The Annual Water Outlook keeps Victorians informed about the state’s water supplies and outlines the contingency plans being put in place to cope with any shortages should they arise this summer and autumn.
Latest Victorian outlook (as at 1 December 2021)
The Annual Water Outlook keeps Victorians informed about the state’s water supplies and outlines the contingency plans being put in place to cope with any shortages should they arise this summer and autumn.
This summer, wetter than average conditions are expected. Based on this, no water restrictions expected in any city or town.
Dry conditions are unlikely to occur this summer.*
Worst on record conditions are very unlikely to occur this summer.*
This summer BoM are predicting Victoria will experience wetter than average conditions. Under these conditions water users can expect the following outcomes.
This summer BoM are predicting Victoria will experience wetter than average conditions. However if dry conditions eventuate then water users can expect the following outcomes. Dry conditions are more likely to occur in the south west.
This summer BoM are predicting Victoria will experience wetter than average conditions. However if very dry conditions eventuate then water users can expect the following outcomes. It is highly unlikely that very dry conditions will occur this summer.
Click on the pins to discover some of our environmental watering activities.
For a full list, please visit www.vewh.vic.gov.au.
Water restrictions not expected
Water restrictions/drought response possible in 6-12 months
Water restrictions/drought response possible over summer
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Apollo Bay, Skenes Creek and Marengo: Water restrictions possible in summer 2021-22.Lorne: Water restrictions possible in summer 2021-22.
Water restrictions not expected.
Pyalong: Water restrictions possible in summer 2021-22. Any shortfall will be met through water carting.
Pyalong: Water restrictions possible in summer 2021-22. Any shortfall will be met through water carting. Mansfield: Water restrictions possible in summber 2021-22.
Marysville and Buxton: Water restrictions possible in summer 2021-22.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Fish Creek: Stage 1 water restrictions possible in January 2022.
Leongatha and Koonwarra: Stage 1 water restrictions possible in August 2022.
Toora, Welshpool, Port Welshpool, Port Franklin and Barry Beach: Stage 4 water restrictions possible from February to April 2022.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Water restrictions not expected.
Corryong and Cudgewa: Stage 1 water restrictions possible from February 2022 to June 2022.
Myrtleford: Stage 2 water restrictions possible from April 2022 to June 2022..
Water restrictions not expected.
Mitchell River (towns include Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale): Stage 2 water restrictions possible in February 2022.
Mitchell River (towns include Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale): Stage 4 water restrictions possible in February 2022.
Regulated Murray System: Seasonal determinations have reached 100% HRWS, and GMW will be able to continue to set aside water to build reserves for next years’ opening allocation.
Regulated Murray System: Seasonal determinations have already reached 100% HRWS, if this occurs GMW will not be able to set aside water for next years’ allocations.
Regulated Murray System: Seasonal determinations have already reached 100% HRWS, but GMW will start with no or very low seasonal determinations for 2022/23 year.
Lower Murray Water: Rural customers will have enough allocation to meet their irrigation and stock and domestic demand.
Lower Murray Water: Rural customers will have enough allocation to meet their irrigation and stock and domestic demand.
Lower Murray Water: Rural customers will have enough allocation to meet their irrigation and stock and domestic demand.
Regulated Goulburn System: Seasonal determinations have reached 100% HRWS, and GMW will be able to continue to set aside water to build reserves for next years’ opening allocation.
Regulated Goulburn System: Seasonal determinations have already reached 100% HRWS, if this occurs GMW will not be able to set aside water for next years’ allocations.
Regulated Goulburn System: Seasonal determinations have already reached 100% HRWS, but GMW will start with no or very low seasonal determinations for 2022/23 year.
Unregulated Northern Systems: Diversion bans or restrictions for waterways would be needed over the summer.
Unregulated Northern Systems: Diversion restrictions on streams would be expected over summer, including suspensions for Loddon and Campaspe.
Unregulated Northern Systems: Diversion restrictions or suspensions for the main branches of rivers and streams are likely.
Coliban Rural Water Users: Will have access to their full licence volume.
Coliban Rural Water Users: Will have access to their full licence volume.
Coliban Rural Water Users: Will have access to their full licence volume.
Regulated Werribee Irrigation District: Seasonal determinations have reached 100% HRWS, and further seasonal determinations for LRWS may be issued before the end of the season.
Regulated Werribee Irrigation District: Seasonal determinations have reached 100% HRWS, customers continue to have access to recycled water.
Regulated Werribee Irrigation District: Seasonal determinations are already 100% HRWS, and high water users likely to rely on recycled water to meet full demand.
Thomson Macalister Irrigation District: Seasonal determinations are already 100% HRWS, and seasonal determinations for LRWS may be issued before the end of the season.
Thomson Macalister Irrigation District: Seasonal determinations are already 100% HRWS, but seasonal determinations for LRWS may not be issued before the end of the season.
Thomson Macalister Irrigation District: Seasonal determinations are already 100% HRWS, but seasonal determinations unlikely to be issued to LRWS.
Unregulated Southern Systems: Where diversion bans or restrictions are typically applied over the summer period, they are likely to come into effect later this season, or not at all.
Unregulated Southern Systems: Diversion bans or restrictions for waterways would be needed over the summer.
Unregulated Southern Systems: Diversion bans or restrictions for streams and rivers would be needed for significant periods over summer.
Greater Melbourne Region Unregulated Waterways: Melbourne Water's unregulated waterway customers should not expect extended periods of diversion bans and restrictions in the coming summer irrigation period.Western - minor tributaries on diversion bansEastern - all minor tributaries on diversions bans. Yarra River mainstem will not have diversion restrictions
Greater Melbourne Region Unregulated Waterways: Melbourne Water's unregulated waterway customers will likely be placed on diversion bans or restrictions for periods during summer.Western - all streams on diversions bansEastern - all minor tributaries on diversions bans. Yarra River mainstem on diversion restrictions
Greater Melbourne Region Unregulated Waterways: Unregulated Melbourne system: Melbourne Water's unregulated waterway customers would be placed on diversion bans, including the mainstem of the Yarra River.Western - All streams on diversions bansEastern - All minor tributaries on diversion bans. Yarra river mainstem on diversion restrictions and/or bans
Rural Pipeline Customers: will have access to stock and domestic water this season.
Rural Pipeline Customers: will have access to stock and domestic water this season.
Rural Pipeline Customers: will have access to stock and domestic water this season.
Environmental water in the Loddon system is being used to support native fish outcomes within the river channel and water important wetlands. Key wetland watering actions include filling Lake Meran in spring and Lake Boort in autumn. These will be the first time these wetlands have filled since natural floods in 2016.
Freshes* will be provided in autumn and spring to trigger migration and spawning of native fish species (such as Australian grayling) that need to move between the river and sea during different stages of their life cycle.
Delivery to internationally important wetlands: Sale Common, Dowd Morass and Heart Morass. West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority is working in partnership with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation to improve environmental water delivery paths through Dowd Morass to improve environmental outcomes.
Environmental flows have increased opportunities for canoeing and kayaking on the Snowy River.
Under average-wet climatic conditions, many of the Yarra’s floodplain billabongs would have naturally filled, however river regulation and modifications to natural flow paths mean they are often drier than natural. While Bolin Bolin Billabong and Yering Backswamp filled naturally in spring 2021, environmental water was required to partially fill Annulus Billabong, located on the Yarra River floodplain near Heidelberg. The watering action was planned and delivered in conjunction with the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
Provide minimum low flows through summer and autumn to maintain habitat for native fish, waterbugs and platypus. An autumn fresh is also planned to trigger migration and spawning of Australian grayling and help populations recover from past dry periods.
Supporting a partial drawdown at Reedy Lake and Hospital Swamps over summer and early autumn 2022 to expose mudflats on the edge of the wetlands, followed by a fill in late autumn/winter 2022 is a high priority, and is expected to result in enhanced ecological productivity and processes that rely on wetting and drying cycles. Under a wet scenario, drawdowns may not be possible, especially if there are multiple high-flow events in the Barwon River during summer and autumn.
Deliver low flows and freshes over summer and autumn to maintain pools and increase flowing habitat for native fish and platypus.
Deliver low flows and freshes over summer and autumn to protect the environmental gains made through watering actions in recent years.
Gunbower Forest would naturally flood during wet conditions such as have been experienced in spring 2021. The controlled releases from upstream storages such as Hume Dam partially increased flow in the Murray River and some of that water flowed into permanent wetlands within Gunbower Forest. However, other parts of the forest that would naturally be inundated during these conditions remained dry; environmental water will be used to water some of those areas in autumn 2022.
A spring fresh, timed to complement a natural flow event, was delivered to trigger spawning of golden perch and promote recovery of vegetation along the banks. Waterway managers will aim to maintain flows below 1,000 ML per day for at least six weeks after the fresh to allow native vegetation to germinate and establish before consumptive water use increases over summer.
Successive dry years mean that many wetlands on the lower Murray River floodplain are thirsty. Natural high flows in spring 2021 have watered some wetlands at Nyah and Vinifera forests and Wallpolla Island. Environmental water is being pumped to other sites across Lindsay and Mulcra islands and the Hattah Lakes that have missed out on these natural fills. Watering these floodplain habitats aims to stimulate growth of aquatic vegetation, improve the condition of fringing river red gums and black box and provide feeding and breeding habitat for a range of waterbirds.
Coordinated release in the Murray River to provide spring floodplain inundation at Barmah Forest, boost foodweb productivity in the main river channel and support the movement and breeding of native fish. Some of this water will be re-used at downstream sites in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
View each water corporation's Annual Water Outlook:
