Irrigation Allocations - October 2010
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Goulburn-Murray Water (G-MW)
Goulburn-Murray Water announced increased allocations on the Murray, Goulburn and Loddon systems on 1 October. Allocations for high-reliability shares were increased to: Murray (97%), Goulburn (70%) and Loddon (70%). The allocations on these systems were increased again on 15 October: Murray (100%), Goulburn (80%), and Loddon (80%). There were no changes to allocations on the other northern systems during October.
The next allocation announcement will be made on 1 November 2010.
Irrigation Allocations across Northern Victorian
| Allocations at 31 October 2010 | LRWS Allocation | % Change over the month | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goulburn | 80% | - | +6% HRWS |
| Murray | 80% | - | +13% HRWS |
| Broken | 100% | - | - |
| Campaspe | 100% | - | - |
| Loddon | 80% | - | +13% HRWS |
| Bullarook | 100% | 100% | - |
On 8 October, the Minister for Water revoked the qualifications of rights on the Goulburn, Murray and Broken systems. A qualification of rights had been in place in these systems since the 2007/08 water year. Temporary qualification of rights to water remained in place in the Campaspe and Loddon systems at the end of October to enable flexibility in the delivery of environmental water, to retain access environmental water held under the terms of the qualification and to support an allocation on the Coliban rural system.
Seasonal Allocation Outlook for Northern Victoria – 2010/11
G-MW released the latest seasonal allocation outlook for the 2010/11 season on 15 October 2010. The outlook has been updated on the basis of recent resource improvements across northern Victoria. Outlooks are no longer produced for systems with 100% allocation against high-reliability shares.
Wet inflow conditions = Inflow volumes that have 1 chance in 10 of being exceeded
Average inflow conditions = Inflow volumes that have 5 chances in 10 of being exceeded
Dry inflow conditions = Inflow volumes that have 9 chances in 10 of being exceeded
G-MW will make the next seasonal allocation outlook for the 2010/11 season on 15 November 2010.
Outlook for 15 December 2010
| Inflow Conditions | Goulburn | Loddon |
|---|---|---|
| Wet | 100% | 100% |
| Average | 100% | 100% |
| Dry | 88% | 88% |
Outlook for 15 February 2011
| Inflow Conditions | Goulburn | Loddon |
|---|---|---|
| Wet | 100% | 100% |
| Average | 100% | 100% |
| Dry | 100% | 100% |
Coliban Rural System
Coliban Water announced a 70% allocation for the 2010/11 season for the Coliban Rural System on 15 September. This is the highest allocation on the Coliban Rural System since 2002/03. However, there is little demand for water in the rural system given the wet conditions.
Wimmera Mallee Supply System
The Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline Project was officially completed in May 2010. Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water (GWMWater) removed water restrictions for all rural customers and towns connected to the pipeline from 11 October. Permanent Water Saving Rules now apply.
GWMWater increased the irrigation allocation for Wimmera Mallee irrigators to 74% on 6 October. GWMWater has not delivered irrigation supplies for around 10 years.
The Wimmera Irrigation Association is continuing to negotiate a sale of the irrigation entitlement to the Commonwealth Government. After consulting the Wimmera Irrigators and Diversions Committee, GWMWater will defer the irrigation channel run this season until the outcome of the proposed sale is known.
Southern Rural Water
Macalister Irrigation District (MID)
At the end of October, Lake Glenmaggie, the main source of water for the MID, was at 97.8% of capacity.
Allocations against HRWS in the MID will remain at 90% until SRW reviews its decision on 15 December 2010. Future increases depend on rainfall and inflows to Lake Glenmaggie over the coming months.
The current volume in the Thomson/Macalister irrigators’ Thomson drought reserve is 16,390 ML.
The current allocation and inflows provide a good platform for Macalister irrigators during the 2010/11 season.
Latrobe System
At the end of October, the storage level in Blue Rock Lake was 92.6% of capacity and Moondarra Reservoir 100%.
The power stations’ shares of Blue Rock Lake ranged from 84% to 100% of capacity at the end of the month. The unused SECV share was at 100% of capacity and the unallocated share was at 95%.
There is enough water in the system to supply power stations, industry and towns in the Latrobe Valley for the next 12 months if conditions were dry.
The irrigation share of Blue Rock was 2,620 ML (63% of capacity). Irrigators also have access to return flows from industry, which provides a secure source of water supplementing the run of river and volume in store.
Werribee Basin
SRW’s share of the Werribee storages was at 55% of capacity at the end of October. For the first time in years there has been regular rainfall in the catchment during the winter-spring period, which has generated some good river flows.
Southern Rural Water increased allocations against high-reliability shares for the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh districts to 65% on 7 October. The allocation was increased to 70% on 19 October. This is the highest allocation since 2005/06. This time last year, allocations were 6% of high-reliability shares.
SRW is implementing a new reserve policy in 2010/11 that will support starting allocations in 2011/12. To date, the equivalent of a 25% allocation against HRWS has been set aside for next year.
As a result of the improved conditions and allocations, the Werribee irrigators’ strong reliance on recycled water will ease this season. The recycling scheme has been providing about 68 ML/day shared between 90% of Werribee growers. As a result of the improved resource position, SRW will be able to use river water to shandy the recycled water, and run the river more regularly.
The ban on groundwater use from the Deutgam Groundwater Management Area continues in 2010/11.
Due to the improved resource position, Bacchus Marsh irrigators will not need to rely on emergency water supplies this season. Metropolitan water has been offered to customers this season, however, SRW is not expecting a high uptake in 2010/11 due to the high cost of the water and the improved allocations.
Maribyrnong Basin
The storage volume in Rosslynne Reservoir remains very low despite a small improvement in early September. At the end of October, Rosslyne was at 16.2% of capacity (compared to 4.0% this time last year). Due to the continued low inflows, licensed diverters face another season with a zero allocation.