The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said water authorities are building reserves to secure opening allocations for higher priority needs due on July 1, 2026.
Resource improvements are being allocated first to meet this reserve requirement until full capacity is reached.
“According to the latest information, the required reserve for next year is about 236 gigalitres, of which a total of 204 has been secured by now,” the water allocation statement said.
“This assessment is based on New South Wales’ share of storage volumes as of the end of February and observed inflows up to March 10, 2026.
“It also includes a conservative projection of inflows for the rest of March, tapering from observed rates towards minimum inflows. It then assumes minimum inflows from March to the end of the water year.
“For Menindee, no inflows are considered for the rest of the 2025-26 water year.”
Forecast quantiles for the March to May 2026 period, based on unregulated inflow into Hume Dam, sit considerably lower than their historical equivalents, suggesting below-average inflows are likely during this period.
Trading restrictions remain in place across the Barmah Choke, limited to 'no net trade downstream'. Downstream trade opens only to the extent of upstream trade volumes.
Temporary trade between the Lower Darling and the Murray remains open and will likely continue until the system falls below 480GL.
Trade within the Lower Darling Regulated River Water Source also remains open.
Trade out of the Murrumbidgee is open, while trade into the Murrumbidgee remains closed.
24°C