Australia’s Lower Murray River and Macquarie Marshes may soon be deemed ‘critically endangered’.

The federal government is soon expected to decide whether to give these ecosystems the designation under national environment laws. 

The proposal, driven by scientific assessments and expert consultations, includes an 830-kilometre stretch of the Lower Murray and the Macquarie Marshes, a vast wetland in New South Wales' Murray-Darling Basin.

The final decision by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is expected in November following a formal report submission. 

If approved, it would be the first such listing since Sydney's Cooks River, highlighting the urgency of conservation for the country’s struggling waterways.

The Murray-Darling Basin has faced extensive stress from over-extraction, river regulation, and climate change. 

The Lower Murray, stretching from its confluence with the Darling River to the sea in South Australia, has suffered severe decline over the last century. 

The Millennium Drought (1996-2010) pushed it to near collapse, reducing water flows to record lows and impacting habitats for fish and migratory species.

The Macquarie Marshes, also called Maliyanga Ngurra by Indigenous custodians, have also seen altered flooding patterns. With a potential listing area of about 1,000 square kilometres, the marshes are crucial for species like frogs, snakes, and threatened birds.

The ‘critically endangered’ status would enforce legal protections for currently unprotected areas, requiring federal assessment of development proposals. Penalties would be imposed for unauthorised damage. 

While portions of these areas are already protected as Ramsar-listed wetlands, much remains without adequate conservation.

The designation could create regulatory challenges for agriculture, a key industry in the Basin. 

More details are accessible here.

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