Murray River sand slug problem 'hamstrung' by competing demands

Australia's largest river red gum forest along the Murray River is currently experiencing a boom, with winter floods bringing thousands of waterbirds to the Barmah forest. This natural flood plain, thriving at the right time of year, presents a picturesque scene. However, this environmental bounty is threatened by an unintended consequence of the floods: a massive accumulation of sand.

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And the less water we can move through here, the more challenges there are for meeting the downstream demands of customers that need water for communities, for industry and the like.

This "sand slug," discovered in 2019 at the Barmah narrows, has created a bottleneck that severely restricts irrigation flows. The sheer volume of sand is staggering, estimated to be enough to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground 13 times. Natalie Dando, director of environmental assets at the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), likens the narrows to an hourglass, with sand entering faster than it can exit. This situation not only impacts the environment but also creates challenges for meeting downstream water demands for communities and industries.

The MDBA is tasked with advising federal and state governments on solutions, considering regulatory processes, costs, and the management of potential works in a frequently flooded area. Dando indicated that the preferred solution will be the one with the least impact and the broadest stakeholder support, acknowledging the highly constrained environment. Questions remain about where removed sand could be placed and whether it could be commercially useful.

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People who don't have the funding would like to do the work, people who have the funding can't do the work because other people who have access or say in that land … don't necessarily agree.

However, the process of finding a solution is proving difficult. Casey Atkinson, treaty manager for the Bangerang Aboriginal Corporation, described the effort as "hamstrung" by the contentious nature of water management. He highlighted that differing levels of funding and conflicting interests among stakeholders, including those with access and authority over the land, are hindering progress. Atkinson noted that sand shifting has been observed for decades around Cummeragunja Mission, underscoring the long-standing nature of the issue and its impact on the entire community.

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So there's a lot of different vested interests that converge.