Pennies from heaven: Half of Australia gets paid, when the rain does not fall

 (proof version) Money was now paid to areas across half of Australia, when it did not rain.

NSW Murrumbidgee Valley storage levels as at 13 August 2008

(proof version) The  table shows Murrumbidgee Valley storage levels as at 13 August 2008. While there is more water in storage now than at this time last year, much of this is held in individual accounts as carryover (254 GL), undelivered inter-valley transfers (about 76 GL) or is a pre-release of Snowy Hydro future commitments.

Murray-Darling Basin August inflows up to 20 August have been around 190 GL, tracking well below the August long term average.

 (proof version) Very little rain fell across the Basin this week with the highest falls (5 10 mm) occurring over central Victoria and in South Australia.

NSW Murray Valley planners hopeful; Snowy River system storages improved slightly; good snow may improve spring flows

(proof version) The graph shows the long term average inflows into the Murray River. The red line shows the current position in the 2008/09 water year.

Goulburn-Murray re-jigs its loss accounting so volumes needed for opening allocations reduced by 162 GL in the Murray system and 105 GL in the Goulburn

(proof version) Changes to water accounting for losses had enabled Goulburn-Murray to find enough water to allow essential services.

Severe drought for River Murray system at August 2008; 6 per allocation, in South Australia, and zero in Victoria

(proof version) . The River Murray system remains in severe drought. The long-term average inflow for July is 1 190 GL and the previous minimum for July was 135 GL in July 2006.

No water for communities below Lock 1, at the South Australia end of the Murray; emergency measures now a way of life

 (proof version) The Murray - Darling drought had extended and, there was only 1 570 GL in daily flows for the Basin, Emergency measures were now a way of life in the Murray - Darling Basin. The shortfall in River Murray water resources left either no water at all or barely enough for flows for critical needs.

Spring rain forecast: small chance that average rainfall in southwest WA, lower in South Australia will surpass median falls

Money stops falling out of the sky in Tasmania: and the Hydro Tasmania annual report takes a year to descend, too

After about about a year, the final prettified edition of last year’s Hydro Tasmania annual report was published by Hydro Tasmania, just weeks before the current year’s 2008 - report was due to State Treasury, on 15 August.

Far North Queensland single-house electricity supply in World Heritage rainforest goes to Commonwealth EPBC Act

Both a massive 50 million tonne a year coal port and a single house electricity supply were before the Commonwealth EPBC Act for review this month; both were in World Heritage areas; but it was likely the port would get approval and the house, refused.

Why the Victorian Water Minister sacked First Murray Irrigation Trust Board; incompetent and insolvent

PROOF : First Murray Irrigation Trust had invested $2 million - intended for irrigation works - in Grange, and lost it when market crashed. The lost money, and reduced rainfall and allocations meant FMIT was no longer financially viable. It had made bad decisions, and poor management.