Integrity of Lower Murray levees must be high priority, says Murray Bridge mayor

The integrity of the Lower Murray’s levees and the increased pressure on its rural roads are the region’s biggest concerns amid the state’s flood crisis, says Murray Bridge’s mayor.

The failure of further flood levees in the Lower Murray will place the region’s already strained traffic network under immense pressure, according to Murray Bridge’s Mayor.  

Premier Peter Malinauskas visited Murray Bridge on Monday meeting with Mayor Wayne Thorley and SES swift water rescue crews before delivering a flood update and announcing peak floodwaters of 190GL to 220GL would hit Renmark around Boxing Day.

The Premier also announced a flood relief centre would open in Murray Bridge on January 5 at the Rambler Football Club.

Premier Peter Malinauskas visited Murray Bridge on Monday to inspect temporary levees, speak to SES volunteers and deliver a daily flood update. Picture: Dylan Hogarth

Mayor Thorley said he used the Premier’s visit to warn of increased traffic on the Swanport Bridge due to ferry closures in the Riverland and Murraylands.

He said the pressure on the bridge was a major concern for the region, particularly with the town’s original bridge reduced to support one-way traffic only.

Work on the $36m refurbishment of the Old Murray Bridge has been paused due to the flood and Mayor Thorley said one way traffic controls needed to be removed.

“Traffic volumes have increased because the Mannum ferry is out of action,” he said.

And, with bridge crossings at Murray Bridge and Blanchetown 120 kilometres apart, the mayor said he believed commuters could be in for some pain over the holiday period.

He said the road network was tested last Friday due to a car accident.

Premier Peter Malinauskas visited Murray Bridge on Monday to inspect temporary levees, speak to SES volunteers and deliver a daily flood update. Picture: Dylan Hogarth

“You have a serious accident which blocks Swanport Bridge, it could be hours or even a day before the traffic is cleaned up,” he said.

“We had major delays of hours and hours – it’s time to open the over bridge up to two-way traffic for the remained of the flood.”

Mr Malinauskas said the government was “conscious” of how ferry closures would impact communities’ travel plans and budgets, with further financial assistance not ruled out.

Mayor Thorley said he also spoke to the Premier about the need for support for agriculture procedures of the Lower Murray.

He said farmers had become increasingly worried about levee breaches or the possibility of the levees being “washed over the top”.

“They’ve been good but starting to fear inundation,” he said.

The flooded wharf at Sturt Reserve and the 1956 flood marker at Murray Bridge. Picture: Dylan Hogarth

“We want to work with the state government in making sure the levees are maintained to the level they need to be … it’s too late to go building up levees half a metre higher, but there are patches that can be fixed up.”

Also in Murray Bridge on Monday, SES chief officer Chris Beattie said the number of levees failing in the region had reached “almost one a day” failing.

He said eight levees have suffered catastrophic failure – meaning they could not be repaired while 53 have had serious defects which were being addressed.

It comes as floodwaters breached a levee bank at Ponde, near Mannum, on Sunday, prompting warnings for residents to leave or be stranded as roads were inundated and homes were threatened.