Seasonal Determinations for 2013/14 Updated

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 Broken system seasonal determination is 56% of high-reliability water shares (HRWS), an increase of 11%. The Campaspe system seasonal determination is 100% HRWS and 13% low-reliability water shares (LRWS), an increase of 13% LRWS. The Bullarook system seasonal determination is 100% HRWS and 100% LRWS, an increase of 48% HRWS and 100% LRWS.

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

"The increases in seasonal determinations announced today have been possible because recent rain has provided useful inflows to the northern Victorian storages," said Dr Mark Bailey, Resource Manager. "An increase in the volume held in the Bullarook system storages has been the main contributor to the large seasonal determination increase in this system."

"Pre-releases from Lake Hume continued during September and the total volume spilled from Victoria’s share of Lake Hume during the month is expected to be about 200 gigalitres (GL). A volume of 100 GL will be deducted proportionally from spillable water accounts and environmental water accounts in the Murray system with this seasonal determination update, prior to the total spill volume being confirmed in early October. Once confirmed, the remaining volume spilled will be deducted on 15 October."

Dr Bailey added, "No spills have yet occurred from Lake Eildon in the Goulburn system or from Lake Eppalock in the Campaspe system. However, the risk of spill is high in both systems."

Trading Opportunities

With the probability of spill in the Victorian Murray system greater than 50%, the volume of trade into Victoria from New South Wales is limited to the volume of trade from Victoria to New South Wales. The availability of trade into Victoria from New South Wales will be reassessed on 10 October 2013 and the 10th day (or following business day) of each month thereafter.

The volume of water owed to the Murray system from the Goulburn system in the inter-valley trade account is 200 GL. Trade will not be allowed from the Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems to the Victorian Murray, or to New South Wales and South Australia until the volume of water 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 http://waterregister.vic.gov.au/Public/Reports/InterValley.aspx.

These trade limits are part of the trade controls announced in November 2012 to prevent trade impacting on new season allocations.

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.

Upcoming Resource Manager Announcements

• The probability of spill in the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems will be updated on Thursday 10 October 2013
• The next seasonal determination announcement will be released on Tuesday 15 October 2013.

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 in Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe spillable water accounts 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.