Talking Water - Tuesday 23 June 2026
This week's contents
New fee structure engagement opportunities
- Online Q&A tomorrow
- Shareholder lunch Thursday
Operations
- End of season trading dates
- Barmah Narrows trade
- Talking Water Data
Business
- IPART final determination - WaterNSW prices
- Customer Portal and WEX updates
- Sponsorship program - final call
Industry
- Energy use in irrigation - One Basin CRC Research Project
- WaterNSW Operations Update - Planned Stevens Weir Pool refill
- Hyper Profitable Crops & Machinery Investment - Ri$kWise workshop
New fee structure engagement opportunities
As advised in our
Customer Update on 15 June as well as in last week's
Talking Water, Murray Irrigation is hosting the following engagement opportunities this week to address common concerns we have been hearing around the new fee structure.
Online Q&A session - 2.00pm tomorrow
RSVPs for this one hour sessions are not required.
Date: Wednesday 24 June
Time: 2:00pm
Location:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81198633292
Shareholder lunch - Finley
Shareholders are invited to come along for a casual catch up with Board Directors and staff members.
Date: Thursday 25 June 2026
Time: 1.00pm
Location: Murray Irrigation - Customer Service Centre & Depot, Murray Hut Drive, Finley
For catering purposes, please RSVP via the button below.
Operational Update
2026 End of season trade closure dates
Tuesday 16 June, 5.00pm - External transfers to / from Murray Irrigation - NOW CLOSED.
PLEASE NOTE: External trading date has changed this year to align with new Water NSW requirements.
Tuesday 23 June, 5.00pm - Water Exchange (WEX) - CLOSES TODAY.
Thursday 25 June, 5.00pm - Internal transfers to / from Murray Irrigation landholdings close.
Thursday 25 June, 5.00pm - Customer Portal access closes.
Wednesday 1 July, 9.00am - Water Exchange (WEX) and Customer Portal re-open.
For more information on carryover rules and water allocation accounts, read Murray Irrigation's End of Season update below.
Barmah Narrows Trade - 1 July 2026
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority, who manages the Barmah Narrows (formerly Barmah Choke), advised in May 2026 that the
opening trade balance on 1 July 2026 is expected to be approximately 24 gigalitres (GL).
This is around 15 GL less than last season.
Murray Irrigation will accept applications on
WaterNSW Barmah Narrows trade forms from 9.00am Wednesday 1 July to 12 noon Thursday 2 July 2026 to enable processing and submission to WaterNSW.
WaterNSW advises Barmah Narrows trade applications will be open on Thursday 2 July 2026 from 7.00am to 2.00pm.
Eligible applications will then be processed by WaterNSW, as per the
protocol established in 2025.
For further information and questions on the 2026 Barmah Narrows trading, please call the WaterNSW Water Trade team on 1300 662 077 or email
Water.Trade@waternsw.com.au
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
Final IPART decision - Regional and Rural Bulk Water prices
IPART has released its final decision on the WaterNSW pass-through charges that will apply from 1 July 2026.
IPART has set WaterNSW charges for a four-year period: 2026-2027 through to 2029-2030. You can read the detailed final decision
here.
IPART has maintained its draft proposal to cap annual price increases at a maximum of 10% per year (plus inflation) for all valleys. Prices will increase by an average of 6.5% per year (plus inflation) across most valleys, and by up to 10% per year (plus inflation) in some valleys.
Murray General Security licence holders will see an annualised increase in typical bills of 3.7% (plus inflation), and a total increase over the four-year determination period of 15.8% (plus inflation). This includes the Murray Valley's MDBA costs.
Murray Irrigation has invested significant staff time and resources in getting to this outcome. We especially thank RMCG for its expertise and support. You can read all of the Company's IPART submissions by clicking on the button below.
Murray Irrigation will share our updated Schedule of Charges as soon as WaterNSW has incorporated the above changes into its annual fees and prices. We will communicate this via Customer Update.
Customer Portal and WEX updates
As previously communicated, Murray Irrigation is undertaking a significant Information Communication Technology (ICT) Transformation project called 'Project Streamline'.
The first stage of implementation is occurring from 1 July 2026. While the changes being made during this stage of the project will be primarily internal, customers will experience some small variations to your daily interactions with Murray Irrigation.
Summary of changes from 1 July 2026
- BPAY reference numbers will be updated to match account numbers
- Water Exchange (WEX) customer bank account details will need to be updated in the Customer Portal
- Financial accounts, invoices and online credit card payments will be temporarily unavailable in the Customer Portal
- Automated WEX seller and buyer notifications.
Important information on what customers need to do from 1 July 2026 and further detail on why these changes are being made can be found in the correspondence sent to customers last Thursday (click on the below button to read).
Final call for sponsorship applications
Applications for Murray Irrigation's 2026 Community and Education Sponsorship Programs close next Monday 29 June.
So if you know of a local school or community group who may be looking for funding to get their project off the ground, please share this information with them.
Details, including applications forms, can be found on Murray Irrigation's sponsorship page below.
Murray Irrigation’s annual sponsorship activities are made possible through the support of our customers.
Industry News
Energy use in irrigation - One Basin CRC Research Project
The One Basin Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) is currently undertaking a research project examining energy use associated with irrigation systems across the Murray-Darling Basin.
Murray Irrigation has been a financial partner in the CRC since mid-2025.
Researchers for this particular project are looking for irrigators to participate in short interviews about energy use in irrigation systems, including pumping, energy costs, automation, solar, irrigation efficiency, and barriers to improving irrigation systems.
The interviews are informal, take around 20–40 minutes, and focus on understanding what works, what doesn't, and what lessons can be shared with other irrigators.
If you'd like to participate in an interview, please contact either:
- Arezoo Boroomandnia | arezoo.boroomandnia@sydney.edu.au | 0422 530 528
- Lawrence Molloy | Lawrence.Molloy@unimelb.edu.au | 0402 069 853
WaterNSW Operations update - Planned Stevens Weir Pool refill
WaterNSW is advising customers and the wider community of changes to water levels upstream of Stevens Weir on the Edward River.
Commencing in the coming week, the weir pool will be raised and is expected to reach target operating levels by mid-July in preparation for the upcoming irrigation season.
WaterNSW is advising customers and landholders to monitor warnings and river levels closely to make necessary arrangements to ensure infrastructure and livestock are not impacted by these changes.
Hyper Profitable Crops & Machinery Investment
Want sharper insights before your next big machinery buy?
This workshop is designed for farmers who want to make smarter, more confident investment decisions.
When: Friday 26 June
Where: Mulwala Football Netball Club
Time: 8.45am - 1.00pm
Hear from Brendan Brown (CSIRO) on better decision-making, and Jonathan Uphill Farmanco) on the real financial trade-offs behind major machinery purchases.
With benchmarking, local case studies and practical discussion, participants will get a clearer picture of how to go through a machinery purchase decision, what the risks and rewards of big purchases really look like, and how other growers are tackling the same challenges.
