The Monthly Water Report provides a statewide monthly summary of the status of water resources and water supplies. Each month's report is published online towards the end of the following month. It is based on data provided by Victoria's 19 urban and rural water corporations.

Rainfall

After several very hot and dry summer months, weather conditions returned to normal during March.

Rainfall totals for the month were close to the long-term averages across most of the state. However, East Gippsland and part of South Gippsland received below average rainfall for March.

Streamflows

At the end of the month, streamflows improved in some areas of Victoria. However, across most of the state, increased rainfall did not result in significant improvement to streamflows.

At the end of March, no flow conditions were recorded at 14 of the 28 representative gauging stations. Four stations exhibited flows less than 10% of the long-term average for March.

Storage Volumes

Storages levels across Victoria continued to decline throughout March.

This month, the total volume in the state’s major storages decreased by 1.4% to 14.0% capacity.

Melbourne's storages decreased by 1.8% during the month to finish at 29.1% of capacity. Regional water storages decreased by 1.4% to 12.0% of capacity at the end of March.

Restrictions on Urban Water Supplies

During March, Goulburn Valley Water reduced restrictions to Stage 1 for Kilmore, Wandong and Heathcote Junction.

North East Water introduced Stage 2 restrictions for Harrietville, Bright, Porepunkah, Wandiligong, Whitfield and Chiltern. North East Water also increased restrictions to Stage 4 for Springhurst.

Central Highlands Water increased restrictions to Stage 4 for Lexton and Forest Hill.

The total number of Victorian towns on restrictions as at 31 March 2009 was 343. 69 towns were on Stage 1 restrictions, 53 were on Stage 2, 50 were on Stage 3, 19 on Stage 3a, 101 on Stage 4 with general exemptions, and 51

on Stage 4. Approximately 170 towns were not on water restrictions and were subject to Permanent Water Saving Rules.

Irrigation Allocations

During March, G-MW increased allocations by 2% to 32% on the Goulburn system and the Murray system stayed at 35%. Allocations remained at 0% on all other northern systems.

G-MW will announce the next and final allocation for this season on Wednesday 1 April 2009. All resource improvements after this date will be reserved to secure water supplies in 2009/10.

Allocations on both the Coliban Rural System and the Wimmera-Mallee irrigation supply system remained at zero per cent during March.

In southern Victoria, the seasonal allocation for the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigation districts remained at 5% of high reliability water share.

At the end of March, Lake Glenmaggie was at 42.2% of capacity and the allocation for the Macalister Irrigation District remained at 95%. The irrigation share of Blue Rock was 78.8 ML or 1.9% of regulated allocation at the end of March.

Restrictions on Unregulated Streams

At the end of March, diversions from a total of 199 unregulated streams and lakes across the state were subject to restrictions. This is greater than this time last year when 164 streams were on restriction.

Seasonal Climate Outlook

The rainfall outlook for the period April to June was released by the Bureau of Meteorology on 24 March 2009. The outlook shows there is a moderate to strong shift in the odds favouring drier than normal conditions over much of Victoria. The chances of exceeding the median rainfall across Victoria are between 35% and 40% across most of the state.

The Bureau’s latest ENSO Wrap-Up was issued on 11 March 2009. In general, equatorial Pacific temperatures fell short of typical La Niña values and were around 1°C warmer than those observed at the peak of the 2007/08 La Niña. The majority of dynamic computer models predict neutral conditions to continue until at least mid-winter. The Indian Ocean Dipole is neutral, as is typical for this time of year. It will be monitored in autumn for any signs of an emerging event.