EVERYBODY NEEDS People

Which Catchment Water Management Board area are you in?

A bore takes water from the Great Artesian Basin. Because the water is under pressure it will A catchment is an area of land flow continually unless it is controlled. that collects surface and groundwater that drains to the lowest point, usually a creek, South East river, lake or aquifer. www.secatchment.com.au From the outback to the sea, phone 8723 2271 everyone lives in a catchment area. The South East has some of the It is important that catchment water State’s most productive land with wine is managed in a way that protects grapes, forestry, and other agriculture. the quality and quantity of our water As well as supporting this production, and the health of waterways and its surface and extensive groundwater eco-systems. To help to do this, systems are essential for the health of Catchment Water Management many unique eco-systems including Boards have been established. Bool Lagoon and Picanninie Ponds. Different Boards have different needs and problems to address, Eyre Peninsula but they all work closely with the phone 86825655 community to efficiently manage the This Board covers council areas from water resources in their area, protect Ceduna to Cleve. Water is particularly and rehabilitate their waterways and precious in this region as it depends eco-systems, and find innovative and largely on groundwater and the only sustainable methods for use way that the water in the aquifer is of these water resources. recharged is by rainfall. This area is an important producer for the State Northern Adelaide and Barossa providing nearly half our wheat, and www. catchments.net/nab about one third of our wool and lambs. phone 8285 2033 This Board covers an area nearly Arid Areas 2,000 square kilometers and 320,000 phone 8204 9131 EVERYBODY NEEDS people. It is home to some of the This Board is responsible for nearly most productive agricultural land, 80% of the State! And because most important manufacturing industries, of the area is arid, managing the the premium grape growing region of scarce water it does have is even the Barossa Valley, and the fruit and Jacobs Creek, before restoration more important. Some of South veggie basket of the Northern Australia's most important water Adelaide Plains. Water from this resources are found here including catchment area is discharged into the the Lake Eyre Basin and its rivers, Onkaparinga sea through the Barker Inlet. and the Great Artesian Basin. These www.onkaparinga.net Jacobs Creek, after restoration water resources are vital to outback Patawalonga and Torrens phone 8374 6000 communities and sustain some River Murray www.cwmb.sa.gov.au This Board covers an area from unique eco-systems. phone 8271 9190 Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills to www.rivermurray.sa.gov.au phone 8582 4477 We couldn’t Our future These Boards covers much of Adelaide, Hallet Cove and Sellicks Beach. live without it. depends on it. and the Adelaide Hills region. The As well as the Onkaparinga River Dominated by the Murray, this area provides water for the city and Catchment, this diverse area includes Board's responsibilities stretch from Water is the most precious commodity We cannot continue these includes the River Torrens, West Field River, Christies Creek and the the Victorian border to the Murray on earth. Without it, life on our planet could harmful practices any longer. Lakes/Port Adelaide River catchments entire Willunga Basin. It covers 920 Mouth, including the most relevant not exist. Managing our water resources is vital Now we have to rehabilitate our water and the Patawalonga Basin. Land use square kilometres of mixed urban areas of the Murray Darling Basin in for the future of South Australia - our population, our resources, protect and heal them, and develop in the area ranges from urban to rural. and rural land including extensive South Australia. The area's economy environment, our economy and our quality-of-life. new ways of managing them. Gulf St Vincent where the water from areas of grazing lands, orchards, is largely based on agriculture, We now know that some of the ways we used water Every South Australian can and must play a part in these catchments is ultimately drained vegetable growing and vineyards. manufacturing, and tourism - all heavily in the past were inefficient and have caused damage to our protecting our water. It is vital for our future, and our is an important aquatic eco-system. reliant on the local water resources. waterways and surrounding catchments. children's future.

These web sites will help you to Need to know more? find out more about ‘water care’ www.watercare.net www.ministers.sa.gov.au www.mlrcp.sa.gov.au Watercare - links to many other sites for water This South Australian Government site includes a full Mt Lofty Ranges Catchment Program. Onground organisations, and activities including Kesab collection of speeches and press releases on water issues. Mt Lofty action and funded projects can be found Watercare Club and Watercare III student resources. www.mdbc.gov.au at this site. www.SavetheMurray.com Murray Darling Basin Commission’s extensive site www.murrayusers.sa.gov.au Links to dozens of other sites about the River Murray includes their many initiatives throughout the Basin. River Murray Urban Users provides information about plus news, chat room, and resource material. www.irrigation.org.au the Murray River, resources and fact sheets, news, www.dwr.sa.gov.au Irrigation Association of Australia site includes a directory events and schools programs. Department for Water Resources site including of irrigation products and services. www.catchments.net legislation, policies and publications. www.awa.asn.au Links to individual catchment water management www.sa.waterwatch.org.au Australian Water Association promotes responsible board sites with information on your area, how you Waterwatch SA - how to improve water quality and management of water and its related resources. Includes can help, fact sheets and more. involve the community. a product and services directory. Acknowledgement: South Australian Tourism Commission for photography (www.southaustralia.com) Continuing The the Coorong The waters of the River Murray begin their journey in the Australian Alps and more than 2,500 km later they reach the sea, entering the Coorong through the tidal Murray Mouth. This area is listed Murray as a water bird habitat of world-wide The lifeline of importance under the Ramsar Our State Convention: an international treaty recognizing A Message from the value of the Premier wetlands. To protect these important All South Australians wetlands the South Australian “should be proud of the way we and Commonwealth Governments have purchased the property of have begun a new era in our Wyndgate, at the south-eastern end relationship with our waterways of Hindmarsh Island, at the and water resources. western entrance to the Coorong We often tell others that we are National Park. the driest State on the driest Now Wyndgate can develop further continent. But now we can as an important conservation and rehabilitation site for the wetlands, also say that we are leading the woodlands and associated wildlife. nation, and sometimes the world, It will enhance the conservation and in finding the best ways to use, management of the whole of the manage and conserve water. Murray Mouth, Lower Lakes and Coorong areas. From our catchment water management boards to our re- Pictured right: Aerial view of Wyndgate use of treated effluent, from our conservation site aquifer recharger to our irrigation Rehabilitation improvements, from our ‘Save We rely on Doing their bit The Group raised funds through the Murray’ campaign to our the Murray industry and Government and now salt inception schemes ~ we are $40m Irrigation in Berri and around 150 people work on a range The River Murray is the largest doing everything we can to System to halve of activities from Lyrup Ferry to and most important of South Barmera Overland Corner including: protect our water resources Australia’s water resources. We salinity The Berri Barmera Local Action • Running River Care Courses, for future generations. rely on it to support our industry, Irrigators are by far the largest users Planning Group started 4 years ago educating over 100 irrigators on how regional communities and primary We have even managed to of water from the River Murray. to improve the way they use water. production. We even rely on it to when 12 volunteers got together to make the future of the River Without this water, many of the provide drinking water for look after their local area. Their aim • Involving irrigators in the FREE use industries along the River would be Murray a top priority for the Adelaide and many regional was to find out how their region’s of expensive scheduling equipment, unable to survive. But inefficient and whole nation. townships. Some years, up to to encourage them to adopt better outdated irrigation methods have led natural resources had degraded and 90% of Adelaide’s tap water is practices, or purchase similar We need to keep leading the to rising salinity and these industries what they could do to help. provided by the Murray. equipment. way. And the information in 4 States Working Together The Fight for the Murray know that if they want to survive they Laying the new underground hydraulic pipelines • Lowering tracks, de-silting pipes this supplement is a very good Half Our Water The River Murray is part of the South Australia has been have to protect the river. Murray Darling river system, the instrumental in securing a and installing structures to increase start for everyone who wants On average half of the total water Irrigation Improvement Plan A Significant Step flows onto local wetlands to flush salt South Australia uses for irrigation, longest in Australia and 15th commitment of hundreds of millions to help. In the Loxton area, one of Australia’s The new system will dramatically and stimulate floodplain growth. domestic and industrial largest in the world. Extending of dollars from the Commonwealth largest irrigation improvement projects reduce water lost through seepage ” consumption comes from the River. through four States, the enormous Government and the other States to • Securing funding to move the is underway. It is a joint venture and evaporation that occurred with It’s the lifeline of our state. Without strain on this natural resource is help us fight to bring the Murray Barmera Effluent Ponds to stop between State and Commonwealth old concrete open channels. These the Murray we could not enjoy the beginning to take its toll. back to health. pollutants entering Lake Bonney. governments, Loxton irrigators and are being replaced with approximately quality-of-life, environmental Queensland, Victoria, New South For the sake of our future all Century Orchards. The improvements, 70km of new high-pressure hydraulic For more information telephone diversity, recreational facilities or Wales and South Australia are now South Australians need to worth around $40 million, will halve pipelines. The irrigation improvements 8582 1922. tourism success that we do. In fact, all working together to protect the continue to lead the way in Premier of South Australia the amount of salt seeping back into at Loxton are an example of the we couldn’t enjoy much at all. health of the River Murray. protecting the River Murray. the River Murray from that area. significant, practical projects backing up the State Government’s Save the Outdated open concrete channels at Loxton. Murray campaign.

Lake Bonney blue green algae on a hot These gates were installed by the Barmera summer day. Outbreaks are usually isolated as Moorook Field and Game Association in an the algae only survives in calm, hot water. effort to be more responsible about their sport. detergents, germs, oil and Why frogs for the grease also ends up in the creek, river or sea. This easy ways WaterCare logo? results in pollution of these waterways that to protect WaterCare is all about looking after the quality of our can kill aquatic life, waterways. We all know frogs and tadpoles live in an create unsafe aquatic environment, but less well known is that frogs swimming conditions our water are good bio-indicators of the quality of a waterway. and make the 15 waterways in our parks Don’t throw cigarette butts or any litter Collection nets installed in stormwater drains What's a bio-indicator? and beaches unsightly. prevent rubbish reaching the sea. 1 onto the road. Anything that floats will end up in rivers or on beaches. A living creature that is able to tell you something about KEEPING OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY its environment is called a bio-indicator. For example, It’s in your hands! By law, everyone is responsible for When building or renovating, make sure having lots of frogs in an area tells us that the environment making sure that nothing but rainwater goes down our 2 sand and other materials are kept away is healthy. stormwater drains. The way we do things at work and at from stormwater drains and gutters. What makes home can contribute to pollution. So let’s work together From the Street Stormwater and do the simple little things listed on the right to Wash your car on the lawn not in the frogs a good protect our creeks, rivers, lakes and beaches. 3 street where detergents can go bio-indicator? to the or Sewerage? down stormwater drains. Use a broom to clean Many people do not realise, but the Frogs are good bio- What’s being driveways and footpaths and Beach stormwater drainage system is indicators because they, 4 put the dirt in the compost or completely separate from the and their eggs, are Many people don't know that water done? sewerage system. your own back yard. Don’t extremely vulnerable to from our gutters, called stormwater, South Australia has undertaken a number of innovative projects hose it into the gutter. pollution. They absorb goes almost directly into the sea. SEWERAGE is the system of to reduce the impact of both stormwater and sewerage. oxygen and water, and any toxins When we wash rubbish like leaves sewer pipes that take waste water The State Government, Catchment Boards and Councils Do not wash, sweep or deposit present, through their permeable skin into their bodies. and lawn clippings into the street and from the sink, toilet and shower to have established wetlands to allow stormwater to settle 5 dog or other animal droppings into the If for some reason frogs are suddenly missing from an drains, they can end up in the sea and the sewage treatment plant before it’s before flowing to the sea. gutter or stormwater system. Put them into area, this is usually a sign the environment is being polluted. the delicate balance of nature is upset. This discharged back into the It has completely remodelled the Patawalonga estuary to a rubbish bin. environment. allow for seawater flushing thereby reducing the damage to can contribute to Algae ‘blooms’ that can When you are gardening, use leaves and the environment and making it suitable once more for Frog Census smother sensitive sea-grasses and damage the STORMWATER is water that comes off lawn clippings for compost, don’t hose or breeding habitat, shelter and food source of a variety of aquatic sports. Frogs are such good indicators of the health of our our roofs, driveways, footpaths and roads when it rains. 6 sweep into the gutter. marine creatures. Sewage treatment plants remove solids but not nutrients waterways, that every year the Environment Protection Stormwater is captured in drains in street gutters. They information about the quality of our coastal areas. from waste water. Government schemes north and south of Authority conducts a Frog Census. Volunteers across One such creature is the Leafy Seadragon, South empty into creeks, rivers and eventually the sea or a lake. Fix oil and radiator Dragon Search is a community-based program that collects the city are now using the resulting nutrient-rich water for the State record the sounds of frogs around their Australia's marine emblem and a relative of the seahorse. Only clean rainwater run-off should enter this system. leaks on your car Seadragon sightings for this information. Our coastal waters agriculture and horticulture, reducing the amount of pollution local waterways. Like the WaterCare frog, Seadragons can give us valuable 7 so that these are another important part of our water resource system. POLLUTION. Stormwater is not treated, so anything that goes into the Gulf, thereby helping industry and Scientists identify the frog species they hear on the tapes substances don’t For more information about how you can help protect carried with the stormwater such as litter, soil, garden waste, conserving freshwater resources. and use them to build a picture of the distribution of frogs wash into our Coastal areas, contact: and therefore the quality waterways. The Marine Discovery Centre: 8356 8943 of the water in different Dragon Search (SA): 8223 5155 When working around the house, don’t areas. It’s up to us to pour oils, wastewater, paint, washing up or protect our water, not Information for this text has been provided by the Marine DiscoveryCentre. Photograph by permission MLSSA, photographer David Muirhead. 8 anything down the stormwater drain or just for frogs, but for ourselves. gutter. For more information or Don’t over-use garden fertilisers or to be involved in the Frog chemicals and don’t use them near drains Census contact the 9 or watercourses. Especially avoid using Environment Protection them during windy conditions or when rain Agency on 8204 2000. is forecast. When you are walking your dog, 10 make sure that you carry a plastic bag or a ‘pooper-scooper’ to pick up your dog’s droppings. Don’t wash equipment, tools or rom a 11 paintbrushes where the wastewater will run f ro into stormwater drains. If a frog eats somethingu poisonous it can The earliest known frog Make sure swimming pools are sticksthrow out throughup its entire their stomach.mouthn and The the stomach frog can appeared during the late 12 backwashed into the sewer not the Jurassic period, about 190 use its front leg to wipe off the badd food. stormwater drain. million years ago. Plant native plants that use less water and es t don’t drop as many leaves that pollute p 20 tim angaroos h 13 waterways. Frogs cann length. jum K their ow p about four and a e If you own a farm, fence waterways to only jum es their length. prevent livestock from polluting water and half tim 14 eroding banks and creek beds. When a frog swallows w a meal his eyeballs close and Get involved with community groups to go down into his head where share ideas about increasing water quality they apply pressure and push o The Water Cycle the leaves. This process can clean water by removing 15 and reducing pollution. his meal down his throat. Every living creature on Earth is dependent on water. contaminants and pollution. PaTCh WorK

r But only humans are interfering with the way nature CONDENSATION is the process of changing water from a

l manages water so much that we may damage it forever. vapour to a liquid. As the evaporated water in the air cools Our Patch is a great programme Different Patches need different activities like: d The amount we take, the way we pollute it and the way down it turns into liquid and clouds are formed. that helps people to be actively • Monitoring water quality we move it - eg irrigation, can seriously damage the involved in protecting, restoring PRECIPITATION begins when the water that is • Protecting native vegetation and natural balance. and managing the quality of a condensing becomes too heavy to remain in the air. ‘Patch’ of their water catchment removing weeds It is important that we learn to use water in a way that It usually falls to the ground as rain, but it can also be snow area. A Patch can be large or small • Reintroducing native plants respects the ‘water cycle’ and protects the health of our or hail. - from a few metres to a few • Clean-up and anti-litter programmes connected to their lungs. water resources for the future of all the living creatures Frogs do have ears andtheir they eardrums. are INFILTRATION is the process whereby some of the kilometres. Anyone can be involved. • Maintaining and improving Linear Parks Whenlungs they vibratehear noises as well their as that depend on them. precipitation that reaches the Earth’s surface seeps into Our Patch teams can include local For more information contact your local EVAPORATION occurs when the sun heats water, causing the ground. residents, neighbours, schools, Catchment Water Management Board. service clubs and community groups, Frogs don't drink or breathe the water molecules to become so active that some of them Picture: Onkaparinga Our Patch officer with Happy Valley RUNOFF is the water that doesn’t infiltrate the soil flowing with support provided by local council with their mouth. They Primary School students. rise into the atmosphere as vapour. over the surface of the ground. Runoff flows towards the and industry. absorb water and air through their skin. TRANSPIRATION occurs when plants take in water lowest point and eventually drains into streams, lakes and through their roots and then release it into the air through the ocean. Every drop you save, helps save the Murray. South Australia is the driest State on the world’s driest continent and the River Murray is our Saving water can be as simple as: lifeline. But the Murray is in serious danger. Salt build-up is slowly but surely killing the mighty river. You can make a difference by using less water and not wasting it ~ because every drop of water you use is one less drop in the Murray. Less water Installing a water efficient Not leaving the tap running Converting your toilet to means less river flow and increased salt levels. showerhead is a sure way to when brushing your teeth a dual flush system. save water wastage. and shaving. Salinity. The River Killer Salt has always entered the River $100 Million Murray because saline ground water Improvement Plan would flow into the River from its surroundings. This was a natural South Australia is leading the way. occurrence, and before European After winning the fight to establish a settlement, nature took care of national action plan, this State has committed $100 million over seven Washing your car using a Capturing run-off from your roof Planting local South Australian the River and its eco-systems, bucket filled with water rather in rainwater tanks to use in the species as they require maintaining the right balance. years as part of the plan to tackle Stopping the salt salinity and improve water quality in than a running hose. house and garden. less water. the Murray-Darling River system. Truckloads infiltration into the ground, and will not return to the We Have Changed Picture a convoy of dump trucks carrying salt pulling up the River River for thousands of years. The Salt Boat: and dropping their loads into the Murray River and We remove its water for irrigation, we you’ll get an idea of how much salt enters the River Benefits Downstream regulate its flow through dams and Monitoring River every day. Historically the areas around Waikerie and The schemes are directly benefiting downstream users weirs, the bed is dredged and the flow Salinity of its mouth is restricted. We have cleared Woolpunda contributed close to 350 tonnes a day of River Murray water. Irrigators in the immediate area As holiday-makers in houseboats, water- between them. vast areas of Riverside land and introduced skiers and keen fishermen in dinghies enjoy the are seeing the benefits of the lowered level of saline non native plants and wildlife. It simply can’t Murray River, another boat quietly gets about its groundwater under their land and the health of the River cope anymore. business. It’s the 5.5 metre ‘Run of River’ survey boat. The Turnaround Murray flood plain vegetation is beginning to improve in Now, thanks to the State Government’s development of some areas. Natural revegetation is also being River in Serious Decline salt interception schemes, this massive figure has been encouraged around the basin near Waikerie and over Fixing leaking plumbing; Using a timer when watering; a Watering at night or in the early The alarming truth is that now, the health of the River reduced by more than 85%. That’s over 300 tonnes of 135 species of birds now inhabit the area. a leaky tap can waste forgotten sprinkler wastes morning when less water is lost Murray is in serious decline. Salinity levels have risen to the salt that is no longer going into the River every day. 200 litres a day. about 1000 litres an hour. to evaporation. point where they are of concern to all South Australians. Just the Beginning Drinking Water 3 Days out of 5 How it Works The Waikerie scheme is currently being improved and A system of bores and pumps take the highly saline Salt may be good on fish and chips, but not in our water. extended downstream to enable removal of an Unless we do something to control salinity in the Murray, groundwater from underground before it can enter the additional 35 tonnes of salt per day. And the water quality is expected to decline over the next 20 years to River. It is piped to the 400 hectare Stockyard Plain Government is now implementing more salt the point where it will only be fit to drink on 3 days out of 5. Disposal Basin 15 km south west of Waikerie. There the interception schemes at Qualco-Sunlands, Chowilla, saline water is disposed of by evaporation and Bookpurnong and Loxton to name a few. Short Term Damage Ground water interception at Waikerie. Salt is not removed by filtration, so saltier river water means Salinity readings recorded on a portable computer monitoring water saltier water supplies to our homes, affecting our pipes, flow by boat. household appliances, gardens, and clothes as well as our Testing the Water Playing with a hose & sprinklers Mulching leaves & lawn Using a broom rather than drinking water. It may also cause: can be fun but it can also use clippings; it can prevent up to hosing driveways and footpaths; ‘The Run of River’ survey boat, collects samples of water • Serious losses in farm production every kilometre using an intake tube attached to the 1000 litres or more per hour. 73% evaporation loss. it’ll save 100’s of litres. • Rising salt damage to buildings, roads and other deepest part of the hull. The water flows to a salinity- structures measuring instrument connected to a computer. These • Damage to the natural environment surveys provide data on the amount of salt entering the River daily. Turn Back the Clock and there are other things you can do… It is vital that we act to reverse as much as possible the Flushing out the Salt • Using a front load washing machine as they • Not running the dishwasher until you have damage that has already been done to the River Murray. The surveys also help to identify ‘hot spots’, where salt is are more efficient than top loaders and a full load. We need to change the way we manage the River and its entering the River, for further investigation and waiting until you have a full load. • Selecting lawn varieties that do not need to resources to protect its health for the future. implementation of salt interception schemes • Not leaving the tap running when rinsing dishes. be watered as often. Anti-Salinity Tactics How do you test for salinity? As well as the ‘Run of River’ boat, the Salinty is a measurement of the concentration Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation of salts in water. Technically, salinity is measured Unit of the Department for Water Resources in Electrical Conductivity Units (ECU’s). The in Berri also monitors salinity using recorders more salt in a solution, the more it conducts mounted on pontoons that can sample the Ambassadors help spread the word… electricity. water every half hour. These are just some of A number of prominent Australians have been appointed as ‘Save The Murray’ Ambassadors. Here is what 3 of them had to say: Electrical Conductivity Units the tactics used in the fight against salinity. <50 Rainwater The Minister for Water I believe that I Have grown up with the My swim is Resources, Mark “education is the river“ and realise how vital it is “over, but the 650 Salinity level can damage irrigated crops Brindal, pictured with swimmer key role in developing for country South Australia…I’m Murray is worth 800 World Health Organisation standards consider this the Tammy van Wisse, the transition from keen to do all I can to make sure fighting for and maximum desirable limit for water quality presenting the all are aware of the problems so the battle must Environmental Award awareness Can’t be used for many crops to change. they can do their bit. continue. >1500 Likely to cause direct damage to natural ecosystems for Improving ” ” ” Community Mike Schultz, Mark Ricciuto, Adelaide Crows Captain. Tammy van Wisse, No longer considered to be fresh water Awareness to champion marathon >5000 Most freshwater animals and fish won’t survive Mike Schultz. educator and leading River Murray swimmer 50,000 Seawater conservationist. Which Catchment Water Management Board area are you in?