Increased Salination in Murray River Assignment Help
Define the problem, a broad description of the setting/context
Increased salination is a major threat to the world third longest river i.e. The Murray River, with a length of about 2,520 kilometers (Murray River facts, n.d.). Since Australia is one of the world’s driest continents and rainfall is minimal hence farms and towns are causing drain on resources. Additionally in the past one hundred years, native fish species from the Murray-Darling basin have undergone grave decline in both supply and abundance, at the same time as that of wide spread species has substantially increased (Prideaux, 2009). In fact, native fish populations are roughly 10% with their pre-European settlement levels (Threat of invasive species in the Murray Darling, n.d.).
Furthermore logging along it also poses a crucial threat to the ecology (ecosystem) of the river and its immediate environment. These ecological issues are related with introduction of exotic fish into this river, carp were introduced into this river, which are bottom-feeders. They increase turbidity in the water and at the same time compete with native fish for food. Ultimately they are responsible for infecting native fish with a parasitic worm. These parasites are in fact fatal for golden perch and Cod (Murray River facts, n.d.). According to the experts all rivers are subject to pollution but for Murray salinity is a major concern than pollution (Sainty, 1998).
It is threatening situation where nine of total 35 native sea food species are country wide ‘threatened’, 2 are critically endangered, and also 16 are confronted under state jurisdictions. This is likely due to significant changes throughout water flow, arctic (cold water) polluting of the environment, in stream habitat destruction, and barriers to fish passage who have fostered conditions constructive to invasive types over native sea food populations. Due to all these issues different species in the river are under threat (Kathleen, 2012).
Most impacted by the problem (relevant stakeholder)
Native fish species
Native fish species are major stakeholders as they have declined in number overtime. Jennifer (2013) emphasis this issue with various examples like European Carp (origin from Asia), are now present in this issue, but in the past water of the river was clear however introduction of these carp has changed the water color from crystal clear to muddy (shown in appendix figure 1). Hence there are causing threat to the native species as they kill them and also sunlight is unable to reach deep into the water because it is muddy and not clear as it was in the past. It has caused major issue as native species now do not have anything to eat, since these invasive species are competing with them (Alien species). The carp make up sixty to ninety percent of total fish in the river (Jennifer, 2013).
Similarly not just fish are under threat also trees on the banks are under threat as most common trees along the bank of the river are “English willows” and not “River Red gums” which were in the past. Actually English willows (shown in appendix figure 2) were planted years back along the bank of the river to make the course as a result of flood, however they are competing with native species and are causing algal blooms, these are very thirsty trees and are slowly drying up the river. Furthermore according to one research by CSIRO extra 5 and a half mega litres of water can be saved if these willows are removed per hectare. In country like Australia every drop actually counts as it is very dry (Water Research Foundation of Australia, 1997). Ultimately native species are under threat and will eventually get extinct if relevant steps are not taken in time (The Dwindling River: Problems with introduced species, n.d.).
The most relevant or most important issues that would need to be considered in implementing any solutions to the problem
Within 200 years all above mentioned issues have caused so much damage to the river, and also damaged its beauty hence some of the above mentioned issues must be solved as below. Presence and growth of invasive species and decline of native species clearly show that problem is huge and needs to be solved before it gets too late. It is the time that the government take relevant steps before native species become extinct as they are already under threat. Exotic species enter both legally and illegally and it is the time that government increase limits and preserves native species first. Most important issue is to control the exotic species now when they have increased immensely.
