'Big Dry' claims River Murray lakes - Observer

[Eugene]

Source: The Observer

'Big Dry' claims River Murray lakes
After seven years of drought, flooding with seawater
may be river system's only hope

Barbara McMahon in Sydney
The Observer, Sunday August 10 2008

Australia's epic drought is tightening its grip as a deepening
ecological crisis unfolds in the south of the country. After seven
years of the Big Dry, water levels in lakes at the mouth of the
mighty Murray river have fallen by up to 50cm below sea level and
environmental damage is spreading on a massive scale, according
to conservationists.

At Bottle Bend Lagoon, drought and over-use of water by farmers
for irrigation has left swaths of riverbed exposed, producing a toxic
chemical reaction that is spreading. The banks are lined with
poisonous aluminium and manganese salts and the water is dun-
coloured, smells like rotten eggs and is as corrosive as battery acid.
Fish have died in their thousands and red gum trees and plants are
also dying.

The same environmental disaster is happening in nearby Lakes Albert
and Alexandrina, internationally recognised wetlands that are home
to a wide range of migratory birds. Australia's water minister, Penny
Wong, has said the lakes may be beyond salvation. But she dismissed
calls for more fresh water to be allowed to flow down the Murray -
the river is controlled by dams, weirs and locks - saying dwindling
supplies were needed for essential human demands.

Now, a controversial option of flooding the area with seawater is
being considered. Professor Tim Flannery, Australia's best-known
climate-change commentator, said that the action would be 'risky and
probably unpopular', but that it could help save the dying eco-system
by preventing the exposed lake bed from turning irreversibly acidic
and toxic. A weir would be constructed to prevent salt or acidic
water contaminating Adelaide's drinking water supply.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/10/climatechange.australia

[opihimoimoi]

1. Whhooops, nature is a bitch when she is angry....step on her toes and see wha happens

No choice but to go green asap....they know what to do...money and resources be damned...gatta do it or suffer worse.

[Submariner]

2. Another instance of exceeding carrying-capacity

Too many people putting pressure on natural resources. Similar to the Atlanta water supply problem.

Human populations are maxing out consumption and again the environment has to suffer.