South Australia seeks more Murray River flow from upstream states to fight Lake Albert salinity


South Australia wants the upstream Murray River states to release more water to support a salinity mitigation effort in Lake Albert, near the Murray's mouth.

A year-long study has recommended "lake-level cycling" — intervening to raise and lower the level of Lake Albert — as the best way to keep tackling its saltiness.

SA Environment Minister Ian Hunter said the method had been used in recent years to help deal with salinity problems for downstream irrigators who were reliant on the water for farm production.

Mr Hunter said South Australia needed more water released from upstream so it could increase the frequency of the "lake-level cycling" program and he was hopeful of winning eastern states' support.

"There's been a marked rise in cooperation between the partners, they understand the situation in the lower lakes," he said.

"South Australia will make the best case we can."

Ecologist Professor David Paton has endorsed the plan to keep raising and lowering Lake Albert's level to help manage its salinity, saying the SA Government is making the right decision.

"I think that's the sensible way to do it, it's the natural way it would have happened in the past," he said.

"It has capacity to lower salinity, to raise water quickly then drop it out quickly, managing the barrages in an effective manner.

"It can draw salt out and can reduce salt pretty quickly."

There are barrages built across the mouth of the Murray at Goolwa, designed to stop seawater from affecting the fresh water flows.

Irrigator favours connector to Coorong

Sam Dodd, lower Murray irrigator
PHOTO: Irrigator Sam Dodd favours connecting Lake Albert with the Coorong.
Lower lakes irrigator Sam Dodd doubts the effectiveness of continued intervention to raise and lower Lake Albert.

He thinks building a connector channel with the neighbouring Coorong wetlands might work better.

"The only way to find out the true impact of such a connection is for there to be a full environmental study into such a connection into Lake Albert," he said.

But Mr Hunter does not think a connector would deliver any extra benefit and says it would cost at least $19 million to build.

"The study shows us [benefits] just by actively lowering and raising the lake levels now and not having to wait to build an expensive connector," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-02/sa-to-ask-eastern-states-for-more-murray-f...

Abbott hates adelaide because that's why he doesn't want proper flows for the Murray downstream ... and so cutting fresh water to the city.

Wait until Victoria falls to Labor...Abbott will hammer them as well 

pitiful...

and in the meantime the Greens hate Australia and support Russian interests above Australian. and they support ISIS

crocodile wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2014 at 7:36pm:



Adelaide draws apx 55% of it's water from the Murray. The same river Abbott is out to destroy.

Swagman wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2014 at 8:13pm:



And I bet Adelaidians would love the deadly cost of no water during AGW heatwaves.

Short memory you have ... oh that's right, you have alzheimer's.

Obviously you forgot the last water restrictions in Adelaide because of (AGW increased) drought. Coorong mouth closing because of decreased flow in the murray ... and why the desal plant was built aye.

longweekend58 wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2014 at 8:53am:



Australia ... I thought it was Antarctica was the driest.

geography.about.com/od/lists/a/largecontinent.htm

There again I didn't get the cultist education you got so should give you some leash for your ignorance.


Abbott is killing the murray for those dryer times, especially now AGW is centre in the equation, and so killing the Murray will in time kill Adelaide.

Abbott doesn't hate Adelaide. He just hates the Crows.