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 3 June 2026, total combined storage levels for major Melbourne, regional and statewide storage networks were as follows:

• Melbourne: 63% full (10% lower than the previous year).
• Regional: 44% full (9% lower than the previous year).
• Statewide: 47% full (9% lower 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 21 May 2026. The next update is in mid-June 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 low likelihood (20-40% chance) of July to September rainfall exceeding the median across most of Victoria. The likelihood of exceeding the median is higher in East Gippsland (up to 40% chance) and lowest in the Hume region (below 20% chance).
• There is a high likelihood (greater than 80% chance) of exceeding the median maximum temperature for July to September across the whole of Victoria.
• Updated on 4 June 2026. The next update is expected on 11 June 2026.

• The sea surface temperature (SST) analysis for the week ending 24 May 2026 shows waters being close to average around much of Australia, except to the south-east and south-west where SSTs are above average. Waters are especially warm along the New South Wales and eastern Tasmania coasts (peaking at around 3 to 4 °C above average).
• The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently neutral, although there are signs of El Niño development. All models, including the Bureau's, forecast the tropical Pacific to continue warming in the coming months, with SSTs likely to reach El Niño thresholds by early winter. However, for El Niño to be considered established, a corresponding atmospheric response would need to be observed. Atmospheric indicators remain consistent with ENSO-neutral conditions.
• The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is currently neutral. There is substantial uncertainty in the forecast state of the IOD.
• The Southern Annular Mode index is positive as at 23 May and is forecast to return to neutral in early to mid June.
• Updated on 28 May 2026. The next update is expected on 11 June 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 3 restrictions. 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 4 June 2026. The next update is in early July 2026.

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

Stream restrictions

End-of-month stream restrictions - 2010 to 2026

As of 22 May 2026, 93 stream sections are subject to diversion restrictions in Victoria (out of a total of 253 stream sections), 24 fewer than the previous year*. These are shown in red and purple in the map below.

Map of streams restricted as at 22 May 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 May 2026. The next update is late June 2026.

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

Groundwater summary

Quarterly groundwater level trend update

1 January to 31 March 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 28 May 2026. The next update is in August 2026 (for the April to June 2026 quarter).

Short and long term groundwater level trend maps

Groundwater restrictions

In 2025-26, 4 GMUs are subject to allocation restrictions:

• Barnadown (Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA) at 75%.
• Blampied and Newlyn (Loddon Highlands WSPA) at 50%.
• Deutgam WSPA at 50%.
• Neuarpur subzone 1 (West Wimmera GMA) at 80%.

Updated 1 October 2025.

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: 04/06/26