The Murray-Darling Basin
A $13 billion, 30-year flop: landmark study reveals stark failure to halt Murray-Darling River decline

"Some A$13 billion in taxpayer dollars and 30 years of policy reform have failed to arrest the devastating decline in the health of Australia’s most important river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, new research shows."

"Historically, state governments have allowed too much water to be taken from the system, primarily to irrigate crops. This has caused extensive environmental damage such as toxic blue-green algae blooms, dramatic falls in bird and fish populations and undrinkable town water supplies, to name just a few.
The damage has been exacerbated by invasive species, climate change, dams that block water flows, and bush clearing which makes water running into rivers more salty."

"Troublingly, we found that after more than a decade of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, 74% of success indicators were not met. This means there was either no improvement or worsening conditions.The Murray-Darling Basin Plan is due for review in 2026. Clearly, monitoring to date has been inadequate. Our paper outlines ways to fix this, so real outcomes are achieved."

"Among our suggestions, river ecosystems could be mapped to ensure Australia meets its international obligation this decade to restore 30% of inland water ecosystems and include 30% of these ecosystems in protected areas.And those responsible for implementing the basin plan, primarily state and federal government agencies, should be held accountable when targets are not met".
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https://theconversation.com/a-13-billion-30-year-flop-landmark-study-reveals-stark-failure-to-halt-murray-darling-river-decline-244296
#water #rivers #ecosystems #MDB #murraydarling #extractivism #cotton #biodiversity #GBF #Kunming #birds #fish #governance #failure #FishKill #IndigenousPeoples #rights

I used to cycle visit the Murrumbidgee River in the early 1980s near Leeton, so this story rings alarm bells for me.
‘Ecosystems are collapsing’: one of Australia’s longest rivers has lost more than half its water in one section, research shows .
Once the #wetlands collapse, local #biodiversity will collapse, and agriculture will also plummet, as well as the life of many river communities.

#MurrumbidgeeRiver #MurrayDarling #Australia #BiodiversityCrisis #Water

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/07/ecosystems-are-collapsing-one-of-australias-longest-rivers-has-lost-more-than-half-its-water-in-one-section-research-shows

'The river has been destroyed’: expert says #agriculture has overshadowed science in the #MurrayDarling Basin #cotton #almonds #DriestcontinentonEarth #driestcontinent

An ecologist who spent 36 years with NSW Fisheries says scientists working for the government are ‘aghast’ at the state of the Darling River but can’t speak publicly

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/21/murray-darling-basin-fishing-degradation

Aquatic ecosystems marinated in a mixture of toxic chemicals?

"Menindee fish kills: inconsistent pesticide levels sparks calls for review of water testing methods. Experts call for review after two sets of water samples from the Darling-Baaka River reported by the state’s top scientific bodies contained different results"

“Atrazine, simazine, tebuthiuron and metolachlor are no longer approved for use in the European Union and have been classified by the European Chemicals Agency as being “very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects”, but they are still approved for use in Australia."

"Vincent Pettigrove, a professor of aquatic pollution at RMIT, said while the guideline values provided an indication of whether the chemicals of interest were at concentrations which may cause environmental harm, there were no national guidelines for “the majority of pesticides registered for use in Australia ...The guideline values are for one chemical and were therefore “unable to consider the total effects of a mixture of chemicals”.
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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/27/menindee-fish-kills-pesticide-levels-testing-darling-baaka-river
#water #rivers #NSW #regulation #runoff #toxins #pesticide #pollution #harm #aquatic #ecosystems #fishkills #EPA #science #Menindee #MurrayDarling #DarlingBaakaRiver #Ecocide

Rivers missing out on key environmental flows in #MurrayDarling Basin Plan. When more than 1 million fish along the Darling (Baaka) River downstream of Menindee Lakes died in 2019, the shocking images went across the globe. #MenindeeFishKills #environmentalVandalism #australia

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-08/rivers-missing-environment-flows-in-murray-darling-basin-plan/102805636

With less than a year to go, the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is in a dreadful mess. These 5 steps are needed to fix it
"The Murray-Darling Basin covers about a seventh of the Australian land mass: most of New South Wales, parts of Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, and all of the Australian Capital Territory. It includes the Murray River and Darling River/Baarka and their tributaries...."

https://theconversation.com/with-less-than-a-year-to-go-the-murray-darling-basin-plan-is-in-a-dreadful-mess-these-5-steps-are-needed-to-fix-it-209328
#freshwater #ecosystems #rivers #wetlands #MassFishKills #biodiversity #NSW #irrigation #extraction #transparency #accountability #trust #environment #MurrayDarling #water