A forecast dry winter has come to pass for many irrigation and groundwater and rivers customers, with some farmers already irrigating early in the season.
It has been an exceptionally dry winter for farmers in the far west, prompting some to start irrigating in winter. Similarly, groundwater and rivers customers in east Gippsland had lower than average rainfall – with a winterfill ban placed on the Mitchell River from May until mid-July. West and south Gippsland fared better, with average rainfall recorded.
Conditions in the Macalister Irrigation District have been about average, thanks to decent rainfall in July and good soil moisture levels. Lake Glenmaggie is at 75 percent capacity, with 132,000 megalitres currently in storage, which is line with the 10-year average.
The current 2024-25 seasonal allocation is 80 percent for High Reliability Water Shares, which is reviewed each fortnight during the season. The long-range forecast is still relatively normal, with a wet spring and average temperatures predicted, which are great conditions for farmers to grow fodder crops using natural rainfall supplemented by irrigation.
It has been an average winter for customers in the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigation districts, with a wet July book-ended by drier conditions in June and August.
Merrimu and Pykes Creek reservoirs are all above 80 percent capacity, which is marginally down from 12 months ago when both reservoirs were closer to 90 percent capacity.
Melton Reservoir, which provides downstream storage capacity for Werribee irrigators, has dipped to 50 percent or 7,600 megalitres in storage, which is significantly down from 12 months ago when it was at 100 percent.
The current allocation for both Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigation districts is at 70 percent High Reliability Water Shares, which is lower than at this time last year, when it was at 100 percent High Reliability Water Shares and 20% Low Reliability Water Shares.
Customers have also used more of their river water entitlement than previous years, which has meant 2,000 megalitres less carryover this year than the previous four seasons.
Werribee irrigation customers are likely to use more of their recycled water entitlements over the coming months, reaching their 50 percent take-or-pay volume.
Should the dry weather persist in parts of the region, pumping restrictions may be placed on some river systems. In this scenario, customers are reminded they are responsible for managing water use and tracking their entitlement. Should restrictions come in, licence holders are encouraged to call their local roster hotline or field officer for information on restrictions in their area.
A key focus coming into spring is continuing inspections of dams to ensure they are legal and have been constructed with permits and appropriate approvals. This is to ensure fair water to all customers, community and the environment. Southern Rural Water has zero tolerance to water theft. Theft can result in fines, prosecution and less water volumes for the next season.
If you are investigating a new dam, or changes to an existing dam for stock or irrigation purposes, we encourage you to talk to us early. Our field officers can come out and do a waterway determination and guide you through any licensing requirements.
We’ve invested in some great projects during the winter period. In the Macalister, we delivered key projects, including a package of works in Nuntin and automated 80 customer outlets across the district. We also undertook maintenance on the channel system and improvements to how we deliver water. You can read more here.
Werribee customers will benefit from Stage 5 modernisation works, which are expected to be completed in spring. An additional 8.3 kilometres of channel will be piped, a new regulator constructed, and up to 70 customer outlets automated. A reliable piped supply means less water is lost to leakage and evaporation, supports security of water supply, and ensures Werribee irrigators are more climate resilient.
For information on accessing support and assistance to help manage current seasonal conditions go to Agriculture Victoria.