The Victorian Murray, Broken and Campaspe irrigation systems have all received increases in the latest 2024-25 seasonal determinations.
The Murray system increased from 94 per cent of high-reliability water shares to 98 per cent HRWS and the Broken system increased from 34 per cent HRWS to 45 per cent HRWS.
In the Campaspe system, low-reliability water shares increased from 33 per cent LRWS to 38 per cent LRWS. The Campaspe system already has 100 per cent HRWS.
Seasonal determinations in the Goulburn, Loddon and Bullarook systems are unchanged.
Northern Victoria resource manager Mark Bailey said the changes in seasonal determination came from the rain that occurred shortly after the mid-October update.
“The mid-October rainfall across all the northern Victorian catchment increased the amount of water reaching the major storages,” Dr Bailey said.
“These flows, combined with reduced irrigation demand and lower operating and evaporation losses, provided more water to allocate.
“The main beneficiaries are the Murray, Broken and Campaspe systems, given the status of their current seasonal determinations.
“The Goulburn and Loddon systems have 100 per cent HRWS, which means the additional resource is contributing to operating reserves for the 2025-26 water year.
“The impacts of the rainfall across the Bullarook system were not enough to close the shortfall to a seasonal determination. The deficit is closing and customers with carryover allocation can be sure of accessing that water when needed.”
Dr Bailey said the effects of the mid-October rainfall were short-lived.
“Flows into the major storages have now returned to the low rates seen in recent months.”
The next 2024-25 seasonal determination announcement will be released on Friday, November 15.