Talking Water - Tuesday 12 May 2026
This week's contents
Women In Irrigated Agriculture Conference
- Your opportunity to attend
Operations
- Winter Works commencing shortly
- End of season trade
- Chemical weed treatment trials reap success
- Talking Water Data
Business
- IPART Review into WaterNSW charges
- New Shareholder Resources webpage
Industry
- Manage to Measure workshop - Finley
Opportunity to attend Women In Irrigated Ag Conference
Murray Irrigation is proud to be supporting the Irrigation Research Extension Committee’s (IREC) Women In Irrigated Ag Conference, being held from 9.00am to 3.00pm on Wednesday 3 June at the Whitton Malthouse.
As an extension of our support for this dynamic event, Murray Irrigation is offering to sponsor a group of female customers to attend this one-day event to gain experience and learn from the inspiring line-up of conference speakers.
If you are interested in attending this event with Murray Irrigation, please complete the below Expression of Interest (EOI). Tickets and transport to and from the event on the day are complimentary.
The EOI is currently open and will close at 5.00pm on Thursday 21 May.
For any questions, please contact Murray Irrigation's Customer Experience Team on 1300 138 265.
Further information on the Women In Irrigated Ag Conference is available below.
We look forward to sharing this informative and inspiring day with you.
Operational Update
Winter Works commencing shortly
Murray Irrigation's 2026 Winter Works program is about to get underway, with draining of the requisite sections of the network set to begin later this week.
Staff and contractors will start ramping up their activity towards the end of May.
You can check to see whether your outlet is in a 2026 Maintenance Area via the 'My Outlets' tab on your Customer Portal.
Read more about this year's Winter Works program in our media release below.
As we move into our Winter Operations period, customers are reminded to:
- Fill your dams and troughs now to ensure you have adequate water supplies through until mid-August.
- For customers in Non-Maintenance areas, we ask that you please place your water orders in advance for delivery in May or June.
Details about guaranteed delivery dates and water availability for the Winter Operations period is available on our website.
End of season trade
Arrangements for the end of the 2025-26 water season, trade closure dates and information about how to manage your water allocation account have been released to customers via last week's Operational Update, as per below.
Chemical weed treatment trials reap success
On the back of successful chemical trials to control aquatic weeds in isolated sections of Murray Irrigation's channel network, the Company is extending this trial to put a dent in the unprecedented buildup of weeds in the Deniboota Main Canal.
Trial shots: Before and after
This photo was taken in May 2025 - just two weeks after treatment.
This photo was taken in October 2025 - five months after treatment.
Talking Water live data
Live data for Murray Irrigation water delivery, channel flow, Water Exchange temporary trade and DCCEEW water allocations is available on our Talking Water
Data webpage below.
To see the latest data for Murray system storages and rivers, including dam heights, visit the Murray Darling Basin Authority's River data page.
Additional resources
MDBA weekly report
NSW Water allocation statements
Rainfall and evaporation
Barmah Choke trade balance
The information and data provided in Talking Water is for general reference purposes only. We take best endeavours to ensure accuracy.
Business News
IPART review into WaterNSW charges
As mentioned in last week’s Talking Water, RMCG has supported Murray Irrigation and our fellow Irrigation Infrastructure Operators (IIOs), Coleambally Irrigation Co-operative Limited and Murrumbidgee Irrigation, to prepare a joint submission to IPART in response to its draft determination for WaterNSW rural and regional charges, which will commence from 1 July.
The submission provides the following recommendations, aimed at ensuring WaterNSW charges remain affordable for customers.
- The IIOs have recommended IPART set a 2-year determination period. This provides time for current pricing reform work to be completed. Once this reform work is done, the irrigator share of ongoing WaterNSW charges should more accurately reflect the services they actually use.
- The IIOs have advised IPART to set an annual price cap for WaterNSW of 5 % per year, plus CPI. This recognises the significant social and economic impacts that higher price increases will have, especially given the recent spike in farm input expenses and the current dry conditions being experienced across the Riverina.
- Critical pricing reform work is expected to continue over the next few years. The IIOs stress the importance of close stakeholder engagement as this work proceeds and is finalised.
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Once more, we extend our thanks to RMCG for its support in preparing this submission.
You can view the joint IIO submission below.
Murray Irrigation has also provided our own short submission to IPART. It reinforces key themes from the joint IIO submission, and highlights the issues that are of specific importance to our footprint.
You can read the Murray Irrigation submission below.
New Shareholder Resources webpage
Murray Irrigation has launched a dedicated new webpage for shareholders.
Designed to serve as a central hub of Company information for shareholders, the material featured on our new Shareholder Resources webpage includes:
- Shareholder engagement information
- Timeline of the Company's strategic progress since the 2022 Business Review
- Strategic Plan
- Link to the latest Company updates
- General AGM and Member Director election information
- Shareholder Engagement Manager contact details.
Murray Irrigation will be updating this webpage regularly with relevant information. Click on the button below to access.
We hope you enjoy exploring this new resource.
Industry News
Measure to Manage workshop - Finley
A reminder that Murray Local Land Services is hosting a practical workshop on understanding the value of benchmarking and how it can be applied within your business.
When: Wednesday 3 June
Where: Finley Recreation Reserve
Time: 8:00am - 10:30am
Morning tea will be provided.
This event will explore the key benefits of benchmarking, what to measure and how simple record-keeping systems can support decision-making and long-term performance.
