DEECA Victorian Water Accounts 2021-22

About the area

The Merrimu Groundwater Management Area (GMA) covers a shallow sand aquifer and extends through Bacchus Marsh along the Werribee and Lerderderg rivers.
The water authority responsible for managing groundwater in the Merrimu GMA is Southern Rural Water.
The Merrimu and Parwan Local Management Plan incorporates the Merrimu GMA and applies to groundwater resources for all formations between the surface and 30 m below the surface.
More information on groundwater management can be found on the Southern Rural Water website.

Groundwater level trends

Table 1: Groundwater level trends, Merrimu GMA

Groundwater management unit ¹		2021-22	2020-21
Merrimu		Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Rising	Rising	Rising

Groundwater management unit ¹		2021-22	2020-21
Merrimu		Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Rising	Rising	Rising

Groundwater restrictions

There were no restrictions on licensed use for the Merrimu GMA in 2021-22.

Entitlements and use

Groundwater is available for licensed (non-urban) supply and for domestic and stock use.

Entitlement volumes

Table 2: Groundwater entitlements at 30 June, Merrimu GMA

Use type	2021-22 (ML)	2020-21 (ML)
Licensed use (non-urban)	8	8
Total	8	8

Use type	2021-22 (ML)	2020-21 (ML)
Licensed use (non-urban)	8	8
Total	8	8

Available water and use

The table below shows the total water available and used under entitlements, and estimated domestic and stock use in 2021-22. Total water available under entitlements is the sum of: opening carryover, allocation issued and the net of the in/out trade of water.

Estimated domestic and stock use is calculated based on an assumed usage per registered bore per year. In this GMA, 1.5 ML usage per bore per year is assumed.

More information on groundwater use and availability has been detailed in the How do we account for groundwater section.

Table 3: Groundwater availability and use, Merrimu GMA

Use type	Available water (ML)	Water taken (ML)
Licensed use (non-urban)	0	8	0	8	0
Domestic & Stock	-	-	-	-	12
Total 2021-22	0	8	0	8	12
Total 2020-21	0	10	0	10	14

Use type	Available water (ML)	Water taken (ML)
Licensed use (non-urban)	0	8	0	8	0
Domestic & Stock	-	-	-	-	12
Total 2021-22	0	8	0	8	12
Total 2020-21	0	10	0	10	14

Compliance

Compliance against water entitlements is reported for this groundwater management unit (GMU) in two areas:

entitlement issued: the volume of entitlements issued in the GMU does not exceed relevant PCVs or has not increased without appropriate approvals
water extracted: the volume of water taken under entitlements during the year does not exceed the total water available to licence holders.

Key points on compliance against entitlements

Volume in catchments did not exceed PCVs

The volume of entitlements (8 ML) in the Merrimu GMA did not exceed the PCV (451 ML).

Total volume extracted within available volume

The total volume extracted under licences (0 ML) was within the volume available for the year (8 ML).

Table 4: PCV vs total entitlement volumes, Merrimu GMA

Groundwater management unit		PCV	Licensed entitlement (ML)	Water available under licences (ML)	Water taken under licences (ML)
Merrimu GMA		451	8	8	0

Groundwater management unit		PCV	Licensed entitlement (ML)	Water available under licences (ML)	Water taken under licences (ML)
Merrimu GMA		451	8	8	0

Management responsibilities

Management of water in the Merrimu GMA is undertaken by Southern Rural Water.

Authority	Management responsibilities
Southern Rural Water	Manages groundwater resources. Developing and implementing groundwater management plans. Issues licences for groundwater use, bore construction, and surface water diversions. Administers domestic and stock use.

Authority

Management responsibilities

Southern Rural Water

Manages groundwater resources.

Developing and implementing groundwater management plans.

Issues licences for groundwater use, bore construction, and surface water diversions.

Administers domestic and stock use.

Nearby groundwater management units

Central Victorian Mineral Springs GMA

Explore the Central Victorian Mineral Springs Groundwater Management Area (GMA).

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Deutgam WSPA

Explore the Deutgam Water Supply Protection Area (WSPA).

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Merrimu GMA

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In this area

About the area

Groundwater level trends

Table 1: Groundwater level trends, Merrimu GMA

Groundwater restrictions

Entitlements and use

Entitlement volumes

Table 2: Groundwater entitlements at 30 June, Merrimu GMA

Available water and use

Table 3: Groundwater availability and use, Merrimu GMA

Compliance

Key points on compliance against entitlements

Volume in catchments did not exceed PCVs

Total volume extracted within available volume

Table 4: PCV vs total entitlement volumes, Merrimu GMA

Management responsibilities

Nearby groundwater management units

Central Victorian Mineral Springs GMA

Deutgam WSPA

Back to groundwater map

Victorian Water Accounts 2021-22

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Groundwater management unit ¹		2021-22				2020-21
Groundwater management unit ¹		Sep-21	Dec-21	Mar-22	Jun-22	Sep-20	Dec-20	Mar-21	Jun-21
Merrimu		Stable	Stable	Stable	Stable	Declining	Rising	Rising	Rising

Use type	Available water (ML)				Water taken (ML)
Use type	Carryover	Licensed volume allocated	Net trade	Total water available	Water taken (ML)
Licensed use (non-urban)	0	8	0	8	0
Domestic & Stock	-	-	-	-	12
Total 2021-22	0	8	0	8	12
Total 2020-21	0	10	0	10	14