Concerns for horticulture as Murray River floods

Unknown liquids are leaking from an old landfill into agricultural blocks in Mildura as the Murray River floods.

As the Murray River peaks at Mildura this week, about 40 roads have been closed, low-lying properties have gone underwater, and unknown liquids are leaking from an old landfill into agricultural blocks.

Agriculture Victoria Mildura emergency management liaison officer Dave Magher said the extent of the agricultural blocks underwater was “difficult to estimate at the moment because (the water) is rising and it’s spreading”.

Of concern was an “old tip (landfill) that’s leaking some liquids out in the north Mildura area. And there’s old farm machinery and vehicles that have been inundated by flood. As a result, liquids from motor vehicles are leaking as well, and the current or wind are taking them towards grape vines,” Mr Magher said.

The Victorian Environment Protection Authority was due to take water samples on Thursday to test for contaminants, he said. The exact location of the leaks was unclear.

Murray Valley Winegrowers executive officer Paul Derrico said the vast majority of vineyards in the region were above the flood level. For those that were underwater, the situation was “unprecedented”.

“I’ve spoken to a few industry experts and it’s a bit uncertain what the longer term impacts will be. No one’s really done too many studies (on grape vine survival during flooding),” he said.

Murray and Darling flood water meeting at Fletchers Lake. Picture: Glenn Milne

Flood levels are expected to peak at 38.30 Australian Height Datum (height above sea level) in Mildura between Thursday and Saturday and will remain at that level for up to three weeks, according to modelling.

A GrainCorp spokeswoman said the company had reinforced flood levees around its Yelta grain storage site was “monitoring the situation 24-hrs”.

Wentworth Shire mayor Tim Elstone said about 15 properties had been isolated on the NSW side of the river as the Murray swelled and the Darling River turned into an “inland sea”.