River Murray Channel

River Murray near Murtho, South Australia
Photo: John Baker

The artery that connects the whole river system

The River Murray Channel is the ‘main artery’ of the river and extends over 2,000 kilometres from Hume Dam near Albury to Wellington in South Australia.

The channel forms the link between the forests, floodplains, wetlands and estuaries along the Murray and provides habitat for many native plants, fish and animals. Its banks support river red gum forests of high natural and cultural value.

The Living Murray icon site objectives

The objectives for the River Murray Channel are to:

• increase the frequency of higher-volume flows in spring, that are ecologically significant
• overcome barriers to migration of native fish species between the sea and Hume Dam
• maintain current levels of channel stability.

A new environmental water management plan is being developed, which will replace the 2006–07 environmental management plan.