Dead Dolphin

[flyingcampbell]

Anyone else seen the dead dolphin down at Port Noarlunga South, very sad:sad:

[erobertson]

Aww very sad indeed We live at Henley and there's been hundreds of dead fish around including snapper and some other biggies as well as the little reef fish. I read in the messenger they've put together a team to investigate - I hope they hurry up!!

[ThunderRoad]

To address the Elephant in the room................is it a coincidence that the Desalination Plant starts up and now numerous sealife is washed up on beaches. Didn't their report state there would be minimal impact on sealife ?

[bruce n sheila]

this is not the responsibility of the Desal plant.

 

not many know, but the desal plant has actually been operational for over 12months now and anyone living south of the Happy Valley Reservoir has beendrinking their water now for several months.

 

The Desal plant has only just "officially" opened because the localgovernment didn’t want to "officially" open it before the visitorcentre was completed.

 

No, I don’t work there but have recently been a guest of a corporate dayviewing the facility.

 

Actually its very interesting what they have and are doing and would fullyrecommend anyone visit their visitor centre.

[jim and adel]

I've no idea what's caused all the deaths (there have also been seals and penguins), but I heard a minister last week on the radio categorically denying that the desal plant is to blame. Given that this was before any autopsies or wider investigation had been undertaken it will be hard to take any findings seriously given that a potential cause has already been ruled out.

 

Chances are it's got nothing to do with the desal plant, but ruling it out so forcefully before the investigation that's supposed to find the cause has even begun only adds to the conspiracy theories.

 

Jim

[Lazy Cow]

I heard a minister last week on the radio categorically denying that the desal plant is to blame. Given that this was before any autopsies or wider investigation had been undertaken it will be hard to take any findings seriously given that a potential cause has already been ruled out.

 

Chances are it's got nothing to do with the desal plant, but ruling it out so forcefully before the investigation that's supposed to find the cause has even begun only adds to the conspiracy theories.

Jim

 

It's very sad

 

Whilst I know that the desal plant has been producing drinking water since late 2011 and that other desal plants have been operating a fair while without any reports of thousands of fish etc dying, it is hard to believe that the plant is in no way contributing to these deaths. I heard someone suggest (a presenter on 5AA) that in pumping out what is basically brine back into the sea, with high temperatures, the desal plant might be contributing to the growth of the algae that might be the actual cause of death.

 

Whatever, I agree with Jim and Adel, I don't think that the swift denial that the desal plant is in any way to blame, is very helpful.

 

LC

[flyingcampbell]

Dolphin made it onto 7 news tonight, with talk of a rally at Port Noarlunga next week. Being new to the area I know little about the desal plant or algae bloom for that matter! What I do know is that there have been a lot of fish washed up on Moana & Port Noarlunga South beaches and not just little ones, I've seen three good sized Snapper. To my uneducated eye, the dolphin I saw looked healthy, well fed and had no obvious signs of injury. Whatever is killing them appears to do so fairly quickly, or certainly well before they are struggling to feed themselves. I hope the problem is resolved soon

[AussieRob]

I don't know how they can rule out the Desal Plant without knowing what caused the deaths, just normal cover up politics I guess.

 

I don't know where many other Desal Plants are located but ours is basically in a bay with little tidal currents, it seems possible to me for the Brine to be increasing Salt Levels in the local area, which may be the direct cause or could be causing a knock on effect, or as someone mentioned, helped the algae / bacteria to grow.

 

I do hope they sort it out soon otherwise there will be nothing to protect in these marine parks.

[Guest Guest75]

It could be a water temperature issue as well.

 

Ambient seawater temps have been somewhat higher this year.

 

Last week my friend did a reading at 30ft.

It normally averages 19c but read 26c!!

That is a massive difference.

May be at least a contributing factor.

There was a mass die off a couple of months ago off Ardrossan. No Dolphin or Penguin casualties, just baby Leatherjackets.

 

I reckon it's a combination of factors but worrying now there are deaths in the Dolphin / Penguin population..

[bruce n sheila]

maybe you should attend the Desal visitor centre before trying to apportion any blame onto them and view the readings in an around the exit of this "brine" and see what effects this has had upon the local marine life.

 

http://www.sawater.com.au/SAWater/WhatsNew/MajorProjects/ADP_Community.htm

 

i will no doubt that any records/data that is maintained here will be made publically available through a number of opportunities so still cannot get how many came to the conclusion they are in some way to blame. And i know it is so tightly checked and re-checks by independant sourses that there is in no way these recordings and be falsified.

 

Plus it is certainly producing more good to the environment than what used to be there.

[foxychick]

Bruce n Sheila I was interested in visiting the visitor centre after you last mentioned it, and searched for info at the time, it appeared then (and now) that the centre is only open to schools or groups (pretty sure they don't mean a group of family and friends there!) which is a real shame.

[bruce n sheila]

Bruce n Sheila I was interested in visiting the visitor centre after you last mentioned it, and searched for info at the time, it appeared then (and now) that the centre is only open to schools or groups (pretty sure they don't mean a group of family and friends there!) which is a real shame.

 

That's a shame, it was very interesting and informative. During our visit they did say they would occasionally open the centre for the general public, we were asked our opinions and as a group we understood that due to their location and their business it was not somewhere people would turn up in large number daily and suggested maybe one day a month/or every other month, or special opening days on public holidays, this they did advise would be possible.

 

I will do some digging around in my contacts and see if the idea/proposal ever grew legs and when (if ever) they will open it to the general public, I would take my family. It would seem shameful for such a facility not to be available to all after so much was spent and ultimately who actually paid for it, I also learnt more about the local indigenous population and their history as its been incorporated in the design and surroundings.

[bruce n sheila]

Foxychick and anyone else interested - I emailed SA water and have received the following reply.Thank you for your email. The Kauwi Centre is open for all the public, and not only for school visits.We can accommodate groups and individuals any day/evening during the week as well as Saturdays.We can also take people on guided bus tours of the site, or a guided walk to view the plant from two lookouts. Tours are subject to times/days, number of attendees and weather.All sessions will need to be booked in however, and I have attached a booking form for you should you wish to do this.So if anyone is interested please drop me a pm with your email address and i will forward on their booking form, unless there is a way to insert it somewhere on this forum for anyone to use?

[foxychick]

thats awesome - thanks for that