Monthly Water Update

Rainfall was higher than average across 63 per cent of the area, mainly in the south, and average across 32 per cent of the area, mainly in the north. Below average rainfall occurred in five per cent of the area in the northwest. Total rainfall was 54 mm, 42 per cent higher than the long-term mean of 38 mm for October.

Streamflows were average for 47 per cent of the sites and lower than average for 41 per cent of the sites, spread throughout the drainage division. The Murray River Downstream Hume Dam and the Macintyre River at Boggabilla had the lowest streamflow for October since 1980.

Median streamflow salinity (electrical conductivity) varied between sites from 29 to 2391 μS/cm. Streamflows were high quality for 67 per cent of the sites, fresh for 22 per cent of the sites and brackish for nine per cent of the sites. Bremer River At Harrogate (Opposite Tennis Court) had the highest salinity of all sites.

During October, storage volumes increased in nine systems, decreased in five and remained stable in four. By the end of the month, the volume of water stored was 59 per cent of the total accessible capacity, which is 25 percentage points higher than the previous year.