Murray River at Goolwa

[stephenf10]

I took the following pictures at Goolwa on Easter Sunday. The river is about a metre below sea level and continuing to fall due to evaporation in the lower lakes and no water being released through Lock 1. There is talk of opening the Goolwa barrages to the sea and returning the lower Murray to a marine environment as it was before the barrages were built 70 years ago.

Paddle boats Killawarra and Goolwa are high and dry. Oscar W is over at Hindmarsh Island and the William Randell is moored (and floating!) just upstream of the bridge. A couple of old barges that are normally submerged are now exposed. I believe that the one just upstream of the Captain Sturt Marina is the Albion and the one further upstream is the Radia (ex PS Ruby).

Stephen.

[Eddy Matthews]

With boats sitting high and dry like that, I hope none of them come to any harm - Sometimes it can put stresses on the hull that they were never intended to take, so hopefully they'll all be okay...

You can have some of the rain (and gale force winds) we've been having in the UK if you want?

[Roderick Smith]

Those are very interesting photos.
It seems that plans for a 'temporary' dam at Wellington have evaporated.

If there is no release from lock 1 (necessary to maintain the pool level for the pumps at Morgan), what has been the effect on the punts at Mannum?

When I was planning my easter cruise, there was no water at all over the sill at Torrumbarry: even walking Jessie II over 12 cm was not an option.  I am cruising in the pool, Deep Creek to Barmah and return.

The Australian flat-hull paddlesteamer design was intended for regular grounding: half a year afloat and working, half a year stuck waiting for the next season.  This grounding shouldn't cause any stress damage.  SWPV Goolwa is used only as a static b&b, so the fact that it can't go anywhere is no problem.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail New Victoria Editor

[stephenf10]

The upstream ferry at Mannum has been out of action due to low river levels for several months, while the downstream ferry has had the approaches modified so that it can continue running. There were long queues and a lot of unhappy motorists at Mannum at Easter! Most of the ferries below Lock 1 also have a weight restriction.

Stephen.

[thewharfonline]

Don't worry, it will all be alright thanks to the 'HISTORICAL' move made by Kevin Rudd to get all the states to sign the handing over of power of the river to the Government.

River health will never be better.

On a slightly less sarcastic note (sorry gonna rant again: Historical!?!? The whole initiative was created well before Rudd and because he gets Victoria to sign up it's historical!) those shots are interesting to see those boats high and dry.

Must be a pain for the owners.

I missed the chance to get a photo of Killawarra when she was in Echuca, I'm sure it was her, one day she was there the next she wasn't.

On a slightly more personal water level note I'm surprised the lake out the back of my house isn't down lower, we are pumping water out but seem to get enough little rainfall to keep her looking ok.

Sean

[lner]

Further to the comment about the ferries at Mannum!

The whisper is that $600,000 needs to be spent on the ramps enabling the cars to embark and disembark on the upstream ferry. Of course the Council does not have that kind of money to pend on the ferry.................

[Roderick Smith]

The SA state budget was handed down on 5.6.
It was criticised for not allowing enough for water.
On water, the SA Budget promises an investment of $260m in Murray River over 4 years.  The Port Stanvac desalination plant for Adelaide will get $97m this year.
I don't know how the money will be spent.

I was speaking with a local boatie on 14.6.
He claims that the new goal is to replace the existing Goolwa barrage with a new one linking the point at Clayton to Hindmarsh Island.  This would make that stretch of water (Clayton - Goolwa - Murray mouth salt, but with more water more of the time.
The new weir would include a lock.
It seems that the plan for a 'temporary' weir at Wellington (where the river enters Lake Alexandrina) has been dropped.  It would not have included a lock.

Meanwhile, a historic state & federal agreement was signed in the past week.  I don't know any of the substance, or if any of the actions are worthwhile.  NSW has moved into the buying back of water rights.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor