The Monthly Water Report provides a summary of the status of Victoria's water resources and water supplies at the end of the reporting month. It is based on validated water resource information provided by Victoria's 19 Urban and Rural Water Corporations and the Bureau of Meteorology. Each month's report is published online the following month. For detailed, specific and up-to-date information, please contact the relevant Water Corporation or the Bureau of Meteorology. Links to these organisations are located within the Monthly Water Report. 

Rainfall

In contrast to recent wet months, rainfall was generally average across the State during April.  The Mallee region recorded its first month of below average rainfall since July 2010.

Streamflow

Despite drier conditions this month, the majority of stations continue to record above average flows. Of the 28 representative streamflow gauging stations in Victoria, 18 recorded flows above the long-term April average at the end of the month.  Only two stations recorded flows below 20% of the long-term April average.

Storages

The total volume in Victoria’s major storages decreased slightly during April compared to the previous month. However, this month saw a reversal of the normal April trend for Melbourne’s catchments.  Above average rainfall and inflows combined with low consumption saw Melbourne’s storage levels increase by 0.2% to 53.1% during April.  Typically, Melbourne’s storages decrease by 0.4% per week during autumn.

Restrictions on Urban Water Supplies

There were no changes to urban water restrictions during April.

At the end of the month, 41 Victorian towns were still on restrictions.  This is the lowest number of towns on restrictions for almost a decade.

Irrigation Allocations

Demand across all districts remains low for this time of year. 

In northern Victoria, the final allocation for the 2010/11 season was announced on 1 April with no increase made to allocations.  Full allocations for high-reliability water shares are available for all northern systems, and full low-reliability allocations are available for the Broken, Bullarook and Campaspe systems.

There are full allocations for high- and low-reliability water shares in the Macalister Irrigation District.  The allocation for Werribee and Bacchus Marsh remained at 100% high-reliability, and Southern Rural Water increased the allocation for low-reliability shares to 55% during April.

The allocation for the Coliban rural system remained at 70%.

Restrictions on Unregulated Streams

At the end of April, diversions from three unregulated streams and lakes across the state were subject to restrictions. This is significantly less than the same time last year when 153 streams were on restriction.  It is the lowest number of streams on restriction for more than five years.

Seasonal Climate Outlook

The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest rainfall outlook for April to June 2011 favours drier than average conditions over southern Victoria.

The Bureau reports that the La Niña event continues to decline in the Pacific Ocean, although atmospheric indicators remain strong.  All available climate models indicate further weakening of the La Niña in the coming months, with neutral conditions forecast for the southern hemisphere winter.