New Canal Development at Bottom of Murray Darling: With Freshwater
Posted by Charlotte Ramotswe, February 27th, 2012 - under News.
Tags: Murray River
The South Australian government dammed the Murray River’s estuary making lakes Alexandrina and Albert totally dependent on the Murray River. That was in the 1930s.
More recently the South Australian government has been encouraging the subdivision of land around the shores of Lake Alexandrina. That’s irresponsible.
Now its approved the subdivision of land on the edge of Lake Albert. Apparently it’s to be a canal development with the canals full of freshwater.
I guess that’s just another vested interest to join all the others around Lake Alexandrina and Albert lobbying for more of the waters from the upper Murray and Darling.
Yep. On my drive home today on Greenhill Rd., I saw this huge sign advertising lifestyle lots for sale called “Meningie Waters”. Here’s a description from the local newspaper…
“Coorong District Mayor Roger Strother said plans for the development had been delayed for the past six years because of drought with some adjustments made to the design to cater for a similar situation.
“Originally the canal system was suppose to be connected to the lake but now it won’t be,” he said. Mayor Strother said developers had taken into consideration the environmental needs of the lakeside
township and had met all protocols.
“This is being developed on a low salty flat area so won’t affect any wildlife in the lake,” he said.
“They plan on using a lot of groundwater to fill the canals and will have to pump some water in.”
From Charlotte R.
How could this development get approved? How is this a sustainable use of water? And right within spitting distance of the Coorong, along the banks of Lake Albert, where the farmers are still complaining over the price of piped potable water due to the ongoing issue of Lake Albert being too salty to use for stock.
How long before the developer just makes a little canal to Lake Albert when nobody is looking?
Not being a local I don’t know the area but it seems to me it would be better to connect up with the salt water in the Coorong and get sea access [or is this not possible because of NP restrictions?] Having a go-nowhere, fresh water canal is the worst of all worlds.
I am a local, and I think it is odd how SA developers seem determined to build these false, un-connected waterway ‘canal estate’ developments. The biggest one in the state is ‘West Lakes’ built back in the 70′s, it uses piped seawater to supply the canals that homes have been built around. And while it is great for rowing competitions, a bit of fishing, or canoeing, you can’t get out to sea unless you shoot yourself through an underground pipe…
And yet, nobody is allowed to boat on the Happy Valley Reservoir or Myponga Reservoir! Both fresh water reservoirs are off limits even to sail craft and after years of lobbying by the freshwater fishers.
O/T a bit.
Now that the Federal and State Govts own 17 percent ( and still buying), of the water in the Lachlan, perhaps they would like to pop by and pick it up this week. Before it gets away over the banks and causes unnecessary distress to the local environment.
They can drop it off at Peter’s place or fill a nice canal with it perhaps.
Susan,
The inlet is at the southern end of West Lakes, the outlet at the northern end is the tidal Port River.
Probably didn’t want to build another bridge.