Latest Victorian outlook (as at 1 December 2019)
Watch the 2019 annual water outlook video or explore the interactive maps below.
Explore the maps below to find out what the 12-month outlook is for urban, rural and environmental water.
Metro and urban water
No restrictions expected under average climate scenario
Restrictions possible under dry or worst on record climate scenario
Restrictions in place or highly likely this summer
Regulated Systems
Unregulated Systems
Groundwater
Priority environmental watering projects
Barwon Water ›
Activation of standby sources, the Melbourne-to-Geelong pipeline and Anglesea Borefield,
have helped to secure water supply systems for the next two years.
WORST ON RECORD
Apollo Bay: Stage 2 water restriction triggers could be reached by February 2020.
Central Highlands Water ›
No water restrictions are expected for the next 12 months.
Coliban Water ›
No water restrictions are expected for the next 12 months.
East Gippsland Water ›
Facing fourth year in drought and currently in a dry climate scenario.
DRY CLIMATE SCENARIO
Mitchell River system (inc. Bairnsdale, Paynesville, Lakes Entrance): Stage 2 water restrictions
highly likely in mid-January, with likely increase to Stage 4 by March 2020.
Buchan and Swifts Creek: highly likely to reach water restriction trigger levels this summer.
Water carting in addition to water restrictions proposed.
Gippsland Water ›
DRY CLIMATE SCENARIO
Briagalong: groundwater system with water restrictions possible this summer unless significant rainfall received.
Water carting in addition to water restrictions proposed.
Note: only three or six-month outlooks has been provided for some systems.
Goulburn Valley Water ›
Stage 2 water restrictions currently in place for Euroa and Violet Town and expected to continue for the next 12 months
WORST ON RECORD
Kilmore, Broadford, Longwood, Mansfield, Merrijig, Sawmill Settlement: water restriction triggers may be reached in the next 6 – 12 months. Water carting and system transfers used where possible, and continued monitoring.
Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water ›
No urban water restrictions are expected for the next 12 months.
Lake Wartook (servicing Horsham, Natimuk) expected to experience high demand in 2019-20 with potential low storage levels by June 2020.
System will be closely monitored.
Lower Murray Water ›
Stage 1 water restrictions currently in place across all towns.
Melbourne ›
Melbourne Water, City West Water, Yarra Valley Water, South East Water
Water supplies are secure for the next 12 months.
Challenges such as increasing population and drying climate which have contributed to an average annual
decline in Melbourne storages of 61 billion litres over the last five years.
Storage levels are approximately 8% higher as a result of water contributed by the desalination project.
North East Water ›
WORST ON RECORD
Benalla, Harrietville, King, Wangaratta, Yackandandah, Myrtleford: Stage 1 or 2 water restrictions possible between
February and May 2020. Water markets and groundwater proposed to supplement supply.
South Gippsland Water ›
WORST ON RECORD
Fish Creek: Stage 1 water restrictions possible in February 2020.
Toora, Welshpool, Port Welshpool, Port Franklin, Barry Beach: Stage 2 possible in February 2020.
Leongatha, Koonwarra: Stage 1 possible in September 2020.
Note: only three or six-month outlooks has been provided for some systems.
Wannon Water ›
No water restrictions are expected for the next 12 months.
Western Water ›
No water restrictions are expected for the next 12 months.
Westernport Water ›
No water restrictions are expected for the next 12 months.
Goulburn-Murray Water ›
Regulated Systems
Murray: 48% HRWS1 / 0% LWRS2
Campaspe: 60% HRWS / 0% LRWS
Goulburn and Loddon: 61% HRWS / 0% LRWS
Broken: 0% HRWS / 0% LRWS
Bullarook: 100% HRWS / 100% LRWS
If conditions remain dry, low flow contingency measures may be required for the 2020-21 season in the Murray,
Goulburn, Campaspe and Broken systems. Opening seasonal determinations for the 2020-21 irrigation season could be very low.
Reserves in these systems could be the lowest since the Millennium Drought.
Unregulated Systems
Groundwater
Licence holder access is restricted to 75% in the Newlyn zone of the Loddon Highlands WSPA and the Barnadown zone of the Lower Campaspe WSPA. Access likely to be restricted to below 100% in 2020-21.
Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water ›
Rural pipeline customers remain secure for the next 12 months.
Greater Melbourne Region unregulated waterway diversions ›
Licence holders in minor tributaries in the Maribyrnong and Yarra Basin are expected to be on bans from December 2019 to March 2020.
Under dry conditions, bans could continue through to May 2020 and include all streams.
Restrictions are not expected for licence holders on the Yarra River under average conditions but may occur under dry conditions.
Southern Rural Water ›
Regulated Systems
- 100% HRW / 60% LRWS
- 100% HRWS / 0% LRWS
- Possible announcement for low reliability water shares on 15 December if Lake Glenmaggie does not spill.
Unregulated Systems
Southern Rural Water ›
Regulated Systems
- 100% HRW / 60% LRWS
- 100% HRWS / 0% LRWS
- Possible announcement for low reliability water shares on 15 December if Lake Glenmaggie does not spill.
Unegulated Systems
Glenelg River ›
Flows will maintain connectivity for migratory fish, including estuary perch and tupong.
Hattah Lakes ›
Will be allowed to dry over summer to reduce the number of carp. A partial refill in 2020 will support regrowth of aquatic vegetation.
Lake Kramen at Hattah Lakes is being watered for the first time in five years to recover the condition of river red gum and black box trees.
Latrobe River ›
Delivery to internationally importantly wetlands: Sale Common, Dowd Morass and Heart Morass.
Moorabool system ›
Purchased water allocation will increase environmental flows to support native fish, eels and aquatic vegetation.
Murray and Goulburn rivers ›
Coordinated releases are being reused multiple times along the River Murray, including at Barmah Forest, Gunbower Forest and Hattah Lakes.
Ovens system ›
The first trial delivery to a wetland (Mullimur wetland near Wangaratta), will complement other management work to remove carp and revegetate the site.
Snowy River ›
Flows will increase opportunities for canoeing and kayaking on the Snowy River.
Thomson, Macalister ›
Delivery of environmental flows in autumn to prompt breeding of endangered species including the Australian grayling.
Thomson system: a trial watering of Heyfield wetlands will complement community efforts to rehabilitate the wetland and support
educational programs.
Wimmera system ›
Delivery to protect critical refuges for plants and animals, particularly in summer. Deliver to Ranch Billabong near Dimboola, for native plants and animals, in partnership with Traditional Owners. The Ranch is on land owned by the Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.
Yarra system ›
Delivery for high-priority environmental flows and adjacent floodplain wetlands, Yering Backswamp and Banyule Billabong.
Melbourne Water and Victorian Environmental Water Holder will work with Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Aboriginal Corporation to incorporate Traditional Owner cultural
values into wetland watering.
1. HRWS: High Reliability Water Shares
2. LRWS: Low Reliability Water Shares
3. WSPA: Water Supply Protection Area
4. As of 19 November 2019
Climate scenarios explained
A climate scenario is a plausible and possible representation of the future climate.
Average: based on average climate experienced since 1975.
Dry: based on the driest tenth percentile (10%) of climate experienced since 1975.
Worst on record: similar to the extremely dry conditions experienced during the peak of
the Millennium Drought in 2006-07. Note according to water corporation modelling, a
worst on record scenario is not expected for any system over the outlook period.
Note: This map does not include all the possible environmental watering that may occur in 2019-20. For more information on other activities across Victoria, please visit www.vewh.vic.gov.au.
Click on your water corporation below to view its Annual Water Outlook:
Page last updated: 28/01/20