A lot of water trickled in but a lot more was let out to a Murray Valley hit by drought.

Lake Dartmouth, the so-called “last resort”, was also seriously depleted, though never ran out.

Water officials will say that Dartmouth really proved its worth as it always had a bit to spare.

Today’s news that Lake Hume has tipped past 50 per cent is good but there’s a long was to go.

Typically, it holds 2,273,000 megalitres in late August but had only 1,484,506 megalitres last night.

Daily inflows from the Murray and Mitta have varied between 17,686 and 26,374 megalitres this week.

Only 600 megalitres a day has been discharged thanks to the Kiewa also running fast.

Much has happened to the irrigation industry since 2001 and its demands will lessen in future.

Governments aim to increase environmental flows to the river and wetlands, but there’s no room for complacency.

Lakes will still need careful management to balance demands of the environment, towns, industry and recreation.