Goulburn and Loddon systems see highest entitlements since 2007 unbundling

Northern Victoria Resource manager Mark Bailey said the Murray system was now sitting at 100 per cent high and low reliability water shares.

The Goulburn and Loddon systems moved from 100pc HRWS and 7pc LRWS to 100pc HWRS and 77pc LRWS.

The seasonal determinations in the Broken, Campaspe and Bullarook systems all remained at the maximum availability of 100 per cent HRWS and 100 per cent LRWS.

The Goulburn and Loddon systems were now at the highest they have been since water entitlements were unbundled in 2007.

The last time the Goulburn and Loddon systems received the maximum possible allocation against entitlements was in 1996-97.

Dr Bailey said the improved seasonal determinations came from continued high flows into Murray and Goulburn storages during the second half of October and early November.

"Controlled releases from Lake Hume and Lake Eildon have occurred throughout October and November," Dr Bailey said.

"These releases signalled the availability of more resources for distribution.

"The releases from Lake Hume supported the availability of 100 per cent of low-reliability water shares."

Dr Bailey said about 180 gigalitres would be transferred into Murray spillable water accounts and would be deducted.

"The releases from Lake Eildon will deduct about 490GL from Goulburn spillable water accounts," he said.

"That will be 100 per cent of the volume transferred into those accounts.

"More water may go into Goulburn spillable accounts if further low-reliability seasonal determinations are made."

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Dr Bailey noted the impacts of the wet conditions.

"New record inflows occurred during October at several northern Victorian storages, including Lake Eildon, Lake Eppalock and Cairn Curran Reservoir," he said.

"Water use is about 80pc cent lower than this time last year because of the wet conditions.

"Use is normally an important factor in determining availability and lowering commitments, but not this year."

He noted longer term Bureau of Meteorology outlooks still favoured wetter conditions over the summer months, which was expected to contribute to further seasonal determination improvements in the Goulburn system.

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