On 28 November 2008 the Honorable Minister Maywald referred a proposed action under the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act to allow seawater to enter Lake Alexandrina, an action which will also affect Lake Albert. 

Lakes Alexandrina and Albert, and the Coorong, were listed under the Ramsar Convention of 1985 as Wetlands of International Importance.   Under Ramsar the Lower Lakes are listed as freshwater to brackish water (slightly salty) but the introduction of seawater potentially invalidates this listing. 

The Minority Report of the Senate Inquiry into Water Management in the Coorong and Lower Lakes recommends that up to 60 gigalitres of fresh water should be sourced to maintain the level of the Lower Lakes above the critical acidification threshold.  At the ‘Water Wednesday Seminar' at the University of Adelaide on 15 October 2008 Minister Maywald stated that 60 gigalitres of water were to be released from the Murray to the Lower Lakes and Coorong, along with the 350 gigalitres already allocated. 

The Environmental Defenders Office (SA) calls on Minister Maywald to withdraw the Referral and lobby the Commonwealth for the release of freshwater to the Lower Lakes to protect the habitat of the internationally listed wetlands and endangered species in the area. 

Greenlaw 27 is now available for download .
This issue features:

• Coorong and the Lower Lakes - Action needed

• Retrograde planning laws proposed for SA

• Site contamination management reforms welcomed

• Uranium mining "trials" in SA