DROUGHT SITUATION REPORT
DECEMBER 1997
December proved to be a good month for rainfall for many
areas of the State with above average totals occurring across much of North
Queensland. These falls were largely due to an active monsoon trough and the
presence of Cyclone Sid in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Channel Country and
parts of the far south-west missed out rainfall altogether and some areas in
South and South East Queensland received isolated scattered storms which have
done little to alleviate the persistent dry conditions. Rainfall in Central
Queensland was also patchy with very little useful rainfall recorded around
Emerald. Conversely, many of the drought affected shires received good falls
of rain which will generate pasture response and assist summer crop growth.
Generally, much of the State, with the exception of the far north, requires
good rainfall within the next two months to promote pasture growth and replenish
soil moisture and water levels. At the end of December, 21 shires and 2 part
shires remain drought declared along with 605 Individually Droughted Properties
(IDP+s) in 36 other shires. These declarations represent approximately 10% of
the land area of the State or 10, 988 out of the 55,545 Department of Primary
Industries registered livestock enterprises.
RAINFALL
North Region: Excellent rainfall occurred across much
of the Region. Totals recorded during the month include: Atherton 227mm, Babinda
576mm, Innisfail 443mm, Tully 577mm, Cairns 382mm, Townsville 401mm, Bowen 182mm,
Charters Towers 85mm, Herberton 223mm, Malanda 208mm, Greenvale 228mm, Georgetown
247mm, Burketown 426mm, Croydon 260mm and Normanton 313mm. West Region: Useful
rainfall was received across much of the Region with the exception of the Channel
Country and the far south-west. During the month Quilpie received 41mm, Birdsville
14mm, Charleville 135mm, Blackall 166mm, Augathella 87mm, Longreach 67mm, Muttaburra
140mm, Winton 77mm, Hughenden 112mm, Richmond 101mm, Cloncurry 167mm, Julia
Creek 145mm and Mt Isa 68mm. Central Region: Rainfall in the Region was patchy
but useful totals were recorded in many centres. Totals for the month include
Alpha 81mm, Blackwater 79mm, Clermont 144mm, Emerald 25mm, Dingo 144mm, Springsure
127mm, Mackay 210mm, Marlborough 150mm, Rockhampton 89mm, Banana 48mm, Biloela
74mm, Theodore 13mm, Miriam Vale 92mm and Gladstone 74mm. South East Region:
Although widespread rainfall occurred in the Region some individual falls were
not adequate enough to promote pasture response. Totals include: Eidsvold 41mm,
Gayndah 16mm, Gympie 93mm, Mundubbera 88mm, Esk 117mm, Kingaroy 122mm, Kilkivan
72mm, Murgon 40mm, Nanango 151mm, Gatton 175mm and Beaudesert 163mm. On the
coastal fringe Bundaberg received 49mm, Maryborough 95mm and Tewantin 120mm.
South Region: December produced scattered rainfall throughout much of the Region
although many centres received useful totals. In some areas rainfall was inconsistent
and consequently dry conditions persist. Dalby received 119mm, Bell 44mm, Oakey
77mm, Jondaryan 50mm, Toowoomba 93mm, Inglewood 102mm, Pittsworth 39mm, Clifton
86mm, Warwick 96mm, Stanthorpe 68mm, Roma 120mm, Goondiwindi 108mm, St George
41mm, and Dirrinbandi 20mm.
LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES
North Region: Useful rainfall across much of the Region
during the month has resulted in good pasture response on most properties and
stock condition has improved accordingly. Whilst most areas have received adequate
rainfall to improve pasture and water supplies, some areas have received only
minor falls and consequently require follow up within the next two months to
ensure a good season during 1998. West Region: Most of the Region with the exception
of the Channel Country and the far south-west experienced useful storm rain
during the month. This has resulted in good pasture growth in many areas and
stock condition has responded accordingly. Conversely, stock condition around
Quilpie continues to decline as pastures become denuded due to lack of effective
rainfall. The Charleville and Blackall areas continue to experience an excellent
season with stock varying from good to excellent condition. Generally much of
the Region still requires prolonged rainfall prior to the end of February to
secure a season. Central Region: Reasonable rainfall across much of the Region
during the month has continued to relieve dry conditions in many areas, but
exceptions still remain, particularly in north-eastern and coastal areas. Stock
condition is holding or improving in many areas, with the exception of the dry
areas mentioned previously. Pasture quality has improved in many areas, with
green pick coming away quickly. Quantity is still a problem in some areas and
further rainfall is needed to build a body of feed for the new year. South East
Region: The good rainfall experienced in most areas of the Region during the
last two months has ensured that the condition of stock is now being maintained
or improving on many properties. There are however areas in the Widgee and Kilkivan
Shires where both store stock and breeders are finding it difficult to maintain
condition. Drought feeding is still occurring on a number of properties but
if present conditions continue it would be expected that drought feeding will
decrease. Generally most of the Region requires good rainfall within the next
two months to continue pasture growth. South Region: Late spring rain has generated
good pasture growth across much of the Region and this has enabled stock in
most areas to maintain average to above body condition. Unfortunately prevailing
dry conditions in the St George/Dirranbandi area have resulted in a continued
decline in the condition of most stock. Drought feeding has all but ceased on
the eastern Darling Downs due to good pasture growth although further rainfall
is required during January/February to secure a season. In western parts of
the Waggamba Shire and southern parts of the Balonne Shire some properties were
on the verge of drought feeding but they have had a short reprieve due to recent
rain.
CROPPING AND HORTICULTURE
North Region: Good rain in the Bowen area during the last
two weeks of December has enabled some farmers to plant late season forage sorghum
which will be used to make hay. The mango and vegetable harvests near completion
with the recent rain affecting quality to some extent. The Mareeba district
and the Atherton Tablelands received good rainfall during the month which delayed
the mango harvest but enabled maize and other summer crops to be planted. The
sugar cane growing areas also received good rainfall which will boost the prospects
of next season+s crop. Central Region: The patchy nature of the rainfall experienced
in the Region to date has resulted in considerable variations in soil moisture
levels, although in many cases there has been sufficient rain to either plant
or enable planting on the next rainfall event. Farmers who planted earlier crops
and received rainfall during the month should reap the benefits of improved
yields at harvest. The recent rainfall also enabled many farmers to plant mungbean
and sorghum crops although some farmers have opted to fallow country and retain
soil moisture for winter wheat. South East Region: The planting of summer crops
has nearly all but finished in the Region with large areas sown to peanuts,
corn, sorghum and beans. Unfortunately grain growers in the Coalstoun Lakes
district have not had enough rain for planting and require rainfall urgently
to enable the planting of summer crops. In the sugar growing areas, harvesting
is now complete and the main focus is on the performance of recently planted
crops and the progress of ratoon crops. In the Gatton district, wetter than
expected conditions have played havoc with lucerne growing and the potato harvest.
In the Bundaberg district dry conditions have prevailed and consequently sub-soil
moisture levels are very low. South Region: Due to the widespread rain over
the last two months there has been a good start to the summer crop season across
much of the Darling Downs. There have been large plantings of dryland and irrigated
cotton and sorghum with sunflowers and corn being sown on the eastern Downs.
The hot humid weather has assisted the growth of the cotton crop, however the
high temperatures have had a deleterious affect on the effectiveness of chemicals.
Grain sorghum crops have been planted this month in the Maranoa and cooler than
usual Spring conditions in the Granite Belt should result in substantial increases
in apple and stonefruit crop yields.
WATER STORAGE/SUPPLIES
North Region: Rainfall during the month resulted in good
flows in many of the Region+s watercourses. Consequently there has been some
inflow into controlled and uncontrolled storages and many stock waters have
been replenished. There has been no recorded rise in underground supplies and
levels remain variable from one area to the next. Widespread prolonged rainfall
is needed across the north to replenish underground and surface water supplies.
West Region: Rainfall during the month caused some localised flooding along
the Paroo River and replenished many surface water supplies in other areas.
Consequently most stock water supplies are adequate for the short term although
prolonged rainfall is required in the Quilpie area to guarantee supplies for
1998. The Region+s regulated storages have adequate supplies for the forseeable
future and there have no reports of shortages in underground supplies. Central
Region: Rainfall during the latter part of the month produced some good low
flow events in nearly all streams in the Pioneer Valley and north to Proserpine.
Similarly minor flows in the southern part of the Region increased storage capacities
in many regulated storages in that area. The coastal areas near Rockhampton
continue to miss out on significant rain and ground water levels are now declining
along all sections of the Don & Dee Rivers. Ground water levels around Rockhampton
are currently at their lowest recorded levels and are continuing to decline.
Similarly, in the Mackay district ground water levels are continuing to fall
due to lack of significant recharge and increased demand. South East Region:
There were some good flows in the Boyne River at Mundubbera and some of it+s
tributaries during the month. Three Moon Creek and the upper reaches of Monal
Creek at Monto also had minor flows. Unfortunately the catchments that have
received rainfall have not contributed significantly to increased water levels
in the Region+s regulated storages. Barkers and Meandu Creeks, (below Nanango)
recorded flows during the month as did Cooyar Creek. Conversely, the Gympie
district is still experiencing extreme problems with the lack of irrigation
water. Generally ground water supplies have not improved in any district and
remain variable throughout the Region. South Region: The majority of stock and
domestic supplies in the Region are secure for the immediate future although
the levels of most aquifer systems continue to decline. Ground water pumping
restrictions remain in force 12hrs/day in Warwick, Clifton, and part of Cambooya
Shires. During the month there were good flows in the Border River system as
well the Condamine and Balonne Rivers. The Region+s major controlled storages
are in satisfactory condition and many farmers with water harvesting capability
have had sufficient pumping opportunity to replenish offstream storages.
OUTLOOK
The average SOI for December was -10.8, while the average
SOI for the 30 days ending 7 January was -6.6. The SOI trend during November
- December was phase 1 (ie. consistently negative). Climate forecasts suggest
that the probabilities of obtaining median rainfall during the January - March
period are 20 - 40% over most of the eastern half of Australia. That is , in
years when the SOI trend was similar to the present one, median rainfall was
received in 2-in-10 to 4-in-10 years depending on location. The main exceptions
are parts of southern Queensland and the eastern section of central Queensland
where probabilities are 40-60%. Sea surface temperatures (SST) remain much warmer
than normal in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. However, they
are now normal in the Coral Sea and warmer-than-normal around most of the Australian
coast, which may reduce the effects of the El Nino in some areas. The next passage
of the 30-50 day Oscillation is due about the first week of February.
Information provided by:
REGIONAL DELIVERY
Enquiries to: Ros Moloney
Primary Industries Building, 80 Ann Street, GPO Box 46, Brisbane Q 4001
Telephone: (07) 3239 3181
Facsimile: (07) 3239 3454
National Agricultural Monitoring System (NAMS)
 |
The National Agricultural Monitoring System (NAMS) provides current and historical climate, production, pasture and commodity information for agricultural industries at the national, state and regional scales, in user-friendly graphs and maps. NAMS is primarily designed to streamline Exceptional Circumstances drought assistance applications and assessments. NAMS can be accessed at www.nams.gov.au. This web-based tool is funded by the Australian, State and Territory governments and contains modelled analyses provided by Queensland Departments of Natural Resources & Water and Primary Industries & Fisheries. |
|
