Claims
Many claims are being made, but how consistent are these and do they really fit the facts?
Claim: Freshwater is the only natural solution
Yet lake levels have fallen way below what nature ever allowed.
Claim: The barrages are required, yet no new weirs or barriers should be built
Yet the barrages are all that are holding back the tide and preventing seawater from taking its natural place in the Lakes.
Claim: Seawater would destroy wetlands
Yet wetlands are either drying out and blowing away or 1/3 the salinity of seawater.
Claim: There is no scientific evidence of seawater intrusions
Yet a flawed historical study is cited as "proof" of universal freshwater.
Claim: 20-30 Gigalitres of freshwater would save the Lakes
Yet this would be add only a few centimetres to levels already more than one metre below sea level.
Claim: Large extractions upstream caused the problem
Yet despite greatly reduced extractions over the past three years due to the drought, the Lakes are still drying out.
Claim: Water is available in upstream storages to save the Lakes
Yet there is less available water in storage than is required to refill the lakes.
Claim: A weir at Wellington would destroy the Lakes
Yet there is no weir at Wellington and the lakes are already being destroyed.