This is five times the allocation levels permitted in mid-August and up from 16 per cent since the last announcement two weeks ago.

The Acting Minister for the River Murray, Patrick Conlon, said this was made possible by better rainfalls across the basin.

Recent rainfall in the Adelaide Hills also means that storages are at near capacity and the state has not needed to take out any water of the Murray since April.

Mr Conlon said the rise in allocations and improved inflows were great news for irrigators and the river-dependent economy.

“South Australia’s irrigators have been doing it tough in recent years, with final allocations last year at an historic low of 18 per cent, and (the) news provides some certainty for this season,” he said.

Earlier this year the State Government purchased 50 gigalitres of “environmental water,” which will be released over the coming summer to ease the damage caused to Lake Alexandrina.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s latest assessment shows an overall improvement in shared water resources of about 300 gigalitres, of which South Australia is entitled to 100 gigalitres.

The latest rise follows Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire’s recent call for the State Government to lift irrigators’ allocations to a minimum of 35 per cent.

However, Mr Conlon said water availability throughout the southern Murray-Darling Basin remains at historically low levels.

“Licence holders are reminded that access to additional water in the future is not guaranteed,” Mr Conlon said.

* For more information visit www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/murray/drough t.