Goulburn-Murray Water today announced the 16 October water allocation update for the 2006/07 irrigation season.
Record low inflows have continued across much of the Goulburn-Murray Water region during October. The available water has reduced due to releases from storages to meet demand and the lack of inflow. The Bureau of Meteorology is now forecasting drier and warmer than average weather conditions to occur across northern Victoria in the October to December 2006 outlook period.
The Murray system allocation is 95% of Water Right and Licensed Volume, an increase of 2%. Strong early season demand has reduced the loss commitment for the remainder of the season, enabling the increase.
An allocation of 23% of Water Right and Licensed Volume is available in the Goulburn system, an increase of 2%. Pumping of Waranga Basin to support the allocation will occur with the financial support of the Victorian State Government. The 1 April 2007 closure of the irrigation season remains, but will be reviewed prior to the next Goulburn system allocation.
No allocations are available for the Campaspe and Loddon systems. Water resources are insufficient to meet irrigation entitlements. Very wet conditions and high rates of inflow will be needed to provide any allocation in these systems this season.
An unchanged allocation of 36% applies for Bullarook system customers supplied from Newlyn Reservoir. Customers supplied from Hepburns Lagoon remain on 0% allocation.
An allocation of 60% is available in the Broken system, an increase of 15%. The increase comes after consultation with customers about the risks of an outbreak of blue-green algae in Lake Mokoan causing closure of the lake and the need to reduce allocations in response to this. Customers are strongly urged to recognise this risk in their water plans for this season.
The seasonally adjusted chances of announcing a 100% allocation on 15 February 2007 are:
- Murray 8 chances in 10
- Goulburn less than 1 chance in 10
- Broken 2 chances in 10
The next allocation announcement is scheduled for Wednesday 1 November 2006.
The seasonal allocations for Goulburn-Murray Water irrigators at 16 October 2006 are:
|
Irrigation Systems
|
Water Right
|
Sales
|
Increase
|
|
|
|
(as a % of WR)
|
|
|
Murray
|
|
|
|
|
- gravity irrigation
|
95%
|
0%
|
2%
|
|
- Nyah & Tresco
|
95%
|
0%
|
2%
|
|
- Woorinen
|
95%
|
0%
|
2%
|
|
Goulburn
|
23%
|
0%
|
2%
|
|
Campaspe
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Private Diverters
|
Licensed Volume
|
Sales
|
Increase
|
|
|
|
(as a % of LV)
|
|
|
Murray River
|
95%
|
0%
|
2%
|
|
Mitta Mitta River
|
95%
|
0%
|
2%
|
|
Kiewa River
|
95%
|
0%
|
2%
|
|
Broken River
|
|
|
|
|
- u/s of Casey's Weir
|
60%
|
0%
|
15%
|
|
- d/s of Casey's Weir
|
60%
|
0%
|
15%
|
|
(incl Broken Ck & Lake Mokoan)
|
|
|
|
|
Goulburn River
|
23%
|
0%
|
2%
|
|
Campaspe River
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Bullarook Creek:
|
|
|
|
|
- Newlyn
|
36%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
- Hepburns
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Loddon River
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|