Near average rainfall has been reported across the Murray-Darling Basin in January.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reported that overall the Basin recorded area-averaged rainfall for January of 38.3 millimetres, which was close to the long-term median.
Monthly rainfall was again above-average in South Australia, following on from above average rain in December 2016 and a wet spring. January also saw near or above average rainfall in the upper Murray catchments.
Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s (MDBA) acting river management director Andrew Reynolds said operational demands and losses along the Murray system had been lower than planned for.
This meant more water had arrived at Lake Victoria than expected.
“This allows for deliveries in February, including from tributary inter-valley trade (IVT) and from Menindee Lakes to be reduced,” Mr Reynolds said.
He said if forecast rainfall eventuated, demands on the Murray were expected to decrease, allowing for possible further reductions in deliveries to Lake Victoria in NSW.
In January, about 38,200 megalitres of IVT was delivered from the Broken, Goulburn and Campaspe systems to the Murray to help meet downstream demands in the Murray system.
“If conditions remain dry, IVT deliveries can be expected to persist over the next few months to continue to help meet downstream demands,” Mr Reynolds said.
“Planning is underway to combine environmental water with IVT deliveries to deliver a flow pulse in early March aimed at providing outcomes for both native fish and for water supply to the Murray.”
Menindee Lakes releases would be reduced for February.
Mr Reynolds said on the lower Murrumbidgee River, deliveries of IVT to the Murray had resulted in the flow at Balranald, NSW, increasing from 650ML/day to near 2000ML/day.
IVT deliveries would continue throughout February.