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Irrigation allocations to increase to 15%

Media Release | 17 October 2008

River Murray irrigation allocations are to increase from 11% to 15% due to a slight improvement in water availability to South Australia.

Minister for the River Murray Karlene Maywald says additional inflows into the River Murray system during September have resulted in sufficient water being available for South Australia to make this further allocation.

"This slight improvement means that irrigation allocations can be increased from 11% to 15%, to come into effect from 1 November," she says.

The increase compares with the 16% allocation available to irrigators in the same month in 2007.

Minister Maywald says that in mid-September it was estimated that 270 GL of inflows would be recorded for the month, but good rainfall late in the month led to a total of 400 GL.

"While better than expected, this figure is still well below the long-term September average of about 1,600 GL," she says.

"The drought situation in the River Murray system and across the Murray-Darling Basin is still critical."

Minister Maywald says the total volume of Hume, Dartmouth, Lake Victoria and Menindee Lakes is currently 2,636 GL (28% of capacity).

This compares with the long-term average volume held at this time of year of 7,130 GL (76%), and the storages usually peak by the end of October at 7,190 GL (77%). 

"The July to October period is critical for River Murray system inflows because about 65% of the total annual inflow is received during these months," Minister Maywald says.

"From July to September this year 980 GL of inflows have been recorded."

"The Murray-Darling Basin Commission predicts about 175 GL will be recorded this month, which would give a total of 1,155 GL for this critical period," Minister Maywald says.

"The long-term average for the period July-October is 5,740 GL."

Minister Maywald says that while salinity levels have remained fairly low above Lock 1, low water levels below Lock 1 have resulted in higher salinity levels.

Allocation updates will continue to be issued on the 15th of each month and information on water resource conditions will be available on the 1st of each month, or the first business day following if either day falls on a weekend.

For more information about conditions in the River Murray or wider Murray-Darling Basin visit www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/murray/drought/index.html

CRITICAL HUMAN NEEDS RESERVE FOR 2009-10

Murray Darling Basin Commission water sharing agreements require South Australia to reserve 201 GL from this year's allocation for critical human needs waters in 2009-10.

"This will be reserved in accordance with the decision-making framework adopted earlier this year in consultation with irrigation, environmental and community leaders," Minister Maywald says.

The decision-making framework provided for all improvement in South Australia's allocations to be directed to irrigators in June, July and August.

A target of 70 GL was set aside for critical human needs in September and this has been reserved from the September improvements combined with purchases from the temporary market.