The Northern Victorian resource manager has announced seasonal irrigation determinations, in all systems, have remained unchanged.
Mark Bailey said seasonal determinations in the Murray, Goulburn and Loddon systems would stay at 100 per cent of high‑reliability water shares (HRWS).
The Broken, Campaspe and Bullarook systems remained at 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent of low-reliability water shares (LRWS).
The Murray, Goulburn and Loddon systems still have no low reliability water shares.
Dr Bailey said there had been continued improvement in water resource availability in the Murray system, but little change in the Goulburn system since the last update, in mid December.
“December inflows into the Murray system were higher than estimated and the inflows forecast for January have increased,” Dr Bailey said.
“These improvements have reduced the shortfall volume needed in the Murray system to meet all system operating needs and high-reliability water shares in 2017/18 to 110GL.
“The Goulburn system shortfall to announcing an allocation of low-reliability water shares in 2016/17 is about 565GL.”
Katunga dairy farmer and chair of the Australian Dairy Farmers Murray-Darling Basin taskforce chair Daryl Hoey said low reliability water shares would allow primary producers to plan with greater certainty.
He said while farmers were not necessarily expecting low reliability shares, a decent storm in the Menindee Lakes could soon change allocations.
“The gap is getting narrower - and all we need to have is a reasonably big rain event in the upper catchment, for that to happen,” Mr Hoey said. Low reliability shares would allow for carryover, into next season.
“They might be able to start up their autumn pastures earlier, or be able to start up more, if they had access to more water,” Mr Hoey said. Water was currently trading at between $70-80ML.
Mead dairy farmer Di Bowles said while it was frustrating there was no LRWS allocation at the moment, she thought Victoria’s conservative water policy was good.
”I have surety that I will have allocation next year,” Ms Bowles said. Farmers would like LRWS to ensure carryover, for next season.
Rochester dairy farmer Tom Acocks said if low reliability shares became available, it might mean more water in the market. Mr Acocks, his wife Emma, and his parents Mick and Heather milk 850 Friesians.
“I trade every year, the more water that comes onto the market, the better for me,” Mr Acocks said.
“If we have summer rain events, people will be using less of their allocation, then it can only mean good things in terms of those who are buying.”
Dr Bailey said delivery from the inter valley trade accounts in the Goulburn and Broken systems had started.
This would reduce the volume in the accounts and create further trading opportunities.
The trading of water allocations from above the Barmah Choke to downstream of the Barmah Choke was restricted to protect the delivery of downstream water entitlements.
Trade from upstream of the Barmah Choke to downstream was restricted to backtrade, which was the volume of allocation trade from downstream of the Barmah Choke to upstream.
The Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) also reported tributaries in the upper Murray catchments slowly receded, last week, before rainfall delivered some short lived-rises.
Hinnomunjie, on the Mitta Mitta River upstream of Dartmouth Reservoir, decreased to 550 ML/day before peaking near 1,700 ML/day.
Similarly, Biggara on the upper Murray receded to 540 ML/day before peaking near 1,600 ML/day.
MDBA total storage fell by 124GL, to 7,071 GL (82 per cent capacity).
Dartmouth Reservoir storage increased by eight GL to 3,014 GL (78pc capacity).
The release, measured at Colemans gauge, remained at 300 ML/day, but was scheduled to be increased from Friday.
The storage volume at Hume Reservoir fell by 55GL to 2,691 GL (90pc capacity).
Hot weather contributed to higher than anticipated irrigation diversions from Lake Mulwala.
