River Murray weekly report
For the week ending Wednesday, 22ndMovember2018
Trim Ref:D17/49965
Rainfall and inflows
The widespread rain that fell across the majority of the Murray-Darling Basinthis week was associated with a slow moving trough system. This brought fairly heavy falls to parts of South Australia and the western half of Victoria before triggering further heavy showers and thunderstorms across the Basin’s east (Map 1).
Weekly totals in the range of 50 to 80 mm were recorded in several patches from Queensland to South Australia. Notable totals in Queensland included 72 mm at Derbyshire Downs and 57 mm at Kenilworth Station. In NSW there was 72 mm at Gunnedah, 64 mm at Moulamein and 62 mm at Parkes. There were particularly good totals along the mid to lower Murray, including 69 mm at Swan Hill and 54 mm at Mildura. Elsewhere in Victoria, totals included 73 mm at Heathcote, 71 mm at Dohertys and 66 mm at Kerang. Totals in South Australia’s Riverland and lower Murray valley included 53 mm at Loxton and 37 mm at Milang.
Map 1 - Murray-Darling Basin rainfall map week ending 22 November 2017 (Source: Bureau of Meteorology).
With the heavier rainfall concentrated over the irrigation districts, streamflow responses along the main tributaries were relatively modest and short-lived. On the Mitta Mitta River at Hinnomunjie Bridge, the flow peaked at just under 1,000 ML/day and has since receded to 650 ML/day. On the Ovens River, flows increased from around 1,100 ML/day to a peak near 2,000 ML/day before receding to below 1,400ML/day.
River operations
MDBA active storage fell by 58 GL this week to 6,202 GL (72% active storage).
The storage volume at Dartmouth Reservoir increased by 6 GL to 3,368 GL (87% capacity). The release from Dartmouth Reservoir, measured at Coleman’s, remained at the minimum rate of 200ML/day for much of the week before increasing Wednesday to 3,000 ML/day for hydroelectricity generation purposes. The release is expected to reduce back to 200 ML/day in the next couple of days.
At Hume Reservoir, the storage volume decreased by 60 GL to 2,327 GL (77% capacity). The current release from Hume is targeting 13,000 ML/day and may increase in the coming days if downstream demands further increase. Conversely, if rain eventuates the release may be reduced.
Diversions from Lake Mulwala into Mulwala Canal (Photo 1) reduced to 900 ML/day following last week’s rain, but have since increased to 1,700 ML/day on the back of warm and dry conditions. Similarly, diversion to Yarrawonga Main Channel reduced to 300ML/day earlier in the week but have increased over the last few days to 900 ML/day.
Photo 1 -Diversion to Mulwala Canal dropped following last week’s rain, but has since increased as warm condition push up irrigation demands (Photo: Cecilia Burke, MDBA)
Since October releases from Yarrawonga weir have been maintained at around 15,000 ML/day. The higher flowswere part of a combined action to help provide additional water for downstream demands while also providing environmental water into the Barmah-Millewa forest and downstream to South Australia. This environmental watering action is now slowly being reduced. As a result the release from Yarrawonga Weir has been gradually lowered to 14,000 ML/day and is planned to reach around 12,000 ML/day over the weekend. Releases are anticipated to reduce below the downstream channel capacity (approximately 10,000 ML/day) in mid-late December.
Photo 2 – Competitors in the Massive Murray Paddle moving to their starting positions on Monday morning. The charity event starts downstream of Yarrawonga Weir (background) and finishes at Swan Hill (Source: Alisha Caldwell, MDBA)
A combined total of around 1,350 ML/day continues to enter the Edward-Wakool system from the Edward and Gulpa Creek offtakes. These flows are combining with return flows from the Millewa forest to deliver a flow at Toonalook on the Edward River of around 4,100 ML/day. This flow rate is expected to fall during the coming week as return flows from the Millewa forest recede following the reduction in Yarrawonga releases. About 500 ML/day is entering the Yallakool Creek and around 700 ML/day into the Colligen Creek. Reduced irrigation demand from last week’s rain resulted in the release from Stevens Weir reaching 3,100 ML/day. The release is expected to fall away in the coming days.
Back on the Murray, the flow at Barmah is around 9,900 ML/day and is expected to remain relatively steady over the coming week. Inflows to the Murray from the Goulburn River, measured at McCoys Bridge, have risen from 530 ML/day to the current flow of 4,000 ML/day as the Goulburn environmental pulse enters the Murray. The pulse has been co-ordinated by Goulburn-Broken CMA, environmental water holders and Goulburn-Murray Water and aims to trigger native fish spawning in the lower Goulburn River. Flows will reduce over the weekend and into next week.
The Goulburn pulse has helped to temporarily boost downstream Murray flows. The river height at Echuca has increased by 30 cm this week and will rise further in the coming days before beginning to fall this weekend.
An environmental pulse in the Campaspe River has also increased inflows to the Murray. The flowat Rochester has risen from around 200 ML/day to around 1,700 ML/day and is expected to fall away in the coming days. Similar to the Goulburn pulse, these higher flows aim to trigger native fish spawning.
The flow downstream of Torrumbarry Weir has increased to 10,200 ML/day and will rise further in the coming days before receding. Likewise, the flow at Swan Hill has risen from around 8,000 ML/day to 10,700 ML/day and will increase further as the peak from the environmental pulses moves through the system.
The Murrumbidgee River at Balranald has receded back to 1,600 ML/day and is expected to continue to fall to300 ML/day by early December if dry conditions continue.
At Euston, the weir pool level is 17 cm above Full Supply Level (FSL) and is gradually being lowered towards FSL by the end of the month. The release is currently around 13,000 ML/day. Downstream, return flows from Hattah Lakes continue to enter the Murray via the Messengers and Oateys regulators to Chalka Creek (south and north respectively) to provide connectivity between the lakes and the River Murray. Total return flows have averaged around 1,200 ML/day this week.
At Menindee Lakes, the storage volume reduced by 15 GL this week to 524 GL (30% capacity). The release at Weir 32 is currently targeting 700 ML/day, which is above the minimum release of 300ML/day, to maintain river heights in the lower Darling during the Murray Cod nesting season. Releases may fall towards 300 ML/day from mid-December.
Operations atLock 9 continue to target Full Supply Level (FSL). Lock 9 will be closed for approximately two weeks from 27 November for essential maintenance. For more information please see the attached Media Release.
The weir pool level at Lock 8continues to targetaround 30cm above FSL. The pool will remain around this level during the remainder of November in order to maintain a flow in the upper Potterwalkagee Creek system. AtLock7,a pool level of around 50 cm above FSL is being targetedto maintain a higher flow in the upper Lindsay Creek system for the benefit of native fish. The flow rates are also sufficient to allow water to be pumped into Lake Wallawalla.
Heavy rain over the mid-Murray (Map 1) reduced diversions and system losses which has provided additional water to be captured in Lake Victoria. As a result the Lake Victoria storage volume increased by 12 GL to 657 GL (97% capacity). The storage volume is expected to remain high during November and early December before falling away over summer as water is released to help meet demand in South Australia.
Photo 3: Lake Victoria storage close to the full supply volume (Source: Gabriella Sulfaro, MDBA)
The flow into South Australia is currently around 10,500 ML/day. This flow rate will continue during the weekend before increasing over the coming weeks as a significant volume of environmental water released from Hume and Eildon reservoirs is delivered to South Australia.
Photo 4: The Murray at Big Bend, downstream of Swan Reach in South Australia (Source: Gabriella Sulfaro, MDBA)
At the Lower Lakes, local rainfall has helped boost the 5-day average water level in Lake Alexandrina to 0.81 m AHD. Releases through the barrages have been increased to around 2,500 ML/day and are being prioritised to Goolwa and Tauwitchere in an effort to maintain suitable conditions for black bream spawning. All fishways at the barrages remain open.
For media inquiries contact the Media Officeron 02 6279 0141
ANDREW REYNOLDS
Executive Director, River Management
Water in Storage Week ending Wednesday 22 Nov 2017
MDBA Storages / Full Supply Level / Full Supply Volume / Current Storage Level / Current / Storage / Dead Storage / Active Storage / Change in Total Storage for the Week(m AHD) / (GL) / (m AHD) / (GL) / % / (GL) / (GL) / (GL)
Dartmouth Reservoir / 486.00 / 3 856 / 478.25 / 3 368 / 87% / 71 / 3 297 / +6
Hume Reservoir / 192.00 / 3 005 / 188.37 / 2 327 / 77% / 23 / 2 304 / -60
Lake Victoria / 27.00 / 677 / 26.84 / 657 / 97% / 100 / 557 / +12
Menindee Lakes / 1 731* / 524 / 30% / (480 #) / 44 / -15
Total / 9 269 / 6 876 / 74% / - - / 6 202 / -58
Total Active MDBA Storage / 72% ^
Major State Storages
Burrinjuck Reservoir / 1 026 / 635 / 62% / 3 / 632 / +9
Blowering Reservoir / 1 631 / 947 / 58% / 24 / 923 / -34
Eildon Reservoir / 3 334 / 2 396 / 72% / 100 / 2 296 / -28
*Menindee surcharge capacity – 2050 GL ** All Data is rounded to nearest GL **
# NSW has sole access to water when the storage falls below 480 GL. MDBA regains access to water when the storage next reaches 640 GL.
^ % of total active MDBA storage
Snowy Mountains Scheme Snowy diversions for week ending 21 Nov 2017
Storage / Active Storage (GL) / Weekly Change (GL) / Diversion (GL) / This Week / From 1 May 2017Lake Eucumbene - Total / 1 714 / n/a / Snowy-Murray / +7 / 515
Snowy-Murray Component / 742 / n/a / Tooma-Tumut / +6 / 158
Target Storage / 1 450 / Net Diversion / 1 / 357
Murray 1 Release / +10 / 704
Major Diversions from Murray and Lower Darling (GL) *
New South Wales / This Week / From 1 July 2017 / Victoria / This Week / From 1 July 2017Murray Irrig. Ltd (Net) / 9.9 / 322 / Yarrawonga Main Channel (net) / 3.5 / 107
Wakool Sys Allowance / 0.0 / 16 / Torrumbarry System + Nyah (net) / 1.3 / 181
Western Murray Irrigation / 0.2 / 6 / Sunraysia Pumped Districts / 2 / 32
Licensed Pumps / n/a / 76 / Licensed pumps - GMW (Nyah+u/s) / 1 / 13
Lower Darling / 3.6 / 27 / Licensed pumps - LMW / 4.6 / 97
TOTAL / 13.7 / 447 / TOTAL / 12.4 / 430
* Figures are derived from actual and estimates where data is unavailable. Please note that not all data may have been available at the time
of creating this report.
** All data above is rounded to nearest 100 ML for weekly data and nearest GL for cumulative data**
Flow to South Australia (GL)* Flow to SA will be greater than normal entitlement for this month due to environmental flows. / Entitlement this month / 180.0 *
Flow this week / 72.5 / (10 400 ML/day)
Flow so far this month / 204.2
Flow last month / 235.1
Salinity (EC) (microSiemens/cm at 25o C)
Current / Average over the last week / Average since 1 August 2017Swan Hill / 90 / 80 / 110
Euston / - / - / -
Red Cliffs / 120 / 120 / 170
Merbein / 110 / 130 / 160
Burtundy (Darling) / 760 / 820 / 740
Lock 9 / 180 / 180 / 180
Lake Victoria / 170 / 190 / 230
Berri / 280 / 290 / 300
Waikerie / 320 / 340 / 370
Morgan / 350 / 350 / 390
Mannum / 460 / 440 / 430
Murray Bridge / 460 / 460 / 480
Milang (Lake Alex.) / 740 / 690 / 610
Poltalloch (Lake Alex.) / 530 / 590 / 590
Meningie (Lake Alb.) / 1 500 / 1 510 / 1 530
Goolwa Barrages / 890 / 940 / 1 330
River Levels and Flows Week ending Wednesday 22 Nov 2017
Minor Flood Stage / Gauge / Height / Flow / Trend / Average Flow this Week / Average Flow last WeekRiver Murray / (m) / local (m) / (m AHD) / (ML/day) / (ML/day) / (ML/day)
Khancoban / - / - / - / 4 160 / F / 2 490 / 1 830
Jingellic / 4.0 / 1.76 / 208.28 / 4 930 / R / 3 830 / 3 210
Tallandoon ( Mitta Mitta River ) / 4.2 / 1.50 / 218.39 / 810 / F / 910 / 850
Heywoods / 5.5 / 2.82 / 156.45 / 13 140 / F / 13 220 / 17 500
Doctors Point / 5.5 / 2.92 / 151.39 / 14 070 / F / 14 200 / 18 310
Albury / 4.3 / 1.92 / 149.36 / - / - / - / -
Corowa / 4.6 / 3.08 / 129.10 / 14 670 / F / 15 190 / 18 690
Yarrawonga Weir (d/s) / 6.4 / 2.23 / 117.27 / 14 110 / F / 14 690 / 14 540
Tocumwal / 6.4 / 2.92 / 106.76 / 14 450 / F / 14 760 / 14 390
Torrumbarry Weir (d/s) / 7.3 / 3.26 / 81.80 / 10 280 / F / 9 880 / 7 990
Swan Hill / 4.5 / 1.89 / 64.81 / 10 670 / R / 9 560 / 8 180
Wakool Junction / 8.8 / 4.07 / 53.19 / 12 530 / R / 12 260 / 11 170
Euston Weir (d/s) / 9.1 / 2.45 / 44.29 / 12 970 / F / 12 910 / 10 300
Mildura Weir (d/s) / - / - / 14 060 / F / 12 690 / 10 810
Wentworth Weir (d/s) / 7.3 / 3.38 / 28.14 / 14 680 / F / 13 960 / 11 440
Rufus Junction / - / 3.92 / 20.85 / 9 260 / F / 9 330 / 9 330
Blanchetown (Lock 1 d/s) / - / 0.86 / - / 8 800 / F / 8 750 / 7 160
Tributaries
Kiewa at Bandiana / 2.8 / 1.42 / 154.65 / 1 060 / F / 1 230 / 1 520
Ovens at Wangaratta / 11.9 / 8.35 / 146.03 / 1 380 / F / 1 480 / 1 300
Goulburn at McCoys Bridge / 9.0 / 3.10 / 94.52 / 4 020 / R / 1 460 / 580
Edward at Stevens Weir (d/s) / 5.5 / 2.54 / 82.31 / 2 870 / F / 2 890 / 2 640
Edward at Liewah / - / 2.98 / 58.36 / 2 500 / F / 2 580 / 2 570
Wakool at Stoney Crossing / - / 1.68 / 55.17 / 1 120 / F / 1 250 / 1 160
Murrumbidgee at Balranald / 5.0 / 2.05 / 58.01 / 1 620 / F / 2 530 / 2 500
Barwon at Mungindi / 6.1 / 3.32 / - / 310 / R / 180 / 120
Darling at Bourke / 9.0 / 4.09 / - / 290 / S / 310 / 330
Darling at Burtundy Rocks / - / 0.86 / - / 530 / S / 570 / 730
Natural Inflow to Hume / 5 000 / 6 100
(i.e. Pre Dartmouth & Snowy Mountains scheme)
Weirs and LocksPool levels above or below Full Supply Level (FSL)
Murray / FSL (m AHD) / u/s / d/s / FSL (m AHD) / u/s / d/sYarrawonga / 124.90 / -0.10 / - / No. 7 Rufus River / 22.10 / +0.54 / +1.61
No. 26 Torrumbarry / 86.05 / +0.00 / - / No. 6 Murtho / 19.25 / +0.02 / +0.27
No. 15 Euston / 47.60 / +0.17 / - / No. 5 Renmark / 16.30 / +0.00 / +0.38
No. 11 Mildura / 34.40 / +0.04 / +0.54 / No. 4 Bookpurnong / 13.20 / +0.08 / +1.09
No. 10 Wentworth / 30.80 / +0.00 / +0.74 / No. 3 Overland Corner / 9.80 / +0.06 / +0.47
No. 9 Kulnine / 27.40 / +0.03 / +0.47 / No. 2 Waikerie / 6.10 / +0.07 / +0.36
No. 8 Wangumma / 24.60 / +0.34 / +0.74 / No. 1 Blanchetown / 3.20 / -0.05 / +0.11
Lower LakesFSL = 0.75 m AHD
Lake Alexandrina average level for the past 5 days (m AHD) / 0.81Barrages Fishways at Barrages
Openings / Level (m AHD) / No. Open / Rock Ramp / Vertical Slot 1 / Vertical Slot 2 / Dual Vertical SlotsGoolwa / 128 openings / 0.89 / 2 / - / Open / Open / -
Mundoo / 26 openings / 0.85 / All closed / - / - / - / Open
Hunters Creek / - / - / - / - / Open / - / -
Boundary Creek / 6 openings / - / 1 / - / Open / - / -
Ewe Island / 111 gates / - / All closed / - / - / - / Open
Tauwitchere / 322 gates / 0.86 / 5 / Open / Open / Open / -
AHD = Level relative to Australian Height Datum, i.e. height above sea level
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Week ending Wednesday 22 Nov 2017
State Allocations (as at 22 Nov 2017)
NSW - Murray Valley / Victorian - Murray ValleyHigh security / 97%
General security / 35%
/ High reliability / 100%
Low reliability / 0%
NSW – MurrumbidgeeValley / Victorian- GoulburnValley
High security / 95%
General security / 33%
/ High reliability / 94%
Low reliability / 0%
NSW - Lower Darling / South Australia – MurrayValley
High security / 100%
General security / 100%
/ High security / 100%
NSW : /
VIC : /
SA : /
MEDIA RELEASE
23 November 2017
Lock 9 closed for essential maintenance
Lock 9, which allows vessels to navigate at Cullulleraine on the River Murray, will be closed for approximately two weeks from 27 November 2017.
Recent routine inspections identified damage to the downstream gate seal requiring essential maintenance.
MDBA Executive Director River Management, Andrew Reynolds, said Lock 9 is an important weir for managing Lake Victoria storage levels. The maintenance work is being done at this time to mitigate against lock closures during peak recreational periods.
The Weir and Lock 9 is also critical in diverting water into Lake Victoria. It is prudent to undertake this work now to ensure there is no impact to Lake Victoria storage level.
“The temporary closure will not affect the normal operation of the weir in terms of river flow and water supply; however, recreational water users will not be able to use the lock to travel up and down the river,” Mr Reynolds said.
“The weir pool level will remain at normal operating levels throughout the work.”
In accordance with the longstanding Murray–Darling Basin Agreement, River Murray Operations assets are owned by a 'Joint Venture' comprising of State and Federal Governments.
The MDBA is tasked to operate the River Murray system on behalf of the 'Joint Venture'. SA Water is the nominated State Constructing Authority responsible for operating and maintaining Lock 9 under the direction of the MDBA.
Further updates will be provided if there are any changes to the closure dates.
ENDS
Contact the MDBA Media office at or 02 6279 0141
Twitter: twitter.com/MD_Basin_Auth
Facebook: facebook.com/MDBAuth
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