Weekly Water Report
9 February 2012
OVERALL
STORAGE
LEVEL
64.8%
WEEKLY
STORAGE
CHANGE
-0.4%
SAME TIME
LAST
YEAR
54.1%
AVERAGE
DAILY
CONSUMPTION
186 L
AVERAGE
CATCHMENT
RAINFALL
5.3mm
Storage drop in line with summer pattern
Water storages have continued their month-long decline, shedding 6 billion litres on the back of little rain and high consumption.
The decrease represents 0.4% of capacity – which is equal to the average weekly summer storage drop.
The four major catchments had a relatively dry week, receiving between 4 and 9 mm of rain, with the average being 5.3 mm.
This was 67.8 % below the long-term average for the period of 16.6 mm.
Consequently, streamflow was also down but closer to average thanks to good rain from the previous week.
The 3.8 billion litres of streamflow was 3.7% below the 30-year average for the period (3.9 billion litres).
Water storages are now 64.8% (1,175 billion litres) full, compared with 54.1% (980 billion litres) at the same time last year – a difference of 195 billion litres.
Household water use also dropped slightly, but still remained high.
Melburnians used an average of 186 litres of water each a day - 10 litres per day less 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 9 February 2012)
| Reservoir | Capacity at full supply (ML) | Current Volume (ML) | % Full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 1,068,000 | 582,306 | 54.5% |
| Cardinia | 286,911 | 204,353 | 71.2% |
| Upper Yarra | 200,579 | 164,169 | 81.8% |
| Sugarloaf | 96,253 | 94,566 | 98.2% |
| Silvan | 40,445 | 35,962 | 88.9% |
| Tarago | 37,580 | 21,757 | 57.9% |
| Yan Yean | 30,266 | 26,642 | 88.0% |
| Greenvale | 26,839 | 20,643 | 76.9% |
| Maroondah | 22,179 | 21,710 | 97.9% |
| O'Shannassy | 3,123 | 2,702 | 86.5% |
| Total | 1,812,175 | 1,174,810 | 64.8% |
Rainfall recorded at the reservoirs
| Catchment | 3 Feb - 9 Feb 2012 |
Average for the period* |
Variation | 3 Feb - 9 Feb 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 5 mm | 18 mm | 72.2% below | 68.6 mm |
| Upper Yarra | 4 mm | 14.9 mm | 73.2% below | 85.4 mm |
| O'Shannassy | 9 mm | 15.4 mm | 41.6% below | 106.6 mm |
| Maroondah | 6.8 mm | 16.9 mm | 59.8% below | 100.4 mm |
* Average (30 year mean 1982-2011)
Stream flow for the major catchments
| Catchment | 3 Feb - 9 Feb 2012 |
Average for the period* |
Variation | 3 Feb - 9 Feb 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 1125 ML | 1340 ML | 16.0% below | 3358 ML |
| Upper Yarra | 513 ML | 820 ML | 37.4% below | 2159 ML |
| O'Shannassy | 1087 ML | 910 ML | 19.5% above | 2874 ML |
| Maroondah | 1049 ML | 850 ML | 23.4% above | 2181 ML |
| Total | 3774 ML | 3920 ML | 3.7% below | 10572 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 2 February - 8 February 2012 (inclusive):
Current seven day rolling average flows for:
- Yarra River @ Yarra Glen = 551.4 ML/day (up 1.8 ML/day from the previous week)
- Yarra River @ Warrandyte = 387.8 ML/day (up 65.3 ML/day from the previous week)
- Little Yarra River @ Yarra Junction = 67.2 ML/day (down 2.7 ML/day from the previous week)
- Woori Yallock Creek @ Yellingbo = 83.5 ML/day (up 0.2 ML/day from the previous week)
Total rainfall for February at:
- Upper Yarra Reservoir is 18.8 mm (long-term February average is 46.9 mm)
- Silvan Reservoir is 31 mm (long-term February average is 49.7 mm)
Maribyrnong Catchment
Report for period 2 February - 8 February 2012 (inclusive):
Rosslyne Reservoir
Melbourne Water's Capacity Share of the storage as at 6 February 2012 was 1703 Megalitres (ML)
- Current release from Rosslyne (as at 6 February 2012) to meet bulk entitlement demands = 6.17 ML/day
Current seven day rolling average flows for:
- Jacksons Creek @ Sunbury = 2 ML/day (down 1.8 ML/day from the previous week)
- Deep Creek @ Bulla = 0 ML/day (no change from the previous week)
- Maribyrnong River @ Keilor (Brimbank Park) = 1.4 ML/day (down 1.9 ML/day from the previous week)
Total rainfall for February at:
- Rosslyne Reservoir is 2.2 mm (long-term February average is 42.3 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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