Seasonal Determination update

Thursday 15 December, 2016

The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today announced the 2016/17 seasonal determinations in all systems remained unchanged.

With all systems at 100 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) the Resource Manager Mark Bailey also announced thousands of gigalitres had been reserved for the Murray and Goulburn systems for 2017/18.

Seasonal determinations in the Murray, Goulburn and Loddon systems stay at 100 per cent of high‑reliability water shares (HRWS). The Broken, Campaspe and Bullarook systems remain at 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent of low-reliability water shares (LRWS).

Resource Manager Mark Bailey said there had been an improvement in water resource availability in the Murray system, but little change in the Goulburn system since the last update on November 15.

“While northern Victoria has not seen significant inflow over the past month, the continued improvement of volumes in the Menindee Lakes is aiding the Murray system,” Dr Bailey said.

“With current volumes in storage and assumed inflows to the end of March 2018, there is 2,900 gigalitres available in the Murray system to supply system operating needs and high-reliability water shares in 2017/18.

“With a shortfall of 350 gigalitres to allocating low-reliability water shares, the Murray system has good volumes in reserve for 2017/18.

“The Goulburn system has 1,350 gigalitres reserved for 2017/18 system operating needs and seasonal determinations, with a shortfall of 580 gigalitres to announcing an allocation of low-reliability water shares in 2016/17."

The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Thursday, December 15 are:

Water System High-Reliability Water Share Low-Reliability Water Share
The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Thursday, December 15.
Murray 100% 0%
Broken 100% 100%
Goulburn 100% 0%
Campaspe 100% 100%
Loddon 100% 0%
Bullarook 100% 100%

Trading Opportunities

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

Trading opportunities from New South Wales to Victoria are next updated on January 10, 2017.

Trade to the Victorian Murray system, New South Wales and South Australia from the Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems is restricted as the total volume owed to the Murray system is greater than 200 GL. Trading will be available if backtrade occurs or when water from the Goulburn inter-valley trade account is delivered to the Murray system.

The Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems can trade from the Victorian Murray system, New South Wales and South Australia while the total volume owed to the Murray system is greater than zero.

Customers participating in the water trading market can monitor trade availability on the Water Register website.

The trading of water allocations from above the Barmah Choke to downstream of the Barmah Choke is restricted to protect the delivery of downstream water entitlements. Customers can monitor trading opportunities across the Barmah Choke on the Murray-Darling Basin Authority website. Trade from upstream of the Barmah Choke to downstream is restricted to backtrade, which is the volume of allocation trade from downstream of the Barmah Choke to upstream.

Upcoming Resource Manager Announcements

  • The next risk of spill update for the Murray system will be released on Tuesday 10 January 2017.
  • The next 2016/17 seasonal determination announcement will be released on Monday 16 January 2017.