Welcome to the latest River Murray weekly update!
For the full River Murray Weekly Report – including images, graphs and data on flow and salinity – head to the MDBA website. This week’s full report also includes information about the lowering of Mildura Weir next winter.
River Operations
MDBA active storage increased by 14 GL during the week to 7,454 GL (87% capacity). At Dartmouth Reservoir, the total storage increased by 24 GL to 2,913 GL, which is 76% capacity. The release remained steady at the normal minimum of 200 ML/day.
At Hume Reservoir the storage continued to fall away in the first half of the week before the rain resulted in higher inflows, a decrease in the release and a small rebound in the storage level. By week’s end, the net result was a 2 GL decrease in volume to 2,735 GL (91% capacity). The current release is 7,300 ML/day, down from 19,000 ML/d at the start of the week. Unless there is further rain, the release should be gradually increased again over the coming days to meet irrigation demand.
At Lake Mulwala, the pool level is currently 124.82 m AHD. Diversions to the Yarrawonga Main Canal were reduced during the week, averaging around 550 ML/day; while diversions to Mulwala Canal also decreased – from an average of 3,600 ML/day last week to around 2,900 ML/day this week. The release through Yarrawonga Weir increased to a peak of 21,500 ML/d during the week, as decreasing diversions and high inflows from the Ovens River added additional water to the system. The release is currently 17,500 ML/day and expected to continue decreasing back to a target of 11,000 ML/day by the middle of next week. This release is being targeted to supply environmental entitlements that are maintaining over-bank flows to the Barmah-Millewa forest.
On the Edward-Wakool system, diversion through the Edward Offtake remained steady at 1,660 ML/day during the week. At the Gulpa Offtake the gates are out of the water and the flow increased slightly as higher flows from the Murray arrived. However, as the flow from Yarrawonga increased further, all forest regulators have been opened resulting in a slight easing in Gulpa Offtake inflows over the last two days. Downstream at Stevens Weir, the release increased from 1,500 to 2,300 ML/day and the pool is currently at 4.95 m. On the Wakool River, the flow at Kyalite was relatively steady through the week at around 3,200 ML/day and should recede slightly over the coming week.
On the Goulburn River, the flow at McCoys Bridge is currently 4,600 ML/day. The flow is expected to stay above 4,000 ML/day over the next few days due to tributary inflows and continuing environmental releases, before falling back toward 3,000 ML/day by the end of the week.
At Torrumbarry Weir, diversion to National Channel has been averaging just over 2,000 ML/day during the past week. Flow downstream of the weir has increased from around 11,100 to 11,800 ML/day during the week and is expected to fall away slightly over the coming week. Further downstream, the inflow from the Murrumbidgee River peaked at around 4,100 ML/day early in the week, but has now dropped back to around 2,000 ML/day. Higher inflows from the Murrumbidgee resulting from this week’s rain are expected during mid December.
Downstream at Euston, the flow increased as expected during the week, and is currently at 15,000 ML/day. The flow is now expected to reduce to about 13,000 ML/day over the coming week.
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority and Goulburn-Murray Water advised today that the Mildura weir pool is planned to be fully drawn down for up to two months next winter to allow for essential maintenance to be undertaken. Further information about this is provided in the attached media release.
At Menindee Lakes, the total storage decreased by 18 GL, however the lakes remain surcharged at 1,816 GL (105% capacity). The release, measured at Weir 32 is currently around 750 ML/day and will continue rising to around 2,000 ML/day over the coming week as releases to transfer water to the Murray commence. These relatively small releases will also ensure that Menindee Lakes are drawn down to Full Supply Level by the end of December.
The storage in Lake Victoria increased by 10 GL to 664 GL (98% capacity). The Lake level is currently 26.90 m AHD. In the coming week the Lake level will initially be increased to around 26.95 m AHD before falling away as releases increase to supplement the flow to South Australia. Flow to South Australia averaged 8,750 ML/day this week. Flow during December is expected to gradually increase to around 14,500 ML/day due to delivery of environmental water released from the Goulburn and Campaspe Rivers and a small increase in entitlement flow.
The average level in the Lower Lakes fell by 4 centimetres over the week and is currently 0.68 m AHD. The rate of fall was slowed by around 3 centimetres of rain falling on the Lake. Flow out the barrages averaged around 4,200 ML/day.
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