Weekly Water Update
7 August 2008
STORAGES MAKE POSITIVE START TO AUGUST
Melbourne’s storages had a positive start to August, with above average rain over the catchments lifting storage levels by 0.4% or just over 7 billion litres.
Storages are now 31% (549,426 million litres) full, but remain below where they were at the same time in 2007 by 4.9%, when there was 636,048 million litres in storage.
An average of 31mm fell across the major catchments since last Thursday, higher than the long-term average of 26mm. Despite the rain, runoff into the catchments remains below average due to prolonged dry conditions.
Melbourne’s average daily water consumption this week stayed level at 953 million litres per day, compared with the winter average of 1,108 litres per day in the 1990s.
Stage 3a restrictions are in place until at least 30 November 2008. Further details on water restrictions are available by visiting the Our Water Our Future website or by contacting the government water retailers.
Please note that:
- All figures include non-metropolitan supply for Western Water (supplied since March 2000), which are not included in annual Melbourne Metropolitan consumption figures.
- The 1990s Winter average is based on data for the period 1992 to 1999 (8 years).
Water storage data
| Reservoir | Capacity(at Full Supply) | Volume ( ML ) | % Full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 1,068,000 | 199,282 | 18.7 |
| Upper Yarra | 200,000 | 113,012 | 56.5 |
| O'Shannassy | 3,000 | 2,905 | 96.8 |
| Maroondah | 22,000 | 11,835 | 53.8 |
| Sugarloaf | 96,000 | 21,579 | 22.5 |
| Yan Yean | 30,000 | 5,058 | 16.9 |
| Greenvale | 27,000 | 20,567 | 76.2 |
| Silvan | 40,000 | 35,838 | 89.6 |
| Cardinia | 287,000 | 139,350 | 48.6 |
| Total | 1,773,000 | 549,426 | 31.0 |
Rainfall For The Major Harvesting Catchments
| Catchment | 1 Aug - 7 Aug 2008 |
Long Term Ave* | Variation | 1 Aug - 7 Aug 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 41.4 mm | 20.8 mm | 99.0% above | 30.2 mm |
| Upper Yarra | 20.2 mm | 23.8 mm | 15.1% below | 21.8 mm |
| O'Shannassy | 36 mm | 30.6 mm | 17.6% above | 43.6 mm |
| Maroondah | 11 mm | 21.9 mm | 49.8% below | 16 mm |
* Long Term Weekly Average (30 year mean 1978-2007)
Streamflow For The Major Harvesting Catchments
| Catchment | 1 Aug - 7 Aug 2008 |
Long Term Ave* | Variation | 1 Aug - 7 Aug 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 4881 ML | 6400 ML | 23.7% below | 6556 ML |
| Upper Yarra | 2856 ML | 4540 ML | 37.1% below | 4795 ML |
| O'Shannassy | 1832 ML | 2660 ML | 31.1% below | 2209 ML |
| Maroondah | 1532 ML | 2350 ML | 34.8% below | 1858 ML |
| Total | 11101 ML | 15950 ML | 30.4% below | 15418 ML |
* Long Term Weekly Average (30 year mean 1978-2007)
Note: These results are preliminary and are validated at the end of the month.
Yarra Catchment
Report for period 31 July - 6 August 2008 (inclusive):
- Current seven day rolling average flows for Yarra River @ Yarra Glen = 550.6 ML/day (up 1.1 ML/day from the previous week)
- Current seven day rolling average flows for Yarra River @ Warrandyte = 240.2 ML/day (down 16.7 ML/day from the previous week)
- Current seven day rolling average flows for Little Yarra River @ Yarra Junction = 78.9 ML/day (up 51.4 ML/day from the previous week)
- Current seven day rolling average flows for Woori Yallock Creek @ Yellingbo = 74.7 ML/day (down 2.1 ML/day from the previous week)
- Total rainfall at Upper Yarra Reservoir for August is 20.48 mm (long-term monthly average for August is 123.4 mm)
- Total rainfall at Upper Yarra Reservoir for July is 124.08 mm (long-term monthly average for July is 108.3 mm)
- Total rainfall at Silvan Reservoir for August is 19.4 mm (long-term monthly average for August is 118.3 mm)
- Total rainfall at Silvan Reservoir for July is 96.8 mm (long-term monthly average for July is 109.1 mm)
Maribyrnong Catchment
Report for period 31 July - 6 August 2008 (inclusive):
Rosslyne Reservoir
Melbourne Water's Capacity Share of the storage as at 4 August 2008 was 27 Megalitres (ML)
- Current release from Rosslyne (as at 4 August 2008) to meet bulk entitlement demands = 0.51 ML/day
- Current seven day rolling average flows for Jacksons Creek @ Sunbury = 7 ML/day (down 6.0 ML/day from the previous week)
- Current seven day rolling average flows for Deep Creek @ Bulla = 2.2 ML/day (down 1.2 ML/day from the previous week)
- Current seven day rolling average flows for Maribyrnong River @ Keilor (Brimbank Park) = 19.4 ML/day (down 6.0 ML/day from the previous week)
- Total rainfall at Rosslyne Reservoir for August is 3.2 mm (long-term monthly average for August is 64.4 mm)
- Total rainfall at Rosslyne Reservoir for July is 70.2 mm (long-term monthly average for July is 57.8 mm)
Note: Passing flows at Keilor, as per the bulk entitlement agreement, require 5.0 ML/day or natural, whichever is the lesser, to be passed at Keilor. Natural flows are based on flows at Deep Ck @ Bulla gauging station.
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