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Forecasts for high water flows down the Murray River in South Australia have jumped again and could go as high as 180 gigalitres a day by December, with hundreds of homes and shacks to be flooded.
Premier Peter Malinauskas and Water Minister Susan Close visited the Riverland on Tuesday as work continued to shore up a series of levees protecting local towns.
Ms Close said flows were now expected to reach 150GL a day by early next month, up from the most recent forecast of 135GL, and could go as high as 180GL.
"The more rain that falls interstate the more that water level will go up," Ms Close said.
"One of the reasons that this has increased in the past few days is not only that it keeps raining interstate, but also the behaviour of the water. There is simply nowhere for that water to go."
With water levels continuing to rise, work is under way to repair and improve a series of levees that will be seriously tested for the first time since the mid-1970s.
Most were built to withstand flows of up to 210GL.
Some low-lying shacks, homes and other buildings have already been inundated, and more are expected to suffer the same fate.
As the river rises, hundreds of properties are likely to be impacted.
Local infrastructure has also been hit, with some roads, walking trails and camping grounds already underwater.
Almost all houseboat operators on the river have shut down, with the faster-flowing water proving too dangerous.
The latest forecast also indicated the high flows would continue for some months, with more than 100GL a day to persist into February.
Mr Malinauskas said despite the impact of the flooding, many of the Riverland's tourism operators were still open for business, and tourists were encouraged to continue to visit the region.
However, he said the government was working on an assistance package for those hardest hit, especially houseboat companies.
