Current water snapshot

The status of the state’s water resources across various categories, including storage levels, rainfall and seasonal outlooks.

Water storage levels

As at 10 November 2026, total combined storage levels for major Melbourne, regional and statewide storage networks were as follows:

• Melbourne: 72% full (2% lower than the previous year).
• Regional: 75% full (17% higher than the previous year).
• Statewide: 74% full (13% higher than the previous year).

• Melbourne Water storage levels

* Victoria has a 50% share of inflows to Dartmouth and in Hume

• Goulburn-Murray Water storage levels
• Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water storage levels

* Werribee Basin storage value is the combined volume of the Melton, Merrimu and Pykes reservoirs

• Barwon Water storage levels
• Central Highlands Water storage levels
• Coliban Water storage levels
• Gippsland Water storage levels
• South Gippsland Water storage levels
• Westernport Water storage levels

Download the monthly dataset

Updated 22 October 2026. The next update is in mid-November 2026.

Regional, Melbourne and all Victoria monthly storage levels

Bureau of Meteorology rainfall maps

On the Bureau of Meteorology websites, view

• map of rainfall received in the past 7 days
• map of total rainfall received month to date

• The Bureau of Meteorology’s outlook predicts a medium likelihood (45-60% chance) of December 2026 to February 2027 rainfall exceeding the median across most of the state.
• The north west corner of the state has a slightly higher 60-65% chance of exceeding the median.
• There is an increased likelihood (over 80% chance) of unusually high maximum temperatures across the east of Victoria from December 2026 to February 2027. The western half of the state has a slightly lower 70-80% chance.
• Updated on 12 November 2026. The next update is expected on 19 November 2026.

• A strong to very strong El Niño is underway. Atmospheric indicators remain consistent with a strong El Niño, including weakened or reversed trade winds, enhanced cloudiness in the central to eastern tropical Pacific, reduced cloud over the Maritime Continent, and a negative 30-day value of the Southern Oscillation Index (–14.4 to 8 November 2026).
• A strong El Niño signal in the Niño3.4 region does not necessarily mean strong impacts on Australian rainfall and temperature.
• The sea surface temperature (SST) analysis for the week ending 8 November shows SSTs are up to 2 °C above average around much of Australia's south and north-east, increasing to up to 3 °C above average in the south-east.
• The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) index is positive as of 6 November. It is forecast to return to neutral during mid-to-late November.
• Updated on 12 November 2026. The next update is expected on 26 November 2026.

Current urban restrictions

All towns are currently subject to Permanent Water Saving Rules, except for those in the Forest Hill system (Central Highlands Water), which are on Stage 2 restrictions, reduced from stage 3 on 27 October 2026. This system supplies groundwater to the Allendale, Broomfield, Kingston, Newlyn, Newlyn North, Smeaton and Springmount townships.

More information on urban water corporation restrictions is published on their websites.

Find your urban water corporation.

Monthly urban restrictions - 2010 to 2026

The graph and data below are updated at the end of each month.

Updated 28 October 2026. The next update is in early December 2026.

Graph of total number of towns on urban restrictions from January 2010 to October 2026

Stream restrictions

End-of-month stream restrictions - 2010 to 2026

As of 22 October 2026, 20 stream sections are subject to diversion restrictions in Victoria (out of a total of 253 stream sections), 18 fewer than the previous year*. These are shown in red and purple in the map below.

Map of streams restricted as at 22 October 2026**

*  This count includes management sections subject to diversion restrictions (the term used for partial limitation on take) as well as complete bans on take.

** This map is for indicative purposes only and licence holders should refer to their respective water corporation regarding stream restrictions. This map does not display all stream restrictions.

The graph and data below are as at the end of each month.

Updated 28 October 2026. The next update is November 2026.

Graph of total number of stream sections restricted from January 2010 to October 2026

Groundwater summary

Quarterly groundwater level trend update

1 April to 30 June 2026 quarter.

Groundwater level trends in groundwater management units (GMUs) are reported quarterly. Groundwater level trends for GMUs have been determined based on 5 years (short-term) or 10 years (long-term) of consistent monitoring data from key bores in the State Observation Bore Network (SOBN).

There are 2 categories of GMUs:

• Groundwater management areas (GMAs).
• Water supply protection areas (WSPAs).

Updated 13 August 2026. The next update is in November 2026 (for the July to September 2026 quarter).

Short and long term groundwater level trend maps

Groundwater restrictions

In 2026-27, 3 GMUs are subject to allocation restrictions:

• Barnadown zone (Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA) at 75%.
• Deutgam WSPA at 25%.
• Neuarpur subzone 1 (West Wimmera GMA) at 80%.

Updated 16 July 2026.

Seasonal determinations and allocations

Seasonal determinations are made against water shares to provide allocations in declared systems. These can be for high reliability (HRWS) or low reliability (LRWS) water shares. In northern Victoria, Goulburn-Murray Water makes the seasonal determinations in the relevant systems, while Southern Rural Water makes the seasonal determinations in the Thomson/Macalister and Bacchus Marsh/Werribee systems.

In the Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water area, resource assessments are undertaken every month to determine the amount of water that can be made available to entitlement holders. These monthly assessments result in a formal announcement on water allocations.

Coliban Water assesses seasonal allocations for customers on its rural network based on available resources in the Coliban System.

Goulburn-Murray Water

Southern Rural Water

Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water

Coliban Water

Page last updated: 12/11/26