The Northern Victoria Resource Manager today updated 2018/19 seasonal determinations and outlooks.
The Murray system moves from 41 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) to 47 per cent HRWS.
The Goulburn system and the Loddon system increase from 32 per cent HRWS to 34 per cent HRWS.
The Campaspe system remains at 100 per cent HRWS.
Seasonal determinations in the Broken system and the Bullarook system remain at 0 per cent HRWS.
Resource Manager Mark Bailey said there had been improvements in the volume of water available.
“The increases announced today came from a couple of sources,” Dr Bailey said.
“The carryover volume in the Murray system was slightly lower than the provisional volume assumed for the season-opening assessment. The reopening of the Victorian Water Register confirmed the lower carryover volume, which increased the amount available for seasonal determination.
“Each of the systems had some minor correction to carryover volumes, but only the Murray benefitted from the change.
“Some minor improvements came from streamflows exceeding our forecasts.
“The catchments are responding to rain, but we need more rain to increase storage levels and see higher seasonal determinations.”
Dr Bailey noted the climate outlooks are favouring drier conditions.
“The latest Bureau of Meteorology seasonal outlook indicates below-average rainfall across all of northern Victoria is more likely during the August to October period,” Dr Bailey said.
“The Bureau also says there is a 50 per cent chance that an El Niño event will develop in spring.”
The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Monday, July 16 are:
| Murray |
47% |
0% |
| Broken |
0% |
0% |
| Goulburn |
34% |
0% |
| Campaspe |
100% |
0% |
| Loddon |
34% |
0% |
| Bullarook |
0% |
0% |
Trading Opportunities
Allocation trade from New South Wales to Victoria is limited to the lesser of a net annual volume of 200 GL or a volume that keeps the risk of spill in the Murray system below 50 per cent. As the risk of spill in the Murray system is above 50 per cent, trade from New South Wales to Victoria is limited to the volume traded from Victoria to New South Wales.
Trading opportunities from New South Wales to Victoria are next updated on 10 August 2018.
The Goulburn system’s inter-valley trade (IVT) account owes about 233 GL to the Murray system. The Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems can trade to the Victorian Murray system, New South Wales and South Australia while the total volume owed to the Murray system is less than 200 GL.
The Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems can trade from the Victorian Murray system, New South Wales and South Australia while the total volume owed to the Murray system is greater than zero.
Customers participating in the water trading market can monitor trade availability on the Victorian Water Register website. Additional information about how trade opportunities are calculated has recently been added to the allocation trading page.
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is restricting trade of water allocations from above the Barmah Choke to downstream of the Choke to protect the delivery of downstream water entitlements. Customers can monitor trading opportunities across the Barmah Choke on the MDBA website.
Upcoming Resource Manager Announcements
- The next 2018/19 seasonal determination announcement will be released on Wednesday 1 August 2018.
- The next risk of spill in the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems will be issued on Friday 10 August 2018.