The federal government set the program up to provide up to 100 gigalitres of water to farmers in the southern Murray-Darling Basin to grow fodder and pasture.

Nearly 500 Victorian irrigators were successful in the ballot for 40GL of water after the South Australian government agreed to turn on the Adelaide Desalination Plant.

The Water for Fodder team has told successful applicants it had anticipated restrictions on carryover might be waived if drought conditions improved.

"You still must use your water to grow fodder and cannot move the allocation to a different account or sell it," the team told successful applicants.

Widespread rain over northern Victoria and the southern Riverina in the last month saw water prices plummet.

Earlier this year, temporary water was trading at $700/ML in some districts, while the Water for Fodder allocation was $100/ML.

Numurkah dairy farmer Edan Cockerell missed out on the ballot but said normal carryover rules should apply.

"If we had some of it, we'd likely be looking to carry it over too," Mr Cockerell said.

Barooga mixed farmer John Bruce said he received Water for Fodder through one of two applications he put in.

"We have got about 20ML left; it's been handy," he said.

He said he sowed 40 hectares of lucerne, before the scheme came in, making a first cut of hay and looking at the potential to take off silage as well.