Carryover 2010/11
Will carryover rules be different for 2010/11 season?
Yes, carryover rules are changing on the Goulburn, Murray and Campaspe regulated systems. The Northern Region Sustainable Water Strategy (NRSWS) provides for greater flexibility in managing your water entitlements. Some of the detailed implementation issues are still being worked through and will be advised before the end of this season.
How will carryover change?
There are two important changes to carryover that will take effect from the 2010/11 season on the Campaspe, Goulburn and Murray regulated systems:
1) You will be able to carry over all the water in your Allocation Bank Account (ABA) at 30 June 2010. Previously the volume that you could carryover was capped at equivalent to 50% of the water shares linked to your ABA.
2) Under current rules, once the volume you have carried over plus current season allocation equals 100% of the high-reliability water shares linked to your allocation bank account (ABA) you forgo further allocation improvements in the current season. This rule will no longer apply and any allocation or carryover in excess of 100% of the water shares linked to your ABA will be transferred into a Spillable Water Account (SWA). Carryover rules will remain the same on the Broken, Loddon and Bullarook systems. Further work is required to develop this concept before it can be introduced (if appropriate) on these smaller systems.
What is a spillable water account?
From 2010/11 spillable water accounts (SWA) will hold your allocation and/or carryover that is in excess of 100% of the water shares attached to your ABA. If the storages physically spill during the season everyone will lose the same percentage from their SWA. A physical spill does not impact on the volume of water in your ABA. The water in your SWA will be recorded against your entitlement but is unavailable for use or trade until the system operator (G-MW) declares there is a very low risk of storages physically spilling, or until the storages have spilled. At this point the volume of water in your SWA will be transferred into your ABA and be available for use or trade.
Will there be a charge for SWAs?
The NRSWS Implementation Committee is considering whether a tariff should apply to SWAs to recognise the increased use of the storages by individual customers who chose to hold water above 100% of their entitlement. Rather than raise extra revenue, a SWA charge would be used to offset the costs of operating and maintaining the storages on that system. The details of any new charges, along with further technical details are currently being determined and will be published before the end of the season.
Can I access my carryover or water I buy before the start of the season, from 15 August 2010?
Diverters on the regulated Murray and Goulburn rivers should be able to access their carryover from 1 July, as these rivers will need to run to deliver critical supplies to towns and interstate. G-MW will try to deliver carryover to customers on the smaller river systems, in channel irrigation areas and pumped irrigation districts wherever this can be done within the volume of water available for system operations. G-MW may have to manage requests for delivery on the smaller river systems and the irrigation areas on a case by case basis. Customers will need to discuss their plans with G-MW closer to the start of the next season when the situation will be clearer.
