Summary of current water allocations
The tables below summarise the current water year allocations for:
- regulated rivers
- unregulated rivers, and
- groundwater water sources.
Allocations that are normally expressed in megalitres per unit share–for example high security, general security and aquifer access–are expressed as percentages in the tables below. One megalitre (ML) per unit share equates to 100% allocation, whereas 0.50 ML per share equates to 50% allocation and 0.05 ML per share equates to 5% allocation.
Rules for sharing water between water users and the environment are outlined in each respective water sharing plan, as well as defining shares in the available water for licence holders.
Carryover water
Water users may have access to water in their account carried over unused from the previous year. Carryover rules vary between water sources and between licence categories. Towns, domestic and stock, and most high security licence categories cannot carryover.
Drought stage
The current drought stage for each inland river valley is listed in the table. These can range from Stage 1 (Normal operations) to Stage 4 (Critical drought). The drought stage is determined by the extent of operational, allocation or restriction measures that may need to be applied during water shortages or as the system recovers. Further information is available at extreme events.
Drought stage per water source
Water source | System type* | Drought stage | Date of last stage change |
Lower Darling | Regulated river | Stage 1 | April 2021 |
Barwon-Darling | Unregulated river | Stage 1 | April 2021 |
Lower Namoi | Regulated river | Stage 1 | January 2021 |
Upper Namoi | Regulated river | Stage 1 | January 2021 |
Macquarie | Regulated river | Stage 1 | September 2020 |
Cudgegong | Regulated river | Stage 1 | August 2020 |
Gwydir | Regulated river | Stage 1 | January 2021 |
NSW Border Rivers | Regulated river | Stage 1 | April 2021 |
Belubula | Regulated river | Stage 1 | April 2021 |
Peel | Regulated river | Stage 1 | January 2021 |
Lachlan | Regulated river | Stage 1 | September 2020 |
Murray | Regulated river | Stage 1 | August 2020 |
Murrumbidgee | Regulated river | Stage 1 | August 2019 |
Hunter | Regulated river | Stage 1 | August 2020 |
Richmond | Regulated river | Stage 1 | February 2020 |
Bega/Brogo | Regulated river | Stage 1 | February 2020 |
Current allocations - regulated rivers
River valley
Allocations 2022-23
Licence category
Date of last allocation increase
Murray*
110%
General security
15 August 2022
100%
High security
15 August 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Lower Darling*
100%
General security
1 July 2022
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Murrumbidgee*
100%
General security
16 January 2023
100%
High security
16 January 2023
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Lachlan*
118%
General security
5 May 2023
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Belubula*
0%
General security
1 July 2022
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
Macquarie and Cudgegong*
100%
General security
6 September 2022
100%
High security
6 September 2022
100%
High security (sub categories)
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Lower Namoi*
218%
General security
7 June 2023
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
High security (sub categories)
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Upper Namoi*
100%
General security
1 July 2022
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Peel
100%
General security
1 July 2022
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Gwydir*
321%
General security
5 May 2023
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
NSW Border Rivers*
100%
General security A Class
1 July 2022
221%
General security B Class
24 May 2023
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Richmond
100%
General security
1 July 2022
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Paterson*
100%
General security
1 July 2022
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Hunter*
100%
General security
1 July 2022
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
Bega-Brogo
50%
General security
16 February 2023
100%
High security
1 July 2022
100%
Domestic and stock
1 July 2022
100%
Local water utilities
1 July 2022
* Carryover water may also be available.
River valley | Allocations 2022-23 | Licence category | Date of last allocation increase |
Murray* | 110% | General security | 15 August 2022 |
100% | High security | 15 August 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Lower Darling* | 100% | General security | 1 July 2022 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Murrumbidgee* | 100% | General security | 16 January 2023 |
100% | High security | 16 January 2023 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Lachlan* | 118% | General security | 5 May 2023 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Belubula* | 0% | General security | 1 July 2022 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
Macquarie and Cudgegong* | 100% | General security | 6 September 2022 |
100% | High security | 6 September 2022 | |
100% | High security (sub categories) | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Lower Namoi* | 218% | General security | 7 June 2023 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | High security (sub categories) | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Upper Namoi* | 100% | General security | 1 July 2022 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Peel | 100% | General security | 1 July 2022 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Gwydir* | 321% | General security | 5 May 2023 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
NSW Border Rivers* | 100% | General security A Class | 1 July 2022 |
221% | General security B Class | 24 May 2023 | |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Richmond | 100% | General security | 1 July 2022 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Paterson* | 100% | General security | 1 July 2022 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Hunter* | 100% | General security | 1 July 2022 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 | |
Bega-Brogo | 50% | General security | 16 February 2023 |
100% | High security | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Domestic and stock | 1 July 2022 | |
100% | Local water utilities | 1 July 2022 |
* Carryover water may also be available.
Current allocations - unregulated rivers
River valley
Current allocation (2022-23) water year
Licence category
Date of allocation
All unregulated river water sources*
Full allocations
All categories
1 July 2022
* Carryover water may also be available.
River valley | Current allocation (2022-23) water year | Licence category | Date of allocation |
All unregulated river water sources* | Full allocations | All categories | 1 July 2022 |
* Carryover water may also be available.
Current allocations - groundwater
River valley
Current allocation (2022-23) water year
Water source / licence category
Date of allocation
Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial (Gundagai Alluvial Groundwater Source)
98%
Aquifer (high security) access
1 July 2022
Upper Namoi Zone 1, Borambil Creek
230%
Aquifer access
1 July 2022
All other groundwater sources
100%
All other licence categories
1 July 2022
* Carryover water may also be available, according to water sharing plan.
River valley | Current allocation (2022-23) water year | Water source / licence category | Date of allocation |
Murrumbidgee Unregulated and Alluvial (Gundagai Alluvial Groundwater Source) | 98% | Aquifer (high security) access | 1 July 2022 |
Upper Namoi Zone 1, Borambil Creek | 230% | Aquifer access | 1 July 2022 |
All other groundwater sources | 100% | All other licence categories | 1 July 2022 |
* Carryover water may also be available, according to water sharing plan.