Update of seasonal determinations for 2014/15

Determination Data

Seasonal determinations for northern Victoria regulated river systems.

Further Information

Update of seasonal determinations for 2014/15 

Resource Manager for northern Victoria Mark Bailey today announced increased seasonal determinations for the Murray, Broken and Bullarook systems.

The Murray system increases by six per cent to 90 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS).

The Broken system increases by six per cent to 52 per cent HRWS and the Bullarook system increases from 30 per cent HRWS to 100 per cent HRWS and 60 per cent low-reliability water shares (LRWS).

Seasonal determinations in the Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems stay at 100 per cent HRWS.

"Sustained inflows to the major northern Victorian water storages have generated the seasonal determination improvements announced today," Dr Bailey said.

"The catchments continue to produce useful runoff and streamflows despite little rain being recorded in recent days. Relatively small increases in the Bullarook storages were enough to trigger the large improvement in allocation availability."

Storages in the Murray and Goulburn systems also received healthy inflows.

"The seasonal determination for the Murray system rose on the strength of inflows and the Goulburn system is well on the way to establishing the operating reserves needed for next season," he said.

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 September 10 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 system.

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

The next seasonal determination announcement will be released on September 1. An updated probability of spill assessment for the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems will be announced on September 10.

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