Increase in Coliban water levels despite lack of rainfall

Jacek Dylag (Unsplash)

Zoe Moffatt

Water storage levels increased over the last year despite the low rainfall at Malmsbury Reservoir, according to Coliban Water.

Coliban’s Steve Healy said just 55 millimetres (mm) of rain fell at Malmsbury Reservoir during summer.

This was 79mm less than the same time last year and 70mm below the long-term average, Mr Healy said.

“It’s typical for our storages to drop over summer and autumn as these two seasons have the lowest inflow.”

Currently the three Coliban River catchment storages have 61,451ML, which is 88 per cent of its capacity. This is 3055ML more than 12 months ago.

“Because of the very wet spring, including the floods in October, the catchments were very wet and this resulted in stream flows remaining high much later in the year than usual,” he said.

“Therefore, our storages remained full for much longer in the year than usual.”

Coliban Water’s Lake Eppalock share is also at 96 per cent capacity, holding 1274ML more than last year.

Details: www.coliban.com.au