30 June 2009
DOLPHINS A SIGN OF YARRA’S IMPROVING HEALTH
The presence of dolphins in the lower reaches of the Yarra is an encouraging sign that work to improve the health of the river is having a positive affect.
General Manager of Waterways, Chris Chesterfield, said Melbourne Water and other agencies had committed considerable resources to improving the Yarra, and repeat visits by dolphins were a good indication that efforts were on the right track.
“We’re seeing good numbers of saltwater fish, and occasionally dolphins, making their way into the tidal sections of the lower Yarra, and they appear to be doing well in the improved environment,” said Mr Chesterfield.
“There’s still much work to be done, but the city areas of the Yarra are certainly a lot healthier than they were 20 or 30 years ago, when you just wouldn’t see the range and number of fish and birds we’ve seen in recent years.”
Mr Chesterfield said the biggest threat to the health of the lower Yarra remained the pollutants washed in from the streets through the stormwater system.
“Anything that winds up in the gutter eventually gets washed into rivers or the bay, and that can range from plastic bags to motor oil leaks in the driveway,” he said.
“Cities produce a lot of pollutants. We’re working with councils along the Yarra to better treat and improve the quality of runoff from our streets before it goes into the river.
“We can all make the Yarra a more inviting place for dolphins and other animal life by putting rubbish in the bin and disposing of household chemicals properly.”
Mr Chesterfield said the protracted drought continued to have an impact on all rivers, including the Yarra. The rural parts of the Yarra River system have suffered from more than 10 years of poor rainfall and lower than average flows.
“Given all the stresses on the river it’s great to see the dolphins enjoying a visit and hopefully a good feed of fish.”
Melbourne Water will spend over $300,000 in the next financial year to monitor the lower parts of Melbourne’s rivers. This will include assessing fish movement and breeding in the Yarra estuary.
Regular updates on river health are available from the Melbourne Water website.
Media Contact: Nicolas McGay +613 9235 2278 +61 (0)438 981 836