Goulburn-Murray Water Says No Change In Water Allocation

Goulburn-Murray Water announced today that it is not possible to increase water allocations for the 2006/07 irrigation season at this time.

The allocation for the Goulburn system remains at 23% of Water Right and Licensed Volume. No increase is possible because of the record low rainfall and inflows for this time of the year.  Goulburn-Murray Water has confirmed that emergency drought pumping at the Waranga Basin is required to support the current allocation.  Goulburn-Murray Water has also announced that the irrigation season will be extended beyond the previously advised end of season date of 1 April and is targeting 1 May 2007 as the end of season date. 

The priority is now to set aside to the next inflows to operate the supply system through April 2007, and when this target is reached, the additional inflows will contribute to increasing the allocation.  However, now that the traditionally higher inflow time of the year has passed, there is little likelihood of large increases in water allocations.  If inflows are equal to historical minimums for the November to January period, then the Goulburn allocation would not increase beyond the current allocation of 23% of Water Right by 15 February 2007. 

An unchanged allocation of 60% of Licensed Volume is available for irrigators in the Broken system. This allocation will be reviewed and most likely be reduced if Lake Mokoan is closed by an outbreak of blue-green algae. Customers are strongly urged to recognise this risk in their water plans for this season.

Bullarook system customers supplied from Newlyn Reservoir have an allocation of 36%, which is unchanged from the previous announcement. Customers supplied from Hepburns Lagoon will not receive an allocation this season unless there is significant rainfall.

Water resources in the Campaspe and Loddon systems are insufficient to meet irrigation entitlements and the limited water is being set aside for domestic and stock needs. There is very little prospect of sufficiently wet conditions to provide any irrigation allocation in these systems this season.

The Bureau of Meteorology seasonal rainfall outlook for northern Victoria forecasts slightly less than average rainfall between November 2006 and January 2007.

The allocation for the Murray system was not reviewed for this announcement, and remains at 95% of Water Right and Licensed Volume.

The next allocation announcement is scheduled for Wednesday 15 November 2006.

The seasonal allocations for Goulburn-Murray Water irrigators at 1 November 2006 are: