Monthly Water Update

Rainfall was largely average across the drainage with some above average rainfall in the south and patches of below average rainfall to the north and west of this area. Mean rainfall was 33 mm, 6 per cent lower than the long-term mean of 35 mm for May.

Streamflow was lower than average (including lowest on record) for 61 per cent of the sites, spread throughout the drainage division. The three sites -Darling River at Burtundy, Barwon River at Brewarrina and Namoi River at Mollee- had the lowest streamflows for May since 1980. Streamflow data are not yet available this month for 13 sites in the southern part of the Murray–Darling Basin. The page will be updated once data become available.

Median streamflow salinity (electrical conductivity) varied between sites from 25 to 22665 μS/cm. Streamflow was fresh or better quality for 78 per cent of the sites and brackish for 16 per cent of the sites. Two monitoring stations Burra Creek at Worlds End (Low Flow) and Darling River at Downstream Weir 19A had the highest salinity of all sites. Streamflow salinity data are not yet available this month for 11 sites in the southern part of the Murray–Darling Basin. The page will be updated once data become available.

During May, the total accessible volumes increased in four storage systems, decreased in six and remained stable in eight. By the end of the month, the volume of water stored was 27 per cent of the total accessible capacity, a decrease of 21 per cent from the same time last year.