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 very warm and dry September, with daytime temperatures above and total rainfall below the long-term average across most of the state. Rainfall was very much below average in northwest, central and southeast Victoria.

Streamflows

The lack of significant rainfall coupled with warm and windy weather conditions during September resulted in some flow deterioration in most Victorian rivers and streams.

At the end of September, streamflows at the representative gauging stations were still below average across the most of the state.  Flows below 10% of the long-term average for September were recorded at 18 of the 28 representative stations across Victoria.

Storage Volumes

Below average rainfall throughout September has led to poor storage recovery across the state. At the end of September, the total volume in the state’s major storages was 22% of capacity. This is an increase of just 1.8% over the month.

Melbourne's storages increased by 0.8% during the month to finish at 34.5% of capacity. Melbourne’s storages are 5.2% lower than at the same time last year. 

Restrictions on Urban Water Supplies

The were no changes made to towns on restriction during September.

The total number of Victorian towns on restriction as at 30 September 2008 was 327, of which 59 towns were on Stage 1, 35 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.

Approximately 150 towns were not on water restrictions and were subject to Permanent Water Saving Rules.

Irrigation Allocations

On 15 September G-MW announced allocations on the Murray and Goulburn systems of 13% and 9% respectively, but allocations remained at 0% on all other northern systems.

On 15 September, Coliban Water announced a 0% allocation on the Coliban Rural System.

Recycled water is available to customers on the Ascot, Axe Creek and Cockatoo Hill channel systems up to 60% of licenced volume. Elsewhere in the rural system, a qualification of rights is in place to provide significant commercial operators with emergency supplies up to 30% of licenced volume.

The irrigation allocation remained at zero in the Wimmera-Mallee supply system.

In southern Victoria, the seasonal allocation for the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigation districts increased to 4% of high reliability water share. This allocation applies only until 30 November 2008.

The allocation for the Macalister Irrigation District was increased to 90% during September. The regulated irrigation allocation from Blue Rock Lake was 6.7%.   

Restrictions on Unregulated Streams

At the end of September, diversions from a total of 112 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 112 streams were also on restriction.

Seasonal Climate Outlook

The rainfall outlook for the October–December period was released by the Bureau of Meteorology on 25 September 2008. 

The outlook shows a shift towards drier conditions for southern Victoria, where the chances of exceeding the median rainfall are between 25 and 40%. The chances of exceeding the median rainfall in northern Victoria remain between 40 and 50%, meaning the chances of being wetter than normal are about the same as the chances of being drier.

The ENSO Wrap-Up (issued on 24 September 2008) indicates that neutral conditions continue to prevail across the tropical Pacific,

There is now little potential for an El Niño event in 2008, and a switch to La Niña conditions is also unlikely. This is supported by climate model forecasts that show neutral conditions should persist until the end of the year.