Chapter 2. Victoria’s North and Murray water resource plan area Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2. Victoria’s North and Murray water resource plan area The Basin Plan establishes average long-term sustainable diversion limits for 110 surface and groundwater SDL resource units located across the Murray-Darling Basin. The following text is preliminary accredited text for Basin Plan clause 10.02(1): Victoria’s North and Murray Water Resource Plan applies to: Victorian Murray water resource plan area: • Victorian Murray SDL resource unit (SS2) • Kiewa SDL resource unit (SS3) Northern Victoria water resource plan area: • Ovens SDL resource unit (SS4) • Broken SDL resource unit (SS5) • Goulburn SDL resource unit (SS6) • Campaspe SDL resource unit (SS7) • Loddon SDL resource unit (SS8) Goulburn Murray water resource plan area: • Goulburn Murray: Shepparton Irrigation Region SDL resource unit (GS8a) • Goulburn Murray: Highlands SDL resource unit (GS8b) • Goulburn Murray: Sedimentary Plain SDL resource unit (GS8c) • Goulburn Murray: deep SDL resource unit (GS8d) <<end of accredited text>> The Victorian Murray and Northern Victoria water resource plan areas for surface and the Goulburn-Murray water resource plan area for groundwater are shown in Figure 2-1 along with Victoria's other water resource plan areas in the Wimmera-Mallee. 24 | Chapter 2 Victoria’s North and Murray Water Resource Plan Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Murray-Darling Basin water Murray-Darling Basin resource plan areas - groundwater water resource plan areas - surface water Wimmera-Mallee (groundwater) Victorian Murray water resource plan area water resource plan area Northern Victoria water resource plan area Goulburn-Murray water resource plan area Wimmera-Mallee (surface water) water resource plan area Catchment Management Authority boundaries (VIC) Key watercourses Towns Mildura MALLEE CMA Swan Hill Albury NORTH CENTRAL CMA Shepparton NORTH EAST Wodonga CMA WIMMERA CMA Wangaratta Horsham Bendigo GOULBURN BROKEN CMA Ballarat Hamilton Bairnsdale Melbourne Traralgon CORANGAMITE Portland Warrnambool WEST GIPPSLAND 0 25 50 100 Kilometres Figure 2-1: Victoria’s water resource plan areas for surface and groundwater Victoria’s North and Murray Water Resource Plan Chapter 2 | 25 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2.1 Surface water boundaries The surface water component of Victoria’s North and Murray water resource plan area includes seven basins in Division IV, Murray-Darling Basin, of the Australian Water Resources Council Drainage Basins as shown in Figure 2-2. Murray-Darling Basin water resource plan areas - surface water AWRC River basins Victorian Murray water resource plan area Towns Northern Victoria water resource plan area Mildura Key watercourses Victoria MALLEE BASIN AVOCA Swan Hill RIVER BASIN BROKEN RIVER BASIN Wodonga LODDON OVENS RIVER BASIN RIVER BASIN UPPER MURRAY Shepparton RIVER BASIN Horsham Bendigo KIEWA RIVER BASIN CAMPASPE GOULBURN RIVER BASIN RIVER BASIN 0 25 50 100 Kilometres Figure 2-2: Victoria’s North and Murray water resource plan area for surface water and corresponding AWRC drainage divisions and river basins 2.1.1 Victorian Murray water resource plan area The River Murray forms the border with New South Wales and Victoria and both states share the volume of water held in the MDBA storages as specified by the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. The Victorian Murray water resource plan area includes the Victorian Upper Murray basin (including the Mitta Mitta and Kiewa basins). The Victorian Murray SDL resource unit also includes irrigation areas that source water from the Victorian Murray. These include the Murray Valley, Torrumbarry Irrigation Areas and the Nyah, Tresco, Merbein, Mildura, Nyah, Red Cliffs and Robinvale Irrigation Districts, any stock and domestic pipelines and private diverters which take water from the River Murray and Lake Cullulleraine. For more information see section 4.2.3. 26 | Chapter 2 Victoria’s North and Murray Water Resource Plan Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Table 2-1: Victorian Murray water resource plan area Water Resource Plan SDL Resource Unit SDL resource unit Australian Water Area name name code Resources Council (AWRC) Drainage Basins – Murray Darling Division IV Victorian Murray Victorian Murray SS2 1 water resource plan area Kiewa SS3 2 2.1.1.1 Victorian Murray (includes Mitta Mitta) basin The upper Murray River takes in the headwaters of the Murray and its many tributaries from Victoria and New South Wales. The main Victorian tributaries of the upper Murray River are Cudgewa and Corryong Creeks. The Mitta Mitta River also sits in the Victorian Murray basin, the river rises on the high plains beneath Mount Bogong, the upper reaches and tributaries drain through deeply dissected forests. The main channel of the Mitta Mitta River forms at the confluence of Cobungra River and the Big River, and then flows northwards through near- pristine forest to Dartmouth Reservoir. Dartmouth Reservoir is the largest storage in the Murray- Darling Basin and has the capacity to hold up to 40 per cent of the water for the River Murray system. After Dartmouth Reservoir, the Mitta Mitta meanders north-west through a wide valley to the south arm of Hume Dam. The Mitta Mitta catchment is less than one per cent of the area of the Murray–Darling Basin, but it provides almost 10 per cent of inflows to the River Murray system. Very little of the water generated in the catchment is used within the catchment. The Mitta Mitta River is a declared heritage river area in its mountain reaches, from Glen Valley to Lake Dartmouth. For more information see section 4.2.1. 2.1.1.2 Kiewa basin The main channel of the Kiewa River is formed on a narrow floodplain at Mount Beauty and flows north through farmland in a widening valley towards the River Murray. Although it is the smallest catchment in the Murray-Darling Basin, the upstream branches of the Kiewa supply water to Victoria’s largest hydroelectric scheme and make a major contribution to flows below Lake Hume in the River Murray and for irrigators downstream. For more information see section 4.2.2. 2.1.2 Northern Victoria water resource plan area The surface water component of the Northern Victoria water resource plan area includes five basins in Division IV, Murray-Darling Basin, of the Australian Water Resources Council Drainage Basins as shown in Figure 2-2. Victoria’s North and Murray Water Resource Plan Chapter 2 | 27 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Table 2-2: Northern Victoria water resource plan area SDL units and AWRC drainage basins Water Resource Plan SDL Resource Unit SDL resource unit AWRC Drainage Area name name code Basins – Murray Darling Division IV Northern Victoria Ovens SS4 3 water resource plan area Broken SS5 4 Goulburn SS6 5 Campaspe SS7 6 Loddon SS8 7 2.1.2.1 Ovens basin The Ovens system rises in the Great Dividing Range near Mount Hotham and flows about 191 km before joining the River Murray in the backwaters of Lake Mulwala. Two small water storages have been constructed in the system: Lake Buffalo on the Buffalo River and Lake William Hovell on the King River. The regulated reaches of the Ovens system include the Buffalo River downstream of Lake Buffalo, the King River downstream of Lake William Hovell and the Ovens River from its confluence with the Buffalo River to the River Murray. The Ovens system maintains a larger proportion of its natural flow regime than other regulated rivers, particularly in winter and spring. This is a result of relatively small storages that spill regularly and allow unregulated flows to the rivers. The Lower Ovens River is a declared heritage river beginning at Killawaara, downstream of Wangaratta. For more information see section 4.3.1. 2.1.2.2 Broken basin The Broken River flows from headwaters in the western slopes of the Victorian Alps near Bald Hill, north mainly through farmlands. Lake Nillahcootie is the Broken system’s only storage which regularly spills in spring because of its relatively small size compared to the river’s average annual flow. The Broken River flows north from Lake Nillahcootie and joins Holland Creek near Benalla. It splits north of Benalla at Casey’s Weir, with the west branch joining the Goulburn River just south of Shepparton, and the other branch flowing north to form the Broken Creek. Casey’s Weir plays an important role in directing water down the Broken Creek. The Broken Creek is managed as two separate systems: the Upper Broken Creek from Casey’s Weir to the confluence of the Broken and Boosey Creeks, and the Lower Broken Creek which flows into the River Murray downstream of the Barmah National Park. The Lower Broken Creek supplies the Murray Valley Irrigation Area. It mainly sources water from the River Murray so is not considered part of the Broken Basin. This area includes the Barmah National Park. For more information see section 4.3.2. 2.1.2.3 Goulburn basin The Goulburn River flows for 570 kilometres from the Great Dividing Range upstream of Woods Point to the River Murray east of Echuca. The Goulburn is one of the largest tributaries of the River Murray. 28 | Chapter 2 Victoria’s North and Murray Water Resource Plan Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning The Goulburn River is one of the most regulated rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin and the construction and operation of Lake Eildon and Goulburn Weir have significantly altered the river’s natural flow pattern. Water harvesting during naturally wet periods and regulated releases to meet irrigation and other consumptive demand during dry periods mean flow downstream of these structures is typically low in winter and spring and high in summer and autumn. This effectively reverses the natural seasonal flow pattern.