The Department for Environment and Water has announced that the projected minimum, or worst case, opening irrigation allocation for the 2019-20 water year has risen from 14 percent to 22 percent.
The change to the minimum opening allocation since April is based on advice from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and reflects recent rainfall and updated water availability conditions.
Further improvements across the water year are likely, with most inflows to the River Murray system historically occurring between July and November.
Water availability projections indicate there is a 90 percent likelihood that allocations will increase to at least 82 percent during 2019-20 and there is just over a 70 percent likelihood that allocations will increase to 100 percent.
Private carryover will be available for eligible water users, allowing unused water from 2018-19 to be carried over for use in 2019-20 (up to 20 percent of the volume on entitlement).
The next minimum opening allocation update will be provided by 15 June.
The full statement from the Department for Environment and Water can be found at:
https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/river-murray/water-allocation-and-carryover/water-allocations-and-announcements?fbclid=IwAR04YPOfaRY3fzmkJnwL_WhOSDm8WNJaFzBU9h8Ju9O8PsTPW-8L9wOCwEE