South Australia’s water reservoirs have entered their highest start to an Autumn since 2017 this year by taking full advantage of the State’s wet spring, which left summer at a 69 per cent level.
According to SA Water, 10 billion litres of water flowed into the water storages during the warmer months to prop up levels, with total summer inflows around double the average volume across the past 10 years.
Senior Manager of Environment and Heritage at SA Water’s, James Crocker said it was also the third highest total level at the end of summer during the past 15 years, behind 2011 and 2017.
“Our reservoirs went into summer sitting at 93 per cent of their total capacity following a spring that delivered 80 billion litres of inflows, elevating our base to levels not seen in recorded years,” Mr Crocker said.
“By the end of summer last year, combined reservoir levels were comparatively at 55 per cent, with Little Para, South Para and Kangaroo Creek contributing the most to our high volume this year,” he said.
“These reservoirs enjoyed a wet spring, and along with another of our larger storages, Mount Bold, have been at their highest levels heading into autumn during recent years.”
Mr Crocker said Adelaide’s water consumption across summer was the second highest in the past 10 years, with the water treatment plants supplying 57 billion litres of water.
“Pleasingly, the current level means our reservoirs are in a comfortable position to capture anticipated rainfall during autumn and winter, which the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting to be below median levels for most of Australia,” Mr Crocker said.
“We’ve also had to transfer less than half the five-year average volume of water from the River Murray to our reservoirs as a result, with some of this to help manage impacts from poorer water quality due to the floods,” he said.
According to SA Water, reservoir reserves have also been transformed into popular green open spaces offering various recreational activities.
It said more than 174,000 visitors explored these spaces throughout the recent summer.
