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Glenelg River Human Impact

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Glenelg River Human Impact

Read the case study and examine the visuals. Then use evidence to explain how human activities can affect the Glenelg River and suggest practical responses.

Case study: rain after a dry spell

The Glenelg River flows through south-western Victoria and into South Australia. Its catchment includes towns, farms and areas of natural habitat. The river supports plants and animals, provides places for recreation and is important to communities along its banks. In this fictional example, heavy rain follows a long dry period. On one farm, bare soil and animal access close to a small creek allow muddy water and nutrients from manure to wash into the creek, which flows to the river. Elsewhere, a riverside walking track is popular. People sometimes leave rubbish, and repeated foot traffic wears away plants at one bank. Muddy water can reduce the light reaching water plants. Extra nutrients may encourage algae to grow; when algae die and decompose, oxygen in the water can fall. Bare banks are more easily eroded, and erosion can add more sediment to the river. These effects depend on conditions such as rainfall, river flow and how much pollution enters. Fencing animals away from the creek, planting native vegetation along banks, managing manure and providing bins and track signs are possible responses.

Measure

Upstream site

Downstream site

Water clarity (cm; larger = clearer)

Nitrate (mg/L)

0.8

2.1

Read the evidence

Use the case study and monitoring snapshot. The snapshot suggests a difference between the sites, but by itself it does not prove what caused that difference.

1.Which pair of human activities in the fictional case study could affect the river? Choose the best answer.

Farm runoff and riverside recreation
Mining and shipping
Dam construction and fishing
Road salt and snow clearing

2.According to the monitoring snapshot, which site had less clear water, and what is the evidence?

3.Which site had the higher nitrate reading? State both readings and one careful conclusion you can draw from the figures.

4.Complete the cause-and-effect chain: rain washes soil from bare ground into the creek → → less light reaches water plants.

5.True or false: Extra nutrients can encourage algae growth, and decomposition of dead algae can lower oxygen in the water.

TrueFalse

6.Match each river impact with the most direct response from the case study.

Animals entering the creek
Worn, bare riverbank
Visitors leaving rubbish

Replant native vegetation
Provide bins and track signs
Fence animals away from the creek

7.Explain one way bank vegetation can help protect the river.

8.A community has money for one first step. Choose either creek fencing or more rubbish bins. Explain which impact your choice targets and who should help put it in place.

9.Why would repeating water tests at both sites over several months give stronger evidence than taking one sample after rain?

10.Write a short recommendation to a Glenelg River community group. Name one human impact, explain one likely effect on the river, and suggest one realistic action.