Water

Barmah Choke ideas on way

By Geoff Adams

Oct 21, 2026

Recommendations on how to address the constraints caused by the Barmah Choke are due this year.

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Murray-Darling Basin Authority executive director Tim Goodes told the Australian Almond Conference on October 14 the recommendations should be available to governments this year.

He said the Barmah Narrows is one of the most obvious physical constraints in the Southern Connected Basin.

Since the 1980s the bed of the river has been filling with sand, most likely from gold mining days.

“This sand extends all the way to Echuca, and it’s accumulating faster than it can pass through the narrow section of the river.

“This is reducing depth, and consequently, our ability to deliver water.”

He said they were looking at options to address this sand build-up including physically removing sand, better organising water resources (for example transferring water to Lake Victoria at different times), greater use of Murray Irrigation Limited network, particularly in periods of high demand or different management responses like how they manage weir pools.