PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant VBA_SCRIPT - assumed 'VBA_SCRIPT' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in ..../includes/functions_navigation.php(802) : eval()'d code on line 1 SALVINA WEED. Destroying NT waterways
What can you say, here are some photos of the river when it was healthy and how it is now that this weed from carless peoples aquariums has entered the waterway.
Jewmaster, does the DPI or someone up there have any plan to get rid of the salvinia. I hear they're having some success down Rocky way with a weavle that chews away at the leaves and the plant sinks. It has cleaned up some creeks around here. The problem with this stuff is that it can double it's size (area covered) in a week and can be transferred from one water hole to the next on ducks' feet or boat trailers or nets ...just about anything that gets wet. Once it's there it's bloody hard to get rid of. I sure hope they do something...
Many waterways in North Queensland are affected badly by this problem. Farm run-off adds to the problem in catchments with agricultural development or grazing by providing a source of nutrients to feed the weeds.
The problem with the weavel for any of the water weeds including hyacinth and salvinia is that once the plant sinks to the bottom, it then slowly rots away which consumes oxygen in the water and provides a source of nutrients to algae and remaining plants.
Infestations destroy the area as fish habitat. Affected waterways also become a storage of polluted water that, after rain, moves downstream and kills fish in lower reaches as well.
The best solution is mechanical removal but this can often be physically difficult and expensive.
With about 70% of tropical fish needing clean healthy fresh water to live out their lives, this is impacting significantly on fish stocks.
This is certainly a case of prevention being better than cure.
Vern
Vern, you probably know Payards Lagoon here in the Burdekin area, two years ago it was absolutely choked with hyacinth and para grass.
A demonstration was given with a Brisbane made water weed harvester on the lagoon and it was cleaned up totally.
As a result of the demo, a harvester was purchased by the Burdekin Shire Council, who are using it to clean the local creeks and they also contract it out to other NQ shires.
Perhaps the NT government should have a look at the local before and after pics from this area, I'm sure the BSC would have some on file.
Regards Bob
The bug is in use here in Darwin, but the bad wet season has really helped this little bugger, I saw a article on the net how brisabne had a project to clean out there drainage system and in the process spread the weed to call of there drains and are now trying to fight it.
Burdekin Bob,
I was involved in the Payards project from the start and have before and after photos. Will send them to Jewmaster if he wants them.
Vern
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote