It seems someone made a too hasty decision about the siting of the Bund. It keeps sinking into the mud. Deja vu! It happened at Kumarangk, when they built the Hindmarsh Island Bridge, and it's happening again here. You'd think someone would start listening to local knowledge.
Something else went into the mud last Thursday. A cement mixer took a dive. Seems the driver forgot it's floaties. As we stood and watched it being fished out, a local water hauler told me that 30,000 tons of clay have so far been used to make the embankment. [In fact a Lands Dept officer said 40,000 cu metres have been needed.]
An Australian Otter swam by, searching for it demolished home, no doubt. Under the Ramsar Convention, Australian governments have an obligation to protect this habitat, important for about 20 species of migratory waders like red-necked stints, sharp-tailed sandpipers and curlew sandpipers en route from China and Siberia. [Coorong, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert Ramsar Management Plan, Dept for Environment Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, Draft, June 1999, p13]
Too noisy for sandpipers here!
The 12 temporary pumps, plus one large pump, are still here. They've been pumping 470 mega-litres a day. When the atmosphere stills, about 5.30-6pm at night, the noise seems to amplify across the waters. The pumps keep booming all night like a rave party next door. Ohhhh, I can see why sleep deprivation is a form of torture! Pity the poor creatures living in and around the lake!
"Why do the pumps have to work around the clock?" I asked a government official. "Why can't we all get some rest at night?"
"Financial," was the reason given. "Too costly to put in more pumps and leave them idle." Sigh, ohhh for some silence. However, I'm assured that this week end 4 pumps will be removed, and pumping will reduce to 360 megs in June, 200 in August and 0 by the end of September. Pumping is costing the South Australian taxpayer $600,000 a month.
Today was foggy: one of those hauntingly still lake days, except for the diesel fumes from the pumps that hung in the air. Not good for any one's health.
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