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River Murray Weekly Report For the week ending Wednesday, 20 March 2019

Trim Ref: D19/13061

Rainfall and inflows Rainfall was widespread across south-east Queensland and the NSW slopes, ranges and northern plains this week (Map 1). In Queensland’s east Darling Downs, Jondaryan recorded 155 mm and Toowoomba recorded 88mm. Further south in the NSW north-west plains, Mungindi and Pallamallawa recoded 59 mm and 35 mm respectively. Lesser totals in other areas included 31 mm at Captains Flat in the NSW southern tablelands, 12 mm at Barnawartha in the Victorian lower north-east and 7 mm at Rocky Valley (Photos 1 and 2) in the upper north-east of Victoria. Meanwhile, conditions continued to be dry across the southern and western Murray-Darling Basin. Over the coming week, the Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting further, potentially worthwhile rainfall across the northern and eastern Basin.

Map 1 - Murray-Darling Basin rainfall map week ending 20 March 2019 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology).

Light rainfall late in the week resulted in small improvements in upper Murray streamflow. Flow in the upper Mitta Mitta River at Hinnomunjie Bridge remained low averaging around 100 ML/day until rising to the current flow near 140 ML/day. Flow in the upper Murray at Biggara behaved similarly, averaging 110 ML/day before increasing to the current flow near 210 ML/day.

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Downstream from Hume Reservoir inflows from the Kiewa River, measured at Bandiana, averaged 160 ML/day, while inflows from the Ovens River, measured at Wangaratta, receded to 200 ML/day.

Photo 1 –Banjo the dog enjoys the cool waters of Rocky Valley Creek in the upper Murray catchment (Source: Hugo Bowman, MDBA).

Photo 2 –Rocky Valley storage on the upper Kiewa River (Source: Hugo Bowman, MDBA).

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River operations

River operations The MDBA active storage volume decreased by 92 GL this week to 3,198 GL (38% capacity).

At Dartmouth Reservoir, storage volume decreased by 6 GL to 2,441 GL (63% capacity). The release from Dartmouth, measured at Colemans, reduced this week from 600 ML/day to the current release near 500 ML/day. This rate is above the normal minimum flow of 300 ML/day and is being delivered on behalf of Goulburn-Murray Water to assist pumpers on the lower Mitta Mitta River. Over the coming weeks the release will be managed to target 600 ML/day at Tallandoon by adjusting for variations in the inflows from Snowy Creek. Transfers from Dartmouth to Hume have currently ceased as climatic conditions and system demands have eased. The need for any further transfers during autumn will continue to be reviewed and will depend on the storage trend in Hume Reservoir which is, in turn, influenced by releases from the Snowy Hydro Scheme, natural inflows as well as releases from Hume Reservoir to meet system demands.

Photo 3 – Lake Mulwala at the Bundalong end (Source: Hugo Bowman, MDBA).

• Transfers from Dartmouth to Hume Reservoir cease for now • Transfers around the Barmah Choke via Murray Irrigation Limited and Goulburn-Murray Water

channel escapes have ceased • All consumptive demands continue to be met and the risk of a delivery shortfall this season remains

low • Delivery of Goulburn Valley IVT gradually reducing over the remainder of March but may increase

again to meet autumn irrigation demands in the Murray

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At Hume Reservoir, the storage volume continued to decline, reducing by 65 GL to 681 GL (23% capacity). The release from Hume has averaged around 10,800 ML/day this week before increasing to the current release of 12,500 ML/day.

Downstream at Lake Mulwala (Photo 3) the level is currently 124.76 m AHD, which is within the normal operating range (124.6 to 124.9 m AHD). The diversion to Yarrawonga Main Channel increased to average 910 ML/day, with 120 ML/day of this water returning to the Murray via Broken Creek. On the New South Wales side, Mulwala Canal diversion increased from 1,200 ML/day to 1,400 ML/day. From this diversion, around 100 ML/day is currently being transferred to the Billabong Creek via Finley escape on behalf of WaterNSW to help meet irrigation demands on the lower Billabong Creek along with the 50 ML/day end of system target at Darlot. The 90 ML/day that was being delivered to the Murray via Perricoota Escape will end this week as Murray system requirements ease.

The release from Yarrawonga Weir continued to target around 8,800 ML/day. This release provides a flow of around channel capacity through the Barmah Choke.

Photo 4 – A River Murray wetland in Bundalong (Source: Hugo Bowman, MDBA).

Flows at the Edward River and Gulpa Creek offtakes remain around their normal summer regulated flow rates near 1,600 ML/day and 350 ML/day respectively. The flow downstream of Stevens Weir averaged 970 ML/day and is forecast to reach around 1,200 ML/day in the coming week and remain so into April.

Inflow to the Murray from the Goulburn River, measured at McCoys Bridge, peaked around 2,800 ML/day and is currently near 2,600 ML/day. The flow is expected to gradually decrease over the remainder of March to 2,000 ML/day. The majority of this flow is Goulburn Valley Inter Valley Trade (IVT) water that is being delivered to help meet demands on the River Murray as a result of trade from the Goulburn to the Murray valley. A sustained call of IVT from the Goulburn Valley is likely to continue into April if conditions remain dry. Information regarding current

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opportunities for allocation trade between the Goulburn and Murray valleys is available at the Victorian water register website.

National Channel diversions increased this week to 1,950 ML/day and remained at this rate for the majority of the week before increasing again to the current diversion around 2,400 ML/day. Diversions are likely to remain around this rate for the coming weeks to meet anticipated increased autumn irrigation demands. However, demands in March 2019 are expected to continue to trend lower than in previous years as irrigators factor the outlook for rainfall over the coming months and water availability in 2019-20 into forward planning.

The release downstream of Torrumbarry Weir increased this week from 5,600 ML/day to peak around 7,300 ML/day with increased delivery of IVT from the Goulburn River. The flow is currently around 7,000 ML/day and forecast to gradually fall as additional water is diverted into National Channel and flows from the Goulburn recede. Lock 26 at Torrumbarry remains closed to undertake urgent repairs. This temporary closure of the lock does not affect the normal operation of Torrumbarry Weir in terms of river flow and water supply. More information can be found on the Goulburn-Murray Water website.

This week inflows from the Murrumbidgee River, measured at Balranald, averaged 500 ML/day. This is above the normal end of system target flow and includes the delivery of environmental water to help improve water quality in the lower reaches of the Murrumbidgee River. Delivery of water on behalf of environmental water holders is expected to continue into early April. More information regarding this water for the environment can be found on the MDBA website. The Murrumbidgee IVT balance is currently only 2.8 GL, preventing the MDBA from calling water from the Murrumbidgee to help meet Murray system demands.

At Euston, the weir pool is targeting around FSL. The downstream release continue to decreased to around 6,100 ML/day and will remain around this rate before increasing again later in the coming week.

A red level warning (high alert) for blue-green algae is current at a number of sites along the Darling River including Menindee Lakes. A summary of alert levels in New South Wales is available on the WaterNSW website. Current environmental conditions in the Darling System are well suited to algal growth due to prevailing fine and warm weather and warm water temperatures and low or no flow conditions. More information regarding the water quality conditions of the lakes and the lower Darling is available at the WaterNSW website. Information on factors that affect fish is available from NSW Department of Primary Industries website. Information on drought impacts across the Murray-Darling Basin including on fish and operations is available on the MDBA website.

The Menindee Lakes storage volume decreased by 2 GL to 23 GL (1% capacity). WaterNSW continues to manage the Menindee Lakes in accordance with the Lower Darling Annual Operations Plan. As part of drought contingency measures within this plan, 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 ceased on 12th of February. WaterNSW has advised that releases at Weir 32 are only planned to recommence when significant inflows are received into the Menindee lakes (inflows are currently zero). Water restrictions remain in place across much of New South Wales as a result of the extensive and on-going drought conditions. At Wentworth Weir, operations continue to target a pool level of around 10 cm above the full supply level to assist pumpers in the upper reaches of the Darling River arm of the weir pool whilst there is no inflow from the Darling River. The downstream release is near 5,200 ML/day and is expected to continue to ease over the coming week.

River Murray water has recently reached Broken Hill after the successful commissioning of the Wentworth to Broken Hill pipeline. The 270 km pipeline stems from the River Murray near Wentworth to Broken Hill and has the capacity to deliver up to 37.4 ML/day of water to supply Broken Hill community and businesses.

The Lock 9 weir pool is currently 2 cm below FSL. As part of the weir pool variability program Lock 8 and 7 are currently being lowered further. At Lock 8, the weir pool is 76 cm below FSL and will continue to be gradually lowered to 100 cm below FSL. The Lock 7 weir pool is 75 cm below FSL and will be lowered to 90 cm below FSL over the coming weeks.

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At Lake Victoria the storage decreased by 22 GL to 270 GL (40% capacity). The flow to South Australia remained around 7,800 ML/day and is likely to remain around this rate over the coming week. The current flow consists of entitlement flow, traded water and environmental water. Deliveries of environmental water to the Lower Lakes and Coorong are expected to continue through the remainder of March.

The 5-day average water level in the Lower Lakes remained stable at 0.53 m AHD. Environmental water delivered to South Australia is helping to slow the rate of fall at the Lower Lakes and prolong small barrage releases to support mudflat habitat for migratory birds in the Coorong. Barrage releases totalled around 5 GL this week and have been prioritised for Tauwitchere and Goolwa when weather conditions allow. 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

ANDREW REYNOLDS Executive Director, River Management

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Water in Storage Week ending Wednesday 20 Mar 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 3 856 461.36 2 441 63% 71 2 370 -6 Hume Reservoir 192.00 3 005 175.62 681 23% 23 658 -65 Lake Victoria 27.00 677 23.25 270 40% 100 170 -22 Menindee Lakes 1 731* 23 1% (- -) # 0 -2 Total 9 269 3 415 37% - - 3 198 -94 Total Active MDBA Storage 38% ^ Major State Storages

Burrinjuck Reservoir 1 026 316 31% 3 313 -4 Blowering Reservoir 1 631 428 26% 24 404 -19 Eildon Reservoir 3 334 1 369 41% 100 1 269 -42

* 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 19 Mar 2019 Storage Active Storage (GL) Weekly Change (GL) Diversion (GL) This Week From 1 May 2018 Lake Eucumbene - Total 793 +1 Snowy-Murray +7 668 Snowy-Murray Component 371 -4 Tooma-Tumut +1 190 Target Storage 1 410 Net Diversion 6 478 Murray 1 Release +11 828

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) 9.1 318 Yarrawonga Main Channel (net) 6.1 178 Wakool Sys Allowance 1.6 43 Torrumbarry System + Nyah (net) 0.1 423 Western Murray Irrigation 0.8 23 Sunraysia Pumped Districts 2.8 108 Licensed Pumps 3.3 160 Licensed pumps - GMW (Nyah+u/s) 1 29 Lower Darling 0.1 6 Licensed pumps - LMW 4.6 354 TOTAL 14.9 550 TOTAL 14.6 1092

* 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 186.0 * Flow this week 54.6 (7 800 ML/day) Flow so far this month 165.8 Flow last month 226.9

Salinity (EC) (microSiemens/cm at 25o C) Current Average over the last week Average since 1 August 2018 Swan Hill 100 110 70 Euston - - - Red Cliffs 90 90 110 Merbein 90 90 100 Burtundy (Darling) 1 080 1 070 860 Lock 9 100 100 110 Lake Victoria 190 180 160 Berri 150 150 190 Waikerie 200 200 250 Morgan 210 210 260 Mannum 260 260 310 Murray Bridge 260 260 350 Milang (Lake Alex.) 1 000 1 000 900 Poltalloch (Lake Alex.) 810 820 780 Meningie (Lake Alb.) 1 860 1 850 1 520 Goolwa Barrages 2 620 2 940 2 690

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River Levels and Flows Week ending Wednesday 20 Mar 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 - - - 2 800 F 2 320 920 Jingellic 4.0 1.48 208.00 2 950 R 2 040 1 930 Tallandoon ( Mitta Mitta River ) 4.2 1.50 218.39 760 F 800 1 180 Heywoods 5.5 3.04 156.67 12 070 R 11 040 11 630 Doctors Point 5.5 2.81 151.28 12 840 R 11 600 12 370 Albury 4.3 1.80 149.24 - - - - Corowa 4.6 2.35 128.37 10 040 F 10 910 11 000 Yarrawonga Weir (d/s) 6.4 1.51 116.55 8 860 R 8 800 8 680 Tocumwal 6.4 2.07 105.91 8 470 S 8 480 8 390 Torrumbarry Weir (d/s) 7.3 2.41 80.96 7 040 F 6 620 5 360 Swan Hill 4.5 1.28 64.20 6 510 R 5 860 5 880 Wakool Junction 8.8 2.79 51.91 6 850 S 7 040 8 230 Euston Weir (d/s) 9.1 1.25 43.09 6 080 F 6 600 7 660 Mildura Weir (d/s) - - 6 340 F 6 480 7 330 Wentworth Weir (d/s) 7.3 2.81 27.57 5 210 S 5 560 6 610 Rufus Junction - 3.65 20.58 7 460 F 7 460 7 810 Blanchetown (Lock 1 d/s) - 0.65 - 5 670 F 5 730 5 600 Tributaries Kiewa at Bandiana 2.8 0.70 153.93 140 F 160 260 Ovens at Wangaratta 11.9 7.76 145.44 200 F 230 270 Goulburn at McCoys Bridge 9.0 2.39 93.81 2 650 F 2 560 1 090 Edward at Stevens Weir (d/s) 5.5 1.23 81.00 960 F 970 840 Edward at Liewah - 1.62 57.00 960 F 1 220 2 030 Wakool at Stoney Crossing - 1.42 54.91 470 F 530 710 Murrumbidgee at Balranald 5.0 0.77 56.73 430 F 500 470 Barwon at Mungindi 6.1 2.93 - 0 F 0 0 Darling at Bourke 9.0 2.21 - 0 F 0 0 Darling at Burtundy Rocks - 0.57 - 0 F 0 0 Natural Inflow to Hume 400 530

(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 -0.14 - No. 7 Rufus River 22.10 -0.75 +1.34 No. 26 Torrumbarry 86.05 +0.00 - No. 6 Murtho 19.25 +0.02 +0.17 No. 15 Euston 47.60 +0.00 - No. 5 Renmark 16.30 +0.03 +0.24 No. 11 Mildura 34.40 -0.02 +0.15 No. 4 Bookpurnong 13.20 +0.05 +0.81 No. 10 Wentworth 30.80 +0.10 +0.17 No. 3 Overland Corner 9.80 +0.03 +0.25 No. 9 Kulnine 27.40 -0.02 -0.69 No. 2 Waikerie 6.10 +0.03 +0.22 No. 8 Wangumma 24.60 -0.76 -0.46 No. 1 Blanchetown 3.20 +0.04 -0.10

Lower Lakes FSL = 0.75 m AHD Lake Alexandrina average level for the past 5 days (m AHD) 0.53

Barrages Fishways at Barrages Openings Level (m AHD) No. Open Rock Ramp Vertical Slot 1 Vertical Slot 2 Dual Vertical Slots Goolwa 128 openings 0.53 1 - Open Open - Mundoo 26 openings 0.46 All closed - - - Open Hunters Creek - - - - Open - - Boundary Creek 6 openings - 1 - Open - - Ewe Island 111 gates - All closed - - - Open Tauwitchere 322 gates 0.52 3 Open Open Open - AHD = Level relative to Australian Height Datum, i.e. height above sea level

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Week ending Wednesday 20 Mar 2019

State Allocations (as at 20 Mar 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 100% 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