Spring rain events, good storage levels and a current seasonal allocation of 100 percent for High Reliability Water Shares in the Macalister Irrigation District has given farms the ingredients for solid season.
Lake Glenmaggie is relatively unique amongst large storages in Victoria, in that it fills and spills on average in nine out of 10 years.
The lake is currently 89 percent full, with 158,586 megalitres available. If the past four wet years are removed, the storage level is in line with what we would traditionally see at this stage.
Depending on winter inflows and predicted spring rainfall, a spill can typically be announced any time from early in the season through to 15 December. However, the current inflows into the storage and demand on the system means that a spill has not been declared this season. This will be the first time since the 2018/19 season a spill hasn’t been declared.
When Lake Glenmaggie doesn’t spill, there will be no spill entitlement, and any water already used will continue to be deducted from customers’ seasonal allocation. Spill entitlement is not a guarantee because it depends on weather and inflows that are variable from year to year.
The latest long-range forecast for January and March predicts above average rainfall for parts of eastern Australia and we are confident we will be able to announce further allocation against low reliability water shares pending further rainfall.
A seasonal allocation tells irrigators what percentage of their high and low reliability water shares are available as allocation at that point of time in the season. It reflects how much water is available.
To ensure we manage water equitably among all users, we use a model informed by detailed assessments of volume in the storage, both current and predicted inflows and outflows to assess and update our allocations fortnightly.
Southern Rural Water determines the allocation in the Macalister Irrigation Area based on available water.
We would encourage farmers to develop their water budget and irrigation plans based on their water entitlements to know if they have enough to meet their operational needs or if they need to amend their plans based on their available water.
Buying and selling water allocation is a good pathway for those who have more entitlement than they need, or those who are planning to use more water than they currently are entitled to. We have a dedicated online trade platform to help facilitate this and would encourage people to register to use this service.
Agriculture Victoria Maffra is able to assist with irrigation water budgets. Contact the Agriculture Victoria Maffra office on (03) 5626 1691 to speak to an Irrigation Extension Officer.
Customers are encouraged to plan effectively for the dry period. Southern Rural Water has a zero-tolerance to water theft and will continue its compliance monitoring during summer.