MDBA puts up five options for beating Barmah Choke restrictions

In February, Basin governments acknowledged the work of the Barmah-Millewa Feasibility Study and committed $2.35 million to the next stage of the investigation.

The Barmah-Millewa program will seek to address the steady decline in the flow of water downstream of the reach, due to the build-up of sand on the riverbed over the past 150 years.

The MDBA said capacity through the Barmah-Millewa reach has been reduced from 11,300 megalitres per day in the 1980s to 9,200ML today.

MDBA River Management executive director Andrew Reynolds said there were now five options on the table, with the current focus on smaller projects that could be implemented more readily and cost effectively.

"Of the five options now being considered, no decisions have been made about which would be implemented - all the options are technically feasible but further scrutiny will be an important next step," Mr Reynolds said.

"From July, each option will undergo further technical development and thorough assessment against cultural, environmental, social and economic criteria to determine if they are ultimately viable.

"This reach is significant to First Nations people, it supports Ramsar listed wetlands and has a thriving tourism industry that sustains local communities - it has high cultural, environmental, social and economic values."

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Mr Reynolds said the MDBA was looking at sediment management work, within the reach, increased use of Murray Irrigation Limited infrastructure, through the use of existing and upgraded outlets, and the use of use of the Victorian mid-Murray storages to mitigate risk of delivery shortfalls.

The MDBA was also looking at optimising the timing of transfers from Hume Dam to Tar-Ru (Lake Victoria) SA and using the Murrumbidgee Weirs.

Mr Reynolds said the MDBA would continue to engage with First Nations and local communities throughout the program.

"Given the longevity of this work, there is a focus on developing ways that we can all work together to look after our rivers and keep them healthy and sustainable for generations," Mr Reynolds said.

"In the coming months we'll also be undertaking further modelling and riverbed measurement to understand if the recent floods have further reduced the capacity in this section of the river."

The MDBA is preparing a project plan for the next phase of the Barmah-Millewa Program to provide to the Basin Officials Committee (BOC) in mid-2023.

The Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council and Basin Officials Committee would continue to provide oversight and direction on which options would be progressed to address the reducing river capacity, environmental damage and loss of cultural material in the Barmah-Millewa Reach.