Talking Water - Tuesday 20 June, 2023

This week's contents

Operations

• Barmah Choke trade
• 2023 Season Trade closure dates
• Water Exchange Closure - unsold water
• Casual usage charges
• Your Water Allocation Account
• Carryover rules
• Talking Water data to 20 June

Business

• Fixed and variable fees and charges

Industry

• Australian Ricegrowers' Conference
• Sheep Producer Intentions Survey
• Australian Winer Crop Outlook
  

Operational Update

Barmah Choke Trade - 1 July 2023

The Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), which manages the Barmah Choke, advised on 13 April 2023 that the opening trade balance on 1 July 2023 will be approximately 60.6 gigalitres (GL). 

Water NSW has advised it will accept Barmah Choke trade applications from 12.00pm on Friday 30 June 2023. Water NSW requires all applications be made on a Barmah Choke trading form. 

As a result, Murray Irrigation will accept applications on Water NSW Barmah Choke trade forms from 9.00am on Thursday 29 June 2023 and will process them in the order they are received.   

2023 Season Trade closure dates

• Friday 23 June, 5.00pm - Water Exchange (WEX) closes. 
• Monday 26 June, 5.00pm - External transfers to / from Murray Irrigation close. 
• Tuesday 27 June, 5.00pm - Internal transfers to / from Murray Irrigation landholdings close. 
• Tuesday 27 June, 5.00pm - Customer Portal access closes. 
• Saturday 1 July, 7.00am - Water Exchange (WEX) and Customer Portal re-open.

Water Exchange Closure - unsold water

When the WEX closes on 23 June, any unsold water remaining on the Exchange is returned to relevant customer accounts in accordance with the Water Exchange Terms and Conditions. 

You can then decide how to manage any megalitres to avoid forfeiture. 

Options include: 

• Carryover
• External transfers out of MIL to river licences or other valleys, or
• Internal transfers between your landholdings.

Casual usage charges

To avoid casual usage fees, remember to check your 'DE Transfer Limit' available on your Customer Portal, Water Allocation page. If your DE transfer limit is negative, you can trade in or purchase annual delivery entitlements on the Water Exchange prior to its closure.

Casual usage fees are applied to your quarterly invoice when the megalitre usage is greater than 120% of the annual delivery entitlements on your account.   



Your Water Allocation Account

To assist in managing your account and end of season trading, you can do the following activities on the Customer Portal:

• Transfer water between land holdings 
• Buy and sell temporary water and delivery entitlements on the Water Exchange, and 
• Access your Water Allocation Report. 

All customers have received a direct communication to assist in managing their water account. 

If you would like a hand using your Customer Portal or the Water Exchange, please call us on 1300 138 265, or email us to arrange a meeting so we can show you how. 

You can also check out our Tips for using the Water Exchange (WEX). 

Carryover rules

Carryover is capped at 50% of Class C water entitlements held, and any volume exceeding this will be forfeited at the end of the season.

Carryover also influences the amount of allocation a water account can receive in the subsequent season. 

Under the Water Sharing Plan, the maximum allocation a water account can receive in any season is 110% of the water entitlements held. 

As demonstrated in the diagram below, carryover is added into the maximum allocation calculation. 



Below is an example of how the rules work:

If you carryover 40% from this season, any allocation exceeding 70% will not be received next season.

Talking Water data  20/06/2023

All the detailed data for Murray Irrigation allocations, delivery, channel flow and Water Exchange temporary trade data is available on our company web page below. 



To see the latest data for Murray system storages and rivers, visit the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's River data page. 

Business Update

Fixed and variable fees and charges

As announced on Wednesday 14 June 2023, Murray Irrigation’s fixed and variable fees and charges will increase from 1 July 2023.

This year's increase, approved by the Board of Directors, are as follows:

1. An increase of 10% (of which 7% comprises CPI) to all fixed and variable charges (other than annual outlet fees).

2. Outlet fees (Other than Stock and Domestic outlets) will increase by 40%. This equates to an average of $426 per outlet per annum.

Please find below Murray Irrigation’s Schedule of Charges and Schedule of Standard Service Fees for 2023/24:

• Annexure A to the Fees and Prices Policy - Schedule of Charges

• Annexure B to the Fees and Prices Policy - Schedule of Standard Service Fees 

Industry News

2023 Australian Ricegrowers' Conference

The Australian Rice Growers’ Conference is being held this year in Griffith, from 10-11 August.

This conference brings the rice industry together through education, support, and future led conversation. 

What are sheep producers' intentions for the coming year?

Findings from the latest Sheep Producer Intentions Survey, issued by Meat & Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation, are now available.

This survey, which was conducted in May, aims to:

• Gain an understanding of the sentiment and intentions of sheep producers across Australia, with questions mainly revolving around breeding ewes and wethers as well as breed breakdowns.
• Give insights into the on-farm and off-farm drivers behind producers' decision making.