River Murray listed as endangered

A move to declare the lower River Murray as critically endangered has been welcomed by the Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance.

The announcement this week followed an assessment first completed in 2013 that found the River downstream of the Darling River Junction functioned as one single connected ecosystem.

The Alliance say the listing now restores a pathway further environmental oversight ahead of the ten-year review of the the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

While the move has been welcomed by many environmental groups, the National Farmers Federation weren’t so receptive, who stated the listing adds another layer of complexity to an already heavily regulated system, without clear environmental benefit.