Seasonal determinations update for 2017/18

Monday 15 January, 2018

The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today updated the 2017/18 seasonal determinations.

The low-reliability water shares (LRWS) seasonal determination in the Campaspe system increased from 49 per cent to 52 per cent. The Campaspe system also has 100 per cent high-reliability water shares (HRWS).

The seasonal determinations in the Murray, Goulburn and Loddon systems remain unchanged at 100 per cent HRWS. The Broken and Bullarook systems remain at 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent LRWS.

Resource Manager Mark Bailey said lower operating requirements in recent weeks had increased resource availability across northern Victoria.

“Actual evaporation and river losses were lower than estimated in the Campaspe system, which improved resource availability and enabled the seasonal determination to increase,” Dr Bailey said.

“Further resource improvements from the rain in early December have reduced the shortfall to a low-reliability water share seasonal determination in the Murray system.

“The current shortfall to a low-reliability water share seasonal determination in the Murray system is about 380 GL.

“The shortfall in the Goulburn system is about 790 GL.

“The closure of these shortfalls during 2017/18 will depend on further resource improvement through the reduction of current commitments and strong storage inflows.”

Water System High-Reliability Water Share Low-Reliability Water Share
The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Monday, January 15.
Murray 100% 0%
Broken 100% 100%
Goulburn 100% 0%
Campaspe 100% 52%
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 trade limit allows 200 GL of net trade from New South Wales to Victoria.

The Goulburn system’s inter-valley trade (IVT) account owes about 274 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.

Deliveries of Goulburn system IVT to support Murray system operations commenced in early January. The volume delivered to the Murray system depends heavily on seasonal operating conditions.

Customers participating in the water trading market can monitor trade availability on the Water Register website, www.waterregister.vic.gov.au Customers can monitor trading opportunities across the Barmah Choke on the Murray-Darling Basin Authority website at www.mdba.gov.au/managing-water/water-markets-trade/barmah-choke-trade-restriction

Upcoming Resource Manager Announcements


• The 2017/18 seasonal determinations are updated on Thursday February 15, 2018.
• The first outlook for 2018/19 seasonal determination will also be released on Thursday February 15, 2018.