Goulburn-Murray Water Updates Water Allocations

GOULBURN-MURRAY WATER UPDATES WATER ALLOCATIONS

Goulburn-Murray Water announced today the 15 November allocation update for the 2006/07 irrigation season.

The allocation for the Goulburn system remains at 23% of Water Right and Licensed Volume. Storage inflows remain at historically low levels, and rainfall in early November contributed very little runoff. The end of the irrigation season remains at 1 April 2007 because there has not been enough improvement in water availability to extend beyond this date.  Goulburn-Murray Water will set aside future inflows to meet the target season close of 1 May 2007 and announce the extensions beyond 1 April as the water becomes available to do this.

The Murray system allocation remains unchanged at 95% of Water Right and Licensed Volume. The allocation has been kept at 95% despite notification of a reduction in planned inflows from the Snowy Hydro Scheme.  Future inflows will be used to manage the shortfall in the Murray system. 

Broken system customers receive an allocation of 62% of licensed volume, an increase of 2%. This improvement came from efficient river operation and slightly cooler conditions and reduced evaporation during early November. However, Broken system customers are reminded that the allocation will be reviewed and most likely be reduced if Lake Mokoan is closed by an outbreak of blue-green algae. Customers should recognise this risk in their water plans.

Customers supplied from Newlyn Reservoir in the Bullarook Creek system have an unchanged allocation of 36%. There will not be an allocation this season for customers supplied from Hepburns Lagoon unless there is significant inflow to the storage.

In the Campaspe and Loddon systems, Goulburn-Murray Water is investigating supply supplements and emergency drought operation measures to ensure that the limited water held in storages will meet domestic and stock requirements until an autumn break. The chances of sufficiently wet conditions to provide any irrigation allocation in these systems are very low.

Patchy rainfall and cooler temperatures recorded across northern Victoria during early November have reduced evaporation at storages, but had little impact on inflows due to extremely dry catchment conditions. Prospects for improved conditions remain poor, with the Bureau of Meteorology seasonal rainfall outlook for northern Victoria forecasting slightly less than average rainfall between November 2006 and January 2007.

The next allocation announcement is scheduled for Friday 1 December 2006.

The seasonal allocations for Goulburn-Murray Water irrigators at 15 November 2006 are: