Goulburn-Murray Water’s (GMW) recently released Annual Water Outlook shows that water availability in 2025 will likely remain healthy despite the recent dry weather.
The Annual Water Outlook provides an overview of expected water availability for the next 12 months, helping water entitlement holders to guide their planning for the months ahead.
Water Distribution Services General Manager Warren Blyth said recent dry conditions had diminished the amount of water in storage, but large volumes are still available for entitlement.
“It has been a very dry winter and spring across northern Victoria,” he said. “None of our major water storages received even half the long-term average from July to October this year.
“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 GMW’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 a 60-70 per cent chance that the GMW region will receive above-average rainfall during summer.
Blyth said that irrigation demand was likely to remain high despite this.
“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 encourage customers to prepare 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 on the GMW Water Resources webpage
Related Articles:
- Melbourne water storage levels remain secure
- New LiDAR drones surveying infrastructure
- New water supply for people in north of Melbourne