But that’s not what’s worrying state Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh, or the many constituents who have been contacting his office.
Mr Walsh said the biggest issue on their minds was spring rain.
He said although residents had heard nothing but El Niño talk for most of the year, northern Victoria — and Lake Eppalock’s catchment area — had seen near record falls.
“And no-one can accurately tell us what might happen in the next three months, especially as no-one has done a very good job about the past nine months,” Mr Walsh said.
“According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria has just had its wettest winter for a decade, and while northern and central parts of the state saw much higher-than-average rain, and a few individual sites broke specific winter daily or total records, it was not a statewide record for total seasonal rainfall.
“Rain in our part of the state — and Eppalock’s catchment area — came primarily from a small number of significant weather systems rather than frequent, steady showers.
“And that pattern does have a very disturbing ring to it.”
Areas between Kyneton and Lake Eppalock recorded more than 100mm in August alone, driving up seasonal totals.
It also saw Eppalock fill dramatically — going from 34.18 per cent capacity at the end of June to 99.06 per cent as of Sunday.
At the end of August in 2025, the level was 55.16 per cent.
The rise has been enough to force Goulburn-Murray Water to start releasing 800 megalitres a day — although it can release almost twice that.
“The people calling me are asking is there a new plan if we do get that unexpected rain event so we don’t have to go through 2022 again — and I have no real answer for them,” Mr Walsh said.
“Two weeks ago I asked Water Minister Michaela Settle in parliament what action was being taken, and yesterday I sent her an urgent request for an update, as Eppalock is now effectively full.”
Water Minister Michaela Settle did not give comment.
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