Murray Irrigation

Project: Restoring Murray WAterways

Rehabilitating and connecting thousands of

kilometres of riparian systems and wetlands

throughout the Murray floodplain landscape,

targeting at-risk ecosystems.

Project outcome

Previously known as Murray Reconnected Floodplains, the project's outcomes include the upgrade of existing infrastructure both within the Murray Irrigation channel network (escapes, channel upgrades), and private land (creek crossings and fences) within the region’s rivers, creeks and wetlands to build on enhance e-water events by delivering water into natural assets via Murray Irrigation’s channel network. The overarching objective of this project is to deliver better environmental outcomes using water already recovered through water reform.


Project deliverables

• Develop business case to deliver additional water for environmental outcomes

• Enhance riparian systems

• Rejuvenate on-farm wetlands in the Murray Irrigation footprint


Achievable timeline

• Project kick-off 2022

• Works complete by 2026


Project stages

  • STAGE 1: Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH)
  • STAGE 2: Murray-Darling Healthy Rivers Program
  • STAGE 3: Restoring local creeks and wetlands along with full scale business case development
  • STAGE 4: Full scale implementation

wetlands rehabilitated

riparian ecosystems

connected to the Murray River

floodplain ecosystems rejuvenated

Potential project benefits


The development of a business case during stage 3 of the Restoring Murray Waterways project will explore the viability of the below potential benefits on full implementation.


  • Total of 74,000ha of floodplain ecosystems re-connected and rejuvenated
  • 2,000km of riparian systems connected to the Murray River (20,000ha riparian beds). 2,000 on-farm private wetlands rejuvenated (54,000ha wetland area).
  • Our modernised supply network will enable precise control and measurement of water, enabling targeted environmental outcomes and demonstrating full accountability of public water
  • Target and rehabilitate at-risk ecosystems
  • Key water delivery infrastructure is already in place
  • Potential water recovery offset benefits
  • Strong community support

The Murray Irrigation water delivery system is geographically placed to deliver targeted environmental water to thousands of hectares of rivers, creeks and wetlands that connect to the Murray River.

Murray Irrigation water delivery system

Delivering Environmental Benefits


The Murray Irrigation supply network can deliver targeted environmental water efficiently because it sits higher in the landscape than the surrounding riparian and wetland systems.


This assists to create an environment resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Murray Irrigation - Delivering Environmental Benefits

Intelligent use of water


Simulating environmental flows in natural systems maximises both environmental benefits and the intelligent use of water.


A combination of environmental water can be used for the 'loss' component, while consumptive water can be used for the 'flow' component that connects back to the Murray River for downstream use.


Intelligent accounting of different water types enables the delivery of maximum environmental outcomes.

Murray Irrigation - Intelligent Use of Water
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