River Murray Weekly Report

For the fortnight ending Wednesday, 2nd January 2019

Trim Ref: D19/519

Annual summary of 2018

The calendar year of 2018 for the Murray-Darling Basin can be remembered as very dry (Map 1). Rainfall totals across parts of Victoria, Queensland and most of South Australia, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory were in the lowest 10% of records. Patches of Queensland and New South Wales set new records, experiencing their lowest yearly rainfall ever recorded. Whilst the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) remained in neutral territory throughout 2018, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) was positive in spring 2018 contributing to the reduced springtime rainfall to south-eastern Australia.

Looking ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reports there is an increased risk of an El Niño forming in early 2019. The IOD, which has less influence in summer, is likely to remain in a neutral phase into autumn.

Map 1 - Murray-Darling Basin rainfall deciles for 2018 (source: Bureau of Meteorology)

For the second consecutive year, the northern Basin missed out on a significant inflow event in 2018. As a result many storages in Queensland and New South Wales have dropped to very low levels. Inflows to the Murray were somewhat better, although well below the long-term average. River Murray system inflows for 2018 (excluding Snowy, Darling, IVT and environmental inflows) were around 2,740 GL, compared with 4,540 GL in 2017, 14,500 GL in 2016 and the long-term average of 9,030 GL. In comparison with the historical records since 1891, about 92% of years have recorded higher inflows than 2018.

The predominant source of River Murray System inflows have come from the Victorian tributaries downstream of Albury. This has contributed to more water being available to Victoria than New South Wales, as mirrored in their current water allocations. Inflows from the main NSW tributaries have remained very low.

For the sixth consecutive year, temperatures were well above average across the Basin. The vast majority of the Basin experienced maximum temperatures in the top decile (top 10% of records) with large areas of highest on record maximum temperatures (Map 2). Minimum temperatures were also generally above average.

Map 2 – Maximum (left) and minimum (right) temperature deciles for 2018 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology)

December 2018 summary

In the northern Basin, December 2018 rainfall was generally average or below (Map 3). In the southern Basin, similar to 2017, much of the region experienced above average rainfall for the month due to a complex low pressure system that developed in mid-December. Rainfall totals from this event included 200 mm in the lower Ovens catchment of Victoria and the wettest December on record at Birchip in Victoria’s Wimmera-Mallee. Widespread totals in excess of 50 mm were recorded across much of the upper Murray.

Temperatures in December 2018 were also well above average across the Basin, and numerous locations experienced highest on record maximum temperatures (Map 4). Night time temperatures were especially warm, with widespread highest on record temperatures observed.

Given the dry year and therefore dry catchment conditions, the mid-December rainfall event only briefly boosted River Murray system inflows (excluding Snowy, Darling, IVT and environmental inflows) with December inflows totalling around 234 GL, well below the long-term average near 450 GL. In comparison with the historical record since 1891, about 70% of previous Decembers have recorded higher inflows than experienced in December 2018.

Map 3 – Mean rainfall deciles for December 2018 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology)

Map 4 – Maximum (left) and minimum (right) temperature deciles for December 2018 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology)

Estimated evaporative losses from the MDBA storages for the month of December 2018 are reported in Table 1. The volume of evaporative loss is estimated by multiplying the surface area of the storage by the net evaporation depth. The net evaporation depth is derived by subtracting the rainfall recorded at the storage from the evaporation depth, with the evaporation depth determined using Class A pan factors and measured pan evaporation. At all storages evaporation exceeded rainfall resulting in a net loss in storage volume (positive evaporative loss). High temperatures and a large surface area to volume ratio at Menindee Lakes resulted in very high evaporation rates which were over double the current small release from storage.

Table 1 - Estimated evaporative losses from the MDBA storages for the month of December 2018

Storage

Net evaporation depth in December 2018 (mm)

*Approximate (net) evaporative loss in December 2018 (GL)

Average storage volume in December 2018 (GL)

Percentage net evaporative loss in December 2018 (%)

Dartmouth

107

5.5

2798

0.2 %

Hume

160

22.0

1232

1.8 %

Lake Victoria

216

6.1

556

1.1 %

Menindee Lakes

237

19.8

85

23.3 %

*Evaporative loss from storage = surface area of the storage x net evaporation depth. Net evaporation depth = measured evaporation depth (using a ‘pan’ instrument) minus rainfall. For this table, a positive value indicates a loss of water, a negative value indicates a gain in water.

Weekly rainfall and inflows

In the week ending 26 December 2018, most of the Murray-Darling Basin remained dry with rainfall mainly confined to the Great Dividing Range (Map 5). Temperatures ranged from mild to warm at the beginning of the week and exceeded 40°C at many locations by the end of the week.

The dry and very hot conditions persisted into the following week with only scattered light falls for the week ending 2 January 2019 (Map 6), the highest total 15 mm at Mount Buller. Very hot summer conditions extended across much of the Basin and many locations across New South Wales, South Australia and northern Victoria recorded maximum temperatures above 43°C, with 45°C at Renmark and Menindee.

Rain in the upper Murray catchment two weeks ago provided a brief boost to upper Murray tributary flows, before reducing as the hot and dry conditions returned. At Hinnomunjie Bridge, on the Mitta Mitta River, the flow reached 1,000 ML/day on 22 December and has since gradually receded to 320 ML/day. Likewise, the upper Murray, at Biggara, reached almost 800 ML/day and has since eased to 380 ML/day.

Downstream of Hume, hydroelectricity generation in the Kiewa Valley has delivered variable inflows to the Murray ranging between 450 ML/day and 1,100 ML/day. On the Ovens River, the flow at Wangaratta has continued to recede since heavy rainfall mid-December. Over the past fortnight the flow has reduced from around 1,900 ML/day to below 700 ML/day.

Map 5 - Murray-Darling Basin rainfall map week ending 26 December 2018 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology).

Map 6 - Murray-Darling Basin rainfall map week ending 2 January 2019 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology).

River operations

· Transfers from Dartmouth to Hume slowly reduced

· Releases from Yarrawonga decline

· Goulburn IVT delivery increases

· Lake Victoria storage volume peaks

· Water for the environment is delivered to South Australia

·

What has been driving operations?

Given the below average rainfall experienced in 2018 (Map 1), the subsequent lack of inflows to the River Murray system and no water to call upon from the Menindee Lakes, River Operations in 2018 centred around setting the system up to meet demands over the summer months. This meant prolonged transfers from Hume Reservoir down to Lake Victoria, often through the Barmah & Millewa forests and also via usage of Murray Irrigation Limited’s infrastructure into the Edward-Wakool system. On the Victorian side, significant volumes of Inter Valley Trade (IVT) water was delivered from the Broken, Goulburn and Campaspe to help meet downstream demands and augment Murray transfers to Lake Victoria.

Continued transfers from Hume, coupled with well below average inflows, have required sustained high transfers from the systems Drought Reserve (Dartmouth Reservoir) into Hume. While this has helped reduce the decline in Hume storage, it has lowered the Dartmouth storage from 90% in August to the current 71%.

The BoM outlook for the next three months indicates a less than 50% chance of exceeding the median rainfall over most of the Basin (Map 7). January to March is historically a low rainfall period in the southern Basin, and so significant inflows to the Murray are not expected between now and March. This may mean that transfers from Dartmouth to Hume, Hume to Lake Victoria, and the use of Goulburn valley IVT are likely to continue, to some extent, over coming months.

Map 7 – Three month rainfall outlook for January to March 2019 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology)

Current operations

Over the past fortnight MDBA active storage decreased by 194 GL to 4,215 GL (50% capacity). This is well below the long-term average for this time of year (Figure 1). The majority of this volume is stored in the upper Murray storages of Hume and Dartmouth.

Figure 1 – MDBA active storage is well below the long-term average for this time of year.

The storage volume at Dartmouth Reservoir decreased by 55 GL over the past fortnight to 2,724 GL (71% capacity). Transfers from Dartmouth to Hume have been reduced over the last two months as inflows to Hume, while still quite low, track above those planned for under an extreme dry scenario. The release from Dartmouth Reservoir, measured at Colemans, was held around 4,500 ML/day over the Christmas & New Year period and will ease to around 4,200 ML/day over the weekend before rising to around 5,000 ML/day.

At Hume Reservoir, the storage volume decreased by 91 GL to 1,164 GL (39% capacity). Over the last fortnight the release from Hume has varied between 14,600 ML/day and the current 10,300 ML/day. Over the coming days the release is expected to increase slightly.

Downstream at Lake Mulwala, the pool level has remained towards the upper end of the normal operating range of 124.7 to 124.9 m AHD, and is currently at 124.87 m AHD. On the Victorian side, irrigation diversions to Yarrawonga Main Channel have fluctuated between 580 and 1,600 ML/day. On the New South Wales side, diversion to Mulwala Canal has steadily increased from around 1,400 ML/day to the current 2,300 ML/day. This increase is largely to counteract the decreased flow in the Edward River at Toonalook. Flow at Toonalook has lessened as regulators from the Murray into the Millewa forest are closed, meaning less return flow into the Edward River. Now that flows downstream of Yarrawonga Weir have returned to 9,500 ML/day (approximate channel capacity) regulators in both the Millewa and Barmah forests are being closed. These regulators have been closed in stages to provide a signal to native fish to move off the drying floodplain and return to the river.

Downstream on the Edward-Wakool system, flows through the Edward River and Gulpa Creek offtakes are currently near 1,540 ML/day and 320 ML/day respectively. These flow rates are likely to persist over the coming months.

Over the past fortnight inflow to the Murray from the Goulburn River, measured at McCoys Bridge, receded from 2,800 ML/day to 1,500 ML/day before increasing to the current flow of just over 2,100 ML/day and will continue rising over the coming week as higher rates of IVT are called over the hot summer peak demand period. Flows over the month of January are expected to reach up to 3,000 ML/day. IVT delivery from the Campaspe River continues to target around 70 ML/day at Rochester.

National Channel diversion from Torrumbarry Weir pool has remained steady near 1,700 ML/day. The release downstream of Torrumbarry peaked at 11,700 ML/day almost two weeks ago and has since receded to near 8,400 ML/day. Over the coming days flows are expected to increase as Goulburn inflows increase before easing later in the week as upstream Murray flows decline.

Photo 1 – Hot and dry summer conditions have been experienced along the River Murray. Source: MDBA.

Inflows from the Murrumbidgee River, measured at Balranald, have averaged around 270 ML/day. The Murrumbidgee IVT balance is currently 2.4 GL, restricting the MDBA from calling water from this valley to help meet Murray system demands.

At Euston, the weir pool has been surcharged to around 10 cm above the Full Supply Level (FSL) to conserve water and provide a buffer to any short-lived very high demand periods. The pool level may be raised to around 20 cm above FSL in the coming weeks. The downstream release averaged 11,500 ML/day over the past fortnight and may fall below 9,000 ML/day later in the coming week. Looking forward, flows at Euston are expected to remain well above 7,000 ML/day for the remainder of summer.

At Menindee Lakes, the storage volume reduced by 16 GL this fortnight to 67 GL (4% capacity). A red level warning (high alert) for blue-green algae is current for Lake Wetherell, Lake Pamamaroo, Copi Hollow, Lake Cawndilla and the Darling River at Menindee and Tolarno. More information is available at the WaterNSW website. WaterNSW continues to manage the Menindee Lakes in accordance with the Lower Darling Annual Operations Plan. As part of drought contingency measures, WaterNSW has installed four temporary block banks across the lower Darling below Pooncarie near Jamesville, below Burtundy near Ashvale, and upstream of Pooncarie at Court Nareen and Karoola. Water held in these pools will assist in maintaining supply to domestic, stock and permanent plantings along the lower Darling. The release from Weir 32 averaged around 310 ML/day whilst water is available in Lake Pamamaroo to deliver water to these two block banks. Given the drought conditions in central and western New South Wales, water restrictions have been implemented including in the lower Darling.

Back on the Murray, the flow at Wentworth has reduced from near 11,000 ML/day almost a fortnight ago and is currently around 8,900 ML/day and will ease in the coming weeks.

The Lock 9 weir pool is currently targeting around 10 cm below FSL and at Lock 8, the weir pool is currently targeting 50 cm below FSL. The Lock 7 weir pool is targeting FSL and will vary between FSL and 20 cm below FSL during January.

The Lake Victoria storage volume peaked at 572 GL (85% capacity) on the 21st of December and has since reduced to 521 GL (77% capacity) as environmental water is delivered in addition to South Australian entitlement. Environmental water delivery boosted flow to South Australia from around 7,000 ML/day to near 12,000 ML/day. Further environmental water deliveries ae expected through summer but at lower rates. The environmental water is headed to the Lower Lakes and will help bolster lake levels to prolong small barrage releases to maintain connectivity between Lake Alexandrina and the Coorong estuary. These barrage releases may also provide suitable salinity gradient for Black Bream spawning. Barrage releases have prioritised Tauwitchere, Boundary Creek and Goolwa and all fishways remain open. For more information see the South Australian Department for Environment and Water’s latest River Murray flow report.

For media inquiries contact the Media Officer on 02 6279 0141

JOSEPH DAVIS

Senior Director, Operations, River Management

Approved on behalf of

ANDREW REYNOLDS

Executive Director, River Management

Water in Storage Week ending Wednesday 26 Dec 2018

MDBA Storages

Full Supply Level

Full Supply Volume

Current Storage Level

Current

Storage

Dead Storage

Active Storage

Change in Total Storage for the Week

 

(m AHD)

(GL)

(m AHD)

(GL)

%

(GL)

(GL)

(GL)

Dartmouth Reservoir

486.00

3 856

467.39

2 751

71%

71

2 680

-28

Hume Reservoir

192.00

3 005

180.62

1 206

40%

23

1 183

-49

Lake Victoria

27.00

677

25.99

557

82%

100

457

-12

Menindee Lakes

 

1 731*

 

76

4%

(- -) #

0

-8

Total

 

9 269

 

4 590

50%

- -

4 320

-97

Total Active MDBA Storage

 

 

 

 

 

 

51% ^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major State Storages

Burrinjuck Reservoir

 

1 026

 

458

45%

3

455

+1

Blowering Reservoir

 

1 631

 

738

45%

24

714

-57

Eildon Reservoir

 

3 334

 

1 889

57%

100

1 789

-20

* Menindee surcharge capacity – 2050 GL ** All Data is rounded to nearest GL **

# NSW has sole access to water when the storage falls below 480 GL. MDBA regains access to water when the storage next reaches 640 GL.^ % of total active MDBA storage

Snowy Mountains Scheme Snowy diversions for week ending 25 Dec 2018

Storage

Active Storage (GL)

Weekly Change (GL)

Diversion (GL)

This Week

From 1 May 2018

Lake Eucumbene - Total

897

+5

Snowy-Murray

+0

501

Snowy-Murray Component

528

+6

Tooma-Tumut

+2

171

Target Storage

1 510

 

Net Diversion

-2

330

 

 

 

Murray 1 Release

+3

643

Major Diversions from Murray and Lower Darling (GL) *

New South Wales

This Week

From 1 July 2018

Victoria

This Week

From 1 July 2018

Murray Irrig. Ltd (Net)

8.6

220

Yarrawonga Main Channel (net)

5.2

122

Wakool Sys Allowance

3.0

21

Torrumbarry System + Nyah (net)

7.2

288

Western Murray Irrigation

1.3

11

Sunraysia Pumped Districts

5.5

56

Licensed Pumps

n/a

90

Licensed pumps - GMW (Nyah+u/s)

1

16

Lower Darling

n/a

5

Licensed pumps - LMW

4.6

182

TOTAL

12.9

347

TOTAL

23.5

664

* Figures are derived from actual and estimates where data is unavailable. Please note that not all data may have been available at the time of creating this report. ** All data above is rounded to nearest 100 ML for weekly data and nearest GL for cumulative data

Flow to South Australia (GL)

* Flow to SA will be greater than normal entitlement for this month due to environmental flows.

Entitlement this month

217.0 *

 

Flow this week

67.1

(9 600 ML/day)

Flow so far this month

206.9

Flow last month

203.1

Salinity (EC) (microSiemens/cm at 25o C)

 

Current

Average over the last week

Average since 1 August 2018

Swan Hill

60

60

70

Euston

-

-

-

Red Cliffs

80

80

110

Merbein

90

80

110

Burtundy (Darling)

910

900

780

Lock 9

80

90

120

Lake Victoria

150

140

160

Berri

150

160

210

Waikerie

220

240

270

Morgan

230

250

290

Mannum

320

330

330

Murray Bridge

370

390

370

Milang (Lake Alex.)

940

940

890

Poltalloch (Lake Alex.)

770

760

750

Meningie (Lake Alb.)

1 610

1 590

1 470

Goolwa Barrages

2 350

2 540

2 730

River Levels and Flows Week ending Wednesday 26 Dec 2018

 

Minor Flood Stage

Gauge

Height

Flow

Trend

Average Flow this Week

Average Flow last Week

River Murray

(m)

local (m)

(m AHD)

(ML/day)

 

(ML/day)

(ML/day)

Khancoban

-

-

-

1 370

R

910

1 040

Jingellic

4.0

1.31

207.83

1 960

R

1 910

3 720

Tallandoon ( Mitta Mitta River )

4.2

2.58

219.47

4 810

S

5 160

6 860

Heywoods

5.5

2.67

156.30

10 530

F

13 220

6 630

Doctors Point

5.5

2.66

151.13

11 260

F

13 960

9 280

Albury

4.3

1.67

149.11

-

-

-

-

Corowa

4.6

2.88

128.90

13 420

F

13 390

9 630

Yarrawonga Weir (d/s)

6.4

1.80

116.84

11 050

F

11 090

15 630

Tocumwal

6.4

2.44

106.28

10 950

S

11 270

14 780

Torrumbarry Weir (d/s)

7.3

3.44

81.98

11 050

F

11 450

9 880

Swan Hill

4.5

2.09

65.01

11 950

S

11 390

10 230

Wakool Junction

8.8

4.22

53.34

13 290

R

12 790

12 430

Euston Weir (d/s)

9.1

2.07

43.91

11 350

R

11 340

12 130

Mildura Weir (d/s)

 

-

-

9 780

F

10 500

11 240

Wentworth Weir (d/s)

7.3

2.94

27.70

8 140

R

9 030

10 620

Rufus Junction

-

3.97

20.90

9 610

F

9 010

6 670

Blanchetown (Lock 1 d/s)

-

0.84

-

6 430

R

6 090

4 980

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tributaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiewa at Bandiana

2.8

1.09

154.32

610

F

840

2 290

Ovens at Wangaratta

11.9

8.19

145.87

990

F

1 340

4 230

Goulburn at McCoys Bridge

9.0

1.90

93.32

1 670

F

2 250

1 650

Edward at Stevens Weir (d/s)

5.5

2.40

82.17

2 630

S

2 610

2 600

Edward at Liewah

-

2.84

58.22

2 290

S

2 290

2 330

Wakool at Stoney Crossing

-

1.69

55.18

840

R

840

860

Murrumbidgee at Balranald

5.0

0.60

56.56

290

R

270

370

Barwon at Mungindi

6.1

3.18

-

60

R

30

0

Darling at Bourke

9.0

2.97

-

0

F

0

0

Darling at Burtundy Rocks

-

0.61

-

0

R

0

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural Inflow to Hume

 

 

 

 

 

3 690

6 550

(i.e. Pre Dartmouth & Snowy Mountains scheme)

Weirs and Locks Pool levels above or below Full Supply Level (FSL)

Murray

FSL (m AHD)

u/s

d/s

 

FSL (m AHD)

u/s

d/s

Yarrawonga

124.90

-0.02

-

No. 7 Rufus River

22.10

+0.03

+1.66

No. 26 Torrumbarry

86.05

-0.00

-

No. 6 Murtho

19.25

+0.03

+0.29

No. 15 Euston

47.60

+0.03

-

No. 5 Renmark

16.30

+0.03

+0.32

No. 11 Mildura

34.40

+0.01

+0.32

No. 4 Bookpurnong

13.20

+0.03

+0.97

No. 10 Wentworth

30.80

+0.09

+0.30

No. 3 Overland Corner

9.80

+0.04

+0.34

No. 9 Kulnine

27.40

-0.09

-0.34

No. 2 Waikerie

6.10

+0.02

+0.26

No. 8 Wangumma

24.60

-0.50

+0.25

No. 1 Blanchetown

3.20

+0.02

+0.09

Lower LakesFSL = 0.75 m AHD

Lake Alexandrina average level for the past 5 days (m AHD)

0.71

Barrages Fishways at Barrages

 

Openings

Level (m AHD)

No. Open

Rock Ramp

Vertical Slot 1

Vertical Slot 2

Dual Vertical Slots

Goolwa

128 openings

0.74

1

-

Open

Open

-

Mundoo

26 openings

0.66

All closed

-

-

-

Open

Hunters Creek

-

-

-

-

Open

-

-

Boundary Creek

6 openings

-

1

-

Open

-

-

Ewe Island

111 gates

-

All closed

-

-

-

Open

Tauwitchere

322 gates

0.68

1

Open

Open

Open

-

AHD= Level relative to Australian height Datum, i.e. height above sea level

Water in Storage Week ending Wednesday 02 Jan 2019

MDBA Storages

Full Supply Level

Full Supply Volume

Current Storage Level

Current

Storage

Dead Storage

Active Storage

Change in Total Storage for the Week

 

(m AHD)

(GL)

(m AHD)

(GL)

%

(GL)

(GL)

(GL)

Dartmouth Reservoir

486.00

3 856

466.88

2 724

71%

71

2 653

-27

Hume Reservoir

192.00

3 005

180.27

1 164

39%

23

1 141

-42

Lake Victoria

27.00

677

25.67

521

77%

100

421

-36

Menindee Lakes

 

1 731*

 

67

4%

(- -) #

0

-8

Total

 

9 269

 

4 476

48%

- -

4 215

-113

Total Active MDBA Storage

 

 

 

 

 

 

50% ^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major State Storages

Burrinjuck Reservoir

 

1 026

 

0%

3

- 3

-0

Blowering Reservoir

 

1 631

 

0%

24

- 24

-0

Eildon Reservoir

 

3 334

 

1 852

56%

100

1 752

-36

* Menindee surcharge capacity – 2050 GL ** All Data is rounded to nearest GL **

# NSW has sole access to water when the storage falls below 480 GL. MDBA regains access to water when the storage next reaches 640 GL.^ % of total active MDBA storage

Snowy Mountains Scheme Snowy diversions for week ending 01 Jan 2019

Storage

Active Storage (GL)

Weekly Change (GL)

Diversion (GL)

This Week

From 1 May 2018

Lake Eucumbene - Total

901

+4

Snowy-Murray

+0

501

Snowy-Murray Component

527

-2

Tooma-Tumut

+3

174

Target Storage

1 520

Net Diversion

-3

327

Murray 1 Release

+5

648

Major Diversions from Murray and Lower Darling (GL) *

New South Wales

This Week

From 1 July 2018

Victoria

This Week

From 1 July 2018

Murray Irrig. Ltd (Net)

10.6

230

Yarrawonga Main Channel (net)

6.5

129

Wakool Sys Allowance

2.4

25

Torrumbarry System + Nyah (net)

8.3

298

Western Murray Irrigation

1.2

12

Sunraysia Pumped Districts

5.3

61

Licensed Pumps

n/a

94

Licensed pumps - GMW (Nyah+u/s)

1

17

Lower Darling

n/a

5

Licensed pumps - LMW

4.6

199

TOTAL

14.2

366

TOTAL

25.7

704

* Figures are derived from actual and estimates where data is unavailable. Please note that not all data may have been available at the time of creating this report. ** All data above is rounded to nearest 100 ML for weekly data and nearest GL for cumulative data

Flow to South Australia (GL)

* Flow to SA will be greater than normal entitlement for this month due to environmental flows.

Entitlement this month

217.0 *

 

Flow this week

81.3

(11 600 ML/day)

Flow so far this month

23.9

Flow last month

264.4

Salinity (EC) (microSiemens/cm at 25o C)

 

Current

Average over the last week

Average since 1 August 2018

Swan Hill

60

60

70

Euston

-

-

-

Red Cliffs

90

80

110

Merbein

-

-

110

Burtundy (Darling)

970

950

790

Lock 9

90

90

110

Lake Victoria

170

160

160

Berri

140

150

200

Waikerie

220

230

270

Morgan

240

230

280

Mannum

320

320

330

Murray Bridge

350

360

370

Milang (Lake Alex.)

960

940

890

Poltalloch (Lake Alex.)

820

800

750

Meningie (Lake Alb.)

1 540

1 550

1 480

Goolwa Barrages

2 000

2 030

2 700

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River Levels and Flows Week ending Wednesday 02 Jan 2019

 

Minor Flood Stage

Gauge

Height

Flow

Trend

Average Flow this Week

Average Flow last Week

River Murray

(m)

local (m)

(m AHD)

(ML/day)

 

(ML/day)

(ML/day)

Khancoban

-

-

-

530

R

1 150

910

Jingellic

4.0

1.16

207.68

1 270

F

1 980

1 910

Tallandoon ( Mitta Mitta River )

4.2

2.57

219.46

4 750

F

4 780

5 160

Heywoods

5.5

2.68

156.31

10 380

F

12 030

13 220

Doctors Point

5.5

2.67

151.14

11 380

F

12 760

13 960

Albury

4.3

1.67

149.11

-

-

-

-

Corowa

4.6

2.74

128.76

12 470

F

12 420

13 390

Yarrawonga Weir (d/s)

6.4

1.62

116.66

9 600

S

9 870

11 090

Tocumwal

6.4

2.25

106.09

9 690

F

10 080

11 270

Torrumbarry Weir (d/s)

7.3

2.78

81.32

8 380

F

9 530

11 450

Swan Hill

4.5

1.80

64.72

10 060

F

11 040

11 390

Wakool Junction

8.8

4.07

53.19

12 570

F

13 110

12 790

Euston Weir (d/s)

9.1

2.14

43.98

11 810

F

11 570

11 340

Mildura Weir (d/s)

 

-

-

10 490

F

9 910

10 500

Wentworth Weir (d/s)

7.3

3.01

27.77

8 860

F

8 070

9 030

Rufus Junction

-

4.20

21.13

11 230

F

11 070

9 010

Blanchetown (Lock 1 d/s)

-

0.93

-

7 930

S

7 400

6 090

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tributaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiewa at Bandiana

2.8

1.24

154.47

800

R

590

840

Ovens at Wangaratta

11.9

8.05

145.73

680

R

700

1 340

Goulburn at McCoys Bridge

9.0

2.15

93.57

2 140

R

1 730

2 250

Edward at Stevens Weir (d/s)

5.5

2.41

82.19

2 660

F

2 560

2 610

Edward at Liewah

-

2.83

58.21

2 280

S

2 290

2 290

Wakool at Stoney Crossing

-

1.67

55.16

790

F

810

840

Murrumbidgee at Balranald

5.0

0.55

56.51

260

F

280

270

Barwon at Mungindi

6.1

3.15

-

30

F

60

30

Darling at Bourke

9.0

2.96

-

0

F

0

0

Darling at Burtundy Rocks

-

0.60

-

0

F

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural Inflow to Hume

 

 

 

 

 

2 670

3 690

(i.e. Pre Dartmouth & Snowy Mountains scheme)

Weirs and Locks Pool levels above or below Full Supply Level (FSL)

Murray

FSL (m AHD)

u/s

d/s

 

FSL (m AHD)

u/s

d/s

Yarrawonga

124.90

-0.03

-

No. 7 Rufus River

22.10

+0.04

+1.88

No. 26 Torrumbarry

86.05

-0.00

-

No. 6 Murtho

19.25

+0.04

+0.42

No. 15 Euston

47.60

+0.13

-

No. 5 Renmark

16.30

+0.04

+0.44

No. 11 Mildura

34.40

+0.04

+0.37

No. 4 Bookpurnong

13.20

+0.05

+1.13

No. 10 Wentworth

30.80

+0.11

+0.37

No. 3 Overland Corner

9.80

+0.02

+0.48

No. 9 Kulnine

27.40

-0.06

-0.33

No. 2 Waikerie

6.10

+0.03

+0.36

No. 8 Wangumma

24.60

-0.47

+0.25

No. 1 Blanchetown

3.20

+0.02

+0.18

Lower LakesFSL = 0.75 m AHD

Lake Alexandrina average level for the past 5 days (m AHD)

0.70

Barrages Fishways at Barrages

 

Openings

Level (m AHD)

No. Open

Rock Ramp

Vertical Slot 1

Vertical Slot 2

Dual Vertical Slots

Goolwa

128 openings

0.73

1

-

Open

Open

-

Mundoo

26 openings

0.66

All closed

-

-

-

Open

Hunters Creek

-

-

-

-

Open

-

-

Boundary Creek

6 openings

-

1

-

Open

-

-

Ewe Island

111 gates

-

All closed

-

-

-

Open

Tauwitchere

322 gates

0.69

1

Open

Open

Open

-

AHD = Level relative to Australian Height Datum, i.e. height above sea level

Week ending Wednesday 02 Jan 2019

State Allocations (as at 02 Jan 2019)

NSW - Murray Valley

Victorian - Murray Valley

High security

97%

General security

0%

High reliability

100%

Low reliability

0%

NSW – Murrumbidgee Valley

Victorian - Goulburn Valley

High security

95%

General security

7%

High reliability

94%

Low reliability

0%

NSW - Lower Darling

South Australia – Murray Valley

High security

100%

General security

0%

High security

100%

NSW :

https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/allocations-availability/allocations/summary

VIC :

http://nvrm.net.au/seasonal-determinations/current

SA :

http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/managing-natural-resources/river-murray