The Barmah Choke Study - Preferred Option Development

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is undertaking the remaining phases of the Barmah Choke Study (‘the Study’) (commenced 2008) to bring the Study to completion.

The River Murray System is operated by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (‘MDBA’) in accordance with the Water Act 2007 (Cth) and Murray-Darling Basin Agreement (Schedule 1 to the Water Act 2007 (Cth)). An important feature of the River Murray System is the Barmah Choke (‘the Choke’), which is a relatively narrow section of the River Murray between Tocumwal and Barmah located in the internationally significant Barmah-Millewa Forest. The Choke has a limited capacity to pass flows. This contributes to a number of policy and operational issues associated with the flow regulation of the River Murray System. The issues relate in particular to potential water delivery shortfalls, restrictions on water trade, unseasonal flooding and higher system operational losses.

The Purpose of the Barmah Choke Study (‘the Study’) is to:“understand current and potential future water supply and environmental risks associated with the Barmah Choke and consider options for reducing the impact of the Barmah Choke on the operation of the River Murray System”. The Study is being undertaken in four phases. The first two phases (“Discovery Phase” and “Investigations Phase”) have been completed. The “Individual Options Phase”, which is the third phase and the subject of this RFT, will build upon the outputs of the first two phases. It will describe, model and assess individually the 15 options shortlisted in the Investigations Phase and up to five other options as required and agreed. This is expected to lead to a refined shortlist of options and recommendations on packages of options for integrated modelling and assessment in the fourth phase, the “Options Integration Phase”.

At this stage, the MDBA is seeking consultancy services from suitably qualified providers to undertake the Individual Options Phase. The MDBA’s hydrological model for the River Murray System, MSM-Bigmod, is integral to completion of this Study. It is the only model capable of modelling the Barmah Choke issues and options in the Murray system context. It is a minimum/mandatory requirement that the Consultant is competent with running and modifying this model. Using the outputs and recommendations from the Individual Options Phase the MDBA will determine, at its absolute discretion, whether and how to proceed to the Options Integration Phase and what, if any, consultancy services it will require for that phase. The Study will ultimately identify preferred option/s to address the policy and operational issues in the context of the Study Objectives.