Eildon storage levels. The top line shows this year’s level. Source: G-MW.
Rising levels in northern Victoria’s storage dams have pushed water allocation levels up, and some irrigators are taking advantage of better availability and cheaper prices.
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At the start of the irrigation season on August 15, Goulburn-Murray Water had received 302 orders for water, which was a higher start than the previous three seasons.
G-MW Water Delivery Services general manager Warren Blyth said water availability was high due to strong early allocations and low trading prices.
“However, this coincides with a dry period in the west of our region, which has experienced much less rainfall than most the central and east of our region,” Mr Blyth said.
“Consequently, more irrigators in the west have been ordering water in the first few days of this irrigation season compared to recent years.
“Despite the higher number of water orders, we have been able to meet demands and get water to our customers when they need it.”
Allocation levels for the Goulburn and Loddon systems are at 93 per cent for high-reliability water and the Murray system is sitting on 100 per cent.
Eildon dam wall photographed last week. Photo: G-MW.
The Goulburn and Loddon systems increased from 76 per cent of high-reliability water shares to 93 per cent HRWS.
If spring rains bring an average inflow into the region’s storages, northern Victoria resource manager Mark Bailey is forecasting a 100 per cent allocation by mid-October.
Dairy Australia analyst Isabel Dando said water availability had remained strong over the past two seasons, with the current climate outlook suggesting this was very likely to continue.
“Above average rainfall over most of mainland Australia will keep water storage levels close to or above last year,” Ms Dando said.
“Since the beginning of this new water season, seasonal determinations have risen substantially in response, with water users rapidly gaining full access to allocations.
“Whilst abundant rainfall has lowered the need to irrigate for many, significant volumes of water have been traded in both the northern Victorian and Murray irrigation systems.
“This can be mostly attributed to attractively low temporary water prices, encouraging opportunistic trading.”
GOOD HEAD START
The number of water orders for the start of the past four irrigation seasons up to and including August 16:
– 2019-20 season: 221 orders.
– 2020-21 season: 175 orders.
– 2021-22 season: 141 orders.
– 2022-23 season: 302 orders.
Source: G-MW.
Eildon has reached 90 per cent of capacity this year. Photo: G-MW.
Today, Eildon is a large expanse of water, but underneath lie the remains of a former village and houses. This picture was captured about 20 years ago during drought by Bill Ludlow from Shepparton.
About 20 years ago when Eildon reservoir inflows subsided, Bill Ludlow from Shepparton captured these images of structures which sit on the lake bed.
A tank stand on the bed of Lake Eildon looked incongruous when photographed during the millennium drought. The storage held one ninth of today’s level, in 2003. Picture by Bill Ludlow.
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