A record volumes of water is expected to be traded from the Goulburn Valley to the Murray system this year, according to the latest Murray Darling Basin Authority report.
The MDBA's latest River Murray Weekly Report showed the total volume of IVT, called this financial year, was expected to exceed 400Gigalitres.
"This volume would not just be a record volume, delivered from the Goulburn Valley, but also a record total volume of IVT delivered in a water year," MDBA River Management executive director Andrew Reynolds said.
He said inflow into the Murray, from the Goulburn River, measured at McCoys Bridge, gradually reduced to 1,500megalitres/day.
The flow was expected to continue to ease to around 940 ML/day by Easter.
"The majority of this flow is Goulburn Valley Inter-Valley Trade (IVT) water that is being delivered to help meet demands on the River Murray, as a result of trade from the Goulburn to the Murray Valley," Mr Reynolds said.
The majority of this flow is Goulburn Valley Inter-Valley Trade (IVT) water that is being delivered to help meet demands on the River Murray, as a result of trade from the Goulburn to the Murray Valley.
- MDBA River Management executive director Andrew Reynolds
"The sustained call of IVT delivery from the Goulburn Valley is likely to continue during April if conditions remain dry."
With the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting negligible rain over the coming eight days, flows in the Edward-Wakool system - and in the Murray from Yarrawonga downstream to below Barmah - were more likely to be fairly steady over Easter.
Further downstream, as inflow from the Goulburn River recedes, it is likely that flow in the Murray from Echuca downstream will ease between now and Easter.
River levels between Hume and Yarrawonga would depend on irrigation demands and inflows from the Ovens and Kiewa rivers.
Assuming inflows remain low, Hume releases would vary based on irrigation demands from Lake Mulwala into the major irrigation offtakes.
Mr Reynolds said storage volumes dropped a further 57GL to 2997GL or 36 per cent capacity.
Dartmouth Reservoir remained steady at 2,446 GL (63pc capacity), while the need to commence transfers to Hume during autumn would continue to be reviewed
"It will depend on the storage trend in Hume Reservoir which is, in turn, influenced by releases from the Snowy Hydro Scheme, natural inflows as well as releases from Hume Reservoir to meet system demands," Mr Reynolds said.
The Hume Reservoir was now sitting on 18pc capacity, reducing by 36GL to 547GL.
The release from Hume averaged 9,800 ML/day and was currently near 9,400 ML/day.
Water was being delivered on behalf of environmental water holders to the Lower Lakes and Coorong, SA.
The release from Yarrawonga Weir increased this week to target 7,800 ML/day.
Continuing warm and dry conditions, a dry outlook and very low water levels in Lake Victoria make it more likely that the release will remain around rates of 8,000 ML/day over the Easter period.
Flows at the Edward River and Gulpa Creek offtakes remain around their normal regulated flow rates near 1,550 ML/day and 330 ML/day respectively.
The flow downstream of Stevens Weir averaged 1,150 ML/day and is forecast to remain around that flow rate over the coming week.