Pumping begins to prevent SA lake turning acidic

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A desperate attempt has started to help the lower Murray lakes in South Australia, with the pumping of huge amounts of water into Lake Albert to prevent the soil from turning into sulphuric acid.

State Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald says the lower lakes are suffering so much from record low flows into the River Murray that Lake Albert is on the verge of ecological collapse.

"There's just no enough water getting down to the end of the system to maintain a healthy system," she said.

"That's why we've instigated the pumping project to keep a sufficient body of water to prevent the acid sulphate soils turning the water acid.

"The short term measure will buy us some time but some decisions need to be made regarding getting water into or down to this system and they need to be made soon."

The water pumping plan, agreed to at the Murray-Darling Ministerial Council in March, will see 400 megalitres pumped from Lake Alexandrina to Lake Albert every day for almost six months to help reduce a build up of acidity.

But Ms Maywald admits it will only refresh the lake temporarily, and good rain is what is needed to help in the long term.