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 | This week | Source data date | Last week | 2021 | Capacity (ML) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Water | |||||
| Thomson | 96.5 | 15-Sep-22 | 96.1 | 81.6 | 1,068,000 |
| Cardinia | 86.8 | 15-Sep-22 | 85.3 | 72.1 | 286,911 |
| Upper Yarra | 83.1 | 15-Sep-22 | 83.2 | 88.7 | 200,579 |
| Sugarloaf | 95.7 | 15-Sep-22 | 96.0 | 87.5 | 96,253 |
| Silvan | 87.8 | 15-Sep-22 | 87.4 | 86.6 | 40,445 |
| Tarago | 100.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 37,580 |
| Yan Yean | 100.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 100.0 | 96.1 | 30,266 |
| Greenvale | 94.3 | 15-Sep-22 | 93.3 | 85.5 | 26,839 |
| Maroondah | 100.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 22,179 |
| O'Shannassy | 100.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 100.0 | 98.9 | 3,123 |
| All storages | 93.4 | 15-Sep-22 | 92.9 | 82.2 | 1,812,175 |
| Goulburn-Murray Water | |||||
| Dartmouth* | 99.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 99.0 | 77.1 | 3,856,232 |
| Hume* | 95.6 | 15-Sep-22 | 95.2 | 96.8 | 3,005,157 |
| Eildon | 96.4 | 15-Sep-22 | 95.8 | 77.2 | 3,334,158 |
| Eppalock (Total) | 76.7 | 15-Sep-22 | 66.6 | 55.4 | 304,651 |
| Cairn Curran | 93.3 | 15-Sep-22 | 85.8 | 63.6 | 147,130 |
| Nillahcootie | 100.3 | 15-Sep-22 | 100.1 | 100.7 | 40,400 |
| Tullaroop | 100.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 91.5 | 72.2 | 72,950 |
| Barwon Water | |||||
| Geelong and district | 97.7 | 15-Sep-22 | 97.3 | 91.8 | 95,435 |
| Central Highlands Water | |||||
| Ballarat and district | 96.9 | 13-Sep-22 | 96.5 | 96.8 | 60,594 |
| Coliban Water | |||||
| Coliban Southern | 100.3 | 15-Sep-22 | 99.7 | 100.2 | 69,342 |
| Gippsland Water | |||||
| Moondarra | 100.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 30,458 |
| Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water | |||||
| Grampians storages | 42.1 | 14-Sep-22 | 39.2 | 42.6 | 560,311 |
| South Gippsland Water | |||||
| Major systems | 100.0 | 09-Sep-22 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 6,111 |
| Southern Rural Water | |||||
| Glenmaggie | 90.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 90.3 | 95.6 | 177,640 |
| Blue Rock | 100.5 | 15-Sep-22 | 101.0 | 100.6 | 198,280 |
| Rosslynne | 73.7 | 15-Sep-22 | 71.3 | 51.9 | 25,400 |
| Werribee Basin** | 96.0 | 15-Sep-22 | 94.3 | 83.6 | 68,995 |
| Westernport Water | |||||
| Candowie | 100.4 | 09-Sep-22 | 100.2 | 100.4 | 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 August 2022:
- Regional storages were 86.8% full
- 11.8% higher than the previous month (85.0%)
- Melbourne storages were 92.5% full
- 4.5% higher than the previous month (88.0%)
- Total Victorian storages were 96.2% full
- 10.7 % higher than the previous month (85.0%)
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 September 2022, next update mid to late October 2022
Regional monthly storage levels - end January 2010 to end August 2022
Melbourne monthly storage levels - end January 2010 to end June 2022
Total Victorian monthly storage levels - end January 2010 to end June 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:
View daily rainfall at:
| Date | Melbourne (Olympic Park) rainfall (mm) | Upper Yarra rainfall (mm) | Thomson rainfall (mm) | Geelong rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/09/2022 | 0.2 | 6.8 | 0.8 | 2.6 |
| 10/09/2022 | 6.8 | 4 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
| 11/09/2022 | 0 | 3.2 | 3 | 0 |
| 12/09/2022 | 1.6 | 4 | 2.4 | 1.4 |
| 13/09/2022 | 1.4 | 1 | 4.6 | 0 |
| 14/09/2022 | 0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0.2 |
| 15/09/2022 | 7.6 | 4.8 | 6.8 | 24 |
| Total | 17.6 | 24 | 18 | 30.8 |
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 | September Rainfall Average (mm) | Calculation method (for average) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne (Olympic Park) | 15.6 | 52.9 | Mean rainfall (mm) - 30 year period 1981 -2010 from Melbourne Regional Office gauge |
| Upper Yarra | 27.4 | 117.8 | As per Melbourne Water |
| Thomson | 22.4 | 103.5 | As per Melbourne Water |
| Geelong | 14.8 | 49.7 | Mean rainfall (mm) - 28 year period 1983 - 2011 from Grovedale (Geelong Airport) gauge |
Seasonal Climate Outlook
BoM Climate outlook (15 September 2022):
October to December rainfall is likely to be above average for most of Victoria (65 to >80% chance of exceeding the median). Likelihood of above average rainfall are higher in the north, east and southeast (75 to >80% chance).
October to December maximum temperatures are likely to be warmer than average along the coast (60 to 75% chance of exceeding the median). Temperatures are likely to be at or below average for the rest of Victoria.
Minimum temperatures October to December are very likely to be warmer than average for the whole state (75 to >80% chance).
The next update is expected on 22 September 2022 (pm).
View the full outlook on the BOM Website.
Climate Driver Update
BoM Climate Driver Update (13 September 2022):
The Bureau's ENSO Outlook has been raised to LA NIÑA. Key atmospheric and oceanic indicators of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) show an established La Niña.
Models indicate this La Niña event may peak during the spring and return to neutral conditions early in 2023. La Niña events increase the chances of above-average rainfall for northern and eastern Australia during spring and summer.
The negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event continues and is likely to continue into late spring. A negative IOD event is typically associated with above average spring rainfall for much of Australia. When a La Niña and negative IOD combine, it further increases the likelihood of above average rainfall over Australia, particularly in the eastern half of the continent.
The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) index is currently positive and is likely to be mostly positive for the coming three months. During the spring months, a positive SAM has a wetter influence for parts of eastern New South Wales and far eastern Victoria.
The next update is expected on 27 September 2022 (pm).
View the full update on the BOM Website
Current urban restrictions
As at 15 September 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 the end August 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 06 September 2022, next update early October 2022.
Graph of total number of towns on urban restrictions from January 2010 to August 2022
Fortnightly stream restriction update
As at 12 September, 3 streams are subject to diversion restrictions across Victoria (out of a total of 250 unregulated streams),
4 less than the previous fortnight (8 on 15 August 2022):
- Goulburn-Murray Water – 2 streams (2 less than the previous fortnight)
- Southern Rural Water – 0 stream on ban (1 less than the previous fortnight)
- Melbourne Water – 0 streams on bans (1 less than the previous fortnight)
- GWMW - restrictions apply to licence holders on 1 stream where diversion triggers have not yet been met for 2022-2023
- Wimmera River diverters below Glenorchy weir are not permitted to take as of 1 July 2022
- Avoca River diverters below Charlton weir are permitted to take as of 23 August 2022
Next update week of 26 September 2022.
Monthly stream restrictions
As at the end of August 2022:
- There were 7 streams with restrictions or bans on licensed diversions across Victoria (17 in July).
- Goulburn-Murray Water - 4 streams restricted (11 in July)
- Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water - 1 streams restricted (2 in July)
- Melbourne Water - 1 stream restricted (3 in July)
- Southern Rural Water -1 streams restricted (the same in July)
The graphs and data below are as at the end of each month.
Download the monthly stream restriction data (2010-2022).
Updated 06 September 2022, next update October 2022
Graph of total number of unregulated streams restricted from January 2010 to August 2022
Quarterly groundwater level trend summary
Groundwater level trend update - 1 April to 30 June 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 | 9 | 18 | 9 |
| WSPA | 2 | 6 | 2 | |
| Short-term total | 11 | 24 | 11 | |
| Long-term trend | GMA | 11 | 25 | 2 |
| WSPA | 7 | 2 | 1 | |
| Long-term total | 18 | 27 | 3 | |
Note: Insufficient data or monitoring bores were available to determine a short-term trend in 7 GMAs and a long-term trend in 5 GMAs.
Download the groundwater level trend data for 2018 to 2022.
Updated 14 July 2022, next update October 2022 (for July-September 2022 quarter).
Groundwater management unit short-term trends - April to June 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 - April to June 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 - April to June 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 - April to June 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 - 2022-23 | |||
| HRWS | LRWS | ||
| Goulburn | 100% | 0% | 15 Sep 2022 |
| Broken | 100% | 69% | |
| Murray | 100% | 12% | |
| Campaspe | 100% | 0% | |
| Loddon | 100% | 0% | |
| Bullarook | 100% | 100% | |
| Southern Rural Water - 2022-23 | |||
| HRWS | LRWS | ||
| Bacchus Marsh/Werribee | 100% | 60% | 20 Sept 2022 |
| Thomson/Macalister | 100% | 0% | 2 July 2022 |
| Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water - 2022-23 | |||
| Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline Product | 19% | September 2022 | |
| Coliban Water- 2021-22 | |||
| Coliban Rural System | 100% | Opening announcement 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: 21/09/22