page_title: Environmental issues in Australia
section_title: Waterway health
hierarchical_section_title: Environmental issues in Australia / Waterway health
caption_attribution_description: English: Litter trap in the Yarra River
context_page_description: Environmental issues in Australia describes a number of environmental issues which affect the environment of Australia. There are a range of such issues, some of the relating to conservation in Australia while others, for example the deteriorating state of Murray-Darling Basin, have a direct and serious effect on human land use and the economy.
  Many human activities including the use of natural resources have a direct impact on the Australian environment.
  These issues are the primary concern of the environmental movement in Australia.
context_section_description: The protection of waterways in Australia is a major concern for various reasons including habitat and biodiversity, but also due to use of the waterways by humans.
  The Murray-Darling Basin is under threat due to irrigation in Australia, causing high levels of salinity which affect agriculture and biodiversity in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.  These rivers are also affected by pesticide run-off and drought.
caption: A Parks Victoria litter trap on the river catches floating rubbish on the Yarra at Birrarung Marr
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