The Living Murray

The Living Murray

What is The Living Murray?

The Living Murray is one of Australia’s most significant river restoration programs. It aims to improve the health at six icon sites along the Murray River. This is done by delivering 500 GL to the sites per year gained from water recovery projects

What are the six Icon Sites?

1. River Murray Channel

The River Murray Channel is the ‘main artery’ of the river and extends over 2,000 kilometres from Hume Dam near Albury to Wellington in South Australia. The channel forms the link between the forests, floodplains, wetlands and estuaries along the Murray and provides habitat for many native plants, fish and animals. Its banks support river red gum forests of high natural and cultural value.

first step ecological objectives

Barriers to migration overcome for native fish species between the sea and Hume Dam

Current levels of channel stability maintained

Ranges of many species of migratory fishes expanded

Levels of channel erosion improved or maintained

2. Barmah–Millewa Forest

The Barmah–Millewa Forest is the largest river red gum forest in Australia, covering 66,000 hectares of floodplain between Tocumwal, Deniliquin and Echuca. Many threatened native plants, birds, fish and reptiles make this forest and its wetlands their home. Spring floods keep river red gums healthy and allow waterbirds to breed and raise their young. It is also an important habitat for native fish.

first step ecological objectives

Successful breeding of thousands of colonial waterbirds in at least 3 years out of 10

Healthy vegetation in at least 55% of the area of the forest (including virtually all of the giant rush, moira grass, river red gum forest, and some river red gum woodland)

3. Gunbower–Koondrook–Perricoota Forest

The Gunbower–Koondrook–Perricoota Forest covers around 50,000 hectares and is home to many threatened native plants and animals. It is located downstream of Torrumbarry Weir, between Echuca and Swan Hill. The forest wetlands are important breeding places for waterbirds and native fish. They are also an essential destination for waterbirds, many protected under treaties

first step ecological objectives

80% of permanent and semi-permanent wetlands in healthy condition

30% of river red gum forest in healthy condition

Successful breeding of thousands of colonial waterbirds in at least 3 years out of 10

4. Hattah Lakes

The Hattah Lakes icon site includes over 20 semi-permanent freshwater lakes. The site forms part of the 48,000 hectare Hattah–Kulkyne National Park. The lakes support river red gum communities and a variety of native plants and animals. They are also important breeding places for waterbirds.

first step ecological objectives

Restore the aquatic vegetation zone in and around at least 50% of the lakes to increase fish and bird breeding and survival

Increase successful breeding events of threatened colonial) to at least 2 in 10 years

Increase the population size and breeding events of the endangered Murray hardy, Australian smelt, gudgeon and other native fish

5. Chowilla Floodplain and Lindsay–Wallpolla Islands

The Chowilla Floodplain covers 17,700 hectares across three states: South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. It is remote from many of the impacts of irrigation and other development, and so much of its natural character has been preserved. The Lindsay–Wallpolla Islands and their floodplains cover almost 20,000 hectares. They support many threatened plants and animals and a number of native fish species.

first step ecological objectives

High-value wetlands maintained

Current area of river red gums maintained

At least 20% of the original area of black box vegetation maintained

6. Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth

The Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth covers 23 different wetland types, from very fresh to saltier than the sea. This area, where the River Murray meets the sea, is one of the 10 major havens for large concentrations of wading birds in Australia, and is recognised internationally as a breeding ground for many species of waterbirds and native fish. The situation in the Lower Lakes is critical, with the reduction in surface water levels exposing acid sulfate soils. This is increasing the risk of acidification of the lakes and surrounding areas. The situation is being closely monitored and management strategies are being developed to prevent this occurring.

first step ecological objectives

Maintaining the connection between the river and the ocean

More frequent estuarine fish spawning

Enhanced migratory wader bird habitat in the Lower Lakes

What is a ‘water recovery measure’?

A ‘water recovery measure’ is the term used, within The Living Murray, to describe a project or package of projects that could be, or that are being, implemented to recover water. The water recovered by these water recovery measures is then used for environmental watering.

How is water ‘recovered’?

The term ‘recovered’ is used to describe an entitlement to access water that is made permanently available for use under The Living Murray Environmental Watering Plan.There are a number of ways in which water has been recovered for The Living Murray, which include:

Infrastructure measures

market-based measures

regulatory measures.

Infrastructure measures

Infrastructure measures recover water through reducing the loss of water in some way. This can include improving on-farm delivery systems and water use, improving delivery channel efficiencies, or reducing the loss from rivers and wetlands. Such projects aim to reduce the volume of water lost through evaporation, leakage or seepage.

Market-based measures

Market-based measures typically involve the purchase of water entitlements. Any water allocated to these entitlements can then be used for environmental watering. This term is also used more broadly to cover any transfer of water entitlement, for a cost, for use under The Living Murray Environmental Water Plan. Water entitlements can also be donated for use under The Living Murray Environmental Watering Plan.

Regulatory measures

Regulatory measures involve the recovery of water through the implementation of changes to the method in which water is allocated or by which water is shared between the various water users.

Will there be 500 GL of water available every year?

The water that has been recovered for The Living Murray will be subject to annual allocations in the same way that irrigation water is. Therefore, there will not be exactly 500 GL of water available to The Living Murray every year.

The actual amount of water available for use each year varies, depending on climate conditions and the way in which each state allocates water. These same factors affect all owners of water entitlements.

Water Recovery: Current as at 22/12/2009

What’s the next step for The Living Murray?

The next steps for The Living Murray are:

to complete major infrastructure development at the icon sites to help deliver large volumes of water to the floodplain at regulated flow river heights

to move into the main operational phase of the project, which is likely to involve the delivery of larger volumes of water than previous years.

Further environmental watering requirements for the Murray River will be developed in the context of the Basin Plan currently being developed by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority.

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