Port Adelaide River

Oct 28, 2015 by wilderness-cwalsh

Yesterday I was apart of the Wilderness school biology class that visited the Port River Estuary in order to witness first hand the affects that climate change has had on the environment.

The estuary is an essential part of the ecology, commercial and recreational aspects of South Australia, in particular Adelaide. The Port River and Barker Inlet encompass the 118km Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. Bottlenose dolphins are commonly seen in the port. The dolphins have seen an influx of tourism to the area with dolphin cruises operating regularly. This tourism also helps the economy of the area.

The cruise down the river allowed us to see and experience dolphins up close but also allowed us to see the industries including ASC, Pelican Point Power Station and the Torrens Island power station. The bank was also filled with Wharves and bulk cargo, and container handling facilities. The main use of the river is for shipping purposes but a fishing fleet also operates out of the North Arm, which also has a recreational speedboat club. The two power stations draw seawater for cooling purposes.

In the midst of all the industries, a small patch of Mangroves was observed. Back before the settlement of South Australia the river wound between mangroves but now, after years of clearing to make room for ships, the river now winds between industries which are slowly polluting and destroying the river. Homes were also seen in the areas surrounding the port. It adds an extra danger to the port as storm water could flow into the river with leaf litter, run off from cars, and lawn clippings polluting the water.

After seeing the Port River and its surroundings, I now see the importance of protecting the estuary from the industry pollutions that is threatening to kill all remaining wildlife and vegetation. It would be near impossible to stop all the industries as they play an important role for Adelaide’s economy, but what is possible is putting guidelines and restrictions in place to ensure the estuary is safe. In order for this to be achieved, action needs to start now. 

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