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 and rainfall data from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

Rainfall

Total rainfall for April was close to average across most of the state. Patches of central, north-east and western Victoria received rainfall that was above the long-term April average, while rainfall in East Gippsland and parts of Melbourne was below the long-term April average.

Stream flows

Despite drier weather than March, the pattern of stream flows at the end of April closely resembles those at the end of March. Six of the 28 representative stations, located in the Alpine, West Gippsland and West Coast regions recorded flow above 100% of the long-term April average.

Storages

The total volume in the state’s major storages increased by 1.8% to 29.7% of total capacity as a result of water becoming available to Victoria in the Menindee Lakes in April.  The major regional water storages increased by 2.2% to 29.0%. Melbourne's storages are holding 33.5% of capacity, 0.5% lower than at the end of March.

Restrictions on Urban Water Supplies

During April, Stage 3a restrictions for Melbourne and Wallan were reduced to Stage 3. North East Water removed Stage 4 restrictions for Bundalong.

Coliban Water reduced restrictions for Leitchville to Stage 1. Gippsland Water removed Stage 2 restrictions for Seaspray, while North East Water removed restrictions for Glenrowan. Permanent water saving rules now apply.

At the end of April, 246 Victorian towns were on restrictions, which is significantly lower than the same time last year when 340 towns were on restrictions.

Irrigation Allocations

G-MW made the final allocation announcement for the 2009/10 season on 1 April. The allocations for high-reliability water shares were increased to 100% for the Murray system, 71% for the Goulburn system, and 17% for the Broken system. The allocations on the Bullarook (19%) and Loddon (3%) systems remained unchanged. The allocation on the Campaspe remained at zero.

The allocations for the Coliban Rural System and the Wimmera-Mallee irrigation supply system remain at 0%. However, a 30% emergency supply is available to eligible commercial customers on the Coliban Rural System.

In southern Victoria, the seasonal allocation for the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigation district remained at 14% of HRWS.

At the end of the month, Lake Glenmaggie was at 41.2% of capacity. The allocation for HRWS in the Macalister Irrigation District remained at 100%, and the allocation for low-reliability water shares (LRWS) was increased to 45% on 1 April.

Restrictions on Unregulated Streams

At the end of April, diversions from a total of 153 unregulated streams and lakes across the state were subject to restrictions. This is less than the same time last year when 193 streams were on restriction.

Seasonal Climate Outlook

The Bureau of Meteorology released its rainfall outlook for May to July on 22 April. The outlook predicts a drier than median season for south-western Victoria, while the chance of exceeding median rainfall in northern Victoria is neutral.

In the latest ENSO Wrap-Up issued on 28 April, the Bureau reports a continued decline of the 2009/10 El Niño event. While temperatures in the western Pacific remain warm, the majority of ENSO indicators have dropped below El Niño thresholds.