Murray–Darling Basin: Outlook for 2021 Account

as at 1 June 2021

  • Rainfall to date has been above average during the 2020–21 year.
  • Storage levels at 30 June 2021 are expected to be higher than that at the start of 2019–20.

Schematic representation of the Murray–Darling Basin region. In 2020–21, annual rainfall is expected to be above average. End-of-year storage volume is likely to increase from last year. Water use is likely to increase from last year.

For further information on the outlook for the region during the 2020–21 year scroll down this page or click on the links below:

 

Climate in 2020–21

 Figure S12 Year-to-date rainfall deciles for the Murray–Darling Basin for 2020–21

 

  • Rainfall was above average across most of the region during July 2020–May 2021.
  • Rainfall during the 2020 spring months was average to above average. These wetter conditions compared to recent years were influenced by a La Niña event that developed during the latter half of 2020.
  • Rainfall in March 2021 was above average across the entire northern half of the region and highest on record in areas around the Queensland–New South Wales border. This rainfall brought relief to some of the drought-affected areas in the New South Wales Border Rivers, Namoi and Gwydir catchments (see the Bureau's Drought Statement).

 

Current storage levels

Graph of percentage-full storage volume for the Murray-Darling Basin region from 1 July 2013–1 May 2021. Murray–Darling Basin storages at 31 May 2021 were 55% full, much higher than at the same time last year.
Figure S13 Storage levels for the Murray-Darling Basin region from 1 July 2013–31 May 2021

 

  • Storages were 57% full at 31 May 2021, 22 percentage points higher than at the same time last year.
  • Storage levels increased from mid-February 2020 and peaked in November 2020 at 60% full, primarily due to the above-average rainfall during the early part of 2020.
  • The volume of water in all storages across the northern part of the Murray–Darling Basin increased following heavy rainfall over that part of the region during the second half of March 2021.
  • Although the region's storage levels are higher than the previous year, significant follow-up rainfall is still needed to fill the storages and increase water availability across the region.
  • More information on individual storage levels on 31 May 2021 is available in the Bureau's Drought Statement.

 

Future commitments

  • Water use is expected to be higher than 2019–20 due to an increase in water allocation announcements in response to the improved rainfall conditions and increased surface water availability across the region.