Australia; NSW; VIC; QLD; SA
The combination of a drying climate and water resource development has placed the Lower Darling River at greater risk
of fish death events, such as the one that occurred in the summer of 2018/19, say Australian scientists. They say the extreme hot and dry climate during 2018 and 2019, shaped the conditions that saw a large number of fish stranded in the weir pools around Menindee. The hot, dry climatic conditions also saw distinct layers develop in the water, with the bottom layer lacking oxygen. A series of sudden cool changes started mixing these layers and the result was a sudden drop in oxygen levels in the water and no escape for the stressed fish. The authors say existing levels of water resource development coupled with a drying climate present a significant risk to the long-term health of native fish populations in rivers of the northern Murray Darling Basin.
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