kiwibird: The importance of rivers

Lake Albert (with the pelicans) below is the smaller of the two lakes, with Lake Alexandrina being the much larger lake.

The water in these lakes comes from the River Murray, and the water exits into the Southern Ocean from the lakes via the Murray Mouth. Not a large exit. It also exits into the water in the Coorong. Before Europeans settled in Australia the large scale fresh water coming down the river was enough to fill the lakes and keep the seawater out of them.

After European settlement water drawn from the Murray and the rivers that flow into the Murray slowed the water flowing into the lakes and then out through the Murray Mouth. The natural flushing system was being destroyed so two barrages were built in the late 1930s to stop the salt water entering Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert.

It is a very delicate balance, and so important in keeping the lakes and the Coorong healthy, that is, the birds, other wildlife, reed beds, fish and vegetation.

During the major drought of the 2000's the water level in the two lakes dropped dramatically. Jetties which once ran out into deep water, had cracked soil under them, with the water some distance away. The salt levels started to rise in the water that was left. A scary time. Consequently the Federal Government cracked down on the amount of water being taken out of the Murray River and all the rivers that ran into it. They also provided funding to plant grasses and red beds around the edges of the lakes. There was a great sigh of relief when the drought finished, but I guess it gave everyone a scare.

During July and August we travelled through New South Wales and into lower Queensland and saw many of the rivers that flow into the Murray River. Even with the restrictions in water allocations, far too much water is still being taken from them. Queensland, a rich state, just does not seem to care about the consequences of what happens further away. The amount of huge dams (water drawn from the rivers and stored there) which are used for cotton growing are staggering and the big agri businesses seem to get away with it. Money talks, I guess.

The rivers that eventually run into the Murray River are: Darling River, Murrumbidgee River, Lachlan River, Goulburn River, Ovens River, Kiewa River, Mitta Mittta River, Campaspe River, Loddon River, Warrego River, Paroo River plus water seeping out of the Great Arterial Basin. Most of the rivers begin in the Great Dividing Range (Eastern Australia) and flow west to form part of the Murray-Darling Basin.

It is an amazing experience to tour around parts of the basin and see some of the rivers, knowing how important the water is to the health of the lakes here, and to the Coorong.

The Murray River starts as a series of mountain streams in the eastern mountains. It runs into an enormous dam, the Hume Dam, on the border of New South Wales and Victoria. After that it runs mostly along the border of New South Wales and Victoria, where all the above rivers combine or run into it.

Only the Murray River flows through South Australia.

I have just found some facts. The Basin covers 75% of New South Wales, 50% of Victoria, 15% of Queensland, 8% of South Australia and all of the Australian Capital Territory.

And this is where all the water ends up. Lake Albert (and Lake Alexandrina) with the pelicans resting on the bars relying on good clean water.

And now for some lighter information. Today I visited the museum which is beside the cafe/bar. The building was once the local cheese factory. It was purchased in 2000 and converted into a cafe and museum.