Talking Water - Tuesday 16 December 2025
Talking Water is talking a short break
A reminder that this is the final edition of Talking Water for 2025.
We will return on Tuesday 13 January 2026 to begin a brand new year of weekly company news and updates from Murray Irrigation.
While we're away, customers will be able to continue accessing live water data via our webpage below.
Thank you for your readership this year. All the best for a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.
This week's contents
Operations
- Christmas Operations
- Talking Water Data
Business
- Christmas tidings
- Basin Plan Review - MDBA meeting
Industry
- Upcoming environmental watering
- Latest NSW DCCEEW Water Allocation Statement
Operational Update
Christmas Operations - Business as usual
Murray Irrigation Customer Operations will continue to deliver services as usual, seven days a week, over the festive period.
You can call us as normal from 6.30am to 6.30pm on 1300 138 265, or leave a voice message outside these hours.
For emergencies after 6.30pm, please call our emergency line on 1300 657 313.
All Water Exchange activity, including seller payments, will also run as usual throughout this period.
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 recently revamped 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
Christmas tidings
With the year quickly drawing to a close, I would like to extend a warm thank you on behalf of the entire Murray Irrigation team to our shareholders and customers for your support throughout 2025.
Our best wishes to you all for a joyful Christmas and New Year with your loved ones.
Keep safe and see you in 2026.
Ron McCalman
CEO
Basin Plan Review - MDBA meeting
In the past week, Murray Irrigation's CEO, Executive Team, and Water Policy Coordinator have had a productive first meeting with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) on the Basin Plan Review.
As a key stakeholder for the MDBA, this was an important opportunity for Murray Irrigation to clarify our key priorities for our footprint, ahead of the Review formally commencing early in the new year.
In particular we emphasised:
- The critical ongoing importance of reliable productive water for irrigation.
- The need to explore and adopt all available options for delivering environmental outcomes - such as our Restoring Murray Waterways project.
- The benefit of strong, collaborative partnerships, which ultimately are the best way to deliver for farmers, the environment and communities across our footprint.
Murray Irrigation will continue to engage closely with the MDBA as the Basin Plan Review rolls out across the course of next year.
We will keep you regularly updated on our involvement in the Review, and what Murray Irrigation is doing to ensure the future sustainability of our footprint.
Industry News
Upcoming environmental watering
Environmental watering actions that began in spring are beginning to wind up in the coming weeks.
Many of these actions were delivered through new escapes, which enable improved environmental water delivery to key ecological assets across the system built as part of the Company’s Restoring Murray Waterways project. This project was funded by the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Environmental water has been used to provide a small flow along the Tuppal Creek to improve water quality in refuge pools and to support riparian vegetation.
Delivery was delayed until later in the season due to ongoing construction works along the creek.
Current flows will remain low throughout summer, and until the construction works are completed. Subject to water availability, DCCEEW may consider actioning a larger flush in autumn.
For more information, please contact:
- Anthony Wilson: anthony.wilson@dcceew.gov.au
- James Dyer: james.dyer@dcceew.nsw.gov.au
- Kelly Marsland: kelly.marsland@dcceew.gov.au
Latest NSW DCCEEW Water Allocation Statement
The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) announced yesterday (Monday 15 December) that there will be no change in allocations to General Security entitlements for the NSW Murray.
This means the total cumulative allocation to General Security entitlements remains at 20% for the 2025/26 water year.
You can read the full announcement below.
You can subscribe to DCCEEW's updates by email and download its announcements here.
