LATEST WATER STATISTICS NOW AVAILABLE TO QUEENSLANDERS

Water Minister Craig Wallace today announced that up-to-the-hour water monitoring information is now available to Queenslanders via the internet.

Minister Wallace said the Department of Natural Resources and Water’s (NRW) website had been upgraded to allow public access to latest statistics on water monitoring.

The department operates a statewide monitoring network of approximately 400 monitoring stations to collect, manage and deliver data on the quantity and quality of freshwater in Queensland’s streams and aquifers.

"The data from most of these stations can be remotely accessed via telemetry systems and includes stream height, flow and water quality information.

"For example, Brisbane residents can access the latest data from the Brisbane River gauging station at Savages Crossing and find out that by midnight last night the river had reached a daily volume of 380 megalitres," Mr Wallace said.

"On a larger scale, the Mary River shows 27,000 megalitres passed the Mary River stream gauging station at Home Park over a 24 hour period on January 15, 2008. This compares with 400 megalitres at the same gauging station on December 27, 2007.

"Users can search by region, catchment, stream or water resource plan.

"Local governments, regional management bodies, agricultural groups, service providers and the public have been seeking greater access to water monitoring data," Mr Wallace said.

"This new on-line service delivers on this request."

The data can be found at www.nrw.qld.gov.au/water/monitoring/current_data.

Media enquiries: Clare Gillic 3896 3688.