	36	54	511
Wy Yung GMA ⁸	7,463	7,462	0	7,462	-	7,462	177	2%	2%	1	8	12	189
Water supply protection areas
Condah WSPA	7,475	7,470	0	7,470	-	7,470	2,679	36%	36%	5	67	101	2,780
Deutgam WSPA ¹⁷	5,100	5,082	0	2,540	-	2,540	210	4%	4%	18	39	59	269
Glenelg WSPA ¹⁶	33,262	16,092	0	17,376	-	17,376	5,880	18%	37%	17,170	296	444	6,324
Koo Wee Rup WSPA	12,915	12,566	0	12,584	-	12,584	2,868	22%	23%	349	423	635	3,503
Sale WSPA	21,238	21,203	0	21,088	-	21,088	4,434	21%	21%	35	228	342	4,776
Warrion WSPA	14,086	14,073	0	14,186	-	14,186	2,419	17%	17%	13	107	161	2,580
Yarram WSPA	25,690	25,688	0	25,688	-	25,688	5,932	23%	23%	2	251	377	6,309
Outside management unit
Outside management units - Southern Rural Water ¹⁰	n/a	70,945	0	72,001	-	72,001	9,202	n/a	13%	n/a	3,915	5,873	15,075
Total 2021-22		953,312	66,055	896,782	(380)	962,456	259,321		27%	61,084	18,205	30,420	289,741
Total 2020-21		948,282	66,579	892,496	(458)	958,618	345,877		36%	61,289	18,637	31,152	377,033

Show notes

Figure 6: Urban groundwater use by groundwater catchment (ML)

Figure 6: Urban groundwater use by groundwater catchment (ML)

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Figure 7: Irrigation groundwater use by groundwater catchment (ML)

Figure 7: Irrigation groundwater use by groundwater catchment (ML)

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Compliance

Compliance against groundwater entitlements is reported in these accounts in three areas:

entitlement issued: the volume of entitlements (not applicable for domestic and stock groundwater use) issued in a GMU (either a WSPA or a GMA) does not exceed the PCV
water taken: the volume of groundwater taken under entitlements during the year does not exceed the total groundwater available to licence holders in that year
bulk entitlement provisions: holders of entitlements do not breach any provisions that are documented in their bulk entitlement orders.

PCV compliance is not assessed in the following five GMUs:

Upper Ovens WSPA: a PCV is not required because the management plan prevents additional entitlements or an increase in entitlement volume from being issued, except by trade.
Shepparton Irrigation Region GMA: there is no PCV as there is no limit on the total volume of shallow groundwater entitlement available.
West Goulburn GMA: there is no PCV, but there are individual zone caps set; the total recorded use in the West Goulburn GMA in 2021-22 was 991 ML, 33% of the total licensed volume.
South West Limestone GMA: the PCV has not been gazetted. The South West Limestone GMA includes the area of the former Nullawarre WSPA, Yangery WSPA, Hawkesdale GMA and Heywood GMA and the areas outside the former GMUs but included within the South West Limestone GMA area. The PCVs for the four GMUs have not been revoked and still apply. PCV volumes are Nullawarre 22,741 ML, Yangery 14,352 ML, Hawkesdale 16,161 ML and Heywood 8,500 ML.
Stratford GMA: current compliance assessment criteria are not applicable. Coal mine licences physically in the area are not assigned to the Stratford GMA.

For West Wimmera GMA, Wy Yung GMA, Nepean GMA, Rosedale GMA, Stratford GMA and Wa De Lock GMA, the PCV that applies is the sum of the PCVs for all zones within each GMA.

Key points on compliance against entitlements

Licensed entitlement volume

The licensed entitlement volume did not exceed the relevant gazetted PCV for each GMU, where compliance can be assessed (explanations above).

Total volume of licensed groundwater

The total volume of licensed groundwater used in each GMU was within the volume available for the year.

Individual bulk entitlements

Individual bulk entitlement holders complied with all provisions in their entitlements.

Trade

Groundwater can be traded via the trade of take and use licences. Outside of declared water systems, take and use licences allow water to be taken from unregulated surface water systems or groundwater to be used on the land defined in the licence.

Note: Surface water trade is covered on the state-wide surface water page.

For further information:

An introduction to the water trading framework in Victoria can be found in How is water managed?.
A more detailed breakdown of water trade for 2021-22 can be found in the Victorian Water Trading 2021–22 Annual Report.

Groundwater trade

Trades as part of land transfers were the most common type of groundwater take and use licence trade.

In 2021-22 (Table 4, Figure 8):

the volume of temporary groundwater trade was 15,399 ML, lower than in the previous year
the volume of permanent groundwater trade (not as part of a land transfer) was 4,121 ML, higher than in the previous year
most trades of groundwater take and use licences were as part of land transfers, with 365 trades amounting to 49,193 ML. This is a lower volume of entitlement across a slightly larger number of trades than in the previous year.

Table 4: Trade of groundwater take and use licences in groundwater management units

Region	Temporary trade	Permanent trade (not as part of a land transfer)	Trade as part of a land transfer
Northern Victoria	9,333	62	2,633	32	28,609	182
Southern Victoria	3,292	42	1,238	25	15,834	174
Western Victoria	2,774	13	250	1	4,750	9
Total 2021-22	15,399	117	4,121	58	49,193	365
Total 2020-21	22,031	189	2,862	60	51,348	355

There was more temporary trade of groundwater take and use licences than permanent trade of groundwater take and use licences. In all trade types, most trade of groundwater occurred in Northern Victoria, with a sizeable proportion of trade occurring in Southern Victoria and a smaller number of trades in Western Victoria.

There was more trade in groundwater take and use licences than trade in surface take and use licences. For information on surface water trade see the state-wide surface water page.

Surface water

This is water that occurs or flows on land. Explore the reports on statewide surface water availability, use, compliance and trade for 2021-22.

Explore

Groundwater

On this page:

About groundwater

2021-22 overview

Restrictions on use

GMU changes

Water use

Groundwater level trends

2021-22 groundwater level trends

Table 1: Groundwater level trends

Response to water availability

Groundwater restrictions

Water use

2021-22 summary

Use by type

Table 2: Groundwater diverted for different consumptive uses (ML)

Entitlements and compliance

Entitlements

Available water and take

Groundwater entitlement and groundwater taken for consumptive use

Table 3: Groundwater entitlement and groundwater taken for consumptive use

Figure 6: Urban groundwater use by groundwater catchment (ML)

Figure 7: Irrigation groundwater use by groundwater catchment (ML)

Compliance

Key points on compliance against entitlements

Licensed entitlement volume

Total volume of licensed groundwater

Individual bulk entitlements

Trade

Groundwater trade

Table 4: Trade of groundwater take and use licences in groundwater management units

Read more

Surface water

Victorian Water Accounts 2021-22

DEECA services

Connect with us

Region	Temporary trade		Permanent trade (not as part of a land transfer)		Trade as part of a land transfer
Region	Volume (ML)	Number of trades	Volume (ML)	Number of trades	Volume (ML)	Number of trades
Northern Victoria	9,333	62	2,633	32	28,609	182
Southern Victoria	3,292	42	1,238	25	15,834	174
Western Victoria	2,774	13	250	1	4,750	9
Total 2021-22	15,399	117	4,121	58	49,193	365
Total 2020-21	22,031	189	2,862	60	51,348	355

Groundwater

On this page:

About groundwater

2021-22 overview

Restrictions on use

GMU changes

Water use

Groundwater level trends

2021-22 groundwater level trends

Table 1: Groundwater level trends

Response to water availability

Groundwater restrictions

Water use

2021-22 summary

Use by type

Irrigation/commercial

Urban use

Power generation use

Domestic and stock use

Table 2: Groundwater diverted for different consumptive uses (ML)

Entitlements and compliance

Entitlements

Available water and take

Groundwater entitlement and groundwater taken for consumptive use

Table 3: Groundwater entitlement and groundwater taken for consumptive use

Figure 6: Urban groundwater use by groundwater catchment (ML)

Figure 7: Irrigation groundwater use by groundwater catchment (ML)

Compliance

Key points on compliance against entitlements

Licensed entitlement volume

Total volume of licensed groundwater

Individual bulk entitlements

Trade

Groundwater trade

Table 4: Trade of groundwater take and use licences in groundwater management units

Read more

Surface water

Victorian Water Accounts 2021-22

DEECA services

Connect with us