2013/14 Seasonal Determinations Update

Determination Data

Seasonal determinations for northern Victoria regulated river systems.

Further Information

The Resource Manager for northern Victorian regulated water systems today announced an update to the seasonal determinations for the 2013/14 season and current trading opportunities.

Seasonal Determinations

The seasonal determinations in all systems remain unchanged. The Campaspe system seasonal determination remains at 100% of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) and 46% of low-reliability water shares (LRWS).

The Murray, Goulburn and Loddon system seasonal determinations are unchanged at 100% HRWS. The Broken and Bullarook system seasonal determinations remain at 100% HRWS and 100% LRWS.

Dr Mark Bailey, Resource Manager, said there had been no significant changes in the available resources since the last assessment. “Operating requirements have been slightly lower than expected, but inflows to storages have remained very low. The shortfall to making seasonal determinations for low-reliability water shares in the Goulburn, Loddon and Murray systems has decreased, but not enough to make LRWS available. The shortfall in the Goulburn and Loddon systems is about 135 GL. The Murray system shortfall is about 560 GL.”

More information on the resource position and other contributing factors to the availability of low-reliability water shares for these systems is available at www.nvrm.net.au/allocations/lrws-explained.aspx

Trading Opportunities

Allocation trade from New South Wales to Victoria is limited to a net annual volume of 200 GL, or the volume that keeps the risk of spill in the Murray system below 50%, whichever is the lesser. The spill risk limit now allows more than 200 GL of trade. Therefore, the net annual volume of 200 GL applies for the rest of this season, unless advised otherwise.

The volume owed to the Murray system from the Goulburn system’s inter-valley trade account is about 70 GL. Trade from the Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems to the Victorian Murray, or to New South Wales and South Australia, is allowed while the total volume owed to the Murray is less than 200 GL. Customers participating in the water trading market can monitor trade availability on the Water Register website waterregister.vic.gov.au/water-trading/allocation-trading.

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 Murray-Darling Basin Authority will regularly review the ability to trade across the Barmah Choke and may lift the relaxation at any time during the season.

Murray Carryover Limit

Entitlement holders in the Murray system are reminded that from the end of the 2013/14 season, the limit on carryover will apply so that entitlement holders cannot carryover more than their full water share volume.

Upcoming Resource Manager Announcements

• The final seasonal determination announcement for the 2013/14 season will be issued on Tuesday 1 April 2014.

For information about the Resource Manager for northern Victorian regulated water systems, including seasonal determinations and resource availability, please visit www.nvrm.net.au .

The volumes returned from SWAs to ABAs are available from the Victorian Water Register (waterregister.vic.gov.au) using the “Unused Water” option. The status of Victorian shares of Murray storages is available at www.mdba.gov.au/what-we-do/managing-rivers/river-murray-system/water-sharing. Total volumes in Lake Hume, Lake Eildon and Lake Eppalock are reported at www.g mwater.com.au/water-resources/storage-levels .