Knowledge (XXG)

Wellington Weir

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170:, formed to oppose the weir. In addition to the many concerns above they also pointed out that the water held back by the proposed weir would be stagnant because "winds from the northwest to the south circulate oxygenated waters from the lakes up the river for many kilometres and winds from the north and northeast bring back freshened water benefiting both areas and precisely fitting in with our anti-clockwise wind rotation". Additionally there were widespread concerns about the release of toxic metals and acidity through the drying out of the acid sulphate soils that are widespread around the lakes. 22: 173:
The Wellington Weir was officially dropped by the South Australian Rann government in 2009, primarily due to community pressure about the environmental damage it would result in, and the construction of the Port Stanvac desalination plant. Drought-ending floods in the upper
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Questions of over-allocation of water were significant in the debate regarding the cost of a weir. For instance, why not spend money on buying water licences from irrigators that use water from the Murray River system to grow cotton in
143:, and that already endangered species in the lakes and Coorong could become extinct. Sim and Muller trace the complex history of the area. Lloyd argues the weir diverts attention from the real issue: the sustainability of the 116:, 274 km from the Murray Mouth. The lowering of water levels in the lake system would severely impact on all who rely on the lakes and river for their livelihood. This would include irrigators, such as those in the 286:
Webster IT, Maier H, Baker P & Burch M (1997) ‘Influence of wind on water levels and lagoon levels and lagoon river exchange in the River Murray, Australia’, Australian Journal of Freshwater Research vol. 48,
77:. The weir would perform two roles: first, it would maintain a pool of water up-river, sufficiently deep enough to allow continued use of the pumping station at 295: 155:, as part of an international convention that aims to halt the loss of wetlands and conserve those that remain through wise use and management. 339: 82: 48: 186:, performed the Murrundi Ruwe Pangari Ringbalin, (River Country Spirit Ceremony) in April 2010. They also visited the upper Darling ( 344: 148: 86: 55: 125: 113: 187: 117: 63: 44: 349: 26: 129: 133: 139:
Opponents of the weir contended that the planned weir would severely damage the environment of the lakes and
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during prolonged drought conditions; and second, the weir would reduce the flow of fresh water into
73:. The proposed weir was suggested as an attempt to secure drinking water supplies for the city of 194:) to make plans for it in December 2009, one week before the first of the drought ending floods. 152: 121: 210: 105: 151:
conducted for the proposed weir. The area that would have been impacted is subject to a
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in April and May 2010 ended the matter. Significantly the local Aboriginal group, the
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Much of the river is already controlled by a system of locks and weirs, including the
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Australian Government - Department of Environment and Water Resources. (2006)
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A Fresh History of the Lakes: Wellington to the Murray Mouth 1800s to 1935
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The Wellington Weir project was announced in 2006 by the state
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Water crisis - govts must buy back water from irrigators
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A rally by 'Stop The Weir' protesters on the steps of
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Why are cotton farmer being offered yet more water?
47:, immediately upstream from where the river enters 213:River Murray Catchment Water Management Board 8: 43:several kilometres south of the town of 202: 168:River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group 7: 247:Australian Conservation Commission 226:Adelaide Advertiser, 6 January 2007 209:Sim, Terry and Kerri Muller (2004) 166:Local action groups, including the 275:Address to the Alexandrina Council 14: 163:, rather than build this weir? 149:environmental impact assessment 62:, who secured the agreement of 224:Weir plan recipe for disaster. 1: 340:River regulation in Australia 56:government of South Australia 89:which evaporates over 1,000 178:in late 2009 and the upper 118:Langhorne Creek wine region 64:Prime Minister of Australia 45:Wellington, South Australia 371: 237:The Convention of Wetlands 27:Parliament House, Adelaide 16:Proposed dam in Australia 264:Letters, 11 January 2007 345:Dams in South Australia 128:, and fisherpeople at 29: 147:system. There was no 24: 307: /  101:) of water a year. 311:33.400°S 115.983°E 30: 350:Dam controversies 287:pp. 541–550. 277:, 15 January 2007 251:. 12 January 2007 122:Narrung Peninsula 120:, farmers on the 58:, led by Premier 39:proposed for the 362: 322: 321: 319: 318: 317: 316:-33.400; 115.983 312: 308: 305: 304: 303: 300: 288: 284: 278: 271: 265: 258: 252: 245: 239: 233: 227: 220: 214: 207: 153:Ramsar Agreement 112:, and Lock 1 at 96: 83:Lake Alexandrina 49:Lake Alexandrina 370: 369: 365: 364: 363: 361: 360: 359: 325: 324: 315: 313: 309: 306: 301: 298: 296: 294: 293: 291: 285: 281: 272: 268: 260:The Australian 259: 255: 246: 242: 234: 230: 221: 217: 208: 204: 200: 106:Goolwa Barrages 94: 33:Wellington Weir 17: 12: 11: 5: 368: 366: 358: 357: 355:Cancelled dams 352: 347: 342: 337: 327: 326: 290: 289: 279: 266: 253: 240: 228: 215: 201: 199: 196: 145:Murray-Darling 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 367: 356: 353: 351: 348: 346: 343: 341: 338: 336: 333: 332: 330: 323: 320: 283: 280: 276: 273:Jones, Henry 270: 267: 263: 257: 254: 250: 244: 241: 238: 232: 229: 225: 219: 216: 212: 206: 203: 197: 195: 193: 189: 185: 181: 177: 176:Darling River 171: 169: 164: 162: 156: 154: 150: 146: 142: 137: 135: 131: 127: 123: 119: 115: 111: 107: 102: 100: 92: 88: 84: 80: 76: 72: 71:Melbourne Cup 68: 65: 61: 57: 52: 50: 46: 42: 38: 34: 28: 23: 19: 335:Murray River 292: 282: 269: 256: 243: 231: 218: 205: 184:Ngarrindjeri 180:Murray River 172: 167: 165: 157: 138: 110:Murray Mouth 103: 53: 41:River Murray 32: 31: 18: 314: / 222:Lloyd, Tim 126:Point Sturt 114:Blanchetown 87:Lake Albert 67:John Howard 329:Categories 198:References 188:Brewarrina 161:Queensland 99:cu ft 91:gigalitres 108:near the 60:Mike Rann 302:115°59′E 130:Meningie 97:10  75:Adelaide 299:33°24′S 141:Coorong 134:Clayton 69:at the 192:Bourke 79:Mannum 35:was a 190:and 132:and 124:and 93:(3.5 85:and 37:weir 331:: 136:. 51:. 95:×

Index


Parliament House, Adelaide
weir
River Murray
Wellington, South Australia
Lake Alexandrina
government of South Australia
Mike Rann
Prime Minister of Australia
John Howard
Melbourne Cup
Adelaide
Mannum
Lake Alexandrina
Lake Albert
gigalitres
cu ft
Goolwa Barrages
Murray Mouth
Blanchetown
Langhorne Creek wine region
Narrung Peninsula
Point Sturt
Meningie
Clayton
Coorong
Murray-Darling
environmental impact assessment
Ramsar Agreement
Queensland

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