Water availability remains high

Water Distribution Services general manager Warren Blyth said recent dry conditions had diminished the amount of water in storage but there were still large volumes available for entitlement.

“It has been a very dry winter and spring across northern Victoria,” he said.

“From July to October this year, none of our major water storages received even half of the long-term average over this period.

“However, the water our storages captured during the wet years that preceded this one has ensured water availability is still relatively healthy heading into 2025.”

Groundwater customers similarly enter the new year with high water availability.

The dry conditions have led to minor reductions in groundwater levels. However, all groundwater licence holders currently have 100 per cent of their entitlement, except for licence holders in the Barnadown Zone, who have 75 per cent of their allocation.

Conditions vary across many of G-MW’s unregulated streams, with many in the west of the region experiencing restrictions limiting access to water.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s most recent seasonal climate outlook also suggests there is a 60 to 70 per cent chance the G-MW region will receive above-average rainfall during summer.

Mr Blyth said that despite this, irrigation demand was likely to remain high.

“It has been a busy first half to the 2024-25 irrigation season in terms of water deliveries,” he said.

“With water availability still strong, we expect this trend to continue into summer, and into autumn when deliveries usually peak.

“This is why we are encouraging customers to be prepared and plan ahead.

“The more notice you provide for irrigation orders, the greater the chance you have to secure the requested delivery time.”

Orders can be placed up to a maximum of 10 days in advance via WaterLINE.

The Annual Water Outlook is available at: http://www.g-mwater.com.au/wateroutlook