River Murray flood update: Waikerie ferry and Bookpurnong Road

Tuesday, 22 November 2022

The Waikerie ferry will be closed this Wednesday, 23 November, between 9am and 5pm, to safely transfer the ferry to the high flow ramp to allow services to continue as water levels rise.

While this changeover occurs, alternative crossings are at Kingston bridge (upstream) and Cadell ferry (downstream).

The Department anticipates that Waikerie ferry services will only be disrupted between 9am to 5pm on Wednesday while the ferry cabling is changed to the higher ramp, with services to resume once the changeover is complete.

The Department will provide further advice if these timelines are to change.

Use of the higher ramp ferry will be initially restricted to light vehicles and the local school buses, with single lane operations only. Double lane operations and all vehicle types (excluding B-Double and heavy mass permitted vehicles) will resume once the water depth reaches 10 metres.

Once the Waikerie ferry is successfully transferred to the high flow ramp, it is expected to remain operational while Taylorville Road (Waikerie ferry access road) remains open. This road is at risk of closure once flows exceed 140 GL/day.

The Department continues to closely monitor the impacts of the high-water flows across all 11 ferry crossings.

Morgan and Lyrup ferries are estimated to close due to flood conditions in early-December.

Other ferries will also be affected as water levels rise, with Swan Reach, Mannum (upstream and downstream), Walker Flat and Purnong ferries all considered at risk of closure when flows reach between 120 to 130 GL/day.

As much advance notice as possible will be provided for any ferry closures and road detours.

Ferry locations and their current operational status can be found here: www.sa.gov.au/topics/boating-and-marine/river-murray-ferries/ferry-locations-and-operational-status

Bookpurnong Road

To protect the community and limit damage to the road surface, the speed limit on Bookpurnong Road has been reduced to 60km/h, between Berri and Kemp Road, as water moves closer to the road.

This section of Bookpurnong Road will be closed to all traffic once the rising water level encroaches on the road shoulder, which is now expected to occur between Wednesday and Friday this week.

The Department is endeavouring to keep the road open as long as safe to do, with teams undertaking daily assessments of Bookpurnong Road and other low-lying roads in the region.

Signage will be installed to advise road users of the detour route, which will be via Stanitzki Road to Sturt Highway, through Paringa and Renmark and onto Old Sturt Highway, Berri.

Maps showing roads expected to close at different water levels and subsequent detour roads are now available on the Department for Infrastructure and Transport’s website at www.dit.sa.gov.au.

These detour routes provide alternative road travel options for locals that need to travel across the region and allowing the transport of essential supplies, commodities and services to continue to reach communities.

Road closure and detour signage will be deployed to any affected roads to keep all road users safe as water levels rise.

Road users are reminded to plan their journey, always drive to the conditions and obey any speed restrictions and signage.

Conditions can change quickly and roads may have to be closed at short notice. Locals and river-goers are reminded not to swim, ride, walk or drive through high flow waterways.

More information

For the latest traffic information, including road closures, visit traffic.sa.gov.au.

The latest marine safety advice is available at www.marinesafety.sa.gov.au/river-murray-high-flows-2022-marine-safety-advice.

The Department will also be providing regular updates on its Facebook and Twitter pages as the situation develops - including details of any road closures (including ferry closures), detours and safety advice.

For more on River Murray high flows, please visit the State Government’s dedicated website at www.sa.gov.au/topics/emergencies-and-safety/river-murray-high-flows-2022