A renewed agreement between WaterNSW and Murray Irrigation Limited will help to move water around the Barmah Choke for the 2024-25 water year.
The agreement allows WaterNSW to use Murray Irrigation infrastructure to deliver water to customers in the Edward-Wakool and Billabong Creek systems during periods of high demand.
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority uses the same agreement to effectively bypass the Barmah Choke and deliver water to users in both NSW and Victoria further down the system.
The agreement also allows the MDBA to pass some water around the choke when transferring water from Hume Dam to Lake Victoria to supply South Australia.
MDBA river modernisation senior director Joe Davis said the arrangement with Murray Irrigation would ensure water delivery to downstream users while protecting the river environment and community values.
“Renewal of this arrangement and building a close working relationship with MIL is an important first step for the MDBA in partnership with the joint governments to explore the options to address channel capacity identified in the Barmah-Millewa Feasibility Study,” Mr Davis said.
“Other options will take time, and we are progressing work with First Nations, basin states and local communities on environmental impact assessments to fully understand the possible impacts of each of those actions.
“Our aim is to maintain, and where possible reinstate, downstream delivery capacity through the Barmah-Millewa reach of the River Murray.
“It’s a known constraint and we have always said there is ‘no silver bullet’.”
Mr Davis said the Barmah Choke is part of the Barmah-Millewa Forest, an internationally recognised environmental site, and culturally significant place for First Nations people.
“The river in this section of the basin is the boundary for NSW and Victoria,” he said.
“It forms the essential artery supplying water further south to South Australia.
“Enhancing water delivery and improving flows through the choke will take sustained effort and collaboration on a range of fronts.”
WaterNSW water planning and delivery general manager Ashley Webb said the agreement continues a productive partnership between the state’s major dam manager and a key corporate customer.
“Critically, utilising MIL infrastructure enables WaterNSW to deliver water to customers in the Edward-Wakool and Billabong Creek systems during periods of high demand,” he said.