CANBERRA, ACT, March 21 -- Murray-Darling Basin Authority issued the following news release:

At any given time, water flowing through the river is destined for various uses, including irrigation, industry, communities, the environment, and meeting South Australia's flow entitlement.

The exact mix of these flow components is determined by a number of factors including demand and water availability.

Each month we provide an update showing flows in the River Murray system including the total volume of water flowing for consumptive use and to care for the environment. The update also outlines the intended environmental outcomes.

The February flow to South Australia included water for South Australia's entitlement, traded volumes and water for the environment. Water for the environment at the South Australian border throughout winter-spring comes primarily from return flows from upstream environmental water use.

For the latest information on water for the environment see the River Murray weekly report.

Water for the environment takes time to move through the system. Water from past watering events is still moving through the River Murray as return flows. Environmental water holders can also use water for the environment by extracting allocations directly from the river. These allocations are often used for small-scale watering events rather than having water delivered from a storage.

* Provide overbank flows in the Gulp Creek to support waterbird nesting and recruitment including Australasian Bitterns.

* Provide native fish passage through fish ladders. * Reduce stagnation in weir pools. * Provide habitat for platypus, fish and turtles.

* Maintain habitat and food resources for native fish and support breeding and larval survival.

* Increase small and large bodied fish populations. * Maintain the condition of streamside and instream vegetation. * Maintain water quality to support aquatic animals.

* Maintain and improve large-bodied native fish populations (such as Murray cod).

* Provide local ecological benefits for the Murrumbidgee River. * Provide return flows to South Australia to help improve water quality and increase Lower Lake levels.

* Maintain native fish populations, with particular focus on the dispersal of golden perch from Lake Cawndilla to the Murray.

* Provide healthy wetland refuge habitat for a range of native plants and animals.

* Draw-down water levels in the Lower Lakes to support aquatic vegetation growth and diversity. * Provide barrage fishway flows to support movement of native fish, particularly young of year congolli and common galaxias. * Salt export via the Murray Mouth. * Improve water quality in the northern Coorong to support native fish, plants, invertebrates and waterbirds.

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