Murray-Darling Basin Active Water Storage, July 1996 to July 2009

MDBA active (useable water) storage at the end of July was 1,470 GL or 17% of capacity (Figure 4). This is similar to this time last year (1,480 GL) but well below the July long term average of 5,610 GL. MDBA active storage has now been below average since early 2002. There was also about 245 GL in Menindee Lakes, which remain under NSW control, and 340 GL in the Murrumbidgee and Goulburn Valley Accounts (due to water traded out of these systems last season) which is available for use in the Murray. Elsewhere in the Basin, storage levels also remain low. The total volume of water in all Basin storages managed by the MDBA or by State governments, has increased by only 900 GL over the last two months, to 4,800 GL, or 21% of capacity.

Despite good winter rains, southern Basin still in the grip of record drought [pdf]