Since the early 1840's, the flood plain of the Murray-Edward-Wakool Rivers west of Deniliquin has seen an ever changing degree of settlement and development.
During the 1930's and 1950's major flooding caused widespread disruption and damage and led to a proliferation of levees along most of the river systems west of Deniliquin. These works, together with the construction of the Department's water distribution network and the continuing reconstruction of roads, have culminated in major changes to the natural distribution of floodwater through the areas, to such an extent that record levels were experienced throughout the area during the series of floods which occurred in the early 1970's. As a result, the Central Murray Flood Mitigation Committee requested this Department to formulate guidelines for the coordinated development of the flood plain of the Murray River and its effluents from Tocumwal to the Wakool River junction.
The study for these developmental guidelines is being undertaken in three sections. The first section of the investigation covered the area along the Tuppal and Builatale Creeks and the report was released in July, 1978.
The second section of the investigation (titled 'Guidelines for Edward and Wakool Rivers Flood Plain Development - Deniliquin to Moama-Moulamein Railway') was released in July 1981.
Due to the complexity of the flow distribution and the large number of earthworks impeding flood flows on the flood plain west of the Railway to the junction of the Murray and Wakool Rivers, the remainder of the investigation is being treated in three separate reports.
The first of these reports (titled 'Guidelines for Murray and Wakool Rivers Flood Plain Development - Moama-Moulamein Railway to Trunk Road 94') was released in February 1987.
This present report covers the flood plains of the Edward and Niemur Rivers plus the Yarrein, Murrain Yarrein, Jimaringle, Buccaneit and Cunninyeuk Creeks downstream of the Moama-Moulamein Railway.
A subsequent report will cover the the flood plains of the Murray and Wakool Rivers west of Trunk Road 94 to the Wakool River Junction.