Davies, A. (2021, February 13). Toxic blooms and Local fury: What’s going on AT Menindee lakes? Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/14/toxic-blooms-and-local-fury-whats-going-on-at-menindee-lakes
In the town of Menindee, the drinking water is green and filled with algae. These toxic blue and green algae blooms make it so that people cannot go near the water for fear of poisoning. There is good rainfall, yet the sludge and algae still has not cleared. If nothing changes, experts predict that the river will be in as poor a condition as it was last year, when hundreds of thousands of fish were killed in the Darling River. Residents think that the problem is in the unsuccess of the government to stop over extraction by the upstream irrigators. This has led to a substantial decrease in the level of water that actually make it downstream.
These algae blooms are very bad for the ecosystem and environment, as they take vital oxygen out of the water. This can have a rippling effect on the food web, and can lead to many problems in addition the drinking water for humans issue. The drinking water in Menindee is in such poor condition, and I think that the government needs to take actions and start restricting the amount of water that can be withdrawn from upriver.
I agree that this situation is quite important and should be addressed by local government to prevent the destruction of the local river environment. I also agree that the government should stop over extracting water from upstream so that the downstream water can be cleaner. Are there other additional strategies that should be used in order to clean the river?
I agree with you Jake, I do believe the government needs to take action. What else do you think can be done to mitigate these algae blooms?