Melbourne

The volume recognised in the water accounting statements (224,566 ML) represents the volume of water the Melbourne region is entitled to from:

• Thomson Reservoir
• Lake Eildon via the North–South Pipeline.

The Melbourne region also has claims to water from Silver and Wallaby creeks; however, this claim is not a volumetric entitlement and is not included in the claim remaining. Refer to Line item 13.6.3 for the actual volumes of water transferred into the Melbourne region from interbasin transfers.

Thomson Reservoir

The Melbourne region is entitled to water held in the Thomson Reservoir under Bulk Entitlements held by the retail water authorities Yarra Valley Water, City West Water and South East Water.

At any time, the volume remaining on the entitlement to the Melbourne region is a known quantity. The opening and closing balance of the claim on water in the Thomson Reservoir is shown below.

Further information on the Thomson Reservoir is provided in the region notes specific to Thomson Reservoir.

Lake Eildon via the North–South Pipeline

Water for the Melbourne region is allocated from the Goulburn River catchment and the Murray River catchment, and is stored in Lake Eildon. The inter-basin claim remaining on water in Lake Eildon is calculated as shown below.

1. 5% of the water held in Lake Eildon for the Melbourne region is subtracted on 01 July each year to account for annual evaporation. This was not done for 2009–10 as there was no water in storage on 01 July 2009.
2. refer to the table of allocation dates and volumes below

The North–South Pipeline became operational during 2009–10, linking the Goulburn River and Yarra River catchments. Water was first passed through the pipeline on 14 December 2009, and the pipeline was formally commissioned by the Victorian Minister for Water on 10 February 2010.

Allocation announcements from the Goulburn River and Murray River catchments are shown below.