Caring for the River Murray
between Mannum and Wellington,
South Australia.

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The dairy community in the Lower Murray has embraced the challenge to tackle water quality problems generated by poor wastewater management and irrigation drainage practices.  Lower Murray Irrigation (LMI) is demonstrating the benefits of proactive community effort and co-operative approach by the community and government to dealing with the issues facing the area.

Through the Land and Water Management Planning program the group has aimed to:

• Eliminate dairy shed effluent return to any water body
• Rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure to a current best practice system
• Reduce water diversion from the river by 50%
• Increase irrigation efficiency to 80%
• Reduce drainage water volume by 60%
• Reduce Total Nitrogen returned to the River by 80%

• Reduce Phosphorous returned to the River by 80%

• Reduce Bacteria returned to the River by 80%

• Ensure all new irrigation has no significant impact on the river

To achieve these aims LMI has:

• Developed and Implemented Guidelines for Management of Milking Shed Wastewater that now form the Environment Protection Policy on dairy waste water for the area

• Developed and begun implementation of a Land and Water Management Plan for the Lower Murray.

The Region the Lower Murray between Mannum and Wellington is characterised by rich alluvial flats, commonly known as the Lower Murray swamps.  Approximately 90 % of these wetland areas were reclaimed for irrigation early this century.  Today some 5300 hectares of swampland are irrigated for dairying as well as an additional 780 hectares of the adjoining highland.

The Lower Murray dairy industry contributes approximately $224M to the local economy. The River and its environs are an important resource not only for agriculture, but for recreation and tourism as well.

since July 2001

Further Information:
Richard Reedy
reedy@lm.net.au
Lower Murray Irrigation
PO Box 2056, MURRAY BRIDGE, SA 5253
Phone (08) 8532 6116   Fax (08) 8532 5300

Last Updated, Monday, 19 June 2006.

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