Allocations Increase Following Flooding Rains

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 the Murray, Goulburn, Campaspe, and Loddon water systems.

The Murray system allocation has increased by 37% to be 94% of high-reliability water shares (HRWS).

The Goulburn and Loddon system allocations have both increased to 67% HRWS from 41% HRWS. The Campaspe system allocation is 100% HRWS, which is a 10% increase and the highest allocation in the system since the 2004/05 season.

The seasonal allocations for the Broken and Bullarook systems remained unchanged. The Broken system allocation is 100% HRWS, and the Bullarook system allocation is 100% HRWS plus 100% of low-reliability water shares.

The rainfall that caused major flooding across northern Victoria contributed to the allocation improvements announced today by G-MW's Acting Resource Manager, Mark Bailey. "The rain that fell on the weekend of 4-5 September resulted in the largest increases in storage volumes for more than a decade," said Dr Bailey. "Twelve months ago, the Murray allocation was 13% HRWS, the Goulburn allocation was 7% HRWS and there was no allocation in the other systems. Now, there has been flooding in several rivers, a number of the smaller G-MW storages have filled to capacity and three systems have the maximum allocation of high‑reliability water shares. The larger storages still have capacity to harvest inflows from future rainfall, but the resource position has improved very rapidly."

With the Goulburn system allocation exceeding 50% HRWS, G-MW has finalised the reserve for system operating requirements in the 2011/12 season. "All future resource improvements in the Goulburn system will be directed towards allocation improvement," said Dr Bailey. "The establishment of the Goulburn reserve provides some certainty for operations next year."

2010/11 Outlooks

The 2010/11 outlooks presented below have been updated for the Murray, Goulburn and Loddon systems on the basis of the resource improvements across recent months. Outlooks for the Broken and Campaspe systems have not been provided, as these systems have 100% allocation of high‑reliability water shares.

Outlooks will be updated on the 15^th day of each month until allocations reach 100% HRWS.

The following terminology is used in the tables:

            ‘Wet'               - Inflow volumes that have 1 chance in 10 of being exceeded

            ‘Average'         - Inflow volumes that have 5 chances in 10 of being exceeded

            ‘Dry'                - Inflow volumes that have 9 chances in 10 of being exceeded

Murray System

Goulburn and Loddon Systems

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.