Campers, river lovers and locals planning to enjoy the Murray River this Easter holiday season are reminded to keep an eye on river heights and flows, as conditions will vary depending on where you are and what the weather is like next week.
MDBA acting Executive Director of River Management, Dr Andrew Kremor, said flows in the Murray River would be dependent on the weather and rainfall.
"If we get more wet weather, this will reduce the need for irrigators to order water from the dam and as a result, flows in the river would recede as less water is released into the river," Dr Kremor said.
"According to the Bureau of Meteorology's 8-day forecast, 10 to 25 mm is expected over most of the upper Murray catchments in the coming week.
"Depending on where the rain falls, wet conditions could also generate unregulated flows from the Kiewa, Ovens and Goulburn rivers, which would end up boosting river heights in the mid-Murray."
Dr Kremor said the continuing La Nina conditions meant a high degree of uncertainty about flow rates would persist.
"If you are looking for somewhere on the river with a predictable river height, areas immediately upstream of the main weirs are the most reliable, at places such as Yarrawonga, Torrumbarry, Robinvale, Mildura, Wentworth, Renmark and Loxton.
"In the Murray River below the junction with the Murrumbidgee, river heights will reduce over the Easter period as unregulated flows from the Murrumbidgee River recede. However, flows in this reach through to the South Australian border will still be higher than usual for this time of year."
With a range of scenarios possible, everyone is reminded to remain alert to changing flow rates and river conditions, and irrigators are advised to adjust their pumps as necessary as the river height varies.
The MDBA urges everyone to always consider safety when using our rivers and to check the following websites:
- Murray River levels and forecasts in the MDBA's River Murray data site
- For flood warnings and forecasts, visit the Bureau of Meteorology
- Southern Basin conditions and flows in the River Murray Weekly Report
