Topics > River Murray > Water allocation

Private Carryover

What is private carryover?

Private carryover is a drought management measure for holders of Class 3 (High Security) water access entitlement. It enables unused water allocation to be stored in one water year for use in the next. In dry periods, it can increase the volume of water allocation available to water users at the beginning of a water year by up to 20 percent of the entitlement held at the end of the previous year.

Access to carryover may be made available when the projected minimum opening water allocation is 50 percent or less. The Department for Environment and Water will announce if private carryover is available when the projected opening allocation is announced on 15 April (or the next business day) each year. This is to ensure entitlement holders have time to plan and make decisions about potential carryover arrangements.

If carryover is available, eligible entitlement holders will need to lodge an application for carryover by 15 June.

Please see SA private carryover frequently asked questions for further information.

Private carryover in 2023-24

Private carryover is not available for the 2023-24 period.

In accordance with the Water Allocation Plan for the South Australian RiverMurray Prescribed Watercourse, access to privatecarryover is only available to eligible users when the projected minimumopening irrigation allocation is 50 percent or less.

The worst case projected minimum opening allocation for 2023-24 is 100 percent therefore private carryover will not be available.