The access is an improvement from initial allocation of 60pc, increased to 80pc from the start of the water year on July 1.

River Murray minister Karlene Maywald says while water allocations will remain at 2pc during July, it is likely they will increase next month.

“Heavy rainfall late last month has improved River Murray system inflows for July, which means there is a high chance that water allocations can increase soon,” she said.

“Under worst-case scenario planning, 120 gigalitres was the estimate of what would be received in July, however this rainfall has increased inflows to at least 220gL, and with additional rainfall it is likely inflows could improve to about 290gL. However this is still well below the long-term average inflow for July of 1190gL.

“Rainfall and inflows accumulated between now and the end of July could contribute toward an increase in next month’s allocation and off-setting of contingency measures to cover the remaining shortfall in conveyance water necessary to run the river for 2009-10.

“More information will be provided to irrigators once the latest Murray-Darling Basin Authority inflows assessment is available later this month."

Conditions across the Murray-Darling Basin remain poor because of extreme and extensive drought, and River Murray storages remain very low.

The current volume in Hume, Dartmouth, Menindee Lakes and Lake Victoria is 19pc, or 1775gL, compared with 22pc, or 2097gL, at this time last year, compared with the long-term average of 69pc, or 6445gL.