How many locks/weirs/barrages exist on the River Murray?
Development of areas surrounding the River Murray has included the construction of various locks, weirs, and barrages along the river itself. The primary purpose of a weir is to create an artificial barrier that raises the water level, enabling the diversion of the river’s flow, typically for irrigation or public water supply. Locks were constructed at many of the wier locations to enable the River Murray to become a transportation corridor, allowing many inland areas of Australia to develop and prosper in the period after European settlement. The primary use of barrages in the Murray system is to reduce salinity levels and maintain a supply of fresh water in the lower reaches of the River Murray and associated lakes . The process of constructing barriers along a river for the purposes of navigation and diversion is referred to as “river regulation” There are 13 weirs and five barrages along the Murray. Eleven of the weirs are equipped with locks, which are used to enable watercraft to
