MURRAY MOUTH WEIR

140 Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (30 September 2008). Has the government investigated whether it is feasible to build a weir at the Murray Mouth to allow the lakes to fill automatically and once full allow excess water to flow to the ocean?

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD (Chaffey—Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water Security): I am advised that the construction of a weir at the Murray Mouth is neither feasible nor desirable. A weir at the river mouth would lead to the loss of the vital Coorong estuarine ecosystem, and engineering investigations suggest that it would not be practical to maintain a structure such as a weir in the dynamic environment at the Murray Mouth. The existing barrages effectively provide the same suggested benefits of a weir at the river mouth but are in a more stable environment and allow the Coorong to benefit from both marine and freshwater influences.