River levels steady

DESPITE last week’s record-breaking heatwave, the Murray River is at similar levels to the same period last year.

According to data from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), the level of the Murray River at Swan Hill on January 16 was 1.065m, while the same day in 2013 saw the river reach 1.05m with an almost identical rate of water flow.

The state of the Murray River level is almost entirely controlled by the MDBA.

MDBA media assistant director Louise Ray said the level was dependent on demand from a variety of sources.

For more of this story see Friday’s Guardian (January 24).