First low-reliability water share allocation for Goulburn system

The Victorian Murray system increased from 12 per cent LRWS to 40 per cent LRWS.

The Campaspe, Bullarook and Broken systems now have 100 per cent LRWS.

All Victorian systems have 100 per cent high-reliability water share allocations.

Dr Bailey said high inflows through September and the first half of October underwrote the October seasonal determinations.

“All major storages across northern Victoria are at capacity or being managed to maintain airspace,” he said.

“The releases from Lake Hume and Lake Eildon to control storage levels during September and into October contributed to the low-reliability water shares allocation announced (on October 17) for the Murray and Goulburn systems respectively.

“This is the first time low-reliability water shares in the Goulburn system have received an allocation since unbundling in 2007.

“The release from Lake Eildon means that about 210 gigalitres will be deducted from Goulburn spillable water accounts (on October 17).

“That’s about 52 per cent of the current volumes in those accounts.

“In the Murray system, the increased low-reliability water share seasonal determination transferred more allocation into spillable water accounts.”

All of this allocation will be deducted due to the releases from Lake Hume.

“High inflows into Lake Eppalock in recent weeks filled Lake Eppalock and large volumes have passed the storage,” Dr Bailey said.

“All of the allocation held in Campaspe spillable water accounts will be deducted.”

Dr Bailey said longer term Bureau of Meteorology outlooks favoured wetter conditions during the next few months, which was expected to contribute to further seasonal determination improvements despite minimal use of allocation across northern Victoria so far this season.

The next 2022-23 seasonal determination announcement will be released on Tuesday, November 15.

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