Murray River
Murray River | |
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Drought Stage
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Stage 1 emerging water shortage in May 2019, eased to drought stage 1 normal operations on 31 July 2020. |
Storage Level
| - Dartmouth Dam is at 61% (2,396 GL) - shared resource compared to 62% on 1 July 2019.
- Hume Dam is at 59% (1,781 GL) compared to 24% (706 GL) on 1 July 2019.
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Allocations
| - No general security allocation for most of 2019/20, although full carryover water was available until a 3% general security allocation announced on 15 May 2020.
- No opening general security allocation on 1 July 2020, but allocations had increased to 8% by 17 August and progressively to 46% in mid-January 2021.
- Prior to 2020/21 allocations, previous general security allocation made in March 2018.
- Full high priority and maximum high security allocations provided.
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Actions
| - Environmental releases made in August and September 2019.
- Conveyance allocations reduced in 2019/20 but increased with inflows.
- Commonwealth released environmental spring flow starting in August for 2 weeks and then September 2019 for 6 weeks. The flow was designed to water the Barmah-Millewa and Koondrook Perricoota Forests and provide flow through the system to the Lower Lakes.
- Environmental water deliveries commenced in spring 2020 and are continuing.
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Issues
| - The resources of the Murray River are shared between NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
- The River Murray system as a whole experienced 'near extreme' dry inflow conditions for 2018/19 and 'very dry' inflow conditions for 2019/20, but improved conditions in 2020/21.
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Outlook
| - Spring and summer 2020 have been wetter than average.
- Resources have improved in the NSW Murray from higher than assumed minimum inflows and lower than budgeted losses.
- Further inflows have contributed to increased general security allocations.
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Page link: https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/allocations-availability/droughts-floods/drought-update/critical-valleys-in-drought/murray