Clockwise from top left:Kingsford says this year has seen a big breeding event not only in the Marshes but right across the Basin, but it is still in the context of longer-term decline. In the past 40 years, the waterbird population in the Marshes has declined about 70%. Their survey results do not show the same magnitude of declines in the Lake Eyre basin, where isolation has proved a protective factor against irrigators.
She believes governments need to provide more resources to stop erosion along the rivers, which she says are getting “browner and browner” due to runoff and large numbers of carp.Bron Powell, Project Manager for the Central Murray-Darling Basin for Ozfish , stands in the Marshes.“People these days just grow up thinking that’s normal, whereas 60 years ago, the river in Dubbo was clear.
“Or is he truly concerned about the real communities on the ground who must have living rivers to exist? That’s what is at risk if the rivers don’t have enough water to survive.”NSW for 12 years, seven of them as executive manager of operations. He is well acquainted with managing the balance between interests and operators.
The huge volume of irrigation channels are sucking the life out of this dying system. Those on the land tell us the irrigation is supplying food for the nation but Australians aren’t seeing the benefit in the cost and quality in their shopping. It’s a disgraceful situation.