1345.4 - SA Stats, Nov 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/11/2009   
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WATER


RAINFALL

According to the Bureau of Meteorology's Seasonal Climate Summary for South Australia, winter rainfall totals in 2009 were generally near average around the state with most rain falling late June through July.

Exceptions to this were in the pastoral areas with totals below average in the eastern and northern pastoral districts. Within these districts, however, individual locations, such as Yardea with 148mm, recorded large totals due to isolated thunderstorm events.

Above average rainfall results were recorded over the Eyre Peninsula with Streaky Bay, for example, receiving 291mm in the season; 67% above the winter average for the area of 174mm. The lower parts of the Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and much of the Mount Lofty Ranges also recorded results above average.

Both Growing season (April - October) and Year to date rainfall totals are tracking near average across most of the state.

Rainfall Anomalies
Diagram: Rainfall Anomalies


Source: 3-monthly rainfall anomalies for South Australia, Australian Bureau of Meteorology


RESERVOIR LEVELS

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, rainfall across most of the agricultural districts was below average in October 2009. However, due to the location of South Australian reservoirs, storage capacity is heavily reliant upon rainfall in the Mount Lofty catchment (SA Water). With Forreston (Millers Creek) receiving 92.6mm of rain during October and several other areas within the Mount Lofty catchment area receiving more than 50mm, total water storage reached 92% of capacity by the end of the month. This was substantially more than the volumes of water held in October of the previous 2 years.

TOTAL RESERVOIR STORAGE, As a percentage of capacity, Adelaide
Graph: TOTAL RESERVOIR STORAGE, As a percentage of capacity, Adelaide


Source: SA Water daily reservoir levels