Irrigation occupies a very small portion of Australia - 5% of tilled agricultural lands - but produces 30% of all agricultural production. Agriculture uses 50-70% of the water consumed in Australia per annum and irrigation uses 90% of that. The vast majority of irrigated water use is controlled by regulations and licences. Irrigators need an authorised allocation to extract specified amounts of water from rivers or bores (groundwater) or from irrigation supply systems.