The total volume of water in most of Victoria’s major storages increased this month, largely a result of large inflows of floodwater to Hume Dam.  At the end of March, Victoria’s major storages were at 81.2% of total capacity.  The total volume in regional Victoria’s major storages rose by 2.5% back to 84.1%.  The gains were recorded despite large pre-releases of water from a number of storages, including Lake Menindee, as part of flood mitigation operations.

Melbourne’s storage levels also increased by 0.5% to 64.8% of capacity; gaining 10 GL during a month when levels normally decrease. This was the first time Melbourne’s storages had recorded a net increase over March since Thomson Dam was built in 1984. Thomson Dam, Melbourne’s key drought reserve, passed 600 GL full for the first time in 13 years and finished the month at 57.6% of capacity.

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