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All Current and Past Media Releases
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Media Release - Department of Water and Energy Date: 16 March 2009 SOUTHERN BASIN ALLOCATIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED The NSW Department of Water and Energy today announced that allocations in the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lower Darling river valleys would remain unchanged.
Despite heavy rain in the northern parts of the State, hot and dry weather has prevailed in the south, causing any natural stream flows to fall.
The water allocations for all Southern Murray-Darling Basin licence holders will remain unchanged as follows:
• Murray Valley high security license holders - 95 per cent • Murrumbidgee Valley high security license holders - 95 per cent • Lower Darling high security license holders -100 per cent • Murray Valley general security licence holders – 9 per cent • Murrumbidgee Valley general security license holders – 21 per cent • Lower Darling Valley general security license holders – 50 per cent • Town water supply license holders in all valleys – 95 per cent of entitlement
There is enough water in reserve now to meet all of the critical human needs of NSW river valleys in the southern Murray-Darling Basin for the 2009/10 water year.
Deputy Director General, David Harriss, said if the current drought conditions continue there will be insufficient water in reserve to enable all carryover to be available on 1 July 2009 in the Murray and Murrumbidgee Valleys.
“Any further inflows will not be allocated until sufficient water has been reserved to supply all carryover and high security needs in 2009/10,” said Mr Harriss.
“Licensed users supplied by the Menindee Lakes system are now in a much better position, with mid February rainfall in the upper Darling providing enough water to enable all carryover and high security allocations to be secured for 2009/10.”
Mr Harriss continued, saying that all trades, including interstate trades, need to be lodged with State Water by 31 May 2009.
“This includes trades from upstream of the Barmah choke to downstream and from out of the Lower Darling river into the Murray Valley, that have been allowed in 2008/09,” he said.
More information on water availability in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin is provided in today’s Murray and Murrumbidgee critical water planning communiqués, available from the Department’s website: www.dwe.nsw.gov.au
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