Is the Murray River dangerous

Answer 1

The Murray River is under threat from increased salination. Farms and towns cause a constant drain on its resources, and in one of the world's driest continents, there is little home for replenishing rainfall of the degree needed.

Logging along the Murray River is also posing a grave threat to the ecology of the river and its immediate environment.

The introduction of the European carp and other exotic fish has caused major ecological problems. Carp are bottom-feeders and cause turbidity of the water, as well as erosion along the riverbanks by undermining the banks and levees. They compete with native fish for food, and they can also infect Australia's native fish with the parasitic anchor worm, which prevents spawning and can be fatal for large adult Murray Cod and golden perch.

Answer 2

Any river can be dangerous to an inexperienced user. The Murray, like any river, can flood, but these floods do not happen unexpectedly. At these times, there are undercurrents and snags which are very dangerous.

Under normal circumstances, however, the Murray River is enjoyed as a popular recreation area for families.

Answer 3

There is no such river called the "Murray Darling". The Murray and the Darling Rivers are two completely separate rivers, with their sources thousands of kilometres apart.

Problems facing the Murray Darling river systeminclude excessive use by agriculture and domestic users reducing the quantity left for natural flows sufficient to keep the mouth open at Goolwa in South Australia.

The river system also suffers from pollution run off (often fertilisers which are harmful in excessive quantities). Another significant factor is that the flow into the river form the massive Snowy Mountains scheme is determined by the needs of electricity users and not either agriculture of the need for natural flows to be retained in the river. Hydro Electricity generators control when water is released and their product is sold as a risk management product to other producers who tern on the water in large volumes for short periods releasing very cold water in high volumes into the system - hardly ideal for creatures living in the river. Victoria has a politically unpopular Water Grid which enables water to be moved between storages - however this system failed to relieve the recent systems flooding into the Murray. The Thompson dam (which could have accommodated this water and allowed it to be used effectively later) remains at 38% following these floods, effectively no use to the flooded communities.

Another problem facing this river system is that salinity levels are rising, not only in the rivers but on the land. Over-irrigation, intensive land use and the growing of crops that are really unsuitable for Australia's conditions (e.g. cotton and rice, both of which need a lot of water) has resulted in increased land salinity. Currently there are very few controls on how much water is diverted for crops upstream in the Darling River catchment, and so the regions further downstream suffer more, including from where the Darling empties into the Murray.

As salinity levels increase, the water and soil both become less suitable for agricultural and human use, rendering one of Australia's largest agricultural regions far less usable. This is the problem currently facing the Federal government, as it fights the various state governments for greater control and protection of this vital river system.

Answer 4

Well i took a dump in it about 45 minuts ago so i guess it is know ! :) Umad?