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

Victoria experienced a cooler than average August, with rainfall close to the long-term average across most of the state. Rainfall was below average in northeast Victoria, and parts of central and western Victoria.

Total rainfall of between 50 and 100 mm was widespread across the southern half of Victoria, with isolated patches of up to 200mm along the coast and in the Alpine region. Between 25 and 50 mm of rainfall was received across much of northern Victoria, with lower rainfall of 10 to 25mm in the far northwest.

Streamflows

Rainfall during August has resulted in significant improvement in streamflows in some parts of Victoria, particularly in the Alpine region and far East Gippsland. However, at the end of the month, streamflows at the representative gauging stations were still below average across the rest the state.  Flows below 10% of the long-term average for August were recorded at 13 of the 28 representative stations across Victoria.

Storage Volumes

Despite close to average rainfall during August, inflows to storages remained below average. At the end of August, the total volume in the state’s major storages was 20.2% of capacity. This is an increase of 3.2% over the month. The slight recovery in storage volumes is due to the lower demand for water in winter and modest inflows throughout August.  

Melbourne's storages increased by 3.1% during the month to finish at 33.7% of capacity. Regional water storages increased by 3.2% to finish the month at 19.7% of capacity.

Restrictions on Urban Water Supplies

South Gippsland Water removed restrictions for Wonthaggi, Inverloch and Cape Patterson from 21 August, Westernport Water removed restrictions for all 22 of its towns from 25 August and Barwon Water removed restrictions in Colac and district from 30 August.

The total number of Victorian towns on restriction as at 31 August 2008 was 328, of which 59 towns were on Stage 1, 36 were on Stage 2, 41 were on Stage 3, 18 on Stage 3a, 77 on Stage 4 with general exemptions, and 97 on Stage 4. 

Irrigation Allocations

On 1 July, Goulburn-Murray Water announced a 0% opening allocation for the 2008/09 season across all water systems in northern Victoria. Allocations remain at 0% across all systems at the end of August.

At the end of August, the shortfalls to an irrigation allocation in the Murray and Goulburn systems had reduced to 31 GL and 29 GL respectively.

The seasonal allocation for Coliban Water’s rural system will open at 0% on 15 September. The irrigation allocation remains at zero in the Wimmera-Mallee supply system.

In southern Victoria, the opening seasonal allocation for the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigation districts remains at just 2% of high reliability water share. This allocation is guaranteed only until 30 November 2008. The ban on access to groundwater in the Deutgam groundwater management area has been extended until 30 June 2009.

The allocation for the Macalister Irrigation District was increased to 80% on 8 August. The regulated irrigation allocation from Blue Rock Lake is 6.7%.   

Restrictions on Unregulated Streams

At the end of August, diversions from a total of 114 unregulated streams and lakes across the state were subject to some form of restriction.  This is the same as at this time last year when 114 streams were also on restriction.

Seasonal Climate Outlook

The rainfall outlook for the September – November period, released by the Bureau of Meteorology on 26 August 2008, indicates that the chances of a wetter than normal spring are between 40 and 50% across Victoria, meaning the chances of being wetter than normal are about the same as the chances of being drier.

The ENSO Wrap-Up (issued 14 August 2008) indicates that neutral conditions continue to prevail across the tropical Pacific. Computer models indicate that neutral conditions are likely to continue throughout 2008.