Each Friday we update the status of the state’s water across a variety of categories including storage levels, rainfall, and seasonal outlooks.
Contact the water reporting team at water.reporting@delwp.vic.gov.au for additional information or if you think we can improve the Snapshot.
This week's storage levels
Weekly update of a subset of storages across Victoria
| Storage | Storage level (%) | Source data date | Previous week’s level (%) | Previous year's level (%) | Capacity (ML) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Water | |||||
| Thomson | 90.9 | 05-May-22 | 91.2 | 69.5 | 1,068,000 |
| Cardinia | 80.0 | 05-May-22 | 79.4 | 81.8 | 286,911 |
| Upper Yarra | 59.8 | 05-May-22 | 58.0 | 48.4 | 200,579 |
| Sugarloaf | 77.7 | 05-May-22 | 78.0 | 95.8 | 96,253 |
| Silvan | 82.1 | 05-May-22 | 89.4 | 86.0 | 40,445 |
| Tarago | 99.8 | 05-May-22 | 99.2 | 100.0 | 37,580 |
| Yan Yean | 95.1 | 05-May-22 | 94.7 | 85.2 | 30,266 |
| Greenvale | 93.6 | 05-May-22 | 92.2 | 93.3 | 26,839 |
| Maroondah | 38.6 | 05-May-22 | 38.6 | 46.8 | 22,179 |
| O'Shannassy | 91.9 | 05-May-22 | 76.3 | 75.6 | 3,123 |
| All storages | 84.5 | 05-May-22 | 84.5 | 71.8 | 1,812,175 |
| Goulburn-Murray Water | |||||
| Dartmouth* | 93.6 | 05-May-22 | 93.4 | 63.9 | 3,856,232 |
| Hume* | 86.8 | 05-May-22 | 86.0 | 42.4 | 3,005,157 |
| Eildon | 77.4 | 05-May-22 | 77.2 | 56.2 | 3,334,158 |
| Eppalock (Total) | 48.5 | 05-May-22 | 48.4 | 35.6 | 304,651 |
| Cairn Curran | 53.9 | 05-May-22 | 53.9 | 38.3 | 147,130 |
| Nillahcootie | 88.1 | 05-May-22 | 87.5 | 71.8 | 40,400 |
| Tullaroop | 62.3 | 05-May-22 | 62.3 | 40.8 | 72,950 |
| Barwon Water | |||||
| Geelong and district | 79.4 | 05-May-22 | 79.8 | 65.8 | 95,435 |
| Central Highlands Water | |||||
| Ballarat and district | 86.2 | 03-May-22 | 86.3 | 81.1 | 60,594 |
| Coliban Water | |||||
| Coliban Southern | 76.9 | 05-May-22 | 76.9 | 73.2 | 69,342 |
| Gippsland Water | |||||
| Moondarra | 97.4 | 05-May-22 | 96.3 | 100.0 | 30,458 |
| Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water | |||||
| Grampians storages | 30.1 | 04-May-22 | 30.3 | 29.0 | 560,311 |
| South Gippsland Water | |||||
| Major systems | 60.2 | 29-Apr-22 | 61.6 | 69.2 | 6,111 |
| Southern Rural Water | |||||
| Glenmaggie | 65.7 | 05-May-22 | 66.7 | 33.3 | 177,640 |
| Blue Rock | 98.7 | 05-May-22 | 98.5 | 100.1 | 198,280 |
| Rosslynne | 63.4 | 05-May-22 | 63.3 | 23.5 | 25,400 |
| Werribee Basin** | 78.9 | 05-May-22 | 78.7 | 59.5 | 68,995 |
| Westernport Water | |||||
| Candowie | 61.5 | 29-Apr-22 | 62.3 | 70.4 | 4,448 |
* Victoria has a 50% share of inflows to Dartmouth and in Hume
** Werribee Basin storage value is the combined volume of the Melton, Merrimu and Pykes reservoirs
Monthly storage levels
As at the end of March 2022:
- Regional storages were 82.7% full
- 2.8% lower than the previous month (85.5%)
- Melbourne storages were 85.7% full
- 0.7% lower than the previous month (86.4%)
- Total Victorian storages were 83.2% full
- 2.5% lower than the previous month (85.7%)
The graphs and data below are updated at the end of each month. This monthly dataset contains more storages than the weekly storage table above.
Download the monthly storage data (2010 to 2022).
Updated 21 April 2022, next update mid to late May 2022
Regional monthly storage levels - end January 2010 to end March 2022
Melbourne monthly storage levels - end January 2010 to end March 2022
Total Victorian monthly storage levels - end January 2010 to end March 2022
Map of rainfall received in the last seven days
View the map on the BOM Website.
Rainfall in the Melbourne and Geelong region in the last seven days:
| Date | Melbourne (Olympic Park) rainfall (mm) | Upper Yarra rainfall (mm) | Thomson rainfall (mm) | Geelong rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29/04/2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30/04/2022 | 31.4 | 27.6 | 27 | 37 |
| 1/05/2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2/05/2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3/05/2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4/05/2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 |
| 5/05/2022 | 0.4 | 4 | 3.8 | 0.4 |
| Total | 31.8 | 31.6 | 30.8 | 37.8 |
View daily rainfall at:
Map of total rainfall received month to date
View the map on the BOM Website.
Total rainfall received month to date in the Melbourne and Geelong region:
| Site | Rainfall (mm) - Total month to date | May Rainfall Average (mm) | Calculation method (for average) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne (Olympic Park) | 0.4 | 46.5 | Mean rainfall (mm) - 30 year period 1981 -2010 from Melbourne Regional Office gauge |
| Upper Yarra | 4 | 87.8 | As per Melbourne Water |
| Thomson | 3.8 | 74.2 | As per Melbourne Water |
| Geelong | 0.8 | 46.5 | Mean rainfall (mm) - 28 year period 1983 - 2011 from Grovedale (Geelong Airport) gauge |
Seasonal Climate Outlook
BoM Climate outlook (5 May 2022):
June to August rainfall is likely to be above average for most of the state (50 to 80% chance of exceeding the median). The chances of above average rainfall are higher in the north (above 75% chance).
June to August maximum temperatures are likely to be warmer than average in the southern half of the state and the north-east (50 to 80% chance of exceeding the median). There are lower chances of warmer temperatures in the north-west (20 to 55% chance).
Minimum temperatures for June to August are likely to be warmer than average for the entire state (80% chance).
The next update is expected on 12 May 2022 (pm).
View the full outlook on the BOM Website.
Climate Driver Update
BoM Climate Driver Update (12 April 2022):
The 2021–22 La Niña event continues, despite some weakening over recent weeks. Climate outlooks continue to indicate a return to neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)—neither La Niña nor El Niño—during the late southern hemisphere autumn or in early winter. Even as La Niña weakens, it will continue to influence global weather and climate.
Atmospheric and most oceanic indicators of ENSO persist at La Niña levels. Sea surface temperatures remain cooler than average along the equator. Trade winds remain stronger than average in the western Pacific. Other atmospheric indicators also remain at La Niña levels, with decreased cloudiness persisting along the Date Line and a positive Southern Oscillation Index (SOI).
The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) index is positive, but is expected to be neutral to weakly positive over the coming two weeks. During autumn SAM typically has a weaker influence on Australian rainfall.
The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is neutral. It typically has little influence on global climate patterns from December to April due to the influence of the monsoon. Outlooks for the IOD indicate a neutral IOD is most likely for the remainder of autumn. Model outlooks have low accuracy beyond this time.
The next update is expected on 26 April 2022 (pm).
View the full update on the BOM Website
Current urban restrictions
As at 5 May 2022, there were no towns on restrictions, with permanent water saving rules in place across Victoria.
Urban water corporations publish water restrictions on their websites. Visit the Water in Your Region page to find your urban water corporation via the interactive map.
Monthly urban restrictions
As at end April 2022 permanent water saving rules were in place across Victoria, with no towns on urban restrictions at any time during the month. The last time urban restrictions were in place was in June 2020, when 20 towns were on stage 1 restrictions.
The graph and data below are updated at the end of each month.
Download the monthly urban restrictions data (2010 to 2022)
Updated 5 May 2022, next update early June 2022.
Graph of total number of towns on urban restrictions from January 2010 to April 2022
Fortnightly stream restriction update
As at 26 April 2022, 61 unregulated streams were subject to licensed diversion restrictions across Victoria:
- Goulburn-Murray Water – 48 streams (no change from previous fortnight)
- Southern Rural Water – 5 streams on bans (2 more than previous fortnight)
- Melbourne Water – 8 streams on bans (6 less than previous fortnight)
- Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water – no restrictions on Wimmera River; diversion triggers were met in July so licence holders can access 100% of their licence volume. Diversion triggers were met for Avoca River in August, so users downstream of Charlton Weir can access water under their irrigation or commercial licences.
Next update week of 4 May 2022.
Monthly stream restrictions
As at the end of March 2022:
- There were 66 streams with restrictions or bans on licensed diversions across Victoria (2 less than the previous month - 68 in February).
- Goulburn-Murray Water - 47 streams restricted (the same as the previous month)
- Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water - 0 streams restricted (the same as the previous month)
- Melbourne Water - 16 streams restricted (3 more than the previous month)
- Southern Rural Water - 3 streams restricted (5 less than the previous month)
The graphs and data below are as at the end of each month.
Download the monthly stream restriction data (2010-2022).
Updated 22 April 2022, next update May 2022
Graph of total number of unregulated streams restricted from January 2010 to March 2022
Quarterly groundwater level trend summary
Groundwater level trend update - 1 January to 31 March 2022 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) consistent monitoring data from key bores in the State Observation Bore Network (SOBN) (Glossary).
Go to the DELWP website for more information on SOBN and GMUs.
| TREND | GMU type | Declining | Stable | Rising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-term trend | GMA | 7 | 16 | 11 |
| WSPA | 2 | 6 | 2 | |
| Short-term total | 9 | 22 | 13 | |
| Long-term trend | GMA | 10 | 20 | 8 |
| WSPA | 5 | 5 | 0 | |
| Long-term total | 15 | 25 | 8 | |
Note: Insufficient data or monitoring bores were available to determine a short-term trend in 9 GMAs and a long-term trend in 5 GMAs.
Download the groundwater level trend data for 2018 to 2022.
Updated 22 April 2022, next update July 2022 (for April-June 2022 quarter).
Groundwater management unit short-term trends - January to March 2022 quarter
The map below shows the short-term (5-year) trends in each GMU (both GMAs and WSPAs) across Victoria. The trends are determined using the data from the SOBN key bores in the second map below.
State Observation Bore Network key bore short-term trends - January to March 2022 quarter
The map below shows the short-term (5-year) trends in each SOBN key bore used to determine trends in the GMUs above.
Groundwater management unit long-term trends - January to March 2022 quarter
The map below shows the long-term trends (10-year) in each GMU (both GMAs and WSPAs) across Victoria. The trends are determined using the data from the SOBN key bores in the second map below.
State Observation Bore Network key bore long-term trends - January to March 2022 quarter
The map below shows the long-term (10-year) trends in each SOBN key bore used to determine trends in the GMUs above.
Seasonal determinations and allocations
Seasonal determinations are made against water shares to provide allocations in declared systems. 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 assess seasonal allocations for customers on its rural network based on available resources in the Coliban System.
| System | Seasonal determinations / allocations | Date updated | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goulburn-Murray Water - 2021-22 | |||
| HRWS | LRWS | ||
| Goulburn | 100% | 0% | 1 April 2022 |
| Broken | 100% | 100% | |
| Murray | 100% | 100% | |
| Campaspe | 100% | 0% | |
| Loddon | 100% | 0% | |
| Bullarook | 100% | 100% | |
| Southern Rural Water - 2021-22 | |||
| HRWS | LRWS | ||
| Bacchus Marsh/Werribee | 100% | 100% | 25 January 2022 |
| Thomson/Macalister | 100% | 100% | 8 March 2022 |
| Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water - 2021-22 | |||
| Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline Product | 58% | 8 April 2022 | |
| Coliban Water- 2021-22 | |||
| Coliban Rural System | 100% | Opening announcement 1 July 2021 | |
Additional Information
Weather and Climate
For most up to date information regarding rainfall conditions, seasonal climate outlooks and other climate information, visit the Bureau of Meteorology site.
Groundwater Restrictions
For current groundwater restrictions visit the Goulburn-Murray Water and Southern Rural Water sites. Go to Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water's site and search for 'groundwater restrictions'.
Seasonal Determinations
Seasonal determinations are made against water shares to provide allocations (Glossary). Visit the Victorian Water Register website for current determinations.
Seasonal Determination Outlook
The Northern Victoria Resource Manager provides information about risk of spill and resource outlook (Glossary) for seasonal determinations.
Water Register and Market Information
The Water Register is a public register of all water-related entitlements in Victoria. It has been designed and built to record water entitlements with integrity and provide crucial information for managing Victoria’s water resources.
You can obtain information about trading water in Victoria at the Victorian Water Register Site. Water products that may be traded in Victoria include water shares, allocations and take and use licences (Glossary)
Urban Water Restrictions
Water restrictions are only applicable to customers on a piped water (reticulated) supply. Urban water corporations publish water restrictions on their websites. Visit the Water in Your Region page to find your urban water corporation via the interactive map.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Water Restrictions also provides a summary of water restrictions.
Visit the DELWP water restrictions page for more detail on the types of restrictions.
Environmental Water Releases
To learn how water for the environment is being used across the rivers and wetlands of Victoria, visit the Victorian Environmental Water Holder website.
Drought Management
Victorian's Drought Preparedness and Response Framework is being used to support drought-affected communities, Visit the Drought Section of the Agriculture Victoria website for further information.
Page last updated: 05/05/22