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Irrigation demand across all systems remains relatively low due to the continuing rainfall.  Allocations in northern Victoria remained unchanged throughout February, while Southern Rural Water increased the low-reliability allocation for Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigators to 50% and the allocation for the Macalister Irrigation District to 100% of high- and low-reliability water shares. Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water also increased its irrigation allocation to 100% during February.

Goulburn Murray Water released its first seasonal irrigation allocation outlook for the 2011/12 season on 15 February.  Under average conditions, all northern systems are expected to have an opening allocation for high-reliability water shares on 1 July 2011.
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Surface Water Irrigation Allocations across Northern Victorian

Goulburn-Murray Water (G-MW)

Allocations on all northern systems remained unchanged throughout February.  Demand during the month was low due to the wet conditions in northern Victoria. 

Allocations against low-reliability shares in 2010/11 for the Goulburn and Murray systems remains unlikely, due to a combination of factors, including the large volume of water carried over from 2009/10, very low demand to date and the fact that all storages downstream of Lake Eildon and Dartmouth Reservoir are full and unable to contribute to the conservation of additional reserve.  Inflows to Lake Eildon and Dartmouth Reservoir are contributing to the reserves in the Goulburn and Murray systems for the 2011/12 season, however, these must be completed before any low-reliability water shares can be allocated.

All northern systems have an allocation of at least 100% for high-reliability shares for the first time since 2001/02.  Because of the 100% allocation for HRWS on all systems, allocation announcements will now be made monthly instead of fortnightly. The next allocation announcement will be made on 15 February. 

Northern Victoria Seasonal Irrigation Outlook

Goulburn-Murray Water released its first outlook for the 2011-12 season on 15 February 2011. This outlook will be updated on 16 May.

On 1 July 2011, a seasonal allocation is expected to be announced in both the Murray and Goulburn systems from the reserves set aside in recent months. With allocations likely to be made early in 2011/12, the channel systems will be available to deliver water from 15 August. Allocations in the Campaspe system are expected to be 100% of HRWS under all inflow scenarios on 1 July 2011. Under each inflow scenario, all systems would receive an allocation on Monday 15 August 2011.

There is likely to be a high volume of unused allocation at the end of the 2010/11 season in the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems. Victoria's share of Dartmouth Reservoir is likely to be above 60% of capacity, Lake Eildon is not expected to fall below 70%, and the volume in Lake Eppalock will remain close to full capacity. Based on current storage levels and expected operating conditions, the probability that Dartmouth Reservoir will spill in 2011/12 is low. However, there is a greater chance that Lake Eildon and Lake Eppalock will spill. It is too early for the Resource Manager to make a declaration about the availability of water in spillable water accounts in any system. An update will be provided with the next allocation outlook and the first formal assessment will be made at the start of the 2011/12 season.

Seasonal Irrigation Allocation Outlook 2011/12

Outlook for 1 July 2011

Inflow Conditions	Murray	Goulburn	Loddon	Campaspe	Broken
Wet	32%	47%	47%	100%	20%
Average	18%	36%	36%	100%	4%
Dry	4%	32%	32%	100%	0%

Outlook for 15 August 2011

Inflow Conditions	Murray	Goulburn	Loddon	Campaspe	Broken
Wet	40%	100%	100%	100%	32%
Average	32%	52%	52%	100%	24%
Dry	7%	38%	38%	100%	7%

Outlook for 17 October 2011

Inflow Conditions	Murray	Goulburn	Loddon	Campaspe	Broken
Wet	77%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Average	53%	92%	92%	100%	100%
Dry	36%	46%	46%	100%	36%

Outlook for 15 February 2012

Inflow Conditions	Murray	Goulburn	Loddon	Campaspe	Broken
Wet	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Average	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Dry	66%	64%	64%	100%	100%

 

Wimmera Mallee Supply System

GWMWater increased the irrigation allocation to 100% during February, however, the irrigation channel run has been deferred this season, following consultation with the Wimmera Irrigators and Diversions Committee.  The Wimmera Irrigation Association is continuing to negotiate a sale of the irrigation entitlement to the Commonwealth Government, and the channel run has been deferred until the outcome of the sale is known. GWMWater has not delivered irrigation supplies for around 10 years.

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.

Southern Rural Water

Macalister Irrigation District (MID)

Allocations increased to 100% for both high- and low-reliability water shares during February, as the volume of water in Lake Glenmaggie remained high.

The volume delivered under spill entitlement to 15 December 2010 was equal to approximately 32% of the district’s entitlement.

Latrobe System

The power stations’ shares of Blue Rock Lake were all close 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 88% because of releases through the Blue Rock hydro-power station. The irrigators’ share was at 79%.

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.

Werribee Basin

SRW’s share of the Werribee storages was at 97% of capacity at the end of February.

Southern Rural Water announced a 5% increase for the allocation against low-reliability water shares (now at 50%) on 22 February.  The allocation for high-reliability shares is 100%.  A year ago allocations were just 12% of high-reliability shares.

The wet conditions have reduced demand in the two irrigation districts considerably. SRW does not expect irrigators to substantially use their allocations by the end of the year and the starting allocation for 2011/12 is likely to be high compared to recent years.

SRW has implemented a new reserve policy in 2010/11 that will support starting allocations in 2011/12. To date, the equivalent of about 45% allocation against HRWS has been set aside for next year.

Maribyrnong Basin

Storage levels in Rosslynne Reservoir decreased slightly over February, finishing the month at 66.6% of capacity.  This time last year, Rosslynne Reservoir held just 4.7%.

SRW’s waterway diverters on Jackson Creek can access 50% of licensed volume, while Melbourne Water’s licence holders in the Keilor region continue to access unregulated flows downstream of Rosslynne Reservoir.