Impact of Rainwater on the
ABSTRACT
Critical pollution issues connected to rainfall contributing to the pollution of the Parramatta River Catchment remains unresolved in the 21st century. The impact of urbanization over the centuries by the European settlers continues underpinning this environmental issue for the people of this region. Heavy metals and other contaminants gather in rainwater runoff along with other urban debris polluting the river catchment and consequently damaging the health of the river. This type of pollution leads to destruction of plant and animal habitats as well as Aboriginal billabongs and other traditional wetlands as well as sacred waterways. While the problem remains well documented, the physiological, social, and psychological impact of any measures correcting this environmental crisis has its own issues. The following academic exploration of the issue discusses these aspects in further detail.
Key Words: Parrammatta, pollution, rainwater, catchment, wetlands
Impact of Rainwater on the Parramatta River Catchment
Introduction
The problem is public and private human activity causes the rainwater moving through Australia's Parramatta River Catchment mixed with heavy metals and weeds causes contamination dangerously effecting wildlife habitat and reproduction as well as posing health threat to humans deciding to swim in the river. The following academic report describes the extent of the problem, stakeholders impacted by this condition, and the psychological/social nature of the issue.
The Problem
Rainwater collected by the Parramatta River Catchment moving from streams currently poses a major threat to the water quality. Urbanization continues affecting natural land surfaces contributing to the polluting runoff into riverine systems according to Kibble (1987, as cited by Warner, 2000, p. 173). Ellis (1979) reported the "quality of urban runoff is generally thought to be no better than secondary treated effluent and it is often far worse than raw sewage (as cited by Warner, 2000, p. 173)." Further, Nash (1993) "suggested that urban storm water is a major source of metal pollution in surface waters (as cited by Warner, 2000, p. 173)" poisoning animals so they cannot reproduce (Parramatta City Council, Department of Environmental and Climate Change & Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority, 2008).
Warner (2000) points out the last two decades is the first serious focus by urban rainwater flood management on pollution effecting the quality of water for animal and plant habitats connected with the Parramatta River (173). Animals and birds ingesting metal polluted water have problems reproducing because of the poisonous effects on their bodies. Birds lay eggs with thin shells that cannot hold the developing young chicks and animals either become sterile or produce deformed and dead offspring (Parramatta River Catchment Group, 2013).
Relevant Stakeholders
European History Impact
Landsberg (1956) reported how urban activities including gas-driven vehicles and factories contributed to gaseous pollutants into the atmosphere effectively causing greater precipitation over urban areas consequently contributing to further pollution from the rainwater runoff to the Parramatta (as cited by Warner, 2000, p. 175). Bridgman et al (1995) wrote, "This rain contains dissolved and small particulate matter which can pollute the surface or adjacent waterways, when such water runs off." Consequently, the precipitation often "is polluted by materials injected from surface sources (as cited by Warner, 2000, p. 175)." The European footprint on polluting the river continues with the heavy urbanization activities in the 21st century.
Aboriginal
Similar to other river pollution issues, Aboriginals concern about the pollution dangers connected with the Parramatta have the same voice. The issues relate to the rain runoff containing rubbish and dead plant life effecting flows through billabongs as well as other wetlands with both plant and animal habitats. Other problems cited during organized meetings by Aboriginal people look at the pollution causing insufficient recycling and the quality of water returning to their creeks and rivers. One effect noted is Swans no longer reproducing because of the pollution as well as both food and medicinal plants gone in growing numbers of the billabongs. Finding native fish continues declining. Having its own negative significance with the issues of pollution of the Parramatta River Catchment focuses on the destruction or alteration of numerous Aboriginal cultural and spiritual sites, and as one participant offered, "'Land and water conservation should be as clear as the water (NSW Gov.com, 2006)."
Considerations in Implementing Any Solutions to the Problem
Physical/Social/Psychological
Australia's Parramatta River Catchment serves one of the nation's most urbanised regions. Consequently, the physical nature of the pollution problem associated with the catchment issues includes the combination of every person's daily activities. Undertaking any solutions to the problem requires coordinating input from private, commercial, Aboriginal, and government stakeholders in the matter. The fact is for receiving waters in existing physical waterways connected to the Parramatta River Catchment issue according to Warner (2000) there exists little in the "scope for structural interception, except perhaps to restrict floating materials such as plastic bottles and oil." Other physical issues look at the large sumps allowing collection of rubbish and sediment "but these accumulations have to be physically removed." While, cleanup options on "pathways where pipes and lined channels give way to [natural] (modified) channels, all kinds of water, sediment and pollutant interception structures are possible," explains Warner (2000), nonetheless, "These have an area requirement which is not always available in old established areas." Education of the public poses both social and psychological implications because doing so needs particular attention to the diversity of the population including Aboriginal cultural aspects related to spiritual locations (p. 187). Cribb (2006) looks at the issue in terms of gaining the physical, social, and psychological support of volunteerism in cleaning up rivers in Australia (p. 16).
References
Parramatta City Council, Department of Environmental and Climate Change & Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority. (2008). Parramatta River Estuary Data Compilation and Review Study. Retrieved from
http://www.parramattariver.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Parramatta-River-Estuary-Data-Compilation-and-Review-Study.pdf
Cribb, J. (2006, April-May). Rivers Reborn: Greening Australia's Spirit Is Leading a Rousing Community Buy-In to Its Ambition to Revive Australia's Struggling Rivers. Ecos, (130), 16
North South Wales.Gov.Au. (2006). Murrumbidgee River and Lake George Community Comment on the Objectives. Retrieved from
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ieo/murrumbidgee/report-01.htm#TopOfPage
Parramatta River Catchment Group. (2013). Current Impacts. Retrieved from
http://www.parramattariver.org.au/?page_id=1639
Parrammatta City Council. (1993). Parramatta's European Heritage. Retrieved from
http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/51013/ParramattasEuropeanHeritage.pdf
Warner, R. F. (2000). 8: The Role of Stormwater Management in Sydney's Urban Rivers. In S. Brizga & B. Finlayson (Eds.), River Management: The Australasian Experience (pp. 173-196).
