Queensland rain create Victoria water deficit: Vic used 2,700 GL more Murray Valley water than NSW since 1999-2000

map Water in Menindee irrigation storage was now near 599GL

First 16 of 16 paragraphs shown Water in Menindee irrigation storage was now near 599GL, and rising at 3 March.
- When Menindee lakes storage tops 640 GL the Murray Darling Basin Authority takes control of flows. It also triggers a water deficit in Victoria accounts.
Rare event: New rules apply in the rare events when rain in Queensland and NSW fills the upper Darling valley and flows to Menindee irrigation storages. The context was:
South Australia at the end of the line: Under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement, NSW and Victoria are each required to provide contributions to South Australias entitlement flow.
Victoria draws from Ovens and Goulburn rivers: Over the past 10 years, much of the water flowing into the River Murray has come from Victorian tributaries including the Ovens and Goulburn Rivers, and Victoria has been able to meet their commitment to South Australia from these inflows.
Very little flow from NSW: By comparison, during the same period, there has been very little inflow from NSW tributaries including the Murrumbidgee River. This has had two main outcomes;
- Victoria has had available and used about 2,700 GL more water available to its users in the Murray Valley than has NSW since 1999-2000; and
- NSW has provided a significant proportion of its share of South Australias entitlement flow from its share of water in the Menindee Lakes, while Victoria has maintained its share.
Victoria’s part of the water pie: When the volume in the Menindee Lakes fell below 480 GL, management of the Menindee water reverted to NSW control; and
- Victoria owned about 200 GL more of the water remaining than NSW;
- When the volumes in the Menindee Lakes next exceed 640 GL, these accounts are reinstated.
The bottom line, Victoria water balance in the red: So, Victoria has about 200 GL more water available to it in the Menindee Lakes that will become available when the total volume in the Menindee Lakes next exceeds 640 GL and management of the lakes transitions to joint Government control through the MDBA.
What happens when Menindee allowed to overflow:
- If flows to the River Murray do not exceed 300 GL, NSW will meet any liability borne by Victoria from the inflows that become available to NSW from inflows from the Lower Darling River to the River Murray.
- However, this is conditional on the equivalent volume being reduced from the balance of water held by Victoria in the Menindee Lakes when the volumes in the Menindee Lakes next exceed 640 GL.
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