Supplying Perth, Western Australia with water: the Kimberley pipeline scheme

Fereidoun Ghassemi; Ian White

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511535697.011

9 - Supplying Perth, Western Australia with water: the Kimberley pipeline scheme

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2009

Fereidoun Ghassemi and

Ian White

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Fereidoun Ghassemi: Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
Ian White: Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

Although Western Australia has significant volumes of surface and groundwater resources, the volume of water that can be economically and sustainably harvested is a fraction of the total available resources. Nearly 90 percent of the State's surface water is allocated to the environment and significant volumes of groundwater are reserved to protect groundwater dependent ecosystems (Water and Rivers Commission, 2000, p. 1). The sustainable surface water yield of the State is about 5.2 × 109 m3 yr−1, while the sustainable groundwater yield is estimated to be 6.3 × 109 m3 yr−1. These estimates are regardless of water quality and include fresh, marginal and saline waters.

Water withdrawal at the beginning of the twentieth century was very low. It increased gradually and reached 250 × 106 m3 by 1960 when the State's population was about 750 000. Total withdrawal more than doubled between 1980 and 2000 (Figure 9.1) and is expected to double again by 2020 to around 3.6 × 109 m3, reflecting the predicted increase in population to a total of more than 2.7 million. In 1999–2000, irrigated agriculture used 40 percent of the State's water withdrawal, followed by: mining 24 percent; households 13 percent; services 7 percent; gardening 5 percent; parks 4 percent; industry 4 percent; and stock water 3 percent (Government of Western Australia, 2003, pp. 7 and 8).

Water demand for irrigated agriculture is expected to increase rapidly from about 0.7 × 109 m3 in 2000 to 1.6 × 109 m3 in 2020. This is also the case for the mining industry, with a predicted increase in demand from 0.42 × 109 m3 to 0.93 × 109 m3 over the same period.

Type: Chapter
Information: Inter-Basin Water Transfer
Case Studies from Australia, United States, Canada, China and India
, pp. 165 - 179

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511535697.011 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2007

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References

Berti, M. L., Bari, M. A., Charles, S. P. and Hauck, E. J. (2004). Climate Change, Runoff and Risks to Water Supply in the South-West of Western Australia. West Perth: Department of Environment.Google Scholar

Binnie & Partners Pty Ltd (1988). Water for the South-West in the Twenty-First Century: Water from the Kimberleys. Perth: Binnie & Partners Pty Ltd Consulting Engineers.

Environmental Protection Authority (2002). Perth Metropolitan Desalination Proposal. Perth: Environmental Protection Authority. Bulletin 1070.

Environmental Protection Authority (2004). Perth Metropolitan Desalination Proposal, Amendment of Implementation Conditions by Inquiry. Perth: Environmental Protection Authority. Bulletin 1137.

GHD (2002). Development of a Water Supply Pipeline from Kimberleys to Perth: Independent Review of Feasibility Studies. Adelaide: GHD Pty Ltd.

GHD (2004). Kimberley Pipeline Project: Sustainability Review. Adelaide: GHD Pty Ltd.

Gleick, P. H. (2000). The World's Water 2000–2001: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources. Washington D.C.: Island Press.Google Scholar

Government of Western Australia (2003). Securing our Water Future: A State Water Strategy for Western Australia. Perth: Government of Western Australia.

Infrastructure Development Corporation (1990). Development of a Water Pipeline, Kimberleys to Perth: Preliminary Feasibility and Economic Appraisal Study. Sydney: Infrastructure Development Corporation.

Kimberley Development Commission (2002). Annual Report for the Period Ended 30 June 2002. Kununurra, Western Australia: KDC.

Kimberley Pipeline Environmental Advisory Committee (1990). Report of the Kimberley Pipeline Environmental Advisory Committee to the Hon Ernie Bridge, JP, MLA Minister for Agriculture, Water Resources and the North West. Perth: KPEAC.

Ravine, P. and Crawford, T. (1990). The gravity aqueduct concept. In Kimberley Pipeline Environmental Advisory Committee. Perth: KPEAC, Appendix A, pp. 39–71.Google Scholar

Water and Rivers Commission (1997). The State of the Northern Rivers. East Perth: Water and Rivers Commission.

Water and Rivers Commission (2000). Western Australia Water Assessment 2000: Water Availability and Use. East Perth: Water and Rivers Commission.

Water Corporation (2000). Desalination: A Viable Resource–A Strategic Review of Desalination Use in Western Australia. Leederville, Western Australia: Water Corporation.

Water Corporation (2002). Planning for Perth's Water Needs. Leederville, Western Australia: Water Corporation.

Water Corporation (2004). New Solutions for a Changing World: Annual Report 2004. Leederville, Western Australia: Water Corporation.

Western Australian Water Resources Council (1988). Water for the 21st Century: Supply Options for the Long Term Water Requirements of Southern Western Australia. Leederville, Western Australia: Western Australian Water Resources Council. Volume 1: Main report; Volume 2 (1989): Appendices.

A. Groundwater resources of the South-west, Western Australia: publications of the Department of Environment, South West Region, Bunbury, W.A., July 2003:

Fact Sheet 1: Current investigations into groundwater in the South West.

Fact Sheet 2: Investigations into groundwater in the South West – a history.

Fact Sheet 3: The South West Yarragadee aquifer.

Fact Sheet 4: The Leederville aquifer.

Fact Sheet 5: The hydrology of the Blackwood River.

Fact Sheet 6: The 2003 drilling program on the Blackwood Plateau.

Fact Sheet 7: Geophysics investigations.

Fact Sheet 8: Aquifer water quality and salinity.

Fact Sheet 9: Recharge investigations.

Fact Sheet 10: Groundwater level trends in the South West.

Fact Sheet 11: Groundwater flow modelling.

B. Some of the articles and comments published in The West Australian regarding the Kimberley Pipeline Scheme's controversies:

–Other states should share pipe, 18 July 1990.

–Governments sink Bridge's pipeline, 20 July 1990.

–Piping water from the north, 18 March 1991.

–Report rules Bridge water plan too dear, 21 March 1991.

–Pipeline of doubt, 18 April 1991.

–Lawrence backs $8b water pipe, 18 March 1992.

–Pipe could aid regions, 19 March 1992.

–Calamity awaits us, 23 March 1992.

–Kimberley water pipe plan a folly, 26 March 1992.

–Geologists on wrong trail, 4 April 1992.

–Ord alternatives are worth study, 8 April 1992.

–Hidden lake may be water saviour, 8 June 1992.

–Big water finds kept from public, 27 June 1992.

–Bridge denies he hid water details, 29 June 1992.

–Discovery to satisfy thirst for expansion, 30 June 1992.

–First a pipeline for us, 2 July 1992.

–Bridge adds to water confusion, 2 July 1992.

–Bridge: I knew all about lake, 3 July 1992.

–Underground water find erodes Kimberley pipeline plan, 4 July 1992.

–Water: debate policies, 7 July 1992.

–Pipeline plan under new fire, 8 July 1982.