Latest Water Update

 

Welcome to the latest Elders Water Market Update for the week beginning 13 November 2023.

Opportunities of the week

  • BUYER of 500 Murray Irrigation (Zone 10) Entitlements at $1,650, inclusive to 2023/24 allocation. Smaller parcel sizes considered. 
  • BUYER of 60 Murrumbidgee Regulated River General Security Entitlements at $2,400, inclusive to 2023/24 allocation.
  • SELLER of 5 Murrumbidgee Irrigation High Security Entitlements at $8,300 per megalitre, exclusive of 2023/24 allocation.
  • SELLERS of various sized parcels of Murrumbidgee temporary at $200 per megalitre. 
  • LESSOR of 72 South Australian Class 3 entitlements at $300 per annum for 5 years, commencing 2023/24 season.

Allocations

The following allocation announcements were made on 15 November: 

  • MURRUMBIDGEE general security recieved no allocation increase
  • VIC MURRAY Low Reliability recieved a 16 per cent allocation increase

As such, allocations are as follows:

 Zone  Allocation 1 year ago  +/- per cent 

Murrumbidgee

   

High Security

95 pc95 pcSame

General Security

46 pc55 pc- 9 pc

NSW Murray (Zones 10 & 11)

   

 High Security

100 pc100 pcSame

General Security

110 pc110 pcSame

Lachlan

   

High Security

100 pc100 pcSame

General Security

0 pc115 pc- 115 pc

Vic Murray (Zones 6 & 7)

   

High Reliability

100 pc100 pcSame

Low Reliability

16 pc100 pc- 84 pc

SA Murray
 
100 pc100 pcSame

Murrumbidgee Deep Aquifer (all zones) 

100 pc100 pcSame

Lower Murray Deep Groundwater

100 pc100 pcSame

Lower Lachlan Groundwater

100 pc100 pcSame

Supplementary Events

There are some areas where supplementary flows remain active, details of which can be found by clicking the following links: 

Trade Restrictions

MURRUMBIDGEE/MURRAY IVT
Current balances are as follows: 

  • 90.6 gigalitres (GL) is tradeable from the Murrumbidgee into the NSW Murray 
  • 9.4 GL is tradeable from the Murray into the Murrumbidgee

There has been no change to these figures in the last six weeks.

BARMAH CHOKE
Is closed.

INTERSTATE TRADING
The extension made on Friday 1 September by the Department of Planning and Environment and Water restricting the temporary restriction on interstate water trades into the NSW Murray, Lower Darling and Murrumbidgee regulated river water sources has been repealed. 

Storages

According to the Bureau of Meterorology (BOM), storage levels are currently as follows:

  Current 1 Day  7 Days  30 Days  1 Year 
Murrumbidgee 79.8 pcNIL- 0.4 pc- 7.1 pc- 17.8 pc
Blowering74.0 pcNIL- 1.3 pc- 9.4 pc- 28.5 pc
Burrinjuck88.8 pc- 0.3 pc- 2.2 pc- 5.5 pc- 9.1 pc
Murray95.7 pcNIL- 0.1 pc- 1.5 pc+ 0.6 pc
Hume92.0 pc+ 0.1 pc - 1.4 pc- 2.4 pc- 4.0 pc
Dartmouth98.9 pcNIL- 0.2 pc+ 0.1 pc- 2.2 pc
Lachlan 94.6 pcNIL- 0.4 pc- 4.0 pc- 1.5 pc
Wyangala94.4 pc- 0.1 pc- 0.9 pc- 4.4 pc- 4.5 pc

Current Temporary Market

Temporary markets have firmed up over the past week, which is unsurprising given the amount of crop in the ground, no allocation increase, no rainfall on the horizon and warmer weather. With summer irrigating ramping up, I expect it is only a matter of time until we see demand really increase and prices rise.

Indicative prices are as follows:

 Zone Buyers  Sellers  Last Trade 
Murrumbidgee$200$205$200
NSW Murray 10 (Above Choke)$95$100$90
NSW Murray 11 (Below Choke)$145$150$150
Vic Murray 6 (Above Choke)$110$110$110
Vic Murray 7 (Above Choke)$145$150$150
SA Murray$150$155$155
Lachaln $115$120$115
Murrumbidgee Deep Aquifer Zone 1-$200-
Murrumbidgee Deep Aquifer Zone 2-$200-
Murrumbidgee Deep Aquifer Zone 3$75$75$75
Lower Murray Groundwater---
Lower Lachlan Groundwater $80$80$80

Current Permanent Market 

Indicative pricing is as follows:

 Zone  Price per mL 
Murrumbidgee 
High Security$8,300 to $8,500
General Security$2,300 to $2,400
Supplementary$800 to $850
NSW Murray Above Choke (Zone 10) 
High Security$7,100 to $7,200
General Security$1,500 to $1,600
NSW Murray Below Choke (Zone 11) 
High Security$9,100 to $9,200
General Security$2,600 to $2,700
VIC Murray Above Choke (Zone 6) 
High Security$4,600 to $4,700
General Security$700 to $800
VIC Murray Below Choke (Zone 7) 
High Security$7,300 to $7,500
General Security$1,750 to $1,850
SA Murray Class 3$7,000 to $7,500
Murrumbidgee Deep Aquifer (zone dependent)$3,800 to $4,500
Lachlan (Upper & Lower) 
High Security$1,500 to $1,600
General Security$4,500 to $4,550
Lower Murray Deep Groundwater$2,700 to $2,800
Lower Lachlan Groundwater$3,500 to $4,000

Seasonal Outlook

The BOM released an updated outlook on 9 November. The full outlook can be viewed by clicking here but, in summary:

  • December to February rainfall is likely to be below average across much of northern and western Australia and much of Tasmania.
  • December to February maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely to be above average for almost all of Australia.
  • December to February maximum and minimum temperatures are at least 2.5 times more likely than normal to be unusually high for much of Australia. Unusually high temperatures equate to the warmest 20 pc of November to January periods from 1981 to 2018. 
  • The long-range forecast is influenced by several factors, including the active El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole events, and record warm oceans globally

For more information contact your local water broker

The information contained in this article is given for the purpose of providing general information only, and while Elders has exercised reasonable care, skill and diligence in its preparation, many factors (including environmental and seasonal) can impact its accuracy and currency. Accordingly, the information should not be relied upon under any circumstances and Elders assumes no liability for any loss consequently suffered. If you would like to speak to someone for tailored advice relating to any of the matters referred to in this article, please contact Elders.

Meet the author

Daisy Armstrong

Water Broker
  • Elders Griffith

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