Weekly Water Report
24 May 2012
OVERALL
STORAGE
LEVEL
64.6%
WEEKLY
STORAGE
CHANGE
-0.1%
SAME TIME
LAST
YEAR
54.2%
AVERAGE
DAILY
CONSUMPTION
142 L
AVERAGE
CATCHMENT
RAINFALL
1.0mm
Runoff limits decline in dry week
Melbourne’s dam levels experienced a minor decrease in the past week, dropping by 0.1% of capacity.
The net loss of 0.5 billion litres was due to little rainfall over the major catchments, but would have been greater if not for above-average streamflow from previous weeks rain.
The 0.1% loss is a favourable result when compared with the average weekly drop for autumn, 0.3%.
The four major catchments received between 0.6 -3.8 mm of rain, the average being 1mm. This was well below the long-term average for the period, 20mm.
Despite the dry week, streamflow was relatively high, which was a legacy of rain in the previous week.
The 6 billion litres of runoff that entered the dams was 16.2% above the 30-year average for the period (5.2 billion litres).
Water storages are now 64.7% (1,171 billion litres) full, compared with 54.2% (981 billion litres) at the same time last year – a difference of 190 billion litres.
Melburnians used an average of 142 litres of water per person per day over the past week. This is 3 litres each a day more than the previous week.
Information on water restrictions and tips on how to save water are available from water.vic.gov.au or by contacting the government water retailers.
Stage 1 restrictions are currently in place.
Daily residential water use for Melbourne

PREVIOUS WEEKS
CURRENT WEEK
All figures include non-metropolitan supply for Western Water (supplied since March 2000), which are not included in annual Melbourne metropolitan consumption figures.
Melbourne's water storages
View interactive storage graph for 1997-2012 (opens in a new window)
2009 - 10 2010 - 11 2011 - 12
100% capacity = 1,812,175 ML
NB: Prior to 1 July 2010, 100% capacity = 1,810,500 ML
Total system storage (as of 24 May 2012)
| Reservoir | Capacity at full supply (ML) | Current Volume (ML) | % Full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 1,068,000 | 610,419 | 57.2% |
| Cardinia | 286,911 | 214,195 | 74.7% |
| Upper Yarra | 200,579 | 122,873 | 61.3% |
| Sugarloaf | 96,253 | 94,692 | 98.4% |
| Silvan | 40,445 | 36,025 | 89.1% |
| Tarago | 37,580 | 20,518 | 54.6% |
| Yan Yean | 30,266 | 27,136 | 89.7% |
| Greenvale | 26,839 | 20,367 | 75.9% |
| Maroondah | 22,179 | 22,259 | 100.0% |
| O'Shannassy | 3,123 | 2,872 | 92.0% |
| Total | 1,812,175 | 1,171,356 | 64.6% |
Rainfall recorded at the reservoirs
| Catchment | 18 May - 24 May 2012 |
Average for the period* |
Variation | 18 May - 24 May 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 0.6 mm | 17.8 mm | 96.6% below | 19 mm |
| Upper Yarra | 0.8 mm | 21.2 mm | 96.2% below | 23.6 mm |
| O'Shannassy | 1 mm | 24.5 mm | 95.9% below | 30 mm |
| Maroondah | 3.8 mm | 20 mm | 81.0% below | 29 mm |
* Average (30 year mean 1982-2011)
Stream flow for the major catchments
| Catchment | 18 May - 24 May 2012 |
Average for the period* |
Variation | 18 May - 24 May 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 2701 ML | 2090 ML | 29.2% above | 4044 ML |
| Upper Yarra | 1383 ML | 1000 ML | 38.3% above | 3118 ML |
| O'Shannassy | 1016 ML | 1050 ML | 3.2% below | 2758 ML |
| Maroondah | 894 ML | 1020 ML | 12.4% below | 2519 ML |
| Total | 5994 ML | 5160 ML | 16.2% above | 12439 ML |
* Average (30 year mean 1982-2011)
Note: These results are preliminary and are validated at the end of the month.
Yarra Catchment
Report for period 17 May - 23 May 2012 (inclusive):
Current seven day rolling average flows for:
- Yarra River @ Yarra Glen = 974.8 ML/day (up 20.1 ML/day from the previous week)
- Yarra River @ Warrandyte = 810.5 ML/day (up 115.1 ML/day from the previous week)
- Little Yarra River @ Yarra Junction = 92.5 ML/day (down 17.4 ML/day from the previous week)
- Woori Yallock Creek @ Yellingbo = 161.9 ML/day (down 15.8 ML/day from the previous week)
Total rainfall for May at:
- Upper Yarra Reservoir is 46.4 mm (long-term May average is 80.8 mm)
- Silvan Reservoir is 71.8 mm (long-term May average is 92.9 mm)
Maribyrnong Catchment
Report for period 17 May - 23 May 2012 (inclusive):
Current seven day rolling average flows for:
- Jacksons Creek @ Sunbury = 9.6 ML/day (up 1.9 ML/day from the previous week)
- Deep Creek @ Bulla = 9.8 ML/day (down 0.2 ML/day from the previous week)
- Maribyrnong River @ Keilor (Brimbank Park) = 30.5 ML/day (up 3.0 ML/day from the previous week)
Total rainfall for May at:
- Rosslyne Reservoir is 21 mm (long-term May average is 51.9 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.
View our archived weekly water updates.
