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

• Melbourne: 73% full (11% lower than the previous year).
• Regional: 51% full (19% lower than the previous year).
• Statewide: 55% full (17% 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 22 January 2026. The next update is in mid-February 2025.

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 shows that February to April 2026 rainfall has an average likelihood (40-60% chance) of exceeding the median across Victoria, with higher chance (50-60%) in parts of Western Victoria and East Gippsland, and lower chance (40-50%) over South Gippsland and the Yarra Ranges.
• There is a high likelihood (>70% chance) of exceeding the median maximum temperature for February to April 2026 for most of the state, with higher chance (>80%) in central regions of Victoria, and parts of South Gippsland and East Gippsland. The likelihood is slightly lower (>60% chance) for remaining parts of East Gippsland.
• Updated on 29 January 2026. The next update is expected on 5 February 2026.

• Sea surface Temperatures (SSTs) in the Australian region were the third warmest on record for December, with forecasts for February to April indicating continuing warmer-than-average SSTs for much of the region, but closer to average off southern Australia.
• La Niña continues in the Tropical Pacific. The Bureau's model indicates that SSTs in the tropical Pacific are likely to return to a neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation state in late summer, consistent with most international models.
• The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is expected to remain neutral until at least the end of autumn 2026. The IOD is typically inactive from December to April.
• The Southern Annular Mode index is neutral and forecast to remain mostly neutral over the coming fortnight.
• Updated on 22 January 2026. The next update is expected on 5 February 2026.

Current urban restrictions

Central Highlands Water escalated from Stage 1 to Stage 3 restrictions on the Forest Hill System, which supplies groundwater to the Allendale, Broomfield, Kingston, Newlyn, Newlyn North, Smeaton and Springmount townships, from Friday 23 January 2026 to safeguard the drinking water supply and ensure the region has sufficient water to meet essential needs until groundwater levels recover.

There are no water restrictions in place for any of Victoria’s other urban water supply systems, and they are subject to Permanent Water Saving Rules.

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 8 January 2026. The next update is in early February 2026.

Graph of total number of towns on urban restrictions from January 2010 to December 2025

Stream restrictions

End-of-month stream restrictions - 2010 to 2026

As of 27 January 2026, 125 stream sections are subject to diversion restrictions1 in Victoria (out of a total of 251 stream sections), 82 more than the previous month. These are shown in red and purple in the map below.

Map of streams restricted as at 27 January 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 27 January 2026. The next update is late February 2026.

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

Groundwater summary

Quarterly groundwater level trend update

1 July to 30 September 2025 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 27 November 2025. The next update is in early 2026 (for the October to December 2025 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: 30/01/26