Murray dams holding 21 per cent capacity
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Murray-Darling dams are holding only 21 per cent of total capacity. (user submitted: Anne Trebilcock)
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission says it would not be feasible to send water downstream to the lower lakes.
A survey of its dams in the past week shows they are holding only 21 per cent of total capacity and private water supplies are also at low levels.
The dams are holding 4,800 gigalitres of water, already earmarked for critical human needs.
About 800 gigalitres is held privately in the north of the catchment and in the south, smaller amounts are held in many farm dams.
Les Roberts from the commission says there is not enough water for the lower lakes.
"As little as 20 per cent of any water that we released out of the northern basin would reach the lower lakes," he said.
"There are large instream losses in transferring water, particularly now that the rivers are not running again."
