Lower Murray farmers fight to save livelihoods as peak flood flows arrive

High flows, high tides and strong winds have put extreme pressure on an 18-km levee bank – but locals have ignored official orders to save it.

In the lower reaches of the River Murray, a dedicated band of farmers have been working tirelessly to save their livelihoods as peak flows of the historic flood arrive.

While levee breaches have become a daily occurrence up river, farmers at Jervois have been working around the clock to maintain the integrity of the banks and save their farms from “devastation”.

Last week, the Department of Environment and Water (DEW) stopped maintenance work in the area due to safety concerns relating to heavy trucks working close to water and their potential impact on the integrity of the levee.

Clem Mason said farmers at Jervois had been working around the clock to maintain the integrity of their levees and save their livelihoods. Picture: Dylan Hogarth

However, local farmers said the risk was worth it to save their businesses and the Jervois Private Irrigation District Trust picked up the task to ensure the 18-kilometre levee holds firm.

Farmer Clem Mason said with water lapping up high and seepage occuring across the under-pressure levee, locals were operating trucks, excavators and front-end loaders, frantically putting clay on identified weak spots.

“High flows, high tides and southerly winds have kept the river up to a dangerous level, the river looks dangerous, searching for a way out, or over,” he said.

Mr Mason said a levee breach would be “devastating” for the dairies, the hay growers and beef cattle yards.

“All farms along here would lose their business, their livelihood … we are really worried – people would not recover,” he said.”

The view of the Jervois farmers members of the local Irrigation Trust are desperately trying to save from breaches in the government-owned levee. Picture: Dylan Hogaeth.

“The government walked away after claiming it was too dangerous to work on – the risk was worth it to save our existence, our livelihoods, our years of caring for the country, supporting our families and five generations of family on soil among the best in the world,” he said.

“And, in two days the locals put more product on than the government has done in two months.”

A DEW spokesperson said work was undertaken in the lead-up to the peak of the flood to raise perceived low points and provide additional protection along a length of approximately 1.5 kilometres of the Jervois levee.

“DEW conducts annual maintenance on all 67km of government owned levees in the Lower Murray region ... levees are standardised and maintained at a minimum height to contain river flows at least equivalent to those observed during the 1974 flood,” the spokesperson said.

“Department staff have arranged for materials to be delivered for repair works being undertaken on the levee by the Trust members.”

Mr Mason said while the farmers were grateful they were allowed to continue to work on the government-owned levee, the locals had been the heroes of the operation.

“From the jaws of a roaring river are born heroes; the local community of Jervois, farmers led by (Trust chair) Dino Gazzola and family with local trucks and loaders, excavators and front-end loaders, with the experience of living and working with the water and the land,” he said.

Mr Mason said while efforts had so far been successful, the job was far from over.

“The peak in flows are nearly here, our challenge remains, repairs, topping, monitoring and visual inspections.”

Clem Mason said farmers at Jervois had been working around the clock to maintain the integrity of their levees and save their livelihoods. Picture: Dylan Hogarth