Seasonal Determination - 3 February 2020

Monday 3 February, 2020

2019/20 seasonal determination update

The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today updated the 2019/20 seasonal determinations.

Seasonal determinations in the Murray system remain unchanged on 56 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS).

The Goulburn and Loddon systems increase from 68 per cent HRWS to 70 per cent HRWS.

The Campaspe system moves from 66 per cent HRWS to 69 per cent HRWS.

The Broken system seasonal determination remains on 0 per cent HRWS.

The Bullarook system remains on 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent of low-reliability water shares (LRWS).

Resource Manager Mark Bailey said mild conditions and some rainfall in the past fortnight contributed to water availability improvements in some northern Victorian systems.

“Cooler temperatures and rain have reduced evaporation and river losses. This has enabled the increases in the Goulburn, Loddon and Campaspe systems announced today,” said Dr Bailey.

“Similar benefits were not available in the Murray system.”

The shortfall in the Broken system reduced over the past fortnight, but there remains about 1,200 megalitres to gain before a positive seasonal determination can be made.

“The Minister for Water qualified rights in the Broken system from 1 January 2020,” said Dr Bailey.

“The qualification allows customers access to water for critical domestic and stock use while the seasonal determination remains below 50 per cent HRWS.”

Dr Bailey noted the latest Bureau of Meteorology seasonal outlooks for February to April do not favour wetter or drier conditions and advised water users to consider available weather and climate information when planning their water needs for the rest of 2019/20 and into 2020/21. 

Water System High-Reliability Water Share Low-Reliability Water Share
The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Monday, February 3.
Murray 56% 0%
Broken 0% 0%
Goulburn 70% 0%
Campaspe 69% 0%
Loddon 70% 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 in the Murray system allows 200 GL of net trade from New South Wales to Victoria. 

The Goulburn system’s inter-valley trade (IVT) account owed about 201 GL to the Murray system at the time of issue. 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. Deliveries of Goulburn system IVT to support Murray system operations will continue through February. Information on IVT deliveries is available on the  Goulburn-Murray Water website.

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 Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is restricting trade of water allocations from above the Barmah Choke to downstream of the Choke 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 2019/20 seasonal determination announcement will be released on Monday February 17, 2020.
  • The first outlook for 2020/21 seasonal determinations will also be released on Monday February 17, 2020.