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Help the Coorong, Lakes & Murray Waterkeeper stop salt water from being let into Lakes Alexandrina and Albert in South Australia
On Monday 1 December, the South Australian Government referred a proposed action to the Federal Environment Minister under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to introduce salt water into Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert, as a last resort, to maintain the water level of the Lakes to avoid acidification.
The application sought to set trigger levels to use as a basis for decision-making. These trigger levels are:
- Calcium carbonate at levels of 25 milligrams per litre; or
- If water levels reach 1.5 metres below sea level in Lake Alexandrina or 0.5 metres below sea level in Lake Albert.
The Coorong and Lower Lakes were listed under the Ramsar Convention in 1985 as brackish-fresh water. The Lower Lakes have been freshwater for 99% of their history. The impact of letting salt water into these predominately freshwater environments has not yet undergone full assessment. There are many questions that need to be answered before such action is taken:
- How many native fish, birds, frogs, tortoises and other wildlife that rely on a freshwater system will die if salt water is introduced?
- How is the eco-system in the Lower Lakes meant to adapt to changes back and forth?
- How much will it cost to fix the Lower Lakes and make them fresh again if we turn them salt water?
- How would salt water in the Lower Lakes affect its international Ramsar wetlands status?
- What effect will salt water have on ground water aquifers around the lakes?
The Coorong, Lakes & Murray Waterkeeper program believes maintaining the Lake levels and avoiding acidification can be addressed in other less damaging ways, such as:
- Buy back freshwater that is available upstream
- Planting and mulching to rehabilitate the exposed acid sulfate soils; get the carbon cycle going again
- Keep the river open in the Goolwa Channel (the section of the River Murray after it reforms and before the mouth) to allow the environmental benefits of freshwater from waterways as the Finniss River and Currency Creek flowing into and freshening the Lakes, as happened after good rains in Aug 08. The Aug 08 rains brought just enough water to see the Lakes through until the winter rains in 2009.
Support the Coorong, Lakes & Murray Waterkeeper and send a letter to the Federal Environment Minister and/or the Prime Minister and request this application be rejected and call for more freshwater to bought back for the environment.
Write to:
The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
PO Box 6022
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
