National Water Account 2019

Murray–Darling Basin overview

Dry conditions were experienced across the region for the second successive year.
Storage volumes in the Murray–Darling Basin were 39 percent lower than last year.
Net water taken for consumptive use was 7 429 GL, 20 percent less than last year.

Annual rainfall deciles for the Murray–Darling Basin region during 2018–19

Total annual rainfall was 310 mm, well below average and the lowest since the 2002–03 year.
Some areas in the northern part of the region experienced their lowest rainfall on record.
A positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) during spring 2018 and again in late autumn to winter 2019 contributed to the dry conditions that persisted over much of southeastern Australia during the year.

Total storage volume in the region at 30 June 2019 compared with the previous 9 years

Storage volumes decreased from 52 percent full at 30 June 2018 to 32 percent full at 30 June 2019, the second consecutive annual decrease in storage.
The end of year storage at 30 June 2019 was the lowest since 2010.
Many storages in the region's north were less than 10 percent full and at their lowest levels in more than 10 years.

Accessible water and net water taken in the Murray–Darling Basin region for 2018–19

Total volume of water lawfully accessible for consumptive use was 10 692 GL, 24 percent less than last year, reflecting the sustained dry conditions and low water availability across the region over the last two years.
63 percent of accessible water was taken for consumptive and environmental use compared to 59 percent taken last year.

Users of water in the region for 2018–19 and five water resource plan areas that are the highest water users

83 percent of water taken was used for irrigation, industry and other uses.
10 percent was used for environmental purposes, a large proportion of which occurred in the River Murray in South Australia.
Total water taken was 8 301 GL, 25 percent less than last year due to the continued dry conditions across the region decreasing water availability.

Direction and volume of interstate allocation trade in the Murray–Darling Basin in 2018–19

The Murray–Darling Basin accounts for 70 percent of Australia's water entitlement trade and more than 95 percent of Australia's water allocation trade.
Most of the region's water trade is related to surface water. The volume of trade in surface water allocations was 25 percent less than last year, which was influenced by the dry conditions across the region.
South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland were net importers of allocation water, while Victoria was a net exporter. A similar trend of net allocation trade to South Australia was observed during the previous four years.