Irrigation orders are peaking in northern Victoria where Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) irrigators have launched 825 orders since the season opened in mid-August.

Irrigators have ordered 21,163ML of water, compared to 3,464ML ordered the same time last year. GMW water delivery services manager Warren Blyth said the many orders could be the result of a dry winter.

The  latest Murray-Darlin Basin Authority annual operating outlook was positive with a total active storage volume of 6,770GL. Further the Basin’s active storage at the end of July held around 770GL compared to the long-term average of 600GL for this time of year.