Major threats and issues
 

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Threats

There are several reasons why water quality is threatened in South Australia. These include:

• Point and non-point source pollution
   
• Alteration of natural flows
   
• Clearing vegetation
   
• Loss of habitats
   
• Increasing salinity
   
• Pest species
   
• Threats to groundwater
   
• Bushfire

The major water quality issues in South Australia

In the State of the Environment Report, the EPA listed a number of water quality issues in South Australia that need attention:

• Degraded rivers and streams in the Mount Lofty Ranges
   
• Degradation of the River Murray due to agriculture
   
• Degradation of the Adelaide coastal waters
   
• Degradation of the Port Waterways
   
• Heavy metals in the Northern Spencer Gulf
   
• Nitrate pollution of the South East groundwater
   
• Severe degradation of Lake Bonney in the South East
   
• Impacts of urbanisation on streams and coastal waters
   
• Pollution of estuaries and coastal waters by land-based activities
   
• Agricultural impacts on the state's rivers and streams
   
• Effects of agricultural activities on groundwater
  

This page was last modified 14-01-2008