Increased Allocations Announced for all Northern Victorian Systems

Determination Data

Seasonal determinations for northern Victoria regulated river systems.

Further Information

Goulburn-Murray Water (G-MW), Resource Manager for northern Victorian water systems, today announced increased seasonal allocations for all Northern Victorian water systems.

The Murray system has an allocation of 57% of high-reliability water shares (HRWS), which is an increase of 34%. The Goulburn system allocation increased by 15% to be 41% HRWS.

The Broken system allocation is 100% HRWS, which is an increase of 79%. The Campaspe system allocation has risen from 21% to 90% HRWS, and the allocation in the Loddon system improved by 15% to be 41% HRWS. The seasonal allocation in the Bullarook system is now 100% HRWS and 100% of low reliability water shares. This is the first time that the Bullarook system has received the maximum possible allocation since the 2005/06 season.

Inflows caused by continuing rainfall on already wet catchments have produced the improvements announced today, explained G-MW's Acting Resource Manager, Mark Bailey. "The weather systems that have crossed northern Victoria in recent months have brought consistent rainfall, which has not happened for several years," said Dr Bailey. "Soils across the catchments are wet again, and many areas are now saturated, which allows runoff to occur very quickly after rain. We have seen a number of the smaller G MW storages fill to capacity, and any runoff that cannot be harvested is moving through the river systems and ultimately reaching the River Murray."

With the Goulburn system allocation exceeding 30% HRWS, G-MW has started to build a reserve for the 2011/12 season's system operating requirements. "The Goulburn reserve is an action from the Northern Region Sustainable Water Strategy," said Dr Bailey. "The 41% HRWS allocation announced for the Goulburn system today means that over half of the reserve has already been established. When a 50% HRWS allocation is achieved, the reserve will be complete and all future resource improvements will be directed towards allocation improvements."

Customers participating in the water trading market are reminded that the Murray-Darling Basin Authority has relaxed the rule controlling allocation trade from upstream of the Barmah Choke to downstream users. The ability to trade across the Barmah Choke will be regularly reviewed by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the relaxation may be lifted at any time during the season.