RIVER MURRAY WEEKLY REPORTFOR THE WEEK ENDING WEDNESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023Trim Ref: D18/48815

Rainfall and inflowsA slow moving low pressure system and associated cold front produced rain across the majority of the southern Murray-Darling Basin this week. In South Australia, the highest rainfall totals were in the Mount Lofty Ranges where Mt Compass received 20 mm. In Victoria, rainfall was wide spread although much of the state only received light falls. The largest totals were in the central and north central parts where 25 mm was recorded at Yea and 32 mm at both Mt Wombat and Tatura. Welcome falls were recorded in parts of the Riverina district of New South Wales including 32 mm at Deniliquin, 35 mm at Coleambally and 43 mm at Griffith. Further north, thunderstorm activity was responsible for much of the rain in the northern Basin, including the heavy downpour that greeted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their visit to Dubbo, where 11 mm was recorded for the week. Thunderstorms produced falls of 26 mm at Bourke and 25 mm at Collarenebri. This week’s highest rainfall total of 101 mm was registered at Mt Kynoch in Queensland’s upper Condamine catchment.

Map 1 - Murray-Darling Basin rainfall map week ending 17 October 2018 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology).

Rainfall late in the week provided only small streamflow increases to the upper Murray tributaries. The Mitta Mitta River at Hinnomunjie increased from 1,500 ML/day to the current flow of 2,450 ML/day, while the upper Murray at Biggara rose from 760 ML/day to the current flow of around 880 ML/day.

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Downstream of Hume Reservoir, inflow from the Kiewa River averaged near 1,600 ML/day and the Ovens River at Wangaratta eased from 1,550 ML/day to around 1,100 ML/day.

River operations

MDBA active storage decreased by 40 GL this week to 4,903 GL (58% capacity).

Ongoing transfers from Dartmouth Reservoir to Hume Reservoir decreased the Dartmouth storage volume by 45 GL to 3,197 GL (83% capacity). Water stored in Dartmouth Reservoir is generally maintained as the system’s drought reserve and is called upon in dry seasons when the downstream storages have insufficient water to meet demands. Given the continuing dry conditions and low tributary stream flows, substantial calls on water from Dartmouth are expected to continue this year.

This week the release from Dartmouth, measured at Colemans gauge, was maintained near 9,300 ML/day for much of the week before being marginally reduced later in the week to offset any short-lived river rises from scattered thunderstorm activity. Releases will return to around 9,300 ML/day before a slow recession is implemented later in the week. These varied releases are an effort to try limit the impact of high flows on river bank erosion.

Despite ongoing transfers from Dartmouth, the Hume Reservoir volume decreased by 15 GL this week to 1,505 GL (50% capacity). During the week the release was slowly reduced from 15,500 ML/day to the current release of 12,000 ML/day as irrigation demands eased. With little rain forecast, irrigation demands and therefore the Hume release, are likely to increase over the coming week.

At Lake Mulwala the level is currently 124.82 m AHD, which is within the normal operating range. This week diversions to Yarrawonga Main Channel reduced from 1,100 ML/day to 300 ML/day, while diversion to Mulwala Canal reduced from 2,300 ML/day to 1,300 ML/day. Much of the current Mulwala Canal diversion is being released into the Edward River (Edward Escape), Wakool River (Wakool Escape), Billabong Creek (Finley Escape) or back to the Murray (Pericoota Escape) through the use of Murray Irrigation Limited (MIL) infrastructure in order to transfer water around the Barmah Choke.

The release from Yarrawonga Weir increased this week from 14,600 ML/day to the current target of 14,800 ML/day. At these flow rates, a component of the flow is being transferred around the Barmah Choke via pre-wetted anabranch channels and the lower flood plain mainly within the Barmah Forest (photo 1). The majority of Barmah forest regulators have been opened to maximise transfers through the forest whilst maintaining the River Murray level at Picnic Point below 2.6 m on the local gauge. While these higher releases are being undertaken to boost transfers to Lake Victoria, this action provides a complimentary benefit in improving connectivity between the river and forest channels which is thought to benefit native fish.

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Transfers from Dartmouth Reservoir to Hume Reservoir expected to continue at high rates Transfers from Hume to Lake Victoria also expected to continue at rates above channel capacity The spring pulse from the Goulburn moves down the Murray Torrumbarry flows peak near 15,000 ML/day

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Photo 1 – Colour enhanced satellite image of the Millewa (top) and Barmah (bottom) forests, split by the River Murray. Transfers through the forest are currently via pre-wetted anabranch channels and the lower flood plain mainly within the Barmah Forest. Source: Sentinel-2 satellite, image taken 13 October 2018

Photo 2 – Water slowly moving through Barmah forest (Steamer Plain pictured) provides additional benefits by improving connectivity between the river and forest channels as well as providing nutrient rich water back to the Murray. Photo: Tegan Abbott, MDBA.

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Flows at the Edward River offtake and Gulpa Creek offtake are currently near 1,550 ML/day and 330 ML/day, respectively, and are expected to remain around these rates over the coming weeks. These flows are combining with return flows from the Millewa forest to produce a flow of 3,330 ML/day at Toonalook. Diversion into Wakool Main Canal reduced to 50 ML/day this week, while the respective Wakool, Yallakool and Colligen offtakes continue to pass around 70, 430 and 400 ML/day to boost transfers downstream to Lake Victoria. Flow in the Edward River is being supplemented by releases from Edward Escape, to target a flow of 3,000 ML/day downstream of Stevens Weir. As the flow downstream of Steven’s Weir is above 2,700 ML/day, Tumudgery and Niemur regulators (downstream of Stevens Weir) have been partially opened. This allows water to reach the Niemur River via anabranch channels in Werai Forest. These higher flows are being targeted to further boost transfers to Lake Victoria.

On the Murray, the flow at Barmah continues to gradually rise as more water returns to the River Murray from transfer via the Barmah Forest. This week the flow steadily increased from 9,300 ML/day to near 10,000 ML/day and is expected to continue to slowly increase over the coming weeks.

Photo 3 - The River Murray looking upstream towards Barmah Lake, where much of the water being transferred via Barmah forest returns to the Murray. Photo: Tegan Abbott, MDBA.

Inflow to the Murray from the Goulburn River, measured at McCoys Bridge, has slowly receded from last week’s peak around 7,000 ML/day to the current flow rate of 5,900 ML/day. The flow rate will continue to fall over the coming week as this spring fresh moves further downstream in the Murray. This flow pulse continues to be a combination of water for the environment and water called from the Inter Valley Trade (IVT) account. River users in the Echuca district and downstream should be aware that water levels will fall noticeably over the coming weeks as the Goulburn flow pulse moves through the system.

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On the Campaspe River, flows have remained steady to promote Murray Cod nesting, with around 200 ML/day reaching the Murray. These higher flows are being delivered on behalf of environmental water holders.

National Channel diversions reduced another 500 ML/day this week to 1,500 ML/day, down from 2,500 ML/day two weeks ago. This, combined with the higher Goulburn inflows and increasing upstream Murray flows, has produced a peak flow downstream of Torrumbarry Weir near 15,000 ML/day. Over the coming weeks the flow will slowly reduce as inflows from the Goulburn recede.

Water continues to be delivered to Gunbower Creek and Gunbower Forest on behalf of environmental water holders. Small return flows from the watering of Gunbower forest continue to re-enter the Murray near Barham. More information on the Gunbower Forest watering can be found on the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) website.

This week’s inflow from the Murrumbidgee River, measured at Balranald, has varied between 1,850 ML/day and 920 ML/day.

Photo 4 – Sunset on the River Murray downstream of Colignan. Photo: Margaret, Joe and Jeff Storer

At Euston, the weir pool is targeting a level around full supply level (FSL) to 10 cm below FSL. The downstream flow has risen from 10,500 ML/day to the current flow of around 15,100 ML/day and is expected to rise further over the coming week.

The Menindee Lakes storage volume decreased 6 GL to 144 GL (8% capacity). 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 two temporary block banks across the lower Darling below Pooncarie near Jamesville and below Burtundy near Ashvale to assist in maintaining supply to domestic, stock and permanent plantings along the lower Darling. The release from Weir 32 remains near 220 ML/day.

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At Wentworth Weir, operations continue to target a pool level of around 10 cm above FSL to assist pumpers in the upper reaches of the Darling arm of the weir pool. This week the downstream release increased from 8,400 ML/day to near 12,900 ML/day and will continue to rise this week as the higher Goulburn flows move downstream.

The Lock 9 weir pool is currently targeting around 10 cm below FSL. The Lock 8 weir pool is currently around 50 cm below FSL as part of the weir pool variability program. The Lock 7 weir pool is currently targeting around 30 cm above FSL in order to target a flow rate of around 40 ML/day in the upper Lindsay River for the benefit of native fish.

Ongoing transfers from Hume and IVT deliveries from the Goulburn system have helped increase the Lake Victoria storage volume by 21 GL to 395 GL (58% capacity). The storage volume is expected to increase further in the coming months as upstream transfers continue from Hume and more Goulburn IVT water is released.

Flow to South Australia is currently targeting 6,000 ML/day to support the operation of the Chowilla environmental regulator, but will begin to increase towards 10,000 ML/day in the coming week as additional environmental water arrives from the Goulburn system. The Lock 6 water level remained at the target level of 20 cm above FSL this week to assist the Chowilla watering.

At Lock 5 the weir pool is currently around 30 cm above the normal pool level. The weir pool has commenced a gradual lowering at a rate of 2 to 5 cm/day until it reaches the normal pool level, which is anticipated to be reached by around mid-November. At Lock 2 the weir pool level has commenced lowering at a rate of 2 to 5 cm/day and is also expected to reach the normal pool level by around mid-November. For more information see the South Australian Department for Environment and Water’s latest River Murray flow report.

The 5-day average water level in the Lower Lakes is currently 0.72 m AHD. When conditions allow, environmental water is being released through the barrages to maintain connectivity between Lake Alexandrina and the Coorong estuary. Barrage releases have prioritised Tauwitchere and Goolwa and all fishways remain open.

The MDBA has improved the method for publishing storage, flow and salinity forecast information. The storage, flow and salinity reports have been discontinued and are now available on the River Murray Data page on the MDBA website. Look for the green binocular icon on the River Murray Data list view for River Murray locations with forecasts available. Forecasts are updated weekly usually on Wednesdays. More information is available at about the data.

For media inquiries contact the Media Officer on 02 6279 0141

ANDREW REYNOLDSExecutive Director, River Management

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Water in Storage Week ending Wednesday 17 Oct 2018

MDBA StoragesFull

Supply Level

Full Supply Volume

Current Storage

LevelCurrent Storage Dead

StorageActive

Storage

Change in Total

Storage for the Week

  (m AHD) (GL) (m AHD) (GL) % (GL) (GL) (GL)Dartmouth Reservoir 486.00 3 856 475.37 3 197 83% 71 3 126 -45Hume Reservoir 192.00 3 005 182.99 1 505 50% 23 1 482 -15Lake Victoria 27.00 677 24.49 395 58% 100 295 +21Menindee Lakes   1 731*   144 8% (- -) # 0 -6Total   9 269   5 241 57% - - 4 903 -46Total Active MDBA Storage             58% ^                   

Major State StoragesBurrinjuck Reservoir   1 026   433 42% 3 430 -1Blowering Reservoir   1 631   991 61% 24 967 -39Eildon Reservoir   3 334   2 051 62% 100 1 951 -35

* 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 16 Oct 2018 Storage Active Storage

(GL)Weekly Change

(GL) Diversion (GL) This Week From 1 May 2018

Lake Eucumbene - Total 674 +77 Snowy-Murray +0 492Snowy-Murray Component 359 -72 Tooma-Tumut +7 125Target Storage 1 400   Net Diversion -7 368      Murray 1 Release +1 600

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) 9.5 187 Yarrawonga Main Channel (net) 0.9 76Wakool Sys Allowance 0.0 25 Torrumbarry System + Nyah (net) 12.2 186Western Murray Irrigation 0.4 3 Sunraysia Pumped Districts 1.6 19Licensed Pumps 3.2 49 Licensed pumps - GMW (Nyah+u/s) 1 10Lower Darling 0.2 3 Licensed pumps - LMW 4.6 61TOTAL 13.3 267 TOTAL 20.3 352

* 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 170.0 *  Flow this week 42.6 (6 100 ML/day)Flow so far this month 102.5Flow last month 167.0

Salinity (EC) (microSiemens/cm at 25o C)  Current Average over the last week Average since 1 August 2018Swan Hill 50 60 80Euston - - -Red Cliffs 120 110 140Merbein 110 90 130Burtundy (Darling) 720 720 750Lock 9 100 110 140Lake Victoria 170 120 170Berri 250 250 220Waikerie 340 350 270Morgan 350 350 270Mannum 290 280 300Murray Bridge 300 300 370Milang (Lake Alex.) 880 870 840Poltalloch (Lake Alex.) 630 710 740Meningie (Lake Alb.) 1 530 1 530 1 510

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Goolwa Barrages 1 740 1 860 3 520

River Levels and Flows Week ending Wednesday 17 Oct 2018

 

Minor Flood Stage Gauge Height Flow Trend Average Flow

this Week

Average Flow last

WeekRiver Murray (m) local (m) (m AHD) (ML/day)   (ML/day) (ML/day)Khancoban - - - 1 250 F 1 680 1 580Jingellic 4.0 1.42 207.94 2 560 F 3 040 3 210Tallandoon ( Mitta Mitta River ) 4.2 3.31 220.20 9 230 F 9 450 8 520Heywoods 5.5 2.72 156.35 12 000 F 13 590 15 260Doctors Point 5.5 2.86 151.33 13 430 S 14 910 16 980Albury 4.3 1.88 149.32 - - - -Corowa 4.6 2.92 128.94 13 630 F 15 580 15 970Yarrawonga Weir (d/s) 6.4 2.25 117.29 14 830 S 14 860 14 370Tocumwal 6.4 - - - - - -Torrumbarry Weir (d/s) 7.3 4.35 82.89 14 950 R 14 370 10 920Swan Hill 4.5 2.55 65.47 14 820 R 13 620 8 800Wakool Junction 8.8 4.66 53.78 15 570 R 13 680 9 740Euston Weir (d/s) 9.1 2.62 44.46 15 140 R 12 840 9 810Mildura Weir (d/s)   - - 13 270 F 10 780 9 020Wentworth Weir (d/s) 7.3 3.20 27.96 12 880 R 9 920 8 460Rufus Junction - 3.40 20.33 5 930 R 5 680 5 530Blanchetown (Lock 1 d/s) - 0.85 - 4 410 R 4 440 3 790               Tributaries              Kiewa at Bandiana 2.8 1.84 155.07 1 730 R 1 630 1 930Ovens at Wangaratta 11.9 8.24 145.92 1 130 F 1 290 1 490Goulburn at McCoys Bridge 9.0 3.94 95.36 5 900 F 6 350 6 160Edward at Stevens Weir (d/s) 5.5 2.61 82.38 3 020 F 3 060 3 060Edward at Liewah - 2.91 58.29 2 400 R 2 330 2 170Wakool at Stoney Crossing - 1.72 55.21 910 R 830 690Murrumbidgee at Balranald 5.0 1.48 57.44 990 R 1 270 1 390Barwon at Mungindi 6.1 3.24 - 170 F 60 0Darling at Bourke 9.0 3.65 - 0 F 0 0Darling at Burtundy Rocks - 0.61 - 0 F 10 10               Natural Inflow to Hume           6 070 6 290

(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/sYarrawonga 124.90 -0.08 - No. 7 Rufus River 22.10 +0.32 +1.09No. 26 Torrumbarry 86.05 +0.00 - No. 6 Murtho 19.25 +0.22 +0.31No. 15 Euston 47.60 -0.03 - No. 5 Renmark 16.30 +0.30 +0.15No. 11 Mildura 34.40 -0.03 +0.48 No. 4 Bookpurnong 13.20 +0.01 +0.56No. 10 Wentworth 30.80 +0.06 +0.56 No. 3 Overland Corner 9.80 +0.01 +0.41No. 9 Kulnine 27.40 -0.07 -0.38 No. 2 Waikerie 6.10 +0.24 +0.16No. 8 Wangumma 24.60 -0.47 +0.45 No. 1 Blanchetown 3.20 +0.00 +0.10

Lower Lakes FSL = 0.75 m AHDLake Alexandrina average level for the past 5 days (m AHD) 0.75

Barrages Fishways at Barrages  Openings Level (m AHD) No. Open Rock Ramp Vertical Slot 1 Vertical Slot 2 Dual Vertical SlotsGoolwa 128 openings 0.59 1 - Open Open -Mundoo 26 openings 0.60 All closed - - - OpenHunters Creek - - - - Open - -Boundary Creek 6 openings - 1 - Open - -Ewe Island 111 gates - All closed - - - OpenTauwitchere 322 gates 0.64 1 Open Open Open -AHD = Level relative to Australian Height Datum, i.e. height above sea level

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Week ending Wednesday 17 Oct 2018

State Allocations (as at 17 Oct 2018)NSW - Murray Valley Victorian - Murray Valley

High security 97%General security 0%

High reliability 84%Low reliability 0%

NSW – Murrumbidgee Valley Victorian - Goulburn ValleyHigh security 95%General security 7%

High reliability 77%Low reliability 0%

NSW - Lower Darling South Australia – Murray ValleyHigh security 100%General security 0%

High security 100%

NSW : https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/allocations-availability/allocations/summaryVIC : http://nvrm.net.au/seasonal-determinations/currentSA : http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/managing-natural-resources/river-murray

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