Not the driest

By Tania Martin
DECEMBER rainfall figures fly in the face of fears that the Dandenong Ranges are in their driest state ever.
Melbourne Water released the summer figures last Wednesday with some surprising results.
Mt Dandenong recorded 128 millimeters (mm) with Monbulk not far behind on 116mm.
Mt Evelyn also scored a reasonable drop with 102mm, while Montrose recorded 96mm.
But according to Melbourne Water this was the result of a heavy downpour just before Christmas.
This compares to Mt Dandenong receiving 147 mm in December the previous year, Monbulk 87mm, Montrose 135mm and 121 mm in Mt Evelyn.
Despite the December rain, the state’s storages are at the lowest ever level of 30.9 per cent since the Thomson Dam was built in 1984.
Melbourne Water’s John Woodland said the boosts to stream flows were short-lived and catchments had again dropped.
“Summer rainfall was almost 40 per cent below average … while we had welcome downpours in December, a hot and extremely dry start to the year means we are entering autumn at our lowest ever levels,” he said.
In past two months figures have dropped to just 21.5 mm in Melbourne’s major catchments.
Mr Woodlands said these unreliable patterns continued to hamper the ability of the catchments to generate meaningful flows.
This latest rainfall data comes as the State Government decided to remain on Stage 3A water restrictions and push forward with its Target 155 initiative.
Water Minister Tim Holding said despite unprecedented hot and dry conditions individuals and businesses were continuing to save water.
He said since the introduction of Target 155 at the beginning of summer, Melburnians had used an average of 177 litres per person per day.
Mr Holding said this was three litres per person a day less than the same time last year.
He said the government would continue with the Target 155 program for now.
The program encourages all Victorians to use just 155 litres a day per person.