Tourists are set to flock to Katarapko Floodplain in the South Australian Riverland over the coming months as water levels begin to rise after 18 months of work.
The construction of three major water regulators within Katarapko will deliver more water to surrounding creeks in the floodplain.
A canoe tour guide, Kym Werner, has been traversing Katarapko's floodplain within the River Murray National Park for more than eight years and saw the area depleted of water.
"There are some places where there's actually dry creek beds that only have water when there's a high river," he said.
"Eckert Creek has been known as a good creek to paddle, but, because of the reduced flows, you simply couldn't get through.
"In Jarrett Creek … there was actually no flow at all, so the upper reaches did particularly badly."
Water levels to rise thanks to environmental infrastructure
The water regulators moderate and manage the amount of water that passes through the creek systems, allowing more flows to reach crucial habitat within the floodplain.
"There will be some low areas that will be inundated so that will be really wonderful and it will just improve the whole environment in general," Mr Werner said.
He expects the water regulators, and the subsequent increase in water flows will attract more tourists to the site.
"When most people think of paddling, they think of the Murray [River], which is really nice in good conditions but then it gets a bit busy with lots of powerboats," Mr Werner said.
"People always say they prefer the narrow windy creeks — they're the ones they really want to come back for."
Wildlife health to improve
Glenn Shimmin is the program coordination and development manager for the Department of Environment and Water and says about 1,000 hectares of the River Murray National Park will be inundated with water.
"The regulators have been built to help us engineer a high water event," he said.
"[The regulators] will improve the health of the vegetation of the birds and the animals … at a frequency that is closer to what Mother Nature would have dished up pre-European settlement."
Mr Shimmin said the department was "negotiating with the Commonwealth Environmental Water office" for delivery of water.
"[The delivery] could happen as early as this year," he said.
Like Mr Werner, local member for Chaffey, Minister Tim Whetstone, said he was hopeful an increase of water would attract more visitors to the site.
"It has been a difficult time for tourism businesses in Riverland who provide accommodation, food and recreational opportunities for tourists who visit our region, including the Murray River National Park," he said.
"I think Katarapko is a jewel in the crown of the River Murray corridor."
