Update of seasonal determinations for 2014/15

Determination Data

Seasonal determinations for northern Victoria regulated river systems.

Further Information

For the first time in 15 years the Goulburn and Loddon systems have reached 100 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) on August 1.

Resource Manager for northern Victoria Mark Bailey made the announcement today saying there has been continued good inflows to many of the major storages.

Entitlement holders in the Murray, Broken and Bullarook systems also received increased seasonal determinations in the latest announcement, with the Bullarook system receiving its first seasonal determination for the season.

The Murray system increases by eight per cent to 84 per cent of HRWS and the Goulburn and Loddon systems will increase by 10 per cent to 100 per cent HRWS.

Dr Bailey said the Broken system would increase by 12 per cent to 46 per cent HRWS and the Bullarook system would move from zero to 30 per cent HRWS.

"The seasonal determination improvements announced today have come from continued good inflows to many of the major storages across northern Victoria," Dr Bailey said.

"Recent rainfall has maintained catchment runoff and streamflows, particularly in the Murray and Goulburn systems."

The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Friday, August 1 are:Trading opportunities

Trading opportunities

Allocation trade from New South Wales (NSW) to Victoria is limited to the lesser of a net annual volume of 200 GL or the volume that keeps the risk of spill in the Murray system below 50 per cent.

With the risk of spill in the Victorian Murray system greater than 50 per cent, trade from NSW into Victoria is limited to the volume of trade out of Victoria to NSW. The availability of trade from NSW into the Victorian Murray system will be recalculated on August 11 and the 10th day (or following business day) of each month thereafter.

The volume owed to the Murray system from the Goulburn system's inter-valley trade account is currently above 200 GL. Trade from the Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems to the Victorian Murray, or to NSW and South Australia, is allowed while the total volume owed to the Murray is less than 200 GL.

The volume in the Broken system's inter-valley trade account is currently 1,500 ML. Trade from the Broken system is allowed when the balance of this account is less than 1,500 ML. Further trade opportunities within this limit will be created when the river operator calls out water to meet downstream demand during the season or if there is trade back into the Broken.

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 advised that the Murray-Darling Basin Authority has announced that the trading of water allocations from above the Barmah Choke to downstream of the choke will continue in the 2014/15 water year. 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

An updated probability of spill assessment for the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems will be announced on August 11. The next seasonal determination announcement will be released on August 15 and will include an updated seasonal outlook.

For further information go to www.nvrm.net.au, waterregister.vic.gov.au, www.mdba.gov.au and
www.g-mwater.com.au