The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today announced increases to 2016/17 seasonal determinations in all systems – except the Bullarook system which is already at 100 per cent.
The Murray system increases by 22 per cent to 83 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) and the Goulburn and Loddon systems increase by 16 per cent to 73 per cent HRWS.
The Campaspe system moves from 70 per cent to 100 per cent HRWS. The low-reliability water share (LRWS) seasonal determination in the Broken system has increased from 0 per cent to 14 per cent.
The Bullarook system remains unchanged at 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent LRWS.
Resource Manager Mark Bailey said rainfall continued to increase water resource availability across northern Victoria.
“The catchments are producing useful flows when it rains and these improvements have contributed to the increases announced today,” said Dr Bailey.
Dr Bailey also confirmed that pre-releases had continued from Lake Hume in September. “A volume of 65 gigalitres (GL), or approximately 43 per cent of the current spillable volume, will be deducted proportionally from spillable water accounts and environmental water accounts in the Murray system. Further deductions from spillable water accounts and environmental water accounts will occur in the future once the total spill volumes are confirmed,” said Dr Bailey.
The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Thursday, September 15.
| Murray |
100% |
0% |
| Broken |
100% |
14% |
| Goulburn |
100% |
0% |
| Campaspe |
100% |
0% |
| 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. As the risk of spill in the Murray system is above 50 per cent, trade from New South Wales to Victoria is limited to the volume traded from Victoria to New South Wales since August 1, 2016.
Trading opportunities from New South Wales to Victoria are next updated on October 10, 2016.
The Goulburn system’s inter-valley trade (IVT) account now owes about 185 GL to the Murray system. The Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems can trade to the Victorian Murray system, New South Wales and South Australia while the total volume owed to the Murray system is less than 200 GL.
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 2016/17 seasonal determination announcement will be released on Monday October 3, 2016.
- The next risk of spill update for the Murray and Campaspe systems will be released on Monday October 10, 2016.