William Johnson

[Dharriwaa Elders Grp @dharriwaaeldersgrp.bsky.soci @DharriwaaEGroup]

1/6🧵Walgett Water Quality Results 9 April 2024:
The pH levels on the Baawan River are all within a healthy range. The pH levels on the Ngamaay River are measuring to be more on the alkaline side but the pH is still acceptable. Full results: https://t.co/ooEGu1svAm

[Dharriwaa Elders Grp @dharriwaaeldersgrp.bsky.soci @DharriwaaEGroup]

The dissolved oxygen at all sites are still at a dangerously low level, all readings of the dissolved oxygen is below 3 mg/L. Below 3 mg/L fish kills can happen. The river flow in the Ngamaay River could cause health issues for fish. Full report: https://t.co/ooEGu1svAm

[Dharriwaa Elders Grp @dharriwaaeldersgrp.bsky.soci @DharriwaaEGroup]

Water Quality Results 7 March 2024. Dissolved oxygen at all sites along Baawan & Ngamaay are still within a concerning range. The first readings at both Ngamaay sites are within a poor range but get to dangerous levels as we measure deeper in to the river. https://t.co/ooEGu1svAm

[Maryanne Slattery @MaryanneSlatte1]

@nswirrigators @tanya_plibersek The ‘over-recovery’ in the Macquarie is a combination of dodgy numbers and shifting some of the recovery target to another valley.

Also, the C/W’s water was purchased, so ‘compensation’ has already been paid.

[Dharriwaa Elders Grp @dharriwaaeldersgrp.bsky.soci @DharriwaaEGroup]

1/5 DEG announces the Walgett River Ranger team's Weekly River Water Monitoring Results Report.
We are using a traffic light system to present the results that we collect.
Green light: Good
Yellow light: Average
Red light: Bad

[Laura McDonald @DigitalMedia_LM]

Simply put, @Tanyaplibersekx is saying there needs to be enough water in the Murray Darling Basin for EVERYONE.

And in case you need a Grade 4 Science lesson, drinking water and access to water for health trumps all the other needs (of water).

[Laura McDonald @DigitalMedia_LM]

Scimex

27 Nov 2023 at 1100 AEDT | 1300 NZDT

EXPERT REACTION: Murray-Darling Basin deal on 'Restoring Our Rivers'

Quotes in this public release belong to:

1/ https://t.co/wtPMXKf6ef

[David Shoebridge @DavidShoebridge]

Water is life and millions of Australians rely on the Murray-Darling Basin for our drinking water, jobs, for recreation and for it's extraordinary environmental and cultural value - today we are delivering laws that will protect these

[Dharriwaa Elders Grp @dharriwaaeldersgrp.bsky.soci @DharriwaaEGroup]

1/6 Just reminding everyone particularly @sarahinthesen8 & @AdamBandt that buybacks should be applied where greatest environment, social & enviromental benefits. The Northern #MurrayDarlingBasin rivers are dying. This pic shows Namoi River at Walgett before last enviro flow

[Dharriwaa Elders Grp @dharriwaaeldersgrp.bsky.soci @DharriwaaEGroup]

3/3 They've given 47,510 ML in Barwon-Darling alone. They increased totaltake by huge amount. #FloodplainHarvesting contributes to over-extraction of water in NorthernBasin, & to Walgett's undrinkable water, dying river, loss of river foods. DEG didn't attend this cynical meeting

[Dharriwaa Elders Grp @dharriwaaeldersgrp.bsky.soci @DharriwaaEGroup]

2/3 Our efforts fell on deaf ears with last NSW Govt. More than 400 GLs of FH licences, worth betw. $1billion & $2billion (NSW irrigators council valuation) granted in the NSW Northern Basin in the last 12 months, against the will of the NSW Parliament.

[Dharriwaa Elders Grp @dharriwaaeldersgrp.bsky.soci @DharriwaaEGroup]

1/3 NSWDPIE in Walgett today discussing protecting First Nations Cultural Values & Assetts from #FloodplainHarvesting. Must have been organised months ago. What's the point talking now? DEG tried hard for yrs to stop them issuing FPH licences. They've given away all the water now

[Yuwaya Ngarra-li: 'Vision' @Dharriwaa_UNSW]

Excellent that others are now hearing the strong voices from our colleagues at @DharriwaaEGroup about the systemic problems in Walgett, and the community-led solutions.

https://t.co/j6xvBtcsG9

[Yuwaya Ngarra-li: 'Vision' @Dharriwaa_UNSW]

Hopefully today’s media coverage of the damning findings of our survey on the levels of food and water insecurity finally leads to government action after years of advocacy by @DharriwaaEGroup
and @Walgett_AMS for safe drinking water in Walgett.

https://t.co/qvbndXTmkP

[Mal Peters @peters_malcolm]

The Barwon & Namoi river meets at Walgett. A town with high population of aboriginal people. After 3 very wet years there is no drinking water & when shower in water leaves a greasy film.
Plus fish kill. Kid your self we don’t need a Royal Commission.

[Ronni🧂Salt-WhoWroteGunnawahYeahThatOne @RonniSalt]

"But our panel also examined the long-term changes to the river. We found the long-term cause for the river’s decline was simple: too much water was being diverted upstream"

Prof Kingsford on why big-irrigation & water "harvesting" is killing our rivers
.
https://t.co/aeN3qq7KCf

[yungenchee.bsky.social @YungEnChee1]

Fishkill explainers are going on abt proximate causes eg heatwaves, deoxygenation as floodwaters recede etc

But they're silent on structural causes like floodplain harvesting, water overallocation & extraction

Read Richard Kingsford for the full picture
https://t.co/6kCGl7vEhC

[Ronni🧂Salt-WhoWroteGunnawahYeahThatOne @RonniSalt]

@Nadia32332010 This is the result of years, no, decades of neglect and cowboys doing what they like.

The greatest vandals of the Darling river system are the QLD @AnnastaciaMP govt and the @Dom_Perrottet NSW govt.

They're hijacked by lobbyists and vested interests of corporate ag.

[Ronni🧂Salt-WhoWroteGunnawahYeahThatOne @RonniSalt]

A reminder the QLD & Nth NSW cotton industry have spent literally millions of dollars on communications, lobbying & public relations in the last 20 years

It gives the appearance of a happy, "clean" industry that doesn't hoard naturally flowing rain - with QLD & NSW govt approval

[Polly Cutmore (Barawaa) also, @cutmore.bsky.social @CentreMehi]

They'll blame every other thing, 'it's the carp, it's the oxygen', when it's only the fault of one exotic species - white fellahs. This river has been around for thousands of years, floods never used to kill everything. https://t.co/JL4wJYE4I7