“Victoria’s trading rules limit allocation trade from NSW to Victoria to the lesser of a net annual volume of 200 gigalitres or the volume that keeps the risk of spill of Victoria’s share of the Hume and Dartmouth reservoirs below 50 per cent,” Dr Bailey said on June 13.
“The Murray-Darling Basin Authority continues to release water from Lake Hume to manage airspace.
“This means the spill risk is high and no additional volume can be made available for trade from NSW to Victoria.”
Regarding the estimated risk of spill in 2023-24, Dr Bailey said Goulburn-Murray Water was releasing water from Lake Eildon to manage airspace.
“The releases are expected to continue throughout June,” he said.
“The airspace management activities mean the Goulburn and Murray systems will start 2023-24 with a high risk of spill.
“The risk of spill in the Campaspe system is about 85 per cent.
“Entitlement holders should not expect an early declaration of a low risk of spill.
“Allocation held in spillable water accounts will not be available early in the season.
“Deductions from Goulburn and Murray spillable water accounts may begin from July 1.”
Dr Bailey said the impact would depend on the flows into the storages and volumes released to meet orders.
“The status of the Murray system will also prevent allocation trade from NSW to Victoria at the start of 2023-24.”
Dr Bailey reminded entitlement holders that the risk of spill assessment related to water accounting and did not describe the chances of flooding in the Murray, Goulburn or Campaspe systems.
Further information about the estimated risk of spill in 2023-24 is available on the northern Victoria resource manager website.
The risk of spill in the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems in 2023-24 will be announced on Monday, July 3.
