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

Rainfall during August was above average for Gippsland and parts of north-central Victoria, however, rainfall was very much below average for Melbourne and the south-central coast.  August rainfall was average for the rest of the State. 

Streamflow

Low rainfalls combined with unseasonably warm weather during August contributed to a change in the pattern of stream runoff across the State seen in recent months.  Only one gauging station recorded above average end-of-month flows, while 20 of the 28 stations recorded flows below 60% of the long-term August average.

Storages

The total volume of water in most of Victoria’s major storages increased during August.  By the end of August, Victoria’s major storages had risen to 85.5% of total capacity.  The total volume of water in Victoria’s major regional storages increased to 89.7% and Melbourne’s storage levels rose to 61.2%.

Restrictions on Urban Water Supplies

During August, Lower Murray Water introduced Stage 3 restrictions for Robinvale urban customers.  At the end of the month, 33 Victorian towns were still on restrictions.  This is the lowest number of towns on restrictions for almost a decade.

Irrigation Allocations

Allocations on all northern systems increased during August, except the Bullarook system which has already reached maximum allocation for 2011/12.  The allocation on the Goulburn and Loddon systems finished the month at 78% for high-reliability water shares (HRWS), the Murray at 50%, and the Broken at 34%.  The allocation for low-reliability water shares (LRWS) on the Campaspe was increased to 54%.

In the southern irrigation districts, the allocation for Werribee and Bacchus Marsh remained at 100% HRWS and 15% LRWS during August.  The allocation for Macalister will remain at 90% until the end of the spilling period in December.

Restrictions on Unregulated Streams

At the end of August, diversions from one unregulated stream were subject to restrictions. The same time last year 27 streams were on restriction.

Seasonal Climate Outlook

The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest rainfall outlook for September to November 2011 favours a drier than normal season over the southern Murray-Darling Basin and most of Victoria.

The Bureau reports neutral ENSO conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean, with most atmospheric and oceanic indicators at near normal levels.  All available climate models indicate neutral conditions are likely to persist through winter and spring.