In 2008 I made a short film on the Coorong and Lake Albert which were showing the effects of the drought and reduced water supply coming down the River Murray to the mouth in South Australia. At that time there was many suggestions and ideas being put forward to protect the region. The Mouth of the river was dredged to stop it silting up, there was discussion about the lack of a national plan for the Murray River which is dealt with by each state individually to suit themselves.
The use of water to grow cotton and rice with irrigation methods that are wasteful for crops that themselves are not suited to Australian conditions. In 2010 the residents of Meningie have many opinions of the situation, the pool level is not going to be increased over what Lake Albert currently has. The debate has pitted local experience and residents rights against expert opinion, state autonomy and conservationist ideals.
Now in 2010 I returned to Lake Albert and filmed the same area to see what had changed in the lake environment now that water flow has resumed in the Murray River and rains have fallen in Queensland to replenish the river system.
Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff
