If you are planning to trade water, you need to keep an eye on the status of the trade limits that might affect you.

Allocation trade from New South Wales to Victoria is limited to the lesser of a net annual volume of 200 gigalitres (GL) or a volume that keeps the risk of spill in Victoria’s share the Murray system below 50 per cent. The spill risk limit currently allows more than 200 GL of trade, and so the net annual volume of 200 GL applies unless advised otherwise.

So far this season, there has been more than 229 GL traded from NSW into Victoria, and over 29 GL traded out of Victoria to NSW

The volume available to trade within this limit can change quickly now that people are using the convenience of automated online trading. Even when limits are reached new trade opportunities can reopen during the season if trade balances change. 

People trading water can check the status of the NSW to Victoria trade limit and other trade opportunities in real time at water-trading/allocation-trading.

About this trade limit

The NSW to Victoria trade limit was introduced in 2013. This trade limit is designed to protect ongoing allocations to Victorian Murray entitlement holders.

Victoria has a limited amount of storage space in Hume and Dartmouth in which to store water traded in from NSW. If Victoria cannot store that water securely, the water may spill back to NSW or down the river. There would then be less water available for Murray entitlement holders.

More information on why the limit is in place is available here.

Checking the balance of the limit

You can see the live status of the trade limits that apply to you on the Allocation trade opportunities and limits page.

Hint

If you’re the buyer, select the trading zone you’re in to see from where you can receive allocation trade. For example if you are in trading zone 1A (Greater Goulburn) and want to buy allocation from someone in trading zone 10 (NSW Murray u/s Barmah Choke) you select trading zone 1A.

If you’re the seller, select the trading zone you want to trade to for opportunities available to you. For example if you are in trading zone 10 (NSW Murray u/s Barmah Choke) and want to sell your allocation to someone in trading zone 1A (Greater Goulburn) you select trading zone 1A.

Other trade limits

Some other limits that can affect your opportunity to trade are

• available back trade opportunity into the Goulburn.
• the Murray-Darling Basin Authority Barmah Choke trade limit.,

You can find out more about these limits and track them in the same way on the Allocation trade opportunities and limits page.