Locally owned and independent
November 16, 2023
The Northern Rivers Times
NEWS 19
Green alert for blue-green algae in Oxley River MOTORISTS URGED NOT Bray Park Weir amber alert remains in place, Clarrie Hall Dam alert downgraded. Tweed Shire Council has issued a green alert for blue-green algae in the Oxley River after low algae levels were detected at the Tyalgum Weir. Although a green alert means algae is present in low densities in the waterway, tap water across the Tweed remains safe to drink and bathe in. Today, Council also downgraded its alert for Clarrie Hall Dam, with reduced algae levels recorded in the waterbody. The amber alert for blue-green algae at the Bray Park Weir issued
in October 2023 remains in place. Council’s Water and Wastewater Operations manager Brie Jowett warned the community and visitors to stay clear of the affected waterways and not to eat fish caught from them. “Council always takes a precautionary approach with bluegreen algae and we are advising against any recreational activities that involve contact with the affected water,” Mrs Jowett said. “If anyone comes into contact with the algae, we advise them to rinse it off with fresh water and seek medical advice if symptoms appear.” Scientists from the NATA-accredited Tweed
Laboratory Centre are testing the affected waterways twice a week. Mrs Jowett said tap water throughout the Tweed remained safe to drink and bathe in despite the alerts. “We source the Tweed’s tap water from the Oxley and Tweed rivers but our water treatment processes are robust,” she said. “We remove bluegreen algae from affected water when blooms occur, so our tap water remains perfectly safe to drink and bathe in.” Blue-green algae occurs naturally and can reproduce quickly in still or slow-flowing water, when it is warm and sunny and the water
is nutrient-rich. Affected water may appear to have a green paint-like scum on the water or near the edges, or greenish clumps. It can have a musty odour. Warning signs are being placed near the Oxley River at Tyalgum to inform the public of the presence of bluegreen algae and any potential risk. Warning signs remain along the Tweed River upstream of the Bray Park Weir. For the latest, visit Council’s website at tweed.nsw.gov.au/ waterandwastewater. For more information on blue-green algae, visit waternsw.com.au/ water-quality/algae.
Council advises against any recreational activities that involve contact with waterways where algae is present. If you come into contact with the algae, rinse it off with fresh water and seek medical advice if symptoms appear.
ABARES Weekly Australian Climate, Water and Agricultural Update For the week ending 8 November 2023, troughs brought widespread showers and storms in Queensland and New South Wales, and in country’s northwest. The remainder of the country remained dry. o While welcomed, the rainfall recorded over the weekend is unlikely to spark widespread planting of dry land summer crops. • Over the next 8 days to 16 November 2023, troughs and lows will generate showers and thunderstorms over eastern New South Wales and Victoria, and parts of northern
Australia. o Dry conditions elsewhere would allow for winter/spring crop harvest to continue but delay timely planting of dry land summer crops. • An El Niño and a positive IOD event are currently underway. Drier than normal conditions are expected in December for large areas of Australia. o This represents a significant downside production risk for dry land summer crop production as well as pasture growth. • Between December 2023 to February 2024, there is a
close to equal chances of above or below median central and southern Australia, while below median rainfall is more likely for the remainder of the country. o If these falls are realised, it is likely to be sufficient to support late spring and summer pasture growth across eastern and northern Australia. While the dry start to spring has limited early planting of dry land summer crops, the expected rainfall may be sufficient to allow for later plantings. • Water storage levels in the MurrayDarling Basin (MDB)
decreased between 2 November 2023 and 9 November 2023 by 17 gigalitres (GL). Current volume of water held in storage is 20 176 GL. This is 10 percent or 2284 GL less than at the same time last year. • Allocation prices in the Victorian Murray below the Barmah Choke decreased from $169 on 2 November 2023 to $158 on 9 November 2023. Prices are lower in regions above the Barmah choke due to the binding of the Barmah choke trade constraint.
TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS AS SEVERE WEATHER BATTERS STATE The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is urging commuters not to take the risk of driving through flash flooding as heavy rain lashes Metropolitan Sydney, the Central Coast, North Coast and Blue Mountains. A large storm front is moving across the Great Dividing Range to the east this afternoon (Thursday, 9 November), bringing damaging winds, possible hail and heavy rain which could lead to flash flooding in low lying areas. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain across Metropolitan Sydney, the Hunter, Central Tablelands, Central West Slops and Plains and North West Slopes districts. NSW SES has personnel and assets prepositioned to respond in our South Eastern, Metro and Northern zones. NSW SES Senior Manager of State Operations, Chief Superintendent Dallas Burnes, said flash flooding is dangerous and can happen anywhere there is localised heavy rainfall. “If it’s flooded, stop and find an alternative
route. Flash flooding can be deeper than it appears and can contain sewage and poisons, as well as hidden debris,” Chief Superintendent Burnes said. “If you live, work or regularly commute through a low lying area, there may be no official warning for flash flooding. It is critical you assess the conditions and also check live traffic before travelling.” If you are trapped by rising flash floodwater, seek the safest refuge position and call Triple Zero (000) if life threatening. The NSW SES advises that people should: * Keep clear of creeks and storm drains. * Don’t walk, ride your bike or drive through flood water. * If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and ring 000 if you need rescue. * Unplug computers and appliances. * Avoid using the phone during the storm. * Stay indoors away from windows, and keep children and pets indoors as well. * For help in floods and storms, ring the NSW SES on 132 500.
POP-UP OPPORTUNITY Grafton Regional Gallery is seeking expressions of interest from cafés, coffee vendors, and retailers, who would like to operate a pop-up at the Gallery over summer. Located in a vibrant regional art gallery precinct and surrounded by stunning heritage gardens, the gallery Café is an exciting opportunity to be part of a multifaceted facility which provides a cultural hub for the Clarence Valley community and visitors to the region. The café has a fully operational commercial kitchen and servery, with access to indoor seating and two spacious outdoor areas – one in a garden setting, and the other on a deck within the
Gallery precinct. Alongside this, historic Prentice House West has generous rooms available with potential for multipurpose commercial ventures including retail or dining. Grafton Regional Gallery Director, Sarah Gurich, welcomes all ideas from vendors, ‘The Gallery precinct provides great opportunity for retailers to expand their commercial presence and work alongside the enthusiastic Gallery team to deliver experiences for locals and visitors alike.’ For expressions of interest, please email the Gallery at gallery@ clarence.nsw.gov.au or call 02 6641 7300 for more information.
