The Drop is a water regulator in the Murray Irrigation network, 3,000 kilometres of gravity fed water to more than 2,400 landholdings. The irrigation region is across 748,000 hectares from Mulwala to Swan Hill.
The Mulwala Canal, where The Drop is located, is the main supply channel, beginning at Lake Mulwala on the Murray River. It can feed 10,000 mega litres of water a day. The Drop is the first major junction along the Malwala Canal.
One of the largest structures of the Murray Irrigation system, The Drop holds water for diversion into the Berrigan Main Canel, supplying 3,000 mega litres of water to the northern part of the region. The remaining water continues west, through three radial gates, falling 4 metres over the spillway. The radial gates are 3.6 metres wide, 3.1 metres high, and the original gates weigh 1.5 tonnes each.
One of the old gates is on display with information about The Drop and Mulwala Canal on the face of it. It is located on the northern side next to the junction of the Berrigan Channel. The main facilities are closed from public access but you can view the canal and The Drop easily enough from outside, with fencing close to everything.
The falling water passes through a hydro power plant, generating up to 2.5 megawatts of electricity, able to supply around 1,500 households.