General News
15 September, 2022
Seasonal update released
The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today updated the seasonal determinations for 2022/23 water availability. The Murray system increases from 100 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) to 100 per cent HWRS and 12 per cent of...
The Resource Manager for northern Victoria today updated the seasonal determinations for 2022/23 water availability.
The Murray system increases from 100 per cent of high-reliability water shares (HRWS) to 100 per cent HWRS and 12 per cent of low-reliability water shares (LRWS). The Broken system increases from 100 per cent HRWS and 48 per cent LRWS to 100 per cent HRWS and 69 per cent LRWS.
The Goulburn, Loddon and Campaspe system seasonal determinations remain at 100 per cent HWRS. No allocation has been made for LRWS.
The Bullarook system seasonal determination stays at 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent LRWS.
Resource Manager Mark Bailey said rainfall continued to improve resources in all systems.
“All major storages across northern Victoria are nearing capacity as the rain continues,” Dr Bailey said.
“Most of the additional stored volume has increased reserves for the 2023-24 water year.
“The storage control releases made from Lake Hume during August contributed to the low-reliability water shares allocation announced today for the Murray system.
“The volume of Victorian resource released in August from Lake Hume was greater than the balance of Murray spillable water accounts. This means 100 per cent of the allocation held in these accounts will be deducted with this update,” Dr Bailey said.
“Goulburn-Murray Water continues to release water to slow the rate of rise at Lake Eildon,” Dr Bailey said.
“About 31 gigalitres will be deducted from Goulburn spillable water accounts today. That’s about 8 per cent of the current volumes in those accounts.
“The deductions mean the additional volume needed for a Goulburn LRWS allocation is about 380 GL.
“Releases to manage Lake Hume and Lake Eildon level will continue for some time, and Murray and Goulburn system entitlement holders can expect further deductions from spillable water accounts this year.”
Dr Bailey said further rainfall was likely, with longer term predictions favouring wetter conditions following confirmation of negative Indian Ocean Dipole and La Niña events. “The Bureau of Meteorology suggests above-average rainfall will continue through to December.”