Flows in the River Murray system for May 2023

At any given time, water flowing through the river is destined for various uses, including irrigation, industry, communities, the environment, and meeting South Australia’s flow entitlement.

The exact mix of these flow components is determined by a number of factors including demand and water availability.

Each month we provide an update showing flows in the River Murray system including the total volume of water flowing for consumptive use and to care for the environment. The update also outlines the intended environmental outcomes.

Flows in the River Murray system

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Information in the figure above is for the month of May 2023 and may not include recent rainfall or delivery of water for the environment in the River Murray system. Information in this figure is an average estimate over the past month and formal accounts from Basin state governments may vary. Water for the environment in the figure above represents water that is held by environmental water holders, through entitlements. Other water that flows through the river can also achieve environmental outcomes.

River flow information

The May flow to South Australia comprised of unregulated flows, water for South Australia’s entitlement, traded volumes, additional dilution flows and water for the environment. Water for the environment consisted of water delivered from the Goulburn, Broken, Campaspe, Murrumbidgee and Lower Darling system.

For the latest information on water for the environment see the River Murray weekly report.

Intended environmental outcomes

Water for the environment takes time to move through the system. Water from past watering events is still moving through the River Murray as return flows. Environmental water holders can also use water for the environment by extracting allocations directly from the river. These allocations are often used for small-scale watering events rather than having water delivered from a storage.