The CLAM Bulletin Newsletter of the COORONG, LAKES & MURRAY WATERKEEPER Volume 1 Issue 1 2008
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Membership of Waterkeepers Australia Ltd

At its 2007 Annual General Meeting, River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group Inc (RLCAG)decided to apply for membership of WATERKEEPERS AUSTRALIA.

Members must meet thirteen Quality Criteria and specify a `territory’ for which they will be responsible. RLCAG Committee subsequently defined its territory as the River Murray from below Lock 1 (near Blanchetown), the Coorong, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert Ramsar Wetlands.

Each member organisation must also have a designated Waterkeeper. Paul Davis was appointed at the AGM to prepare the application and, pending its success, to take on the role of Coorong, Lakes and Murray WATERKEEPER.

September 2007, Waterkeepers Australia Ltd admitted the River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group Inc (RLCAG) as the twentieth member and host of the Coorong, Lakes and Murray Waterkeeper Program. We are the only South Australian member organisation.

What does a Waterkeeper do?

The primary objective of the WATERKEEPER is the protection and restoration of our freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. Strategies that may be used include the following:

•   Traversing the waterway in a readily identifiable vessel

•   Monitoring water quality and threats

•   Speaking up on behalf of the waterway and those impacted

•   Educating and motivating the public and governments to act on behalf of the waterway

•   Identifying and responding to community issues regarding the waterway

•   Participating/collaborating with key organizations/experts and contributing to policy decisionsaffecting the River Murray and wetlands

•   Participating in processes to determine solutions to water quality issues

•   Pursuing compliance with environmental laws. 

The Weir Environmental Impact Statement(EIS)

The successful tenderer for the EIS is Maunsell Australia.

A number of RLCAG members are on the Wellington Weir Local Knowledge Reference Group. This group is to be consulted during the preparation of the EIS. So far the consultants have not made contact with us.

This is an important but limited opportunity for input. There are powerful forces lobbying for the weir that are also being consulted. For example, SA Water has maintained a position strongly in favour of the weir. This was reported in The Advertiser on the 23 April 2007 following access to SA Government documents under a Freedom of Information request.

Finniss “Regulator”(synonym for weir)

The SA Department of Environment and Heritage, Water Security Project Officer has raised concerns that if the Finniss River drains completely into Lake Alexandrina its unique wetland ecosystem will be destroyed.

This wetland is part of the EPBC listed critically endangered Swamps of the Fleurieu and also constitutes part of the Coorong, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert Ramsar Wetland.

An investigation is being undertaken into the need, feasibility and impact of a “regulator” across the Finniss. Several members of RLCAG were able to attend a meeting on Tuesday 18^th December where the issues were discussed.

Among a number of significant issues raised was concern that a Finniss weir would further isolate Lake Alexandrina signaling a low priority for its protection. Another was the likely impacts of interrupting the Lake and Finniss River exchanges.

Darling River Water Allocations

Friday 4^th January 2008 the AM program on ABC radio announced that because of inflows into the Darling, water allocations along that river have been restored to 100% of entitlements.

Ironically RLCAG was formed on the 4^th January 2007, one of its central aims being the restoration of adequate environmental flows in the Murray Darling River system. A year later we still struggle to have the critical needs of the Lakes and Coorong recognized.

Despite agreements made under the Living Murray Initiative in 2004, we do not even have 10% of the promised 500 gigalitres (by mid 2009) of environmental flow into the Murray Darling system.

The Milang Expo

The 24 November 2007 Life on the Lakes Sustainability Expo, WATERKEEPER display proved to be most successful in drawing attention to the plight of the Coorong and Lakes.

There was a continual throughput of people with many showing a keen interest and staying to discuss the issues presented.

Approximately 40 visitors signed letters addressed to the Premier, Hon Mike Rann petitioning the South Australian Government not to go ahead with the proposed temporary weir.

A significant number of visitors indicated that they had been positively impacted by the material presented and had changed their opinions regarding the weir. The effort involved in presenting the display was vindicated.

2007 Waterkeepers Conference

The Coorong, Lakes and Murray WATERKEEPER attended the Third Annual Waterkeepers Conference hosted on this occasion by the Upper Snowy RIVER KEEPER on the banks of the Snowy River at Dalgety NSW.

Paul Davis with Steve Feischli (right) at 2007 Conference.

There are three Waterkeepers covering various portions of the Snowy River so the plight of this iconic river was given considerable attention during the Conference.

Steve Fleischli, President of WATERKEEPERS ALLIANCE (USA) was the guest speaker at the Conference. He spoke of the history of Waterkeepers in USA and through reference to the Alliance and his own experiences as a Waterkeeper, set out criteria for success in pursuing water conservation objectives.

He highlighted the achievement of the Victorian, NSW and Commonwealth Government agreement in 2000 to restore environmental flows to the Snowy. However, the agreement has not been fully implemented. The legislation commits the parties to return flows in annual increments up to a target of 21% by 2009. Water allocations to date fall far short of annual targets. A promised scientific committee to advise on the timing of water releases and monitor environmental outcomes, has not yet materialized.

The conference program provided the opportunity to gain useful knowledge and to discuss issues with fellow waterkeepers. On the road trip between Canberra and Dalgety, Paul also had five hours of valuable conversation with Steve Fleischli and WATERKEEPERS AUSTRALIA staff about the waterkeeper role and the parlous state of our Lake Alexandrina, Lake Albert and Coorong wetlands.

Meeting with Dr Paul Sinclair

November 30^th the RLCAG Committee met with Paul Sinclair over a seafood lunch provided by Henry and Gloria Jones. Paul is one of the Directors on the Board of WATERKEEPERS AUSTRALIA and the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) as Healthy Ecosystems Program Manager.

Since he was the guest speaker at the SA Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) Annual General Meeting (AGM), it was an excellent opportunity to invite him down to meet with us, talk about the Waterkeeper role and hear his broad vision for sustainable development.

During his address at the EDO AGM, Paul referred to `embedded water’, that is, water contained in products produced through primary and secondary industry. Australia is thefourth biggest exporter of embedded waterin the world and that this accounts for approximately 80% of water used for primary and secondary production.

Wetland Condition

Lake Levels(AHD)- 22 January 2008 (Source: Department of Land, Water & Biodiversity: http://e-nrims.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/monitoring/lakes/ )

The SA Government’s trigger point for the completion of the Pomanda Island/Wellington weir is -1.5 metres AHD (sea level).

Salinity levels - 22 January 2008 (Source: Department of Land, Water & Biodiversity)

The salinity at Morgan, the point at which Adelaide extracts its domestic water supplies from the River Murray, is kept within 800-750 EC units.

Blue-Green Algae

Toxic blue-green algal bloom warnings were issued early January by the Department of Health for both Lake Alexandrina & Lake Albert.

Blue-green algae are bacteria that have an algal like form. This group of bacteria known as cyanobacteria occurs widely throughout the world. Part of the natural environment, it becomes a problem when there is environmental degradation resulting from urban and rural run-off and waste disposal systems.

Some cyanobacteria can produce very harmful neuro-toxins so warnings should be treated seriously.

Acid sulphate soils

The Coorong, Lakes and Murray Waterkeeper territory contains potential acid sulphate soils. These are soils containing iron sulfides which on exposure to oxygen have the potential to produce sulfuric acid. Toxic levels of metals can also be released in the process.

There are treatments that can be applied to remedy the condition. These include the addition of lime, through to the drastic and devastating action of flooding the Lakes with seawater by opening the barrages at Goolwa. The latter action would be an act of environmental vandalism.

Calls for the Opening of the Barrages

Most would be aware of lobbying by sections of the boating industry for the barrages to be opened. The environmental impact of such an action would be immense.

As clearly demonstrated by authors Terry Sim & Kerri Muller (2004) in their book, A Fresh History of the Lakes,Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert were naturally fresh water systems. The barrages have an essential role in maintaining what was a freshwater ecology prior to over-exploitation of the River’s resources.

The construction of the Pomanda Island/Wellington “temporary weir”, and a Finniss River “regulator” fits well with the agenda of those calling for the opening of the barrages.

Minister Karlene Maywald has recently given assurances that the barrages will not be opened to allow in sea water. We should not consider the matter resolved however.It is of vital importance that the fresh water history of the Lakes be disseminated.

A clear commitment by governments to see the return of adequate environmental flows down the Murray Darling would resolve all the issues.

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Photographs © MOSHCC, Terry Sim and Paul Davis

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