Low-reliability water share seasonal determinations in the Murray system commence
The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today updated the 2023/24 seasonal determinations.
The Murray system seasonal determination increases from 100 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) to 100 per cent HRWS and 16 per cent of low-reliability water shares (LRWS).
Seasonal determinations in the Goulburn and Loddon systems increase from 100 per cent HRWS and 19 per cent LRWS to 100 per cent HRWS and 40 per cent LRWS.
The Campaspe system moves from 100 per cent HRWS and 74 per cent LRWS to 100 per cent HRWS and 83 per cent LRWS.
Seasonal determinations in the Broken and Bullarook systems remain unchanged.
Resource Manager Mark Bailey said resource improvements had secured the Murray system reserves for 2024/25 and allowed seasonal determinations for low-reliability water shares to begin.
“Flows in the Murray and Goulburn storages have been above our estimates used in the previous assessment,” Dr Bailey said.
“The additional resource, together with resulting deductions from spillable water accounts, meant there was water available to increase allocations.”
The deductions from spillable water accounts come from releases to manage storage levels at Lake Eildon and at Lake Hume through early to mid-October.
“About 70 gigalitres will be deducted from Murray spillable water accounts today, which is equivalent to about 36 per cent of the volume currently held in the accounts,” Dr Bailey said.
“In the Goulburn system, about 60 gigalitres will be deducted from spillable water accounts, or close to 22 per cent of the volume in these accounts.
“There are no deductions from Campaspe spillable water accounts with today’s update.”
The seasonal determinations for northern Victorian water systems on Wednesday, November 15 are:
| Murray |
100% |
16% |
| Broken |
100% |
100% |
| Goulburn |
100% |
40% |
| Campaspe |
100% |
83% |
| Loddon |
100% |
40% |
| 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 Victoria’s share of both Hume and Dartmouth reservoirs below 50 per cent. As the risk of spill in the Murray system remains above 50 per cent, trade from New South Wales to Victoria is not possible. The volume available for trade is updated with each risk of spill announcement.
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 Monday, December 11, 2023.
- The next 2023/24 seasonal determination announcement will be released on Friday, December 15, 2023.