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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-10-20 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

High Murray River Flows

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:01): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Due to significant rainfall in the Eastern States and increased water flows in the Murray River, the Department for Environment and Water anticipates water flows to peak at 120 gigalitres in early December 2022. However, projections are changing regularly, based on new information and additional rain events. Currently, there are no plans to close ferry crossings. However, the Waikerie ferry crossing and the Morgan ferry crossing may be required to close if flood conditions and rising river levels worsen.

The current water flow into South Australia is about 80 gigalitres per day. In normal conditions, the flow ranges between 40 and 60 gigalitres per day. The Waikerie crossing is unable to operate if the river depth exceeds 9.2 metres Australian Height Datum, which is expected to occur if water flows increase to 90 gigalitres per day. The Morgan ferry is expected to be inoperable if river flows increase to 110 gigalitres per day.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport is closely monitoring the impacts of the high water flows across all 11 ferry crossings in case other crossings may also need to be closed. Although Waikerie has a stand-by high river flow ramp, this cannot be activated below river depths of 10.5 metres, which is expected to occur if water flows increase to 110 gigalitres per day. Consequently, no services can be provided between 9.2 metres and 10.5 metres. My department has cleared vegetation at the high-flow ramp to allow for the high river flow ramp's activation, if required.

The Waikerie ferry is the only ferry crossing that has high water flow stand-by ramps. The Waikerie crossing is the only crossing with heavy vehicle permits for 26-metre B-double combinations. Five heavy vehicle permits have been issued and are conditional on the operators utilising an alternative route if the crossing is closed due to high river flows. I am advised my department has been in discussions with the potentially affected freight operators and the District Council of Loxton Waikerie.

The nearest crossing that commuters and freight companies can utilise if the Waikerie crossing closes is the Cadell ferry crossing, which is approximately 38 kilometres from Waikerie. In the instance of B-double vehicles, the nearest crossing is the Sturt Highway, the Kingston-on-Murray Bridge, approximately 51 kilometres from Waikerie.

I also inform the house that repair works are currently in progress on the causeway on Sturt Highway between Renmark and Paringa, with detours in place. The crossing of the Murray River at the Paringa Bridge is currently only available for light vehicles, with heavy vehicles being detoured via Kingston-on-Murray and Loxton. The works are scheduled to be completed by 31 October 2022 (weather permitting) with the Paringa Bridge then expected to be fully operational, noting the condition of the causeway is unknown until works have further progressed and may impact on the scheduled completion date of the works.

The high river flows are not expected to delay the completion of these repair works or have any impact on the detour routes, given the water flow is not expected to peak until early December 2022. Ferry locations and their operational status can be found at the sa.gov website. I will return to the house if there are any further updates and inform the local member if there are any further updates.

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