By Tom Iffla, 16 April, 2011
The Swan River Trust has found that the Swan River and its life forms are currently suffering from algae blooms, Tributyltin (Boat paints) and lack of oxygen.
Scientific reports from The Swan River Trust website, stated that it would be foolish to think that all natural self-rejuvenating water blisses go un-harmed due to human induced chemicals and toxins.
The website claimed that high amounts of nutrients in certain areas are the major cause of algae blooms.
The website also stated that the blue-green algae are the most hazardous and can potentially be life-threatening if digested into the human body system.
Rachael Cochrane, the Media Relation’s Manager for the Swan River Trust said there is much cause for concern.
“Some algae are known to produce toxins and these species can pose a threat to human health,” Miss Cochrane said.
Miss Cochrane said it is known to cause skin irritation upon human contact and can cause serious injury or death to underwater life forms.
“They appear to be becoming larger and more frequent on a global scale and that this has been linked to human activity increasing nutrient levels in the water bodies,” she said.
She said the environment does not clean up after its self and people must globally take precautions to secure the lakes and rivers for our future.
The Swan River Trust built oxygen pumps in 1991 to insert oxygen into areas with low oxygen levels.
According to the Swan River Trust website there have been different areas with low levels of oxygen popping up in every annual report since 2001.
These areas include Peppermint Grove, Claremont and White beach.
Miss Cochrane claimed that low water movement and algae blooms are the cause of low oxygen levels within the Swan River.
“Oxygen levels at the bottom of the water column in the vicinity of Middle Swan Bridge are quite low at the moment,” she said.
Miss Cochrane also claimed that there are currently two oxygen pumps that work to re-oxygenate areas that are low with oxygen, but says that this is not enough.
She said that lack of oxygen causes fish and other life forms to asphyxiate.
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