About the area
The East Gippsland basin covers the eastern-most point of Victoria. Most of the basin is mountainous and forested; there are small sections of farmland including around Cann River.
Major waterways within the basin include the Genoa, Wingan, Cann, Bemm, Betka and Thurra Rivers.
Average annual rainfall within the basin is between 900-1200 mm.
More information on water management and accounting is detailed in Water explained.
2023-24 overview
Available water
Catchment inflow was similar to the previous year.
Licensed diversion restrictions
There were no restrictions on licensed diversions, the same as the previous year.
Water use
A similar volume of water was diverted for consumptive purposes as the previous year.
When compared to the previous year, in 2023-24:
- more rainfall was received and catchment inflows were similar
- licensed diversion restrictions were the same with no restrictions on licensed diversions from streams
- a similar volume of water was diverted from the basin for consumptive uses.
Climate
Rainfall
In 2023-24, more rainfall was received in the East Gippsland basin than the previous year. Rainfall was:
- above average in the east of the basin from the Wingan State Forest to Mallacoota
- average in the rest of the basin.
Figure 1 displays the rainfall received in 2023-24 compared to the long-term average (1975-2024).
Figure 1: Rainfall deciles, East Gippsland basin
Sourced from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology
River basin water balance
This section describes the known and estimated inflows, outflows and change of storage volumes in the basin.
More detail on catchment inflows, diversions and small catchment dams can be found in the sections below the water balance.
Consumptive use in the basin is generally very low compared to water availability, and almost 100% of total inflows passed to Bass Strait in 2023-24.
Water balance table
The table below shows the total volumes of water available and supplied from water resources in the East Gippsland basin in 2023-24.
Table 1: Water balance, East Gippsland basin
Inflows
Catchment inflow
Catchment inflow represents the volume of water flowing into the waterways of a basin. It is calculated as the total outflows and change in storage minus the known inflows. The long-term average inflow presented has been updated from the previous Victorian Water Accounts, as detailed in Water Explained. The updated long-term average inflow has been applied to this year and the previous year’s volume in this report.
Above average inflows of 1,249,108 ML were received in 2023-24 (140% of the long-term average of 890,300 ML), less than the previous year (143% of the long-term average).
Above average inflow
Catchment inflow was 140% of the long-term average of 890,300 ML.
Water received was similar to last year
Catchment inflow was similar to the previous year (143% of the long-term average).
Wastewater treatment plants
Water treated at wastewater treatment plants can be used to supplement water available in the basin. Water discharged to waterways from treatment plants is included as an inflow to the water balance.
Information on treatment plants is reported in the water supply local reports for the water corporation responsible for managing the plant.
In this basin, wastewater treatment plants are managed by East Gippsland Water.
Outflows
Diversions
In 2023-24, 701 ML of water was diverted for consumptive uses: town, domestic and stock, irrigation and commercial supply. This was close to the 676 ML diverted in the previous year.
Small catchment dams
Water harvested, used, and lost by small catchment dams (farm dams) is included in the water balance.
Table 2: Small catchment dams, East Gippsland basin
Entitlements and compliance
Entitlements provide the basis for how water is shared in the basin.
Entitlement volumes
Rights to water in the East Gippsland basin are shown in Table 3.
Entitlement volumes represent a maximum volume of water that can be taken in a one-year period. The volume available in a particular year is dependent on the rules for allocating water set out in the entitlement and the seasonal conditions in that year, which can vary. The rules for allocating water under an entitlement differ between entitlements and systems. This affects the ability and likelihood of water being taken in a particular year.
Table 3: Annual entitlement volumes at 30 June, East Gippsland basin
Available water and take under entitlements
Total water available under entitlements represents the volume of water that was available to be taken by entitlement holders in 2023-24. The volume includes seasonal allocations and net trade into the basin.
Water taken
There was 213 ML taken under entitlements in 2023-24, slightly more than the previous year (181 ML).
Restrictions on licensed diversions from streams
There were no restrictions on licensed diversions from streams in 2023-24, the same as during the previous year.
Available water and take table
This table shows the volume of available water and the volume taken under entitlements in 2023-24.
More information on available water and take has been detailed in How we account for surface water.
In 2023-24, slightly more water was taken under entitlements than the previous year.
Table 4: Available water and take under entitlements, East Gippsland basin
Compliance
Compliance against water entitlements is reported for this basin in 3 areas:
- entitlement issued: that the volume of entitlements issued in a basin does not exceed formal caps, and has not increased without appropriate approvals
- water taken: that the volume of water taken during the year does not exceed the volume considered to be available for consumptive and/or in-stream use during that year
- bulk entitlement provisions: that holders of entitlements do not breach any provisions that are documented in their bulk entitlement orders.
Total entitlement volume
There was no net increase in the total entitlement volume from the previous year.
Total volume diverted
The total volume diverted under entitlements (213 ML) was within the volume available for the year (1,455 ML).
Individual bulk entitlements
No individual bulk entitlement holder took more than the annual volume made available to them.
Exceptions to compliance
Individual bulk entitlement holders complied with all provisions in their entitlements.
Water for the environment
Environmental watering sites
There are no environmental entitlements in the East Gippsland basin, so no active environmental watering occurs.
However, important sites and environmental values in the East Gippsland basin that depend on water for the environment include:
- the Bemm, Cann and Genoa rivers, that all feed into high-value wetlands
- the Sydenham, Tamboon and Mallacoota inlets (all nationally significant wetlands)
- pristine estuaries, heritage river reaches and the swamp skink, Australian grayling, Australian bass, tangle orchid and eastern curlew.
Environmental water reserve
In 2023-24, water for the environment in the East Gippsland basin comprised:
- water set aside for the environment through:
- flow-sharing arrangements set out in bulk entitlements held by East Gippsland Water that set maximum flow rates of water to be taken from waterways
- the operation of passing flow conditions on a bulk entitlement and licensed diversions
- all other water in the basin not allocated for consumptive uses: this water also provides social, recreational and cultural benefits.
Management responsibilities
Management of water in the East Gippsland basin is undertaken by various parties.
| Authority | Management responsibilities |
|---|---|
| East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority |
|
| East Gippsland Water |
|
| Southern Rural Water |
|
| Water supply system | 2022-23 (ML) | 2023-24 (ML) |
|---|---|---|
| Bemm River | 12 | 19 |
| Cann River | 34 | 29 |
| Mallacoota | 46 | 64 |
