The Impact of Extreme Low Flows on the Water Quality of the Lower Murray River and Lakes (South Australia)

Luke Mosley (), Benjamin Zammit, Emily Leyden, Theresa Heneker, Matthew Hipsey, Dominic Skinner and Kane Aldridge

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2012, vol. 26, issue 13, 3923-3946

Abstract: The impact of extreme low flows on the water quality of the Lower Murray River and Lower Lakes (Alexandrina and Albert) in South Australia was assessed by comparing water quality from five sites during an extreme low flow period (March 2007–November 2009) and a preceding reference period (March 2003–November 2005). Significant increases in salinity, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a and turbidity were observed in the Lower Lakes during the low flow period. Consequently, water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic ecosystems were greatly exceeded. Principal Component Analysis, empirical and mass balance model calculations suggested these changes could be attributed primarily to the lack of flushing resulting in concentration of dissolved and suspended material in the lakes, and increased sediment resuspension as the lakes became shallower. The river sites also showed significant but more minor salinity increases during the extreme low flow period, but nutrient and turbidity concentrations decreased. The most plausible reasons for these changes were decreased catchment inputs and increased influence of saline groundwater inputs. The results highlight the vulnerability of arid and semi-arid lake systems to reduced flow conditions as a result of climatic changes and/or water management decisions. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Keywords: Hydrological drought; Biogeochemistry; Climate change; Salinisation; Eutrophication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11269-012-0113-2

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