Today was a big day, and it is also a fine day. We departed from Waikerie at 8:30 am, and drove to the Murray River mouth. On the way, we past by the first lock in the Murray River, a small town named Munnum, and drove around Lake Alexandrina, and then arrived the mouth of Murray River.
The first lock
This lock and weir is the first weir and lock in the Murry River from the river mouth, which is not far from Waikerie. The function of the weirs and locks is to supply water for the farmland in the lower Murray River and to give convenience for shipping downsteam or upstream. Along the river, we found different kinds of landuse, such as daily, beef, orchards, vineyards and wheat. Most of the irrigation water comes from upsteam of this weir.
The first lock
This lock and weir is the first weir and lock in the Murry River from the river mouth, which is not far from Waikerie. The function of the weirs and locks is to supply water for the farmland in the lower Murray River and to give convenience for shipping downsteam or upstream. Along the river, we found different kinds of landuse, such as daily, beef, orchards, vineyards and wheat. Most of the irrigation water comes from upsteam of this weir.
Lock 1Munnum-River town
We arrived in Munnum at about 11:00 am. Munnum is a typical rivertown, which is near the Murray River. This town is very quiet and beautiful, and groups of wild ducks wander on the river bank. There are good friendships here between humans and nature. Munnum has a long history. The first paddle streamer on the Murray, the “Mary Ann”, was built in Mannum by Captain William Randell and his first epic voyage up the mighty Murray River was in 1853 and was the start of the River trade. In this town, there is a museum.
Lake Alexandrina
Lake Alexandrina is at the end of the Murray River, and is also the end of the first leg of our study tour. Lake Alexandrina is fresh water lake, which under natural conditions would have several passages to the sea. Instead, there are four barrages that prevent the river from flowing to the sea. The lack of flow entering Lake Alexandrina from the Murray River, combined with the effects of the barrages that stop marine water exchange have resulted in very low water levels in the lake, and as a consequence there has been significant environmental impacts caused acid from the “drying out” of acid sulfate sediments.
Our impressions of the Murray River in this study tour
Through this six day study tour along the Murray River, we have heard from many different people associated with the river and have seen first hand the river and its land and community it supports. So our impressions of the river are these:
Firstly, the flow regime of the Murray River have taken great changes in the past; secondly, the governments and communities have taken many measures to protect and rehabilitate the Murray River ecosystem, water quality is in good condition, and many native fish are well protected, vegetation along the river wonderful. All these give us many good experience, when we go back China, it is useful for us to protect our river in china. However, there are also some issues in the Murray River. Because there so many weirs in the Murray River, the water in the river flows so slowly, and the river looks like a stable long lake. Also, because there are barrages between the lake and the sea, many migratory fish can not move upstream or downstream, which makes some migratory fish extinct. Another issue is salination through the Murray River, which result from high groundwater levels. Though there are many measures to stop salination, this problem is still serious.
By Jiang Xiaohui & Peng Shaoming
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