People looking for a simple, easy to blame character for the disaster at Lake Wyangan were left disappointed after the science pointed to multiple issues, but no clear cause of death.
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It'd be nice if evidence had uncovered some comic-book villain secretly sabotaging what used to be one of the city's crown jewels.
That would be an easy problem to solve.
The city's mayor has welcomed the Department of Primary Industries report, and in a council media release said claims of "mis-management" had now been swept away.
Unfortunately, reading the DPI report reveals that claims of "mis-management" aren't so easily dismissed.
The DPI report highlights the fact that according to Australian Water Quality Guidelines, the level of chemical compounds, or analytes, is greater than the level needed to trigger investigations.
It's the same for level of aluminium and boron elements, the lake's acidity level and the amount of ammonia in the water is also above the investigation trigger level.
While none of these measurements are the cause of death, they are all cited as things which make life very difficult for fish.
The report looks at the sediment in the lake and several other factors which may have contributed to the disaster.
The fact that these water quality indicators are higher than the level needed to trigger an investigation should be ringing alarm bells in Neville Place.
This report isn't proof of mis-management, but it's certainly confirms that the lake has been neglected for many years prior to this current crisis.
Council can't be held accountable for how often or little it rains, or for the droughts that make a man-made lake in a semi-arid environment difficult to maintain.
However, they should absolutely be shouldering the blame for not acting fast enough.
The report contains six recommendations for council to consider for the lake's future - council should be addressing them swiftly.
Spending $2 million in ratepayers money to improve water quality is a step in the right direction, but it's clear that improving water quality isn't just about addressing the water going into the lake - it will also be about addressing what's already in there.
Now's the time to examine what should be done to help the moment the sediment ponds are finished.
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Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
