
4 minute read
SECOND ALGEA ALERT IN TWO WEEKS IN TWEED RIVER
BY SARAH WATERS
Tweed Shire Council has issued an amber alert for blue-green algae in the Tweed River at Uki - two weeks after declaring an amber alert for Clarrie Hall Dam.
Council’s water and wastewater operations manager Brie Jowett said the amber alerts meant blue-green algae might be multiplying in the affected waterways. She stressed tap water across the Tweed including at Uki, remained safe to drink and bathe in.
“We have a water treatment plant at Uki and it draws and treats water from the river for the local community,” Mrs Jowett said.
“The heavy rain earlier this week increased the amount of water spilling from the dam, with the water flowing down Doon Doon Creek into the Tweed River upstream of Uki.
“This is the most probable reason why our scientists at the NATA-accredited Tweed Laboratory have just detected blue-green algae in the river at Uki.
“We will continue to ensure drinking water throughout the Tweed is treated appropriately for the conditions.”
Mrs Jowett said the algae detected in the dam and river was not a species capable of producing toxins.
She said if toxinproducing algae were present, Council’s water treatment processes were ‘robust.’
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“We remove blue-green algae from our treated water whenever blooms occur, so our tap water would still be perfectly safe to drink and bathe in.”
However, Mrs Jowett said Council was advising against recreational activities in the Tweed River at Uki and Clarrie
Hall Dam.
Water for most of the Tweed is sourced from the Tweed River downstream at the Bray Park Weir.

The village of Uki has its own treatment plant, drawing water from the Tweed River at Uki.
The village of Tyalgum has its own water supply - the Oxley River at the Tyalgum Weir.
Council is monitoring the situation and maintaining testing twice a week at the dam, the Tweed River at Uki and Bray Park and weekly from the Oxley River at Tyalgum.
The Northern Rivers Times reported on bluegreen algae at Clarrie Hall Dam in its May 11 edition.
While Tweed Council said in a recent media release that ‘blue-green algae occur naturally in still water’ Water Quality Australia provides a more detailed explanation.
It states that Cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, photosynthesise like plants and need sunlight, nutrients - especially nitrogen and phosphorus - and carbon dioxide to grow and produce oxygen.
If conditions are suitable, cyanobacteria can increase to excessive levels and form visible ‘blooms’ which can lead to poor water quality and, with some species, the potential for toxicity.
The algea can reproduce quickly in still or slowflowing water when the weather is warm and the water is nutrient-rich.
External sources of nitrogen and phosphorus, including agricultural fertilisers, household products, sewage effluent and stormwater runoff, can cause algae blooms to form.
Water Quality Australia states that once a bloom is detected there are currently few ways to disperse it without adverse side effects.
Clarrie Hall Dam has an open and un-gated spillway.
Council has no control over water spilling from the dam once the water level of the dam reaches the full supply level.
Affected water can appear to have a green, paint-like scum on the water, near the edges, or greenish clumps throughout the water and a musty odour.
Warning signs are going up at public access points to the Tweed River near Uki to inform the public of the presence of blue-green algae and any potential risk.
Warning signs remain in place at Crams Farm and the Clarrie Hall Dam wall. For the latest update on algae alerts, visit Council’s website at tweed.nsw.gov. au/recreational-blue-greenalgae-alerts.








Torch relay to celebrate 100 years of Legacy
BY SAMANTHA ELLEY
When a soldier, in the trenches of the Western Front during World War One, whispered to his dying mate, ‘I’ll look after the missus and the kids’, it set off a chain reaction.
Known as The Promise, those words became the foundation on which Legacy started in 1923 in Melbourne by Sir Stanley Savige, inspired by Sir John Gellibrand. It continued to grow over the next 100 years.
To celebrate its centenary, Legacy has been running a torch relay that started in Pozières, France, where it was lit last month and will be in Casino on June 23.
Darryl Clifford, Chairman of Legacy Casino and Robyn Spruce, secretary, will book end the relay to start at the Casino Military Museum and end at the Casino RSM Club.

“It is a 1.6km stretch that will be completed by five people,” said Robyn.
The Casino branch of Legacy at one stage was looking after 185 widows and their families.

“We are still supporting about 56 widows,” said Robyn.
“Most of our ladies are World War Two widows.”
Originally, it was returned servicemen who took this duty of caring for and supporting widows and children.
They later became known as Legatees.
To this day, it is the Legatees who volunteer the support that Legacy provides.

Robyn joined Legacy 16 years ago after her husband, Norm, a Vietnam Veteran, passed away.
“I joined the Laurel Club, a social branch of Legacy,” she said.
“Three months later I was president and still am.”
When Legacy opened the membership up to ladies, Robyn went along to that and two months later was made secretary.
Darryl, also a Vietnam veteran, had done some work for a Legatee and was asked if he would like to join Legacy.
“I joined about 35 years ago,” he said. “And have been chairman for around 13 years.”
Currently, across Australia Legacy continues to support 40,000 individuals and families, with the help of over 3,400 volunteer members, Legatees.
After the torch has been run in Casino, it will head to Lismore then Ballina