Bookmark Creek and Lock 3 Master Plans

Consultation has concluded. Below is a record of the engagement.


Help us develop master plans for the Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex

What's being decided?

Working with key stakeholders within the Riverland community (including Councils, irrigators, landholders, interest groups and the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee), a broad list of ideas to support environmental outcomes along the River Murray has been developed to form the foundations of draft master plans for the Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex.

The project’s master plans provide a dynamic, long-term conceptual layout to guide future investment in support of agreed outcomes for River management throughout the target areas.

Before the master plans are finalised, we have summarised what we’ve heard and learnt and are now seeking community feedback as part of the final phase of engagement to:

  • refine the proposed ideas
  • identify and collect any issues and drivers associated with them
  • measure the overall level of community support for them.

Background

The River Murray is central to communities along the river and has been for many thousands of years. A healthy river is vital not only for environmental reasons, but also for the communities and industries that rely on its water.

Currently, there are multiple threats causing ecological decline, in particular within Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex.

The Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex Master Plan Project is an initiative gathering input on current wetland and creek operations and identifying future investment opportunities to improve floodplain condition and connectivity through improved hydrological (water) management focussed on a 20-year time-frame.

Working extensively with key stakeholders, the Project has identified and explored the feasibility of proposed ideas to improve environmental outcomes through changes to the management of water, throughout the Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex, demonstrating the value for further investment and exploring the risks of the ‘do nothing’ scenario.

The Project has gathered and refined ideas and initiatives and uses ‘draft site option profiles’ to capture all suitable options, which would benefit the River Murray and associated wetlands and floodplains for potential investment through future programs.

This project will help inform the Sustaining Riverland Environments Program; a $37.6 million program funded by the Australian Government through the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and delivered by the Government of South Australia through the Department for Environment and Water.

Get involved

To find out more read the:

Project Area Summaries:

Draft Site Option Profiles:

  • read the Lock 3 Reach Draft Site Option Profiles (refer to the Documents section)
  • read the Bookmark Creek Draft Site Option Profiles (refer to the Documents section)

To have your say:

Please note: Your submissions and survey responses may be made publicly available unless you indicate on the submission or survey that you wish for these to remain confidential. Any responses that are made on a confidential basis may still be subject to access under Freedom of Information laws.

What are the next steps?

Your feedback will be compiled with other key stakeholder feedback, analysed and used to finalise the project ideas in their respected Master Plan (i.e. Lock 3 or Bookmark Creek), where they will then await the opportunity for future investigations, funding and delivery.

The finalised master plans will be a key milestone in the Sustaining Riverland Environments (SRE) Program initiative, which will deliver practical projects to improve river and wetland health, and support native fish in the River Murray. Projects that are included in the master plans will have the opportunity to receive funding under the SRE program. In particular those that align strongly with SRE objectives.

The finalised Master Plans will be made available later in the year on this page.

Help us develop master plans for the Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex

What's being decided?

Working with key stakeholders within the Riverland community (including Councils, irrigators, landholders, interest groups and the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee), a broad list of ideas to support environmental outcomes along the River Murray has been developed to form the foundations of draft master plans for the Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex.

The project’s master plans provide a dynamic, long-term conceptual layout to guide future investment in support of agreed outcomes for River management throughout the target areas.

Before the master plans are finalised, we have summarised what we’ve heard and learnt and are now seeking community feedback as part of the final phase of engagement to:

  • refine the proposed ideas
  • identify and collect any issues and drivers associated with them
  • measure the overall level of community support for them.

Background

The River Murray is central to communities along the river and has been for many thousands of years. A healthy river is vital not only for environmental reasons, but also for the communities and industries that rely on its water.

Currently, there are multiple threats causing ecological decline, in particular within Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex.

The Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex Master Plan Project is an initiative gathering input on current wetland and creek operations and identifying future investment opportunities to improve floodplain condition and connectivity through improved hydrological (water) management focussed on a 20-year time-frame.

Working extensively with key stakeholders, the Project has identified and explored the feasibility of proposed ideas to improve environmental outcomes through changes to the management of water, throughout the Lock 3 Reach and Bookmark Creek Complex, demonstrating the value for further investment and exploring the risks of the ‘do nothing’ scenario.

The Project has gathered and refined ideas and initiatives and uses ‘draft site option profiles’ to capture all suitable options, which would benefit the River Murray and associated wetlands and floodplains for potential investment through future programs.

This project will help inform the Sustaining Riverland Environments Program; a $37.6 million program funded by the Australian Government through the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and delivered by the Government of South Australia through the Department for Environment and Water.

Get involved

To find out more read the:

Project Area Summaries:

Draft Site Option Profiles:

  • read the Lock 3 Reach Draft Site Option Profiles (refer to the Documents section)
  • read the Bookmark Creek Draft Site Option Profiles (refer to the Documents section)

To have your say:

Please note: Your submissions and survey responses may be made publicly available unless you indicate on the submission or survey that you wish for these to remain confidential. Any responses that are made on a confidential basis may still be subject to access under Freedom of Information laws.

What are the next steps?

Your feedback will be compiled with other key stakeholder feedback, analysed and used to finalise the project ideas in their respected Master Plan (i.e. Lock 3 or Bookmark Creek), where they will then await the opportunity for future investigations, funding and delivery.

The finalised master plans will be a key milestone in the Sustaining Riverland Environments (SRE) Program initiative, which will deliver practical projects to improve river and wetland health, and support native fish in the River Murray. Projects that are included in the master plans will have the opportunity to receive funding under the SRE program. In particular those that align strongly with SRE objectives.

The finalised Master Plans will be made available later in the year on this page.

Consultation has concluded. Below is a record of the engagement.