1345.4 - SA Stats, May 2011  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/05/2011   
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WATER


RAINFALL

According to the Bureau of Meteorology's Seasonal Climate Summary for South Australia, Summer 2010-11 was the third wettest on record.

The well above average rainfall was predominantly a result of one of the strongest La Nina events on record. Forty seven locations, mainly in the east of the state, experienced their wettest summer on record and sixty seven locations had their highest ever daily rainfall in the summer period.

The highest total rainfall for the state was recorded in Ernabella (Pukatja), located in South Australia's pastoral district, with 341.8mm.

Rainfall Anomalies
Diagram: Rainfall Anomalies


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


RESERVOIR LEVELS

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported below average rainfall for Adelaide over April 2011. As a result, Adelaide's reservoir levels fell slightly from 73% to 70% by the end of the month. Despite this, storage levels remain considerably higher than at the end of April 2010 (61%), and April 2009 (54%).

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