Final 2020/21 seasonal determination update

The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today announced the final 2020/21 seasonal determinations.

The seasonal determinations in the Murray, Goulburn, Campaspe and Loddon systems remain unchanged at 100 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS). 

The Broken and Bullarook systems remain at 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent of low‑reliability water shares (LRWS).

Resource Manager Mark Bailey said while seasonal determinations were unchanged, recent rain provided small improvements to reserves for next season.

“Storage evaporation and river losses reduced and there was a small increase in flows into the major storages following rain in the past fortnight,” Dr Bailey said. “These improvements contribute to the reserves for seasonal determinations in 2021/22.” 

"The outlook for 2021/22 seasonal determinations will be next updated on Monday May 17, 2021."

The Bureau of Meteorology seasonal rainfall outlook favours slightly above-average rainfall across northern Victoria for the three-month period from April to June.

“The Bureau says most El Niño–Southern Oscillation indicators have returned to neutral levels,” Dr Bailey said. 

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 Victoria’s share of the both Hume and Dartmouth reservoirs 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. Customers can find out more about trade adjustments on the  Water Register website.

The Goulburn system’s inter-valley trade (IVT) account owes about 178 GL to the Murray system. Deliveries from the Goulburn IVT account to the River Murray will continue in April, at varying rates depending on demand. 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. 

Conversely, 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 outlooks for 2021/22 seasonal determination will be updated on Monday May 17, 2021.