July 2024 – Barmah Choke trade opportunity

The next Barmah Choke trade opportunity will occur on Monday 1 July 2024.

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and WaterNSW have been working together to ensure better equity of access to trade opportunities and a more unified experience for customers from both Victoria and NSW. As part of these efforts, the two states will be implementing a new joint protocol for processing trade applications through the Barmah Choke on 1 July 2024.

Click the link to read this protocol and learn more about what it means for you.

PDFPDF: Barmah Choke application protocol for July 2024 and Frequently Asked Questions (417kb)

Under the new protocol, Victoria and NSW will implement the alternating processing of queued trade applications between each state. Customers will experience no change to how they apply via each state’s process, but access to the available trade opportunity will be more equal between the two states.

Victoria and NSW, with the independent assistance of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, conducted a random selection process that assigned Victoria to be the first state to start processing applications.

This new protocol means that differences in each State’s processing approach and IT systems will no longer be a factor influencing each state’s success in accessing the available Barmah Choke trade opportunity.

More information including application opening times and volumes for Barmah Choke as well as for Goulburn to Murray, Broken Trade Out Limit and NSW to Victoria Trade Limit will be announced in the lead up to the July trade openings.

If you have any questions, contact us on waterregister.support@delwp.vic.gov.au.

New frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document about applying during trade openings

Victoria is preparing for key southern-connected Murray-Darling Basin trade opening events for the 2024–25 water year and is committed to ensuring market participants have better access to trade opportunity during these events.

As part of this preparation, DEECA has prepared a new frequently asked questions (FAQ) document to provide important information for MyWater and the Broker Portal users about applying during trade openings. This FAQ document responds to queries received during the 2023–24 water year, providing information for all water market participants.

PDFPDF: Victorian Water Register MyWater and Broker Portal: Frequently Asked Questions about applying during trade openings (233kb)

You can also find information about trade opening events on the Victorian Water Register website.

From 1 July 2024, the take of all water under tagged water entitlements previously considered ‘grandfathered’ under section 12.23(2) of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Water Trading Rules will be subject to allocation trade restrictions, consistent with all other tagged arrangements.

The removal of this exemption will occur from 1 July 2024 as amendments come into effect under Federal legislation through the commencement of the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023.

The Victorian Government supports the removal of this exemption across the Murray-Darling Basin in order to provide a level playing field in the water market and ensure that all water users have access to trade opportunities under the same rules.

Changes will be made to the Victorian regulatory framework to align with the changes to Commonwealth legislation to make it clear that all water users are subject to the same trade restrictions.

The removal of this exemption was recommended by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Murray-Darling Basin water markets inquiry in 2021, which found that these arrangements afford a small number of market participants an inequitable exemption from restrictions on inter-valley trade. You can read the inquiry report here.

If you are one of the entitlement holders considered ‘grandfathered’ by Victoria your water corporation will have written to you to notify you of the changes to your tagged arrangement.

For more information about the change to Commonwealth legislation please see the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s website.

For more information about the removal of the exemption and what it means for you, please see the Frequently Asked Questions below:

PDFPDF: Frequently Asked Questions – Removal of the 'grandfathered' status exemption for tagged water entitlements (314kb)

DEECA is excited to announce the release of the new Victorian Water Accounts (VWA) website, with the 2021-22 accounts.

The user-friendly website allows the water sector and all water users to understand how much water is available in Victoria’s 29 river basins and 20 groundwater catchments using interactive graphs, maps, tables, and descriptions.

The VWA report is a trusted and reliable source of public data that provides accountability and transparency on water use and management in Victoria.

The VWA helps water policy and decision-makers make informed decisions about surface water, groundwater and water supply system information at local and state-wide scales.

It’s also a helpful tool for households, irrigators, and large industrial users to learn how Victoria sustainably manages water.

For the first time in 2021–22, the VWA also reports on the volume of water entitlements held by Traditional Owner organisations. This volume as at 30 June 2022 was around 6.8 GL.

The 2021–22 water year saw some record numbers, such as total streamflow volumes reaching 146% of the long-term average, which is the highest amount in ten years, and for the first time since the introduction of the current entitlement products in 2007, the Murray system received a 100% allocation to low-reliability entitlements.

Over half of the water used in 2021–22 went to irrigation – 55%, while 23% supported the environment, 18% went towards town households, gardens, businesses and sporting grounds, 3% was for rural domestic and stock uses and 1% was used for power generation.

All future editions of the Accounts will be released through this exciting new portal. Accounts for earlier years going back to 2003 remain available as PDFs on the new VWA website. For more reporting resources, please visit Water monitoring and reporting.

Contact the water reporting team if you have any queries or suggestions for the new digital product.

The Victorian Water Register MyWater and Broker portal will be offline on Thursday 1 February 2024 between 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM.

This planned outage is required for scheduled maintenance.

Read more: Reminder: Victorian Water Register system will be offline 6:00 PM–11:00 PM on 1 February 2024

The December Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity is now completed. This was the third and final opening for the 2023–24 water year.

Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity opened on Friday 15 December 2023 at 12:00 PM–12:30 PM with an opening limit of about 12.2 GL, and applications were manually processed from 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM. 48 trade applications with a total of 61.3 GL were submitted by 12:30 PM on 15 December.

As part of Victoria’s ongoing commitment to water market transparency, new information about the outcomes of the Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity openings is now public through the post-trade opening report linked below.

Read more: Release of post-trade opening report – Goulburn to Murray December 2023

The next release of seasonal trade opportunity from the Goulburn to the Murray system is Midday 12.00 pm on Friday 15 December 2023. Based on current estimates, approximately 12 GL of Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity will be released.

Read more: Important information – Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity volume for 15 December 2023

The Victorian Water Register MyWater and Broker portal will be offline on Friday 15 December 2023 between 12:30 pm and 6:00 pm.

Read more: Reminder: Victorian Water Register MyWater and Broker portal offline 12:30 pm–6:00 pm 15 December...

The next release of trade opportunity from the Goulburn to the Murray system is Midday 12.00 pm on Friday, 15 December 2023. Estimated volumes will be made public closer to this date.

This is the third and final Goulburn to Murray trade openings for the 2023–24 water year. Go here for more information on the Goulburn to Murray trade rule.

For the 15 December 2023 opening, trade applications will continue to be manually processed by each relevant water corporation to manage demand allocation. Automatic processing will not take place. The once-off procedure that applied to Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity applications for the 9 November 2023 reopening will not be used.

Read more: Important information – Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity for 15 December 2023 

Victoria’s new ‘place of take approvals’ framework came into effect today, bringing more certainty and flexibility for water users in declared Broken, Bullarook, Campaspe, Goulburn, Loddon, Murray, Ovens, Thomson-Macalister and Werribee systems.

These changes have been introduced in response to increasing delivery risks in the Murray River system downstream of Barmah, where the ‘Barmah Choke’ or ‘narrows’ is reducing in capacity and changing demands for water are making it harder for river operators to deliver water where and when people need it. The new framework ensures clear arrangements are in place for managing delivery risks for all declared systems should they occur in the future.

Read more: New ‘place of take approvals’ framework commences

The October Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity is now completed. This follows the reopening of the trade opportunity on 9 November 2023. Of the total 90 gigalitres (GL) available in the October Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity, 17 GL was approved on 16 October 2023 and 73 GL was approved on 9 November 2023.

As part of Victoria’s ongoing commitment to water market transparency, new information about the outcomes of the Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity openings is being made public through a new post-trade opening report.

Read more: Release of post-trade opening report – Goulburn to Murray October opening

What’s happening and when?

There is a planned outage to both the water register and the supporting website www.waterregister.vic.gov.auto make changes to support the commencement of the Place of take approvals frameworks on 20 November 2023. 

Read more: Planned Outage to Victorian Water Register and Website 17 - 19 November 2023

The October Goulburn to the Murray trade opportunity is scheduled to recommence at 12:00 PM (midday) on Thursday 9 November 2023.

Following the system error of 16 October, it has been decided that an altered procedure will take place for the re-opening of the trade opportunity on 9 November.

Read more: Important information – Changes to Goulburn to Murray trade opening on 9 November 2023

The Victorian Water Register MyWater and Broker portal will be offline on Thursday 9 November 2023 between 12:30 pm and 6:00 pm.

Read more: Reminder: Victorian Water Register MyWater and Broker portal offline 12:30 pm–6:00 pm Thursday 9...

The next release of trade opportunity from the Goulburn to the Murray system is 12:00 PM (midday) on Thursday 9 November 2023.

This follows the postponement of the planned 16 October trade opportunity opening due to performance issues experienced in the Victorian Water Register.

It is estimated that approximately 70 GL of Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity will become available at this time. The total trade opportunity that will be made available this year is greater than the trade opportunity at the same time last year due to above average water use in Torrumbarry Irrigation Area during spring, and spills this year from Lake Eildon.

Read more: Important information – Goulburn to Murray trade opening rescheduled to 9 November 2023

The Goulburn to Murray seasonal trade opportunity opening that was scheduled for 16 October 2023 is postponed. Please click here for more information.

DEECA is completing an investigation into the performance issues that could affect the submission of trades and how the register queues and processes these trades.  

We will provide a further update on this seasonal trade opportunity to water market participants by Thursday 19 October 2023.

Due to a system error, some Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity became available for a short time. Impacted customers are being notified and we are seeking to address the errors.

If you have any questions, please contact us at waterregister.support@delwp.vic.gov.au.

The Goulburn to Murray seasonal trade opportunity opening that was scheduled for 16 October 2023 is postponed.

We will have an update for you by Thursday 19 October 2023.

The Victorian Water Register has experienced performance issues over the last week. We are committed to making sure these issues are resolved before the important Goulburn to Murray trade opening therefore we are postponing while we investigate.

A revised date for the Goulburn to Murray October seasonal trade opening will be set for as soon as possible after the current situation has been resolved. At least one weeks' notice will be provided of the new trade opening date.

This means the planned outage to the Broker Portal and MyWater services will not take place. All Victorian Water Register online services will be available throughout Monday, 16 October 2022.

The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring all market participants can access trade opportunities.

If you have any questions, please contact us at waterregister.support@delwp.vic.gov.au

The next release of seasonal trade opportunity from the Goulburn to the Murray system is Midday 12.00 pm on Monday 16 October 2023, based on current estimates approximately 70 GL of Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity will be released. However, this opportunity may be higher if the Resource Manager announces further spills have occurred before 16 October.

The volume of trade opportunity released on 16 October is based on the following: 

  • Observed water use in the Torrumbarry Irrigation Area from 1 July 2023 to 30 September 2023 relative to the long-term historical average water use from 1 July to 30 November.
  • Any reduction in the Goulburn reserves is due to spills that were quarantined at the start of the water year.

Torrumbarry Irrigation Area water use up to 30 November 2023 is around 45 GL, which is around 52% of the long-term average up to 30 November. These are indicative volumes based on the best available data to date. The trade opportunity on 16 October 2023 may differ slightly from these estimates as further spills occur and are recorded by the Resource Manager.

Find out more about how the Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity is calculated here.

Please see the Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity for 16 October 2023 news article for more information about manual processing of trade applications.

Frequently Asked Questions – Goulburn to Murray Trade Opportunity for 16 October 2023 (updated 12 October 2023).

The Victorian Water Register MyWater and Broker portal will be offline on Monday 16 October 2023 between 12:30 pm and 6:00 pm.

This planned outage is required for manual processing of trade applications for the Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity opening.

Outside of this timeframe (12:30 pm to 6:00 pm), the Victorian Water Register's MyWater and Broker portal will be online.

Between 12:30 pm to 6.00 pm, the following services will be unavailable:

  • My Water (incorporating online allocation trading and online bore construction applications).
  • Broker Portal and API.

Please note that the the next release of seasonal trade opportunity from the Goulburn to the Murray system is at Midday 12.00 pm on Monday, 16 October 2023.

The next release of seasonal trade opportunity from the Goulburn to the Murray system is Midday 12.00 pm on Monday, 16 October 2023. Estimated volumes will be made public closer to 16 October 2023.

This follows the previous Goulburn to Murray 4 July trade opening and is the second of three Goulburn to Murray trade openings for the 2023–24 water year. Go here for more information on the Goulburn to Murray trade rule.

For the 16 October 2023 opening, trade applications will continue to be manually processed by each relevant water corporation to manage demand allocation. Automatic processing will not take place. 

We will remove the MyWater and Broker portals clock on 12 October 2023. Market Participants can find the real-time trade opening volume in the following places:

Trade application submission and manual processing of applications will occur as follows:

  • The Goulburn to Murray trade opportunity volume will be released at Midday 12.00 pm on 16 October 2023. 
  • There will be a limited submission window between Midday 12.00 pm and 12.30 pm. As usual. Water market participants should submit allocation trade applications through the MyWater and Broker Portals. Each trade application will be queued in the order received by our online interface in the Victorian Water Register. The web server records the time it receives each application, forming a queue.
  • After 12.30 pm, the MyWater and Broker Portals will be offline until 6:00 pm 16 October 2023 while manual processing of applications takes place. 
  • Applicants will receive notification on the outcomes of trade applications as they are manually processed, and no later than 6:00 pm 16 October 2023. 
  • The system will return to normal operation after 6:00 pm.

Due to these changes, the available trade opportunity balance on the 'Where can I trade map' and Water Market Watch App will not change during the submission window. This is because applications will not be automatically processed and assessed in real time. Therefore, the balance displayed during the 30-minute submission window will remain at the total opening volume.

Once manual processing begins at 1:00 pm, trade application notification emails will be sent as each application is completed by each relevant water corporation. In turn, the remaining Goulburn to Murray trade balance will be updated accordingly.  

If you experience any issues, please let us know at waterregister.support@delwp.vic.gov.au, to help us improve services. 

Frequently Asked Questions – Goulburn to Murray Trade Opportunity for 16 October 2023 (updated 12 October 2023).

The Victorian Government is dedicated to providing transparency for water market participants and actively overseeing water market operations to ensure ongoing effectiveness. 

The yearly audit of allocation trades submitted by water brokers via the Victorian Water Register's online Broker Portal and API plays a vital role in acknowledging water brokers who adhere to government standards and auditing criteria. 

Read more: Release of latest Victorian Water Brokers audit report