Murray system trade opportunity update
The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today updated the 2022/23 trade opportunity from New South Wales to Victoria.
Resource Manager Mark Bailey said no additional volume is available for interstate trade.
“Victoria’s trading rules limit allocation trade from New South Wales to Victoria to the lesser of a net annual volume of 200 gigalitres or the volume that keeps the risk of spill of Victoria’s share of the Hume and Dartmouth reservoirs below 50 per cent,” Dr Bailey said.
“In late April, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority commenced releases from Lake Hume to manage airspace,” Dr Bailey said. “This means the spill risk is high and no additional volume can be made available for trade from New South Wales to Victoria.
Estimated risk of spill in 2023/24
“The risk of spill in the Goulburn and Murray systems in 2023/24 is currently greater than 90 per cent,” Dr Bailey said. “The risk in the Campaspe system is about 60 per cent.”
“Goulburn-Murray Water is releasing water from Lake Eildon to manage storage levels,” Dr Bailey added. “If releases for airspace management at Lake Eildon or Lake Hume occur after July 1, entitlement holders should anticipate deductions from spillable water accounts. The amount deducted will depend on flows into the storages and volume released to meet water orders.
“The Murray risk of spill is likely to be greater than 50 per cent on 1 July 2023, which will prevent allocation trade from New South Wales to Victoria at the start of the new water year.”
Dr Bailey reminded entitlement holders that the risk of spill assessment related to water accounting and did not describe the chances of flooding in the Murray, Goulburn or Campaspe systems.
Further information about the estimated risk of spill in 2023/24 is available on the Resource Manager Northern Victoria website www.nvrm.net.au
Next trade opportunity announcement
The opportunity for allocation trade is updated monthly with each risk of spill announcement. Customers can learn more about trade opportunities on the Victorian Water Register website
The Murray system trade opportunity will be updated on Monday June 12, 2023.
Visit the MDBA websitefor Victorian shares of Murray storages.