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A Ramsar wetland in crisis the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth, Australia
journal contribution
posted on 2011-01-01, 00:00 authored by R Kingsford, K Walker, Rebecca LesterRebecca Lester, W Young, Peter Fairweather, J Sammut, M GeddesThe state of global freshwater ecosystems is increasingly parlous with water resource development degrading high-conservation wetlands. Rehabilitation is challenging because necessary increases in environmental flows have concomitant social impacts, complicated because many rivers flow between jurisdictions or countries. Australia's MurrayDarling Basin is a large river basin with such problems encapsulated in the crisis of its Ramsar-listed terminal wetland, the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth. Prolonged drought and upstream diversion of water dropped water levels in the Lakes below sea level (20092010), exposing hazardous acid sulfate soils. Salinities increased dramatically (e.g. South Lagoon of Coorong>200gL-1, cf. modelled natural 80gL-1), reducing populations of waterbirds, fish, macroinvertebrates and littoral plants. Calcareous masses of estuarine tubeworms (Ficopomatus enigmaticus) killed freshwater turtles (Chelidae) and other fauna. Management primarily focussed on treating symptoms (e.g. acidification), rather than reduced flows, at considerable expense (≥AU$2 billion). We modelled a scenario that increased annual flows during low-flow periods from current levels up to one-third of what the natural flow would have been, potentially delivering substantial environmental benefits and avoiding future crises. Realisation of this outcome depends on increasing environmental flows and implementing sophisticated river management during dry periods, both highly contentious options.
History
Journal
Marine and freshwater researchVolume
62Issue
3Pagination
255 - 265Publisher
CSIRO PublishingLocation
Collingwood, Vic.ISSN
1323-1650eISSN
1448-6059Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2011, CSIROUsage metrics
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No categories selectedKeywords
acid sulfate soilsbioremediationDarling Basindecision-makingdroughtecosystem statesenvironmental flowsMurrayover-allocationrehabilitationwater resource developmentweirsScience & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicinePhysical SciencesFisheriesLimnologyMarine & Freshwater BiologyOceanographyMurray-Darling BasinBIODIVERSITY CONSERVATIONSOUTH-AUSTRALIACLIMATE-CHANGERIVER MURRAYARAL SEAMANAGEMENTECOSYSTEMVARIABILITYRESTORATION
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