Scientists have recruited locals from Deniliquin to measure water quality in the Edward/Kolety-Wakool river. These local citizen scientists are helping keep track of how fish are responding to water for the environment. This is giving fish a fighting chance to survive low-oxygen, or hypoxic, blackwater.
“There are a lot of benefits having local people involved,” says Professor Robyn Watts of Charles Sturt University. Watts leads the Commonwealth Environmental Office’s monitoring program (Flow-MER) in the Edward/Kolety-Wakool.
“Local people can share their knowledge about the river system,” says Watts. “As they live locally, it is more cost-effective, and they are able to do the monitoring regularly. It is also an opportunity for local people to help protect the river ecosystem.”
Anthony ‘Ant’ Jones is one of the locals assisting with water quality measurements, a job he says he enjoys.
“There’s a lot worse jobs than being in a boat on the river all day,” says Jones. “I think it is good that locals can be involved in this kind of thing. It gives you a better understanding of what is actually happening in the rivers, whether it is to do with crays, fish or plant life. We can also share that knowledge with other community members and groups.
“It’s good to know that, whether you are doing a lot or a little, it’s helping towards making a bit of a difference, and seeing that environmental water is helping some fish survive.”
Following widespread flooding, low-oxygen blackwater conditions have developed throughout the Murray River. This is due to the large volumes of organic matter, such as sticks and leaves, that have been washed into rivers. As this organic matter is broken down by bacteria, oxygen is sucked out of the water. This makes it difficult for fish and other aquatic animals to survive. Sadly, this has resulted in fish deaths in some areas.
Working with local citizen scientists has helped provide rapid feedback to water managers and emergency response committees.
“Unfortunately, the risk of hypoxic blackwater is likely to continue for some time as temperatures increase in summer,” says Watts.
Water for the environment cannot be used to dilute the blackwater as the volume of water moving across the floodplain is so large. Instead, water for the environment is being delivered through Murray Irrigation Limited’s channel network to create small ‘refuge’ areas of better-quality water. Fish able to move to these areas can increase their chances of survival.
“This approach builds on lessons learned in 2016 and 2021,” says Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, Dr Simon Banks. “We’ve been working closely with the local community to make sure we get better-quality water to the right place at the right time to help fish, without exacerbating the impacts of flooding.”
“I met with locals in the Edward/Kolety-Wakool late last year to talk about helping fish survive low-oxygen blackwater,” says Dr Banks. “It’s a tough thing to talk about using water for the environment during a flood. But everyone was keen to see the fish were given a helping hand too.”
Thanks to our partners: the NSW DPE Environment and Heritage Group, Murray Irrigation Limited, the Edward/Kolety-Wakool Environmental Water Reference Group and Charles Sturt University.
For the latest information on Commonwealth environmental water delivery from MIL escapes: Latest water use - Mid-Murray.
For more information on hypoxic blackwater: Low-Oxygen Blackwater and Water for the Environment.
For more information on the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s monitoring program (Flow-MER): Flow-MER