Lower River Murray Levees

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:28): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding agricultural land water inundation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Seven failures occurred in agricultural levees along the Lower Murray on Friday 8 September. The water level was moderately higher due to the upstream dam releases and rain, as well as wind gusts registering just two knots over the minimum threshold for a strong wind warning. These levees are imperative to maintain working agricultural land and the functioning of regional townships. In the words of Pompoota local, Michelle Thiele:

All the re-seeding work that was done in good faith of those levees being maintained and repaired is now all completely gone. So, we're talking over $100,000 worth of work has gone completely out of the door again.

One farmer we are aware of has invested over a million dollars in his local levee. Many others have also invested plenty in their respective levees. Farmers have sowed crops which are now at risk of failing due to the lack of maintenance and repair on these existing levees. My questions to the minister are:

1. As the Minister for Primary Industries, has she been briefed on the failures of these levees?

2. Prior to the breach, had the minister or her department been informed about concerns from farmers and members of the public about rising floodwaters and the lack of levee management in the Lower Murray?

3. Does the minister have faith in the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water and her department and their ability to manage the levee system across South Australia?

4. Does she agree that a River Murray inquiry would help to identify issues such as levee management and repair to help avoid situations like this occurring into the future?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:30): I thank the honourable member for her question. Strong southerly winds of up to 72 km/h raised the water levels by almost 400 millimetres in under 24 hours last week and that resulted in the overtopping of six levees and one breached levee in the Lower Murray Reclaimed Irrigation Area since 7 September. The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) is committed to completing the dewatering process at all sites impacted by the December 2022 River Murray flood and also, of course, this latest incident.

PIRSA is continuing to work with the Department for Environment and Water and also with landholders and contractors to assess and stabilise the levees as soon as possible, and to maintain or reactivate pumping to minimise the period of additional inundation. There are two government-owned levees at Long Flat and Pompoota and four privately owned levees at Kilsby, Westbrook Toora and Glen Lossie. Those six were the levees that overtopped and there was a privately owned levee at Placid which was breached, according to my advice.

Work to stop overtopping was, I am advised, completed by DEW at six of the seven sites by the morning of 9 September 2023, and the work by DEW to stabilise levees reduced the level of additional flooding in these areas, according to my advice. PIRSA deployed additional pumps to two sites over the weekend to remove water as fast as possible. Further dewatering requirements are being assessed this week and additional pumps will be deployed as necessary.

I am advised that the seventh levee, Placid, breached after overtopping, resulting in significant damage and flooding. This area had recently completed the dewatering process. Repairs to this site, I am advised, are not possible at this stage but DEW and PIRSA will continue to work with landholders to assess damage and the required works. Dewatering will commence as soon as the area is disconnected from the river.

I am further advised that pumping infrastructure had been removed at two existing dewatering sites as a temporary precaution against potential flooding damage and is currently being replaced to enable dewatering to continue. At the time of the incident, dewatering had occurred at 17 of the 20 impacted areas that had been inundated from the December 2022 flood event and dewatering was still underway in three of those areas. Members will remember that I have mentioned previously in this place that there were a number of safety issues that prevented dewatering occurring immediately and that there was the need to wait until appropriate conditions enabled it to occur.

PIRSA will continue to work closely with all landholders in the LMRIA, especially those affected by this most recent incident. I might just say that I am sure that all in this place would share the concern and send our best wishes to those who are impacted by this. It is something that after the floods—which, of course, in themselves were devastating both emotionally and in a physical sense for the environment and landholders but also then to have additional watering that has occurred through this event must be even more difficult. So I am sure all of us in here would send our best wishes to those who have been affected.

PIRSA will continue to work to provide support for those affected. Support for producers impacted by the floods remains available, which includes grants and financial assistance as well as technical assistance and mental health and wellbeing support. I am sure members are aware that information on the ongoing support is available at the PIRSA website under flood support.