First low-reliability water share seasonal determination for the Goulburn system

The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today updated the 2022/23 seasonal determinations.

The Murray system increases from 100 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) and 12 per cent of low-reliability water shares (LRWS) to 100 per cent HWRS and 40 per cent LRWS.

The Goulburn and Loddon systems moves from 100 per cent HRWS to 100 per cent HWRS and 7 per cent LRWS.

The Campaspe system steps from 100 per cent of HRWS to 100 per cent HWRS and 100 per cent LRWS.

The Broken system moves from 100 per cent HRWS and 69 per cent HRWS to 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent LRWS.

The Bullarook system seasonal determination stays at 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent LRWS.

Resource Manager Mark Bailey said very high inflows through September and the first half of October underwrote the seasonal determinations announced today.

“All major storages across northern Victoria are at capacity or being managed to maintain airspace,” Dr Bailey said.

“The releases from Lake Hume and Lake Eildon to control storage levels during September and into October contributed to the low-reliability water shares allocation announced today for the Murray and Goulburn systems respectively.

“This is the first time low-reliability water shares in the Goulburn system have received an allocation since unbundling in 2007.

“The release from Lake Eildon mean that about 210 gigalitres will be deducted from Goulburn spillable water accounts today. That’s about 52 per cent of the current volumes in those accounts.

“In the Murray system, the increased low-reliability water share seasonal determination transferred more allocation into spillable water accounts. All of this allocation will be deducted due to the releases from Lake Hume.

“High inflows into Lake Eppalock in recent weeks filled Lake Eppalock and large volumes have passed the storage. All of the allocation held in Campaspe spillable water accounts will be deducted.”

Dr Bailey noted longer term Bureau of Meteorology outlooks favoured wetter conditions over the next few months, which is expected to contribute to further seasonal determination improvements despite minimal use of allocation across northern Victoria so far this season.

Trading Opportunities

Allocation trade from New South Wales to Victoria is not currently possible because Victoria’s shares of Lake Hume and Dartmouth Reservoir are full. The opportunity for allocation trade is updated with each risk of spill announcement. Customers can learn more about trade opportunities on the Victorian Water Register website..

The mid-October Goulburn to Murray seasonal trade opportunity that was scheduled for today has been postponed due to the current emergency response in northern Victoria. For more information, please see the news item on the  Victorian Water Register website.. 

Customers participating in the water trading market can monitor trade availability on the  Victorian Water Register website..

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 risk of spill in the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems will be updated on Thursday 10 November 2022.
• The next 2022/23 seasonal determination announcement will be released on Tuesday 15 November 2022.