The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today announced an update to the 2017/18 seasonal determinations.
The Murray system increases from 90 per cent to 98 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS).
The Goulburn system and the Loddon system both increase from 60 per cent to 71 per cent HRWS.
The low-reliability water share (LRWS) seasonal determination in the Campaspe system increases from 7 per cent to 16 per cent.
The Broken system increases from 27 per cent to 36 per cent HRWS.
The seasonal determination in the Bullarook system remains unchanged at 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent LRWS.
Resource Manager Mark Bailey said flows into the major storages continued to increase water resource availability across northern Victoria.
“The wet catchments are producing useful flows after rain,” Dr Bailey said.
“The increased seasonal determinations announced today have come from the steady improvement in storage volumes.”
Dr Bailey confirmed that Victoria could not store all the flows into its share of Lake Hume during August.
“Victoria’s share of Lake Hume filled in late August and 23 gigalitres of flow into the reservoir could not be stored," he said.
"Approximately 10 per cent of the spillable volume will be deducted proportionally from Murray system spillable water accounts and environmental water accounts.
“Further deductions from Murray system spillable water accounts and environmental water accounts are possible this season."
The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Friday, September 15.
| Murray |
98% |
0% |
| Broken |
36% |
0% |
| Goulburn |
71% |
0% |
| Campaspe |
100% |
16% |
| Loddon |
71% |
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. Trading opportunities are next updated on October 10, 2017.
The Goulburn system’s inter-valley trade (IVT) account owes about 240 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. Additional information about how trade opportunities are calculated has recently been added to the allocation trading page.
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has announced that trading of water allocations from above the Barmah Choke to downstream of the Choke is restricted to protect the delivery of downstream water entitlements. Customers can monitor trading opportunities across the Barmah Choke on the MDBA website.
Upcoming Resource Manager Announcements
- The next 2017/18 seasonal determination announcement including an updated outlook will be released on Monday 2 October 2017.
- The next risk of spill in the Murray and Campaspe systems will be issued on Tuesday 10 October 2017.