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River Murray Weekly Report For the week ending Wednesday, 31 July 2019

Trim Ref: D19/35012

Rainfall and inflows A low pressure trough was responsible for the bulk of this week’s modest rainfall over southern New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia (Map 1). The upper and mid-Murray, Goulburn and Murrumbidgee regions generally received between 5 and 25mm for the week, with 20 mm recorded at Tatura and 17 mm at Yanco. Isolated higher totals were recorded in the Victorian Alps with 62 mm at Rocky Valley (Photo 1). Smaller rainfall totals were recorded in South Australia and the lower Murray River region. The northern Murray-Darling Basin received little to no rainfall.

Map 1 Murray-Darling Basin rainfall totals for week ending 31st July 2019 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology)

The upper Murray tributaries generally receded throughout the week. The current flow at key locations in the upper Murray catchment including Hinnomunjie Bridge on the upper Mitta Mitta River, Biggara on the upper Murray, Bandiana on the Kiewa River and Peechelba on the Ovens River can be found at the MDBA’s River Murray data webpage. Up-to-date river data for sites in the upper Murray can also be found at Bureau of Meteorology’s (BoM) website and in the Murray River Basin daily river report at the WaterNSW website.

The BoM recently updated their climate outlook for the next three months. The outlook for August indicates that conditions are likely to be drier and warmer than median. Likewise, the outlook for the next three months (from

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August to October) also suggest drier and warmer than median conditions. If these conditions eventuate, lower than average runoff into MDBA storages may continue over the coming three months.

Photo 1: Rocky Valley Creek at Bogong Village (Photo courtesy of Hugo Bowman, MDBA).

River operations

River operations The MDBA active storage continued to increase by 64 GL to 3,604 GL (43% capacity).

At Dartmouth Reservoir, the storage fell by 27 GL (62% capacity) due to transfers from Dartmouth to Hume Reservoir. These transfers will continue in preparation for future system demands downstream of Hume. Approximately 165 GL was transferred by the end of July. The MDBA is expecting to transfer higher volumes in August. Transfers are expected to continue through spring if below average system inflows continue.

The release from Dartmouth, measured at Colemans, is currently targeting between 5,500 –7,400 ML/day. Releases will continue to be varied in a manner that will transfer the target volume to Hume, whilst seeking to minimise erosion along the Mitta Mitta River.

At Hume Reservoir, the storage volume increased by 69 GL to 1,033GL (34% capacity). Hume Dam releases remained low, averaging 3,000 ML/day this week. The release is expected to gradually increase over the coming week as water is released for the environment targeting downstream outcomes (see below).

• Transfers from Dartmouth to Hume continue • Transfers from Hume to Lake Victoria continue to steer Lake Victoria storage higher. • Torrumbarry weir pool to return to FSL. • Upcoming weir pool level increases at Euston, Lock 9, 8 & 7. • South Australia to receive less than full entitlement in August.

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Downstream at Lake Mulwala the level is currently 124.8 m AHD and is expected to remain within the normal operating range 124.6-124.9 m AHD. Diversions to the Mulwala Canal have recommenced this week as Murray Irrigation Limited (MIL) began refilling their irrigation system following an extensive winter works program. On the Victorian side, small diversions into the Yarrawonga Main Channel (YMC) are supporting environmental delivery to lower Broken Creek.

Environmental water holders will be using environmental entitlements in the River Murray throughout winter and spring to benefit the ecology and build resilience in the ecosystem. As part of these planned environmental actions, in the coming week environmental entitlements will be used to gradually increase the release downstream of Yarrawonga up to 15,000 ML/day by mid-August, before reducing back to operational flows by the end of August. A second longer pulse is being planned in September 2019. Both actions aim to increase the inundation of the Barmah-Millewa Forest and benefit over 2,000km of river from Hume Dam in NSW to the Coorong in South Australia. The return flows from this action will also help improve the productivity of the Murray, improving access to food and habitat for native fish. For more information on how healthy rivers are vital to our system see the latest fact sheet Commonwealth Environmental Water Office and their website for updates on these environmental watering actions during winter and spring 2019.

Diversions at the Edward and Gulpa offtakes are currently near 1,550 and 240 ML/day respectively. Further downstream on the Edward River at Toonalook, the flow is currently being boosted by an average of 1,200 ML/day of flow returning through the Millewa forest. While forest regulators on the Murray are open these return flows have travelled from the River Murray via flood runners in the Millewa forest. Yallakool and Colligen Creeks are currently receiving environmental water that provides winter base flows for native fish. At Stevens Weir the release has averaged near 2,500 ML/day for the week.

Photo 2: The iconic Emmylou paddlesteamer on the Murray (Photo courtesy of Hugo Bowman, MDBA).

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On the Goulburn River the flow recession from the environmental pulse, is around 2,700 ML/day at McCoys Bridge, and will reduce to near 700 ML/day by mid-August. River users in the Echuca district should be aware that water levels will continue to fall over the next week as the tail end of the Goulburn environmental pulse enters the Murray.

The current Goulburn IVT balance is around 195 GL. More information regarding current opportunities for allocation trade between the Goulburn and Murray valleys is available at the Victorian water register website.

The diversion at National Channel averaged 700 ML/day as water from Victorian held environmental entitlements continues to be used to maintain flow in Gunbower Creek for native fish. This week the North Central Catchment Management Authority completed a small wetland watering that supported critical wetland refuges in Gunbower Forest (Photo 3). To read more about these little wetlands see NCCMA media release.

The Torrumbarry Weir pool is around 30 cm below Full Supply Level (FSL) and this week will be gradually returned towards FSL in time for the commencement of the irrigation season. River users and landholders in the weir pool should remain aware of the changing water level in case adjustments need to be made to pumps, moorings and recreational activities. Further information is available in the Torrumbarry Media Release.

Downstream of Torrumbarry Weir, the release is likely to fall away over the coming week to approximately 6,000 ML/day as environmental inflows from the Goulburn ease.

Photo 3: Little Reedy Lagoon in Gunbower Forest is a highly productive wetland habitat that received a small top-up during July 2019 (Photo courtesy of Genevieve Smith, NCCMA).

Inflows from the Murrumbidgee River, measured at Balranald, averaged around 1,200 ML/day this week. The current Murrumbidgee IVT balance is 38 GL. More information regarding current opportunities for allocation trade between the Murrumbidgee and Murray valleys is available at the WaterNSW website.

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At Euston, the weir pool level is currently targeting around 30 cm below FSL and is expected to gradually increase towards FSL over the coming week. Planning is underway to further raise the pool level during August and into spring. Currently the downstream release is around 15,800 ML/day and is expected to remain steady for several days before receding as the Goulburn pulse passes through the weir pool.

In the northern Basin, flows resulting from rainfall in autumn have all but ceased near Wilcannia, while environmental flows upstream of Bourke are still providing a small baseflow of 40 ML/day at Beemery. More information on the fish flow event in the Border River and Gwydir River can be found on the MDBA website and Commonwealth Environmental Water Holders website.

The Menindee Lakes storage volume is 15 GL (less than 1% capacity). WaterNSW continues to manage the Menindee Lakes in accordance with the Lower Darling Annual Operations Plan. 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 and no significant inflows are expected in the near future.

Water quality warnings remain with a red level warning (high alert) at Lake Wetherell (Lower Darling). Amber level alerts for blue-green algae are occurring in small pockets in the upper catchments, while amber levels remain for much of the Lower Darling and Lower River Murray. A summary of alert levels in New South Wales is available on the WaterNSW website.

As a result of the widespread drought conditions in NSW many water restrictions are likely to remain in place. More information on drought management activities in NSW can be found on the NSW Government website - Drought Hub.

On the Murray at Wentworth Weir, the pool level is currently targeting 10 cm above FSL 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 has increased to around 16,000 ML/day and will remain around this for the next few days before receding.

The Lock 9 pool level is currently varying between FSL and 10 cm below FSL. Downstream at Lock 8, the pool level is targeting 40 cm below FSL, while at Lock 7, the pool level continues to target around 10 cm below FSL. Over the next couple of weeks the Locks 9, 8 & 7 weir pools will be raised to 10 cm above FSL.

At Lake Victoria the water storage level increased by 22 GL to around 377 GL (56% capacity). The level is expected to continue to gradually increase over coming weeks. This water level is lower than for this time last year. Operating the lake in this way was deliberate, aimed at reducing transfers at high flow rates from the Murray and Goulburn Rivers in autumn 2019 and increasing the potential of capturing tributary inflows during winter and spring. This drought management action was approved by Ministerial Council in late 2018.

The flow to South Australia peaked this week at around 10,900 ML/day as the Goulburn pulse arrived at the South Australian border. South Australia will receive less than full entitlement in August. As a result, the current flows will gradually recede to around 3,000 ML/day later in August. However, in early September and early October environmental water is expected to increase flows again.

The Lower Lakes 5-day average water level increased slightly to 0.74 m AHD this week. This week around 13 GL was released from the Barrages, with an average of 1,800 ML/day. All fish ways 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 31 Jul 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 3 856 460.29 2 388 62% 71 2 317 -27 Hume Reservoir 192.00 3 005 179.12 1 033 34% 23 1 010 +69 Lake Victoria 27.00 677 24.32 377 56% 100 277 +22 Menindee Lakes 1 731* 15 1% (- -) # 0 +0 Total 9 269 3 813 41% - - 3 604 +64 Total Active MDBA Storage 43% ^ Major State Storages

Burrinjuck Reservoir 1 026 323 32% 3 320 +1 Blowering Reservoir 1 631 767 47% 24 743 +2 Eildon Reservoir 3 334 1 334 40% 100 1 234 +31

* 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 30 Jul 2019 Storage Active Storage (GL) Weekly Change (GL) Diversion (GL) This Week From 1 May 2019 Lake Eucumbene - Total 743 n/a Snowy-Murray +12 182 Snowy-Murray Component 326 n/a Tooma-Tumut +10 78 Target Storage 1 170 Net Diversion 2 104 Murray 1 Release +21 253

Major Diversions from Murray and Lower Darling (GL) * New South Wales This Week From 1 July 2019 Victoria This Week From 1 July 2019 Murray Irrig. Ltd (Net) 10.0 11 Yarrawonga Main Channel (net) 0.5 1 Wakool Sys Allowance 1.4 5 Torrumbarry System + Nyah (net) 0.5 3 Western Murray Irrigation 0.1 0 Sunraysia Pumped Districts 0.4 1 Licensed Pumps 0.4 2 Licensed pumps - GMW (Nyah+u/s) 1 0 Lower Darling 0.0 0 Licensed pumps - LMW 4.6 3 TOTAL 11.9 18 TOTAL 7 8

* 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 108.5 * Flow this week 74.1 (10 600 ML/day) Flow so far this month 193.7 Flow last month 124.4

Salinity (EC) (microSiemens/cm at 25o C) Current Average over the last week Average since 1 August 2019 Swan Hill 80 70 90 Euston - - - Red Cliffs 90 90 110 Merbein 90 90 100 Burtundy (Darling) - 1 220 900 Lock 9 100 110 100 Lake Victoria 120 120 160 Berri 190 200 190 Waikerie 300 310 250 Morgan 290 320 260 Mannum 340 330 290 Murray Bridge 300 290 320 Milang (Lake Alex.) 800 790 930 Poltalloch (Lake Alex.) 730 740 740 Meningie (Lake Alb.) 1 580 1 600 1 650 Goolwa Barrages 3 130 5 020 3 930

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River Levels and Flows Week ending Wednesday 31 Jul 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 - - - 5 560 F 3 690 3 190 Jingellic 4.0 2.04 208.56 7 350 R 5 860 6 940 Tallandoon ( Mitta Mitta River ) 4.2 2.83 219.72 6 170 F 6 820 6 770 Heywoods 5.5 1.63 155.26 1 250 F 2 930 600 Doctors Point 5.5 1.94 150.41 3 650 F 5 500 2 920 Albury 4.3 1.03 148.47 - - - - Corowa 4.6 1.44 127.46 5 090 F 4 960 3 610 Yarrawonga Weir (d/s) 6.4 1.40 116.44 8 090 S 8 430 11 820 Tocumwal 6.4 1.97 105.81 8 160 F 8 950 12 190 Torrumbarry Weir (d/s) 7.3 3.23 81.78 10 210 F 12 110 14 120 Swan Hill 4.5 2.21 65.13 12 650 F 13 580 13 440 Wakool Junction 8.8 4.51 53.63 15 670 F 15 680 13 710 Euston Weir (d/s) 9.1 2.70 44.54 15 830 S 15 480 12 910 Mildura Weir (d/s) - - 16 220 F 15 720 11 690 Wentworth Weir (d/s) 7.3 3.45 28.21 15 900 R 14 800 10 260 Rufus Junction - 3.90 20.83 9 260 F 9 580 5 100 Blanchetown (Lock 1 d/s) - 0.88 - 9 290 R 8 240 4 560 Tributaries Kiewa at Bandiana 2.8 2.28 155.51 2 500 R 2 440 2 390 Ovens at Wangaratta 11.9 9.39 147.07 4 480 R 4 810 6 720 Goulburn at McCoys Bridge 9.0 2.46 93.88 2 790 F 3 860 7 380 Edward at Stevens Weir (d/s) 5.5 2.42 82.19 2 670 F 2 500 2 110 Edward at Liewah - 2.67 58.05 2 070 R 1 940 1 480 Wakool at Stoney Crossing - 1.43 54.92 510 R 470 470 Murrumbidgee at Balranald 5.0 1.80 57.76 1 380 R 1 160 1 180 Barwon at Mungindi 6.1 2.88 - 0 F 0 0 Darling at Bourke 9.0 3.04 - 0 F 0 0 Darling at Burtundy Rocks - 0.50 - 0 F 0 0 Natural Inflow to Hume 7 750 12 020

(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 -0.08 - No. 7 Rufus River 22.10 +0.00 +1.60 No. 26 Torrumbarry 86.05 -0.30 - No. 6 Murtho 19.25 +0.02 +0.39 No. 15 Euston 47.60 -0.29 - No. 5 Renmark 16.30 +0.10 +0.43 No. 11 Mildura 34.40 +0.04 +0.66 No. 4 Bookpurnong 13.20 +0.09 +1.15 No. 10 Wentworth 30.80 +0.06 +0.81 No. 3 Overland Corner 9.80 +0.06 +0.48 No. 9 Kulnine 27.40 -0.02 -0.10 No. 2 Waikerie 6.10 +0.05 +0.46 No. 8 Wangumma 24.60 -0.32 +0.33 No. 1 Blanchetown 3.20 +0.05 +0.13

Lower Lakes FSL = 0.75 m AHD Lake Alexandrina average level for the past 5 days (m AHD) 0.74

Barrages Fishways at Barrages Openings Level (m AHD) No. Open Rock Ramp Vertical Slot 1 Vertical Slot 2 Dual Vertical Slots Goolwa 128 openings 0.77 2 - Open Open - Mundoo 26 openings 0.77 1 - - - Open Hunters Creek - - - - Open - - Boundary Creek 6 openings - 1 - Open - - Ewe Island 111 gates - All closed - - - Open Tauwitchere 322 gates 0.78 2 Open Open Open - AHD = Level relative to Australian Height Datum, i.e. height above sea level

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Week ending Wednesday 31 Jul 2019

State Allocations (as at 31 Jul 2019)

NSW - Murray Valley Victorian - Murray Valley High security 97% General security 0%

High reliability 16% Low reliability 0%

NSW – Murrumbidgee Valley

Victorian - Goulburn Valley High security 95% General security 0%

High reliability 25% Low reliability 0%

NSW - Lower Darling

South Australia – Murray Valley High security 30% General security 0%

High security 50%

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

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