Highest River Murray flows in 50 years set to breathe new life into state’s waterways

SA’s Lower Lakes have long been suffering – but high flows into the Murray means people will see big changes.

Mark Koolmatrie from Kool Tours in front of the Coorong in Goolwa. Picture: Matt Loxton

Heavy River Murray flows will breathe new life into South Australia’s Lower Murray, Coorong and Murray Mouth regions with hopes rejuvenated wetlands will flourish with new wildlife from the once-in-50-year water levels.

Ngarrindjeri elder Mark Koolmatrie – a tourism operator on the Coorong and has a passion for land management – said while heavy water flows had communities on high flood alert this week, the water coming down was a win for the environment.

His comments come after the government confirmed the state’s Riverland would not be hit as hard as first feared with Environment and Water Minister Susan Close dispelling fears of a major flooding event, saying SA regions would not be affected like neighbouring states.

Mark Koolmatrie from Kool Tours in front of the Coorong in Goolwa, where much more water than usual is flowing into the system. Picture: Matt Loxton

Mr Koolmatrie runs tours on the Coorong and he said the large volumes of water following down was a win for environment and could spark the tourism industry in the region.

“We can see on boat tours the amount of the water on top of the Coorong and in the river and we are welcoming the water coming through,” he said.

“There’s no doubt we need fresh flows coming to fill up all the creek lines and fill up the whole system.”

Mr Koolmatrie said the Fleurieu, Murraylands and Lower Lakes communities would benefit from what are set to the highest flows in 50 years.

“Within the Fleurieu there will be more life, more habitat, more life, more biodiversity,” he said.

“And down on the lakes, well there was no water in Meningie after the drought and it was dire … the lakes will be getting this water right through to the Coorong – it has to be a good thing.

“We’re going to see a lot of bird life and plant life that haven’t had the opportunity to be there for 50 years.”

Coorong Partnership founding member Geoff Gallasch – who leads the Coorong Shack Owners Association and is passionate about the health of the Lower Murray and Coorong – said heavy flows were great for the system.

“It’s all good news really, for the environment, the Coorong … it’s flushing the River Murray, it’s watering all the wetlands that haven’t been watered since 1974,” he said.

“And let’s put it in some perfective; it’s 120GL a day over the border, back in ‘74 it was 170GL and in 1956 it was 340GL … there will be some flooding because it’s over 100GL but it's not going to have a huge effect down here,” he said.

Mr Gallasch said the flows were keeping water levels high in the Coorong and would mean salinity levels would drop in the Southern lagoon.

“Heavy flows will be like a hydraulic dam, it will stop the water in the Coorong being pushed out by the winds, there is so much water coming out for the barrages that its keeping the Coorong high over summer, which it normally doesn’t, it’s normally quite low – it’s a plus for the Coorong,” Mr Gallasch said.