Australia’s biggest river is running dry, despite plans to save it

PADDLE steamers once chugged up and down the Darling, the main tributary of the Murray river, ferrying wool from remote farms to the port of Adelaide. The Murray-Darling basin, which is larger than Ethiopia, gives life to Australia’s arid interior (see map). But these days the Darling is reduced to a putrid standstill with alarming regularity. Parts of it disappear altogether at times, a phenomenon which was almost unprecedented before this century. Robert McBride, whose parched sheep station in the state of New South Wales depends on its flow, estimates that 600km of the lower Darling will run dry this year.

This is just the kind of disaster that should have been averted after Australia launched an ambitious plan to preserve the river in 2012. The four states that depend on the Murray and its tributaries had been fighting bitterly over its contents. Since the 1970s enormous farms growing irrigated crops such as cotton and nuts had spread across the basin. When a catastrophic drought struck in the early 2000s, the mouth of the river almost ran dry. So politicians thrashed out a plan to conserve the river, while sustaining the farms and communities that depend on it.

Australia already had an elaborate system for trading water rights, allowing farmers to buy or sell entitlements according to their need in any given season. The idea of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was to reduce water consumption by at least 2,750 gigalitres a year, either by purchasing water licences from farmers who were willing to sell them or by funding projects which could deliver “equivalent” outcomes—for instance, by making irrigation systems more efficient. So far, the government has spent over A$8bn ($6bn), and in theory cut usage by two-thirds of the target. Yet, somehow, the river is still at a low ebb.

The first independent review of the plan, published last year by the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, found “no evidence yet to demonstrate improvement across the basin as a whole”. Another report, by the authority which administers the scheme, concluded that irrigation in the basin’s upper reaches was still depriving those farther downstream, like Mr McBride, of water. Richard Kingsford, a scientist in Sydney, says that the plan’s targets were not ambitious enough in the first place. But it also seems that more water is being siphoned from the stricken river system than was intended.

Theoretically, water saved with taxpayers’ money should stay in the river. But not all of it does: the Wentworth Group says state governments use several tricks to “retard” that process. Victoria hoards water in dams. New South Wales has altered local water-management schemes along the Darling’s tributaries, allowing irrigators to pump out more. This means that liquid purchased by the government in Queensland is guzzled back up again when it crosses the state border, explains Jamie Pittock, a member of the group.

Illegal extraction is a second problem. Farmers are meant to use meters to monitor how much they pump. But last year, cotton irrigators in New South Wales were accused of tampering with their machinery to mask how much they were taking. Two families face charges associated with breaches of their licences. There is also concern that money which was supposed to fund projects that would conserve the Murray-Darling is being misspent, allowing irrigators who have sold water to the government to replace it with flows to which they are not entitled. One big cotton farm is currently under investigation.

Wide-scale abuse has been possible because states and local governments have failed to enforce the rules. Last year, New South Wales’s top water bureaucrat was caught on tape offering to share confidential information with irrigation lobbyists. (He was referred to the state corruption watchdog.) From the shelter of his veranda, Mr McBride fumes that “the greatest man-made destruction in Australian history is being condoned by New South Wales and the federal government.”

The federal government has handed oversight of the plan to the farm-friendly National Party, the junior partner in the governing coalition. Since then, critics claim, regulatory oversight has slackened. The Environmental Defenders Office NSW, a pressure group, notes that there is no legal bar to stacking the board of the authority in charge of the plan. Four of its six members have links to the irrigation industry.

Parliament recently ordered the publication of details of a series of “buy-backs” of water rights. In one case, the government spent A$78m—almost twice the sum recommended by its own researchers—on a water licence belonging to an agricultural company, Webster. The purchase was not put to a public tender. Webster had taken over Tandou Limited, which owns the property in question, only 18 months earlier. Nick Xenophon, an independent senator at the time, complained that the plan was being “systematically undermined”.

This month the Senate approved an amendment to the plan which lets communities in the southern part of the basin consume more water. The extra consumption is supposed to be offset by 37 “efficiency-saving” projects. New South Wales had threatened to abandon the plan altogether if the amendment failed. But the Wentworth Group questions whether the projects will really deliver the promised savings; it believes that only one of them is watertight, as it were.

Communities which rely on irrigation detest the plan because it threatens their livelihood. Yet their thirst hurts farmers downstream. Indigenous tribes who imbue the river with spiritual significance say that their elders are dying with it. Scientists worry about the loss of fish and birds. The Coorong, an important wetland near the river’s mouth, has been polluted with salt and algae as the river’s flow diminishes. David Paton, an ecologist, has spent decades monitoring its fairy terns. Their numbers are a quarter of what they were in the 1980s. “We’ve pushed this system to the point of collapse,” he laments, “and we’re watching the species go to extinction.”

Hope comes in the form of greater accountability. Overwhelming evidence of theft and mismanagement has led to more prosecutions. New South Wales has established a new regulator, and South Australia has launched a royal commission to look into breaches of the plan. If state governments walk away, the national government could, by law, enforce the rules instead—if it were so inclined.




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'Aggressive' Dendrobium mine causing 'grave, severe' impacts on Sydney water catchments

After six months of being kept under wraps, reports on the impacts of a mine west of Wollongong have been released, revealing "disturbing" fracturing and bulging, putting Sydney's drinking water catchment at risk.

The Dendrobium coal mine is located underneath the metropolitan special area, which provides a buffer zone of bushland around catchment areas to protect drinking water.

As well as seam-to-surface fracturing across parts of the mine, there has been an unexpected finding of valley bulging alongside Sydney's major dams.

This can result in a loss of valuable drinking water from the catchment.

National Parks Association of NSW mining projects officer Peter Turner described the affects to the catchment as "grave, extensive and much more severe than warned of".

"It's now clear why [NSW Department of Planning] withheld these reports from WaterNSW, OEH [Office of Environment and Heritage] and the community for as long as they could," he said.

Mr Turner said the "greatly disturbing" findings speak volumes about the department's values, and financial returns from the mine seem to be more important than the integrity of Sydney's primary health asset — drinking water.

"The mining underway in [one area] of Dendrobium mine is the most aggressive mining to have been approved in the special areas.

"And amongst the most aggressive anywhere in NSW."

Mr Turner said confirmation of seam-to-surface fracturing in what was supposed to be a protected part of the catchment was most worrying, and the side effects from bulging would only become worse.

"The valley bulging, which then causes deformation to the rock underneath and around the reservoirs, generates leakage pathways from the reservoir into the groundwater system, so it is meant to be causing water loss around Cordeaux," he said.

"It's not known whether that is yet happening at Avon.

"For Cordeaux it is uncertain how much water loss is occurring but it is certain with more mining, whatever loss is occurring is only going to get worse."

Mr Turner said confirmation of seam-to-surface fracturing in what was supposed to be a protected part of the catchment was most worrying, and the side effects from bulging would only become worse.

"The valley bulging, which then causes deformation to the rock underneath and around the reservoirs, generates leakage pathways from the reservoir into the groundwater system, so it is meant to be causing water loss around Cordeaux," he said.

"It's not known whether that is yet happening at Avon.

"For Cordeaux it is uncertain how much water loss is occurring but it is certain with more mining, whatever loss is occurring is only going to get worse."

Premier must halt any extension: Lock the Gate

The report has prompted calls from environmental groups for a moratorium on any further mining in the area until stricter controls are introduced on existing mines.

Lock the Gate Alliance spokesperson Georgina Woods said it was unacceptable that management actions for the Dendrobium mine had failed to protect Sydney's drinking water.

"This report reveals that precious rainfall that should be feeding Sydney's dams and drinking water supply is being drawn into the polluting mining voids beneath the surface," she said.

Ms Woods also called for plans for further expansions at the mine and for two new longwalls to be halted.

Dendrobium mine is distinguished from other mines by its two-kilometre longwall mining which allows for extractions 400 metres below the surface at a width of 300 metres.

"The Premier must commit that the planned longwall coal panels will not proceed," she said.

"We need a moratorium on any further mining operations in the catchment and a full inquiry into the impacts of the Southern Coalfields on our water resources."

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was "absolutely" concerned by the reports and the Government would investigate.

"We need to take a serious look at this because I don't want anything compromising now and into the future, any of our water security or any of our prime agricultural land," she said.
Department stood with BHP Billiton

In approving mining at Dendrobium in 2013, the department embraced BHP Billiton's rejection of a 2012 impact assessment that predicted seam-to-surface fracturing.

"[The department] did so without advising and consulting WaterNSW or advising OEH or the community," Mr Turner said.

The ABC has sought comment from the Department of Planning.

In 2015, the National Parks Association wrote a letter to the Department of Planning warning of fracturing.

In 2016, it advised in a report that the groundwater in reservoirs had been severely disrupted by mining.

The mine's owner, South32, provided a statement to the ABC and said the details within the report were being examined.

"We will continue to engage with government agencies and other key stakeholders to ensure continued compliance with consent conditions."

A WaterNSW spokesperson told the ABC the report "accurately represents the state of current understanding of this critical issue".

The report's key recommendations should be incorporated into an assessment of mining applications, the spokesperson said.

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Water saving tips while NSW waits for rain

Buckets in the shower, jeans in the freezer and greywater on the garden. New South Wales hasn't had rain in near 16 weeks, and regional residents are watching what remains in their tanks.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology rainfall has been well below average for northern New South Wales, and winter as a whole has been exceptionally dry.

UNSW Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Stuart Khan suggested water saving tips to help residents through the next few hot weeks.

"It's always important to be thrifty with water, even when it's plentiful, no matter the season," he said.

"There are plenty of methods householders can use to save water and save the garden at the same time."

Where to put your buckets

Mr Khan suggested saving water in buckets as a clever method of recycling.

He said the bucket in the kitchen sink could save your lawn.

"Washing vegetables in a bucket is a good way to do it, especially if there is soil on the potatoes. That excess soil contains nutrients that will help your plants during the dry seasons," he said.

Other than a bucket in the shower and sinks around your home, Mr Khan said most other water catching methods would require a little more plumbing.

"Stick the kids in the one bath tub, be prepared for the water to get a little dirty, but don't be afraid to re-use it," he said.

Mr Khan suggested households should clean their gutters out now for when the rain does eventually arrive.

"The best way to collect water is from your roof, and measures should be taken to manage the quality of the water you catch," he said.

Will the garden have to wait?

From specialised mulch to ecofriendly detergents, Mr Khan said there were plenty of options to keep your garden thriving.

"Don't water your garden in the heat of the day, wait until the early evening as that will reduce water loss by evaporation," he said.

"Putting mulch above the soil to keep the water in the dirt, pull out your weeds as they compete for water and nutrition."

Although a little more costly, Mr Khan suggests grey water as the best form of recycling.

"You can actually plumb in a system to harness the grey water at your property also," he said.

"You can collect the excess water from your shower, washing and dishwashing machine that can be used legally and safely for subsurface irrigation.

"Some detergents contains nitrogen and phosphorus."

Waitlist for water

Coffs Coast Water Cartridge owner Richard Macmillan said he would like to see residents in the region being more clever with their water and planning in advance.

"There are certainly a lot of people who find it surprising how quickly they get through water when they are using tanks having previously lived off town water," he said.

"Invariably, those people who have lived in the regions on tank water are more prepared than those new folk who move to the region.

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"We live in a time where we watch our weather apps so closely, that should alert people to how much rain is on the way and how closely they need to watch their water."

Mr Macmillan said he has a two-week waiting list for water orders around the north coast.

"When people run out of water, they need to call us and we are running out of water up and down the coast," he said.

"There hasn't been any respite anywhere.

"Colleagues in Nambucca Valley are booked out until the beginning of November."

Mr Macmillan said during these dry months it was important to work as a community.

"Shower together, shower only once a week, don't drink it, buy bottled water and check on your neighbours."

You might be saving more water than you think

As we wait for rain, Mr Khan said we needed to be reminded that Australians are fantastic water savers.

"Things like dual-flush toilets, water efficient shower heads and washing machines all reduce our water footprint," he said.

"After the drought between 2003 and 2009 finished, the State Government expected to see the water use pattern jump back to where it was previously, and it never happened.

"So we are already a few steps ahead of where we were when we previously considered how to save water around the home."

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Toxin linked to motor neuron disease found in Australian algal blooms

Algal blooms in major Australian rivers are releasing a toxic chemical that may contribute to the development of motor neuron disease (MND).

My colleagues and I tested algae from waterways in New South Wales, and found that a neurotoxin called BMAA was present in 70% of samples, including those from crucial water sources such as the Darling and Murrumbidgee rivers.

This compound is well known overseas, and has been found in waterways in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. But this is the first time it has been detected in Australia. Although its presence has been suspected, it was never specifically tested until now.

Two samples containing BMAA were collected from the Murrumbidgee River, which runs through the NSW Riverina, a hotspot for MND in Australia. Positive samples were also collected in Centennial Park and Botany wetlands in central Sydney, as well as Manly Dam on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Read more: What we know, don’t know and suspect about what causes motor neuron disease

In the past 30 years, Australian rivers have had the dubious honour of hosting some of the largest algal blooms in history. In 1991 a bloom stretched along more than 1,200km of the Darling River, prompting the New South Wales government to declare a state of emergency. The army was mobilised to provide aid to towns.

Since then, southeast Australia has had four large blooms, most recently in 2016. The future isn’t promising either. Rising water temperatures mean blooms are likely to increase in frequency and duration in the future.

Multiple state agencies monitor populations of types of bacteria in Australia, regularly testing water quality and issuing alerts when blooms are present. This testing is necessary because of the impressive number of toxins that cyanobacteria can produce, ranging from skin irritants to liver and neurological toxins. Most of these compounds are relatively fast-acting, meaning that their effects take hold rapidly after exposure.

The neurotoxic compound BMAA, however, is not currently part of regular testing, despite links between long-term exposure to algal blooms and the development of diseases such as MND. BMAA is known to be produced by a type of freshwater and marine bacteria, as well as some species of algae.

Read more: Watch out, Australia: a red-hot summer means blue-green algae
How BMAA affects our health

Research in America found that regular participation in water-based recreational activity resulted in a threefold increase in the risk of developing MND. Satellite mapping also revealed that lakes prone to algal blooms were often surrounded by clusters of MND patients.

Southwestern NSW has become a focus for MND researchers since 2014, due to the presence of a hotspot for MND cases around the Riverina. The town of Griffith has reported a prevalence of this disease that is nearly seven times higher than the national average of 8.7 cases per 100,000 people. Hotspots like these can help researchers identify environmental factors that contribute to diseases.

This is particularly important in MND, in which only 5-10% of patients have a family history. The other 90-95% of cases are sporadic, occurring without warning. It is possible that BMAA exposure, in association with genetic, or other environmental risk factors, contributes to the high incidence of MND in the Riverina.

Read more: Exposure to algae toxin increases the risk of Alzheimer's-like illnesses

BMAA also has a similar structure to the amino acids that make up the proteins in our body. We hypothesise that this contributes to its toxicity and ability to build up in animal tissue and in plants that are exposed to contaminated water.

Similar to mercury, BMAA can accumulate in the food chain, which means that people could be consuming relatively large amounts of it through their diet. A US animal studyfound that dietary exposure to BMAA resulted in the formation of plaques and protein tangles in the brain, which are hallmark features of neurodegeneration.

Research now needs to focus on tracking and monitoring algal blooms to detect the presence of BMAA, and determining how long it remains in the ecosystem after these blooms occur.

This can potentially help to reduce human exposure to BMAA. Although the factors that cause MND are many and varied, we hope this understanding could ultimately help to reduce the number of people who develop the disease.

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Deadly toxin found for the first time in Australia in Sydney water linked to incurable killer disease

A toxin linked to an incurable motor neurone disease has been discovered in algae in Sydney waters.

The toxin was found in the Manly Dam, Centennial Park and Botany wetlands in Sydney and the Murrumbidgee River in regional New South Wales.

It was the first time the neurotoxin known as BMAA had been found in Australian waterways, researcher Brendan Main wrote in the Conversation. 

The compound is linked to motor-neurone disase, which paralysed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking for decades and ultimately led to his death.

Motor Neurone Disease causes the degeneration of the motor neurons and wasting of the muscles.

University of Technology researcher Ken Rodgers told the Manly Daily research in the US shows living 'within a mile of a place with algal blooms' increases the risk of the disease.

The compound is linked to motor-neurone disase, which paralysed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking for decades and ultimately led to his death.

Motor Neurone Disease causes the degeneration of the motor neurons and wasting of the muscles.

University of Technology researcher Ken Rodgers told the Manly Daily research in the US shows living 'within a mile of a place with algal blooms' increases the risk of the disease.

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