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Water storage levels decrease in Victoria

By Colin MacGillivray

Water-management authorities are calling on residents in the Wimmera-Grampians region to conserve water where possible, with reservoir levels collectively dipping below 50 per cent capacity.

As of January 15, online data showed reservoirs in GWMWater’s management area across Victoria’s north-west were collectively at 48.11 per cent capacity.

At the same time last year, reservoir levels across the region were at 68.29 per cent.



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Rockland Reservoir west of Grampians National Park – the largest reservoir in GWMWater’s management area with a capacity of 296,000 megalitres – was at 41 per cent capacity last week compared to 55 per cent at the same time last year.

Lake Lonsdale near Stawell had one of the most precipitous drops in capacity, falling from 85 per cent capacity in January last year to only 32 per cent by last week.

Lake Bellfield near Halls Gap – the second-largest GWMWater reservoir with a capacity of 78,550 megalitres – fell more modestly, from 95 per cent in January 2024 to 80 per cent this year.

A GWMWater spokesperson said several factors contributed to declining water reserves during the past 12 months.

“Storage levels are lower than this time last year as a result of less rainfall and inflows, consumptive use and evaporation,” they said.

“Most inflows are received in the Grampians catchments during the winter and spring months. The nature of our reservoir system is such that it relies on wetter years to boost volumes in storage to see us through drier times.

“High levels of evaporation throughout the summer period are expected to be the main influence on storage levels over the next few months.”

The results are part of a statewide trend, with Victoria’s total water storage levels down by 13.6 per cent in the past year.

In December Water Minister Harriet Shing released the state’s annual water outlook, which said demand for water was outstripping supply across Victoria despite storage levels across Melbourne’s major reservoirs remaining above their 30-year average.

Ms Shing said although projects such as the Victorian Desalination Plant, which has delivered 455 billion litres of desalinated water since 2016, and the Western Port Recycled Water Scheme, which is due to provide 4000 megalitres of recycled water annually within five years, would help with long-term water security, residents still needed to do their part to conserve the resource.

The GWMWater spokesperson said permanent water-saving rules remained in place across Victoria even when there were no staged water restrictions.

Among GWMWater’s water-saving tips for residents are: keep hoses healthy by fitting a trigger nozzle and inspecting for leaks; water lawns and gardens in mornings and evenings, using manual or automatic water systems between 6pm and 10am; enjoy water features responsibly by ensuring fountains and features use recirculated water; and avoid hosing hard surfaces including driveways, paths, concrete, tiles and timber decking.

People can find more information at gwmwater.org.au/pwsr.

The entire January 22, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!