A late response to the discussion re the Murray lakes. All the following is
basically correct, however a crucial point is being missed in the
discussion. The barrages at the mouth of the Murray prevent sea water
flowing upstream, this would have been a natural phenomenon in droughts
gone by, when the river was a "Chain of Ponds" environment. The additional
chemical inputs upstream have exacerbated a naturally acid sulphate soil
situation, allowing these acid sulphate soils to dry out allows them to
acidify, returning freshwater to these systems activates the acid,
effectively creating sulphuric acid. Opening the barrages allows water to
rehydrate the soils, preventing acid formation. It also prevents irrigation
form the lower lakes. Without allowing sea water into the system, assuming
worst case a "normal" season (normal inputs into dry storages = limited
downstream flow) the same farmers who are resisting sea water incursion in
the short term will face a long term irrigation future with battery acid
for irrigation water - short sighted short term politicised decision making
again threatens a natural asset.
Regards,
Lynton Auld,
Manager, Landcare Services,
Dubbo City Council
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08/08/2008 12:00 birding-aus Digest, Vol 29, Issue
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Today's Topics:
1. RE: Murray lakes (Tony Russell)
2. Re: Murray lakes (Peter Waanders)
3. RE: Melbourne (Vic) City Kookaburra (Liz Headland)
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 10:32:12 +0930
From: "Tony Russell" <>
Subject: Murray lakes
To: "'Gregory Little'" <>, "'Steve Potter'"
<>, <>
Message-ID: <>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I think Greg has it right, it's the farming activities upstream and a
lack of controls which has allowed them to cause the problem. But
clearly , those people are going to hang on to their livelihoods by
continuing to take water and add chemicals and devil take the others
downstream.
T.
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Gregory Little
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 10:14 AM
To: 'Steve Potter';
Subject: Murray lakes
Steve
Yes, I think most realise that over thousands of years, and longer of
course, many of our rivers would naturally experience periods of
prolonged dry and flooding flows etc. The wildlife dependent on the
rivers would be adapted to this condition. The trouble from my
understanding for the Murray system is that there is now less water
getting through to the ocean as a flush because it is being taken out
for irrigation or redirected for other purposes. In addition in the
water there are more chemicals from fertilizers and herbicides etc and
effluent from people and stock plus the regular flooding and drying
regimes required by the adjacent natural native vegetation does not now
occur and a lot of that native vegetation is now cleared or disturbed.
Greg Little
Greg Little - Principal Consultant
General Flora and Fauna
PO Box 526
Wallsend, NSW, 2287, Australia
Ph 02 49 556609
Fx 02 49 556671
www.gff.com.au
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Steve Potter
Sent: Friday, 8 August 2008 10:14 AM
To:
Subject: Murray lakes
Peter et al,
Questions in my mind.
I am under the impression from farmers over 60 years old who remember
this stuff, that prior to the building of weirs etc, the "river" Murray
was actually not a river all. It was in a time of abundance of rain, but
in times of some very dry seasons, just a series of pools. True??
As a surfer in this area I have many memories (last 25 years) of times
when the river mouth was closed and times when they opened the barrages
(usually around every 10 years) and cut a nice channel through the
mouth. I know as we all waited for it as it produced an excellent sand
headland for surfing!!
With this in mind, is the current lack of water in the lower lakes such
a big deal? If the above is true then this has been happening for
decades and is cyclic??
If we look at the last flood stats over the last 60 years, there seems
to have been some big ones even in the 1990's so who to say we wont have
another "clean up" flood in the next 5 years??
Thoughts?
Steve Potter
Blackwood, South Australia
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 11:30:26 +1000
From: "Peter Waanders" <>
Subject: Murray lakes
To: "Steve Potter" <>,
""@mx.vicnet.net.au
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:53:02 +1000
From: Liz Headland <>
Subject: RE: Melbourne (Vic) City Kookaburra
To:
Message-ID: <>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Hi Wendy,
I heard some Kookaburra's laughing in the Botanical Gardens (South
Yarra) Tuesday morning when I was riding along the Yarra to work. Such
a lovely sound! I've heard them a few times in the last few weeks, also
along the riverbank parklands.
Cheers,
Liz
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