As the Murray River Dries, Hope Dies

The lower lakes of the Murray River in South Australia are slowly drying up, as water use along the Murray-Darling river basin continues to threaten the long-term health of the watershed. Lower lakes residents, hoping for an influx of water from upstream reserves, were told by government officials that, barring substantial rain, the reservoirs would remain under lock-and-key. The news comes as the Australian summer — a season of infrequent rainfall — slowly approaches.

The Murray-Darling river basin stretches across four states, and ends in the lower lakes region near Adelaide. Coorong National Park, a vast lagoon ecosystem, also marks the end of the river. As the water levels in the lower lakes and the Coorong fall, acidification and salinity jeopardize the national park’s fragile ecosystem.

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Source : The Australian