Mark Bailey said the spill risk in the Murray system had fallen below the threshold needed for a declaration of a low risk of spill.
“Releases to meet water demand and declining inflows have effectively removed the need to manage storage levels at Lake Hume again this season,” Dr Bailey said.
“The risk of spill is now below 10 per cent. Allocation held in spillable water accounts in the Murray system will be returned to allocation accounts.
“The risk of spill and potential for further deductions from spillable water accounts in the Goulburn system is about 70 per cent and about 20 per cent in the Campaspe system.”
The risk of spill assessment refers to water accounting only and does not describe the chances of flooding this season.
The risk of spill in the Goulburn and Campaspe systems in 2023-24 will be updated on Wednesday, January 10.
Trading opportunities
Allocation trade from NSW to Victoria is limited to the lesser of a net annual volume of 200 Gl or a volume that keeps the risk of spill in Victoria’s share of both Hume and Dartmouth reservoirs below 50 per cent.
As the risk of spill in the Murray system has reduced, 200 Gl of net trade from NSW to Victoria is now possible. The volume available for trade is updated with each risk of spill announcement.
For information about the resource manager’s regulated water systems, including seasonal determinations and resource availability, visit: www.nvrm.net.au
Visit www.mdba.gov.au/river-information/water-sharing for Victorian shares of Murray storages.
7°C