THE Darling River is expected to reconnect with the River Murray in the coming weeks, with those along the river warned heights and flows may vary as the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and state agencies manage the arrival of water.
MDBA river management head Andrew Reynolds said this would mostly impact between Euston, Vic, and Lock 7, near the SA border, and there was unlikely to be any impact on water quality when the lower Darling reconnected with the Murray.
"We are all looking forward to seeing water from the northern Basin arrive at Wentworth, NSW, in mid-April, joining the two main arms of the Murray-Darling Basin with the first decent flow since August 2018," he said.
"In the interests of the local community and river environment, we'll be managing as efficiently as possible the arrival of the poor quality water at the head of the flow."
The joint action to manage the flow's safe arrival is a collaboration between the MDBA, WaterNSW, Goulburn-Murray Water, Lower Murray Water and SA Water.
"We will be lowering the Lock 10 weir pool level at Wentworth to actively draw the flow out of the Darling, as well as boosting the flow rate in the Murray by lowering the Euston Weir, and diverting some of the early flow into Lake Victoria where it will be further diluted for later, managed releases back into the Murray," Mr Reynolds said.
"We have consulted with local councils, irrigator groups and recreational businesses, and appreciate the local community's understanding as we manage this situation.
"River users are advised to adjust their activities, pumps and moorings to accommodate the change in weir pool levels.
"At this stage the Wentworth weir pool is expected to start dropping by up to 30 centimetres over two weeks from about April 10 and the Euston weir pool is expected to drop by 20 -30cm below full supply level from around April 13."
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Mr Reynolds said this active management was needed as the flows released from Menindee Lakes would mix with highly saline and nutrient rich pools that have sat for many months behind block banks along the lower Darling River.
"Salinity levels in the Murray as a result of Darling inflows are expected to peak at more than 1000 EC units, before dropping back to 100 EC after approximately one week," he said.
"The good news is that behind the head of the flow, the water coming through the Darling is high quality.
"This will bring a tremendous reprieve to everyone and everything that has coped for so long with adverse conditions in the lower Darling."
- Details: livedata.mdba.gov.au
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