Ebb and flow suggested for ailing Albert
Experts are discussing the best way to reduce the saltiness of Lake Albert, near the mouth of the River Murray.
Lake Albert is too saline, and the downstream irrigators who rely on the water for farm production say it is beginning to affect their supplies.
A year-long study was recently completed, and showed that the salinity in the lake can be mitigated by a system of raising and lowering the level of water.
"Lake-level cycling", as it is known, is a process of raising and lowering water levels in the lake, which exports saline water accumulated over years of drought and replaces it with fresh influx.
Other propositions include the construction of a new connector channel between the lake and nearby wetlands, but at a cost of $19 million and with long lead times, the cycling option is generally preferred.
The South Australian Government will now appeal to other Murray-Darling authorities in search of new water releases, timed in such a way that Lake Albert can freshen up.