Water Quality

 

The prosperity of the region is closely linked to the availability of good quality water for beneficial uses; including irrigation, industrial, domestic, recreation and tourism. The major water quality problems identified in the Berri Barmera Local Action Planning area are salinity, high nutrient levels, bacteria and turbidity.

 

Water quality within the region is affected by a number of factors.
These include:

• Quality and quantity of water received from across the South Australian Border
• Natural and irrigation-induced groundwater flows to the river within South Australia
• Increased diversions of water to irrigation, urban, industrial, stock and domestic uses resulting in reduced flows to dilute pollutants
• Land use, waste disposal and land management practices in South Australia

The Berri Barmera Local Action Planning Committee has three primary strategies to address the issue of water quality within the region. These are:

1. Preventing irrigation drainage entering the River Murray
2. Preventing effluent entering the River Murray
3. Divert stormwater from the River Murray

 

Work Conducted and Underway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Berri Barmera Local Action Planning Committee has over the past four years received Natural Heritage Trust funding to undertake projects which address water quality in the region.

 

Works which have either been completed or are currently being undertaken include:

• Measured and quantified stormwater entering the River from Berri, and Lake Bonney.
• Monitoring of water quality at Lake Bonney.
• Supporting Berri Barmera Council to decommission the effluent lagoons at Bamera
• Through Land and Water Management Planning, irrigation practices are being improved to reduce the amount of irrigation drainage entering the River Murray
• Yellow Fish Road drain stencilling project.
• Lake Bonney Water Quality Study. In 1999, the Berri Barmera LAP Committee commissioned PPK to undertake a Water Quality Study of Lake Bonney.

 

The BBLAP Committee is represented on the Lake Bonney Management Committee, which is seeking to develop a long term management plan for Lake Bonney, including ensuring the water quality of the lake is not detrimental to public health.