During this stage the "Water for Rivers" were able to secure more water entitlements (i.e. up ) in the Western Rivers and the allocations increased as the drought broke in South Eastern Australia. Actual allocations are weather dependent, so in dry periods the allocation will be smaller than during wet periods. During this period the annual water availability jumped from about per annum. Although water is released all year, this period has seen two significant spring snow melt environmental water releases to the Snowy River.