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 increases from 55 per cent to 58 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 resource availability across some northern Victorian systems had improved slightly despite recent warm and dry weather.
“Actual evaporation and river losses were lower than estimated in the Campaspe system, which translates to greater resource availability for seasonal determination and the improvement announced today,” Dr Bailey said.
Lower losses also saw the shortfall to a low-reliability water share seasonal determination in the Murray system fall to around 400 GL. The shortfall in the Goulburn system remains around 770 GL.
“With the dry conditions persisting and the last seasonal determination announcement to be made on 3 April 2018, it is highly unlikely that an allocation will be made to low-reliability water shares in the Murray system or Goulburn system this season.”
The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Thursday, March 15.
| Murray |
100% |
0% |
| Broken |
100% |
100% |
| Goulburn |
100% |
0% |
| Campaspe |
100% |
58% |
| Loddon |
100% |
0% |
| Bullarook |
100% |
100% |
Trading Opportunities
Allocation trade from New South Wales to Victoria is limited to the lesser of a volume that keeps the risk of spill in the Murray system below 50 per cent (currently 300 GL) or a net annual volume of 200 GL. The trade limit currently allows 200 GL of net trade from New South Wales to Victoria.
Continuing transfers to meet demands in the River Murray downstream of the Barmah Choke means the Goulburn system’s inter-valley trade (IVT) account owes about 201 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.
The volume in the Broken system’s inter-valley trade account is currently about 830 ML. Trade from the Broken system is allowed when the balance of this account is less than 1,500 ML. Further trading opportunities will be available as deliveries from the Broken inter-valley trade account to the Goulburn system are occurring or if backtrade occurs. Customers participating in the water trading market are reminded that allocation trading from the Broken system to other systems is only permitted from July 1 to March 31 in each water year.
Customers participating in the water trading market can monitor trade availability on the Water Register website. Customers can monitor trading opportunities across the Barmah Choke on the Murray-Darling Basin Authority website.
Upcoming Resource Manager Announcements
- The last 2017/18 seasonal determination will be issued on Tuesday 3 April 2018.