Irrigation Allocations - October 2009
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Goulburn-Murray Water (G-MW)
On 1 October, G-MW increased the allocation for high-reliability shares on the Murray system 16% to 29%. On the Goulburn system, the allocation was increased 23% to 30%. Allocations for high-reliability shares were increased again on both systems on 15 October, to 33% on the Goulburn and 37% on the Murray. All other systems remained on 0%.
| 31 October 2009 | Change Since 30 September 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| Goulburn | 33% | +26% |
| Murray | 37% | +24% |
| Broken | 0% | 0% |
| Campaspe | 0% | 0% |
| Loddon | 0% | 0% |
| Bullarook | 0% | 0% |
The Minister for Water has temporarily qualified rights to water in the Murray, Goulburn, Broken, Campaspe, Loddon and Bullarook systems this season to make sufficient water available for essential urban and farming needs.
As the allocations on the Goulburn and Murray systems are now above 20%, essential needs for D&S and industry are no longer covered under the qualification. The qualification to cover essential needs on the Broken, Loddon, Bullarook, and Campaspe systems will remain in place until a 50% allocation is reached.
G-MW released the latest seasonal allocation outlook for the 2009/10 season on 15 October 2009. The 2009/10 outlooks are based on observed inflows in seasons following dry winter inflows. This approach provides an adjustment for reduced runoff caused by dry catchments.
Murray System
| Inflow Conditions | 15 Dec 2009 | 15 Feb 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Wet | 78% | 84% |
| Average | 54% | 61% |
| Dry | 39% | 41% |
Goulburn System (Allocations include pumping from Waranga Basin)
| Inflow Conditions | 15 Dec 2009 | 15 Feb 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Wet | 79% | 92% |
| Average | 53% | 61% |
| Dry | 41% | 46% |
Broken System
| Inflow Conditions | 15 Dec 2009 | 15 Feb 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Wet | 22% | 34% |
| Average | 3% | 9% |
| Dry | 0% | 0% |
Campaspe
| Inflow Conditions | 15 Dec 2009 | 15 Feb 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Wet | 0% | 6% |
| Average | 0% | 0% |
| Dry | 0% | 0% |
Loddon
| Inflow Conditions | 15 Dec 2009 | 15 Feb 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Wet | 5% | 60% |
| Average | 0% | 0% |
| Dry | 0% | 0% |
Coliban Rural System
On 15 September, Coliban Water announced a 0% opening general allocation for the Coliban Rural System. Recycled water is available to customers on the Ascot and Axe Creek channel systems, equivalent to a 40% allocation.
The Minister for Water has qualified rights to water in the Coliban Rural System to allow Coliban Water to provide a 30% emergency supply to eligible customers.
Coliban Water is currently assessing whether a general allocation can be made on the Coliban Rural System.
Wimmera Mallee Domestic and Stock Supply System
Towns and farms in supply systems 1, 2 and 5 are receiving full supply from the pipeline.
Trunk installation in supply systems 3 and 4 (Birchip and Wycheproof lines) is now complete between Taylors Lake and Lubeck. In supply system 4, all towns on the trunk main are connected and approximately 60% of customers are receiving an emergency supply. In supply system 3, 90% of customers are connected. Last year’s winter channel run supplied towns and some large supply-by-agreement customers adjacent to the major channels in this area. Other needs were met by carting. Works in supply systems 3 and 4 are currently suspended due to wet conditions.
Over 200 kilometres (out of 850 km) of pipeline have been installed in supply system 6 to date and the construction of the Brimpaen storage is well advanced. Prior to the rains, GWMWater carted water to farms with dams that had emptied or become unusable due to poor water quality.
The remaining Wimmera-Mallee system pipelining is estimated for completion by March 2010.
Irrigation allocations are at 0%.
Southern Rural Water
Macalister Irrigation District (MID)
At the end of October, Lake Glenmaggie, the main source of water for the MID, was at 98.2% of capacity.
At the beginning of October, MID allocations were at 75% for high reliability shares. SRW increased the allocation to 90% on 6 October. This will be reviewed at the end of the spilling season on 15 December.
The current volume in the Thomson Drought Reserve available for Macalister is 14,469 ML.
Latrobe System
At the end of October, storage levels in Blue Rock Lake were at 84.2% of capacity.
The irrigation share of Blue Rock was 1,261 ML. SRW licence holders downstream on the Latrobe and Tanjil Rivers can pump up to their licence volume, but this is subject to the availability of unregulated river flows (which normally contribute approximately 70% of entitlements).
Werribee Basin
SRW’s share of the Werribee storages was at 6% of capacity at the end of October.
SRW increased the allocation for high reliability shares to 5% for the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigation districts on 6 October. This was increased to 6% for high reliability water shares on 20 October, and is now guaranteed for the rest of the season.
The current volume available in the Thomson Drought Reserve for Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigators is 888.7 ML which includes Thomson water carried over from last year.
Irrigators in the Werribee area continued to rely on the recycling scheme as their main water source while the river flows are very low. The recycling scheme is providing about 65 ML/day shared between 90% of Werribee growers.
The Western Irrigation Contingency Plan for the 2009/10 season is progressing. Emergency supplies this year are more limited than in previous years. While the situation across the whole Werribee basin remains serious, SRW is particularly concerned about Bacchus Marsh irrigators who could be solely reliant on expensive emergency supplies. SRW aims to deliver at the equivalent of at least 28% of river water entitlements through a combination of the high reliability share allocation and emergency supplies. However, without a turnaround in seasonal conditions, it is still possible some customers will run out of water in 2010.
Maribyrnong Basin
The storage volume in Rosslynne Reservoir remained very low, at 4.0% of capacity at the end of October.
With inflows well below average, SRW diverters have another season with a 0% allocation.