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

Total November rainfall was close to or above the long-term normal across most of Victoria. Only isolated parts of the Wimmera and western regions of Victoria recorded below-average rainfall.

The highest total monthly rainfall of 256.2 mm was recorded at Mount Nowa Nowa in East Gippsland.

Streamflows

At the end of the month, streamflows in eastern Victoria showed improvement due to above-average November rainfall. Of the 28 representative gauging stations, four stations in the Gippsland regions recorded flows greater than 100% of the long-term average for November.

Unfortunately, the situation has not improved across the rest of the state with 15 gauging stations recording flows less than 10% of the long-term average.

Storage Volumes

The close-to-average and above-average rainfalls across the state have slowed the rate of decline in storage levels, and led to some recovery in the south. At the end of November, the total volume in the state’s major storageswas 20.8% of capacity. This is a decrease of 0.5% over the month.

Melbourne's storages increased by 0.2% during the month to finish at 34.1% of capacity. Melbourne’s storages are 5.9% lower than at the same time last year.

Restrictions on Urban Water Supplies

North East Water increased restrictions for Chiltern from Stage 2 to Stage 3 on 14 November 2008, and introduced Stage 1 restrictions for Beechworth, Corryong, Cudgewa, Myrtleford, Springhurst, Whitfield and Glenrowan on 21 November.

The total number of Victorian towns on restriction as at 30 November 2008 was 334, of which 66 towns were on Stage 1, 34 were on Stage 2, 42 were on Stage 3, 18 on Stage 3a, 77 on Stage 4 with general exemptions, and 97 on Stage 4. Approximately 140 towns were not on water restrictions and were subject to Permanent Water Saving Rules.

Irrigation Allocations

On 15 November, G-MW announced allocations on the Murray and Goulburn systems of 21% and 19% respectively, but allocations remained at 0% on all other northern systems.

The allocation on the Coliban Rural System remained at zero per cent during November. Recycled water is available to customers on the Ascot, Axe Creek and Cockatoo Hill channel systems up to 40% of licensed 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 licensed 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 remained at 4% of high reliability water share.

The allocation for the Macalister Irrigation District remained at 90% during November. The allocation for irrigators supplied from Blue Rock Lake was 23%.   

Restrictions on Unregulated Streams

At the end of October, diversions from a total of 125 unregulated streams and lakes across the state were subject to some form of restriction. This is slightly less than this time last year when 129 streams were on restriction.

Seasonal Climate Outlook

The rainfall outlook for the period December to February was released by the Bureau of Meteorology on 26 November 2008.  The outlook indicates that the chances of exceeding the median rainfall across Victoria are between 40 and 45% in the south, and between 45% and 50% in the north and east. This means that the chances of being wetter than normal are about the same as the chances of being drier.

The ENSO Wrap-Up (issued on 19 November 2008) indicates that neutral conditions continue to prevail in the Pacific basin. Given current and conditions, recent trends and climate model forecasts, neutral conditions are expected to remain through the end of 2008 and the southern summer - there is now very little potential for El Niño or La Niña conditions to develop.