Storage Levels - April 2010
There was a small increase (1.8%) in the total volume in the state’s major storages for the month. By the end of the April, Victoria’s major storages were at 29.7% of total capacity.*
The increase was largely a result of the 605 GL share of water now available to Victoria in the Menindee Lakes. This water is available as a result of the floods in the Darling catchment earlier this year, which triggered the return of the Lakes to Murray-Darling Basin Authority control. For operational reasons, around 365 GL of this water is available for use.
As a result of this water becoming available, overall regional water storages increased 2.2% to 29.0% of capacity at the end of April.*
Melbourne’s storage levels receded slowly over the month, and by the end of April storages were 0.5% below the levels at the end of March, finishing the month at 33.5% of capacity. This is 5.7% higher than the same time last year.
For the details of storage levels around the state,
*NB: From March 2010, Victoria’s available resources in the Murray storages were recorded as a percentage of Victoria’s share of the storage capacity. From April 2010, the volume of Victoria’s share of the capacity of the Menindee Lakes has been included in the regional and total storage figures.