The Marne Saunders catchment area is a special part of South Australia.

The Marne River and Saunders Creek share a vital role in bringing water from the higher rainfall hills to the lower rainfall Murray plains, through the river channels and via groundwater recharge.

The catchment area includes a mix of farmland, vineyards and beautiful natural landscapes.

The community within this catchment area is concerned about the declining health of the water resource and has asked the landscape board to investigate why this is happening and possible strategies for addressing the issue. Part of this process has been working with the local people to hear their views and collect their knowledge about the past and present health of the catchment.

General landscape of the Marne Saunders Catchment area

  • About the catchment area

    The catchment holds great social, economic, environmental, and cultural value. It supports irrigation, livestock, domestic uses, and habitats for native animals and plants. During dry months, when streams don’t flow, natural pools become essential refuges. They sustain waterbugs, which are food for fish, frogs, and turtles, and provide drinking water for birds, bats, and other mammals.

  • Environmental report card

    This report card tracks changes in the Marne Saunders catchment, combining water and ecosystem data from government agencies and citizen science (a first in South Australia). It shows how the catchment is performing against health indicators. Developed in response to community requests for timely, readable information, it aims to ensure future water policy is inclusive and collaborative, helping everyone work towards sustainable catchment management.

    Report card coming soon

  • Get involved with citizen science!

    Citizen science empowers communities to contribute to environmental research and conservation. By doing activities like counting birds, checking water quality, recording fauna sightings, or tracking ecosystem changes, participants gather valuable data for scientists. It’s a hands-on way to learn about the environment and make a difference. Anyone can participate—no experience needed. Getting involved helps keep local environments healthy and strong, bringing people closer to nature.

    Find out how to get involved  

  • Water allocation and management

    Managing water is essential to keep our environment healthy and support local communities. That’s why we have the Marne Saunders water allocation plan. This plan is the tool for sharing this water resource while making sure that we use water wisely and fairly, balancing the needs of people, farms, and nature.

    For more information about the Marne Saunders WAP