Dirty rivers dead dogs and dairy farmers.

**98tls** · 11th March 2011, 06:46

Wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of some hard evidence re dairy farmers and the state of the rivers,this summer there has been 3 dogs die locally after swimming in local rivers and after taking our dogs for a dip yesterday my mates Collie is in a bad way.Myself and many others constantly blame the dairy farmers but if i am honest i have nothing to back that up with and was after some factual stuff,there must be some surely.Round here dairy farmings pretty intensive so its easy to blame them but is it possibly linked to climate change blah blah?.Any way just thought someone may have a link to some articles etc.

**oneofsix** · 11th March 2011, 06:59

Originally Posted by 98tls

Wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of some hard evidence re dairy farmers and the state of the rivers,this summer there has been 3 dogs die locally after swimming in local rivers and after taking our dogs for a dip yesterday my mates Collie is in a bad way.Myself and many others constantly blame the dairy farmers but if i am honest i have nothing to back that up with and was after some factual stuff,there must be some surely.Round here dairy farmings pretty intensive so its easy to blame them but is it possibly linked to climate change blah blah?.Any way just thought someone may have a link to some articles etc.

Why not take a sample of the water and see if you can get it tested by the vet or council. There have been river blooms that are poisoning dogs.

**98tls** · 11th March 2011, 07:03

Originally Posted by oneofsix

Why not take a sample of the water and see if you can get it tested by the vet or council. There have been river blooms that are poisoning dogs.

Yea not a bad idea though it has been raining heavily all night here so no doubt given the river in question a clean out.

**sinfull** · 11th March 2011, 07:22

Think it a sign of the times 98, have noticed over the last couple of years, my girl gettin a tad sad on it after lettin her do what she enjoys (swim and drink from our local stream) but hard to pin point it down, the ocean runs green with shit these days after it rains for a while (shallow ground water comes out not far offshore) which i blame on consents to spray efluent on all the paddocks, so what other sprays are being carried into the ground water ! But then they also do alot of poison drops along our forsure !

So ummm i just tell her
Don't swim
Don't bark
Don't shit in public
Don't bite burglars
Don't let councill see ya
Don't stray 2 feet from my side

So far the 2 feet from my side works

**Deano** · 11th March 2011, 07:26

A number of rivers suffer from toxic algae nowadays. High temps, low water flows and a lot of effluent run off (nutrients) all contribute to the flourishing of the algae.

Also likely that there are high bacterial counts if a lot of farm effluent run off. There are a number of rules regarding distances of stock to water ways. Have you spoken to your regional council about it ? They may be quite interested.

**98tls** · 11th March 2011, 07:35

Originally Posted by sinfull

Think it a sign of the times 98, have noticed over the last couple of years, my girl gettin a tad sad on it after lettin her do what she enjoys (swim and drink from our local stream) but hard to pin point it down, the ocean runs green with shit these days after it rains for a while (shallow ground water comes out not far offshore) which i blame on consents to spray efluent on all the paddocks, so what other sprays are being carried into the ground water ! But then they also do alot of poison drops along our forsure !

So ummm i just tell her
Don't swim
Don't bark
Don't shit in public
Don't bite burglars
Don't let councill see ya
Don't stray 2 feet from my side

So far the 2 feet from my side works

About it S,as you say hard to pin down,my own dog was swimming with my mates but hes fine,showing no signs of being crook at all.Guess he was just lucky enough to not swallow whatever is causing them harm.Cant believe how quick whatever it is gets to them.Mates dog is currently at the vets with tubes and needles coming out of him and well sad.Shame eh that its come to this from just going for a swim in a New Zealand river.

**98tls** · 11th March 2011, 07:44

Originally Posted by Deano

A number of rivers suffer from toxic algae nowadays. High temps, low water flows and a lot of effluent run off (nutrients) all contribute to the flourishing of the algae.

Also likely that there are high bacterial counts if a lot of farm effluent run off. There are a number of rules regarding distances of stock to water ways. Have you spoken to your regional council about it ? They may be quite interested.

No mate i havent though ive a day off so when in town might call in to the Council office and mention it to them.Interesting about the "distance to waterways" thing,where we take the dogs and swim ourselves is a great spot called Gemmels crossing and theres dairy farms all along the banks of the river,you only have to climb out of the river walk up the bank 10 yards and you run into fences,annoyingly whilst walking long sections of one side of the bank you can see where they are sucking water directly out of the river for there irragation which obviously doesnt help levels in the dry season.May wait a day or 2 after the rain stops and go take a sample directly from the biggest swimming hole,where would i go to get it tested?

**oneofsix** · 11th March 2011, 07:46

Originally Posted by 98tls

About it S,as you say hard to pin down,my own dog was swimming with my mates but hes fine,showing no signs of being crook at all.Guess he was just lucky enough to not swallow whatever is causing them harm.Cant believe how quick whatever it is gets to them.Mates dog is currently at the vets with tubes and needles coming out of him and well sad.Shame eh that its come to this from just going for a swim in a New Zealand river.

Be nice to think they could do blood tests on the sick dog and track it, but the vet is not a public service so would probably require your mate, or ideally the regional council, to pay. The Regional Council should take an interest and pay for the tests IMHO. That might tell the if the river is dangerous but not necessarily what made it so.

**98tls** · 11th March 2011, 07:54

Originally Posted by one of six

Be nice to think they could do blood tests on the sick dog and track it, but the vet is not a public service so would probably require your mate, or ideally the regional council, to pay. The Regional Council should take an interest and pay for the tests IMHO. That might tell the if the river is dangerous but not necessarily what made it so.

Cheers but i doubt i will get anything helpful from our council,they would rather waste there time and our money on such ridiculous things as our 8 million dollar Opera house

then expect us to agree to 6% rate rise (we are already in the top 5 highest ratepayers in the country) to fund cleaner drinking water.

Politicians and Councillors

Anyways i am getting off track,will speak to the vet also and see what we can come up with.

**Paul in NZ** · 11th March 2011, 07:55

Yes there is a lot of science around this and I have a mate that basically makes his living from it BUT there is also BIG $$ involved. That means that there is a lot of anti science as well.

I would not swim in a river running through intensive dairy farming areas. Nor do I fish around the mouths of such rivers either

**scissorhands** · 11th March 2011, 07:56

I think most major rivers have a pollution classification index, after some testing.

Might be a good idea to source that, avoid high risk stretches, and look for places upstream of farming, near the foot of the hills.

Botulism, is a real concern with the increased summer water temperatures. At one stage a few years back, 20 plus ducks per day, were dying at Western Springs pond.

I stuck a firecracker up the arse of Auckland City Council due to their incompetence in managing that waterway. If they were a private entity they would have been in court, pursued by either government or local body responsible for animal welfare.

**98tls** · 11th March 2011, 08:03

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

Yes there is a lot of science around this and I have a mate that basically makes his living from it BUT there is also BIG $$ involved. That means that there is a lot of anti science as well.

I would not swim in a river running through intensive dairy farming areas. Nor do I fish around the mouths of such rivers either

Around here (Waitaki) every river runs through intensive dairy farming sadly.Bloody sad day when a very nice swimming area 10 minutes drive from town and used by many in the town cant be used eh.As you say theres big $ involved so a local council wouldnt want to offend those making said $,if in fact its them causing the crap going on with the river.

**98tls** · 11th March 2011, 08:05

Originally Posted by scissorhands

I think most major rivers have a pollution classification index, after some testing.

Might be a good idea to source that, avoid high risk stretches, and look for places upstream of farming, near the foot of the hills.

Botulism, is a real concern with the increased summer water temperatures. At one stage a few years back, 20 plus ducks per day, were dying at Western Springs pond.

I stuck a firecracker up the arse of Auckland City Council due to their incompetence in managing that waterway. If they were a private entity they would have been in court, pursued by either government or local body responsible for animal welfare.

Indeed,"Western Springs" pond mate,is that a place that the Public would go to to swim etc,sorry i am at the other end of the country and dont know the area.

**oneofsix** · 11th March 2011, 08:08

Originally Posted by 98tls

Indeed,"Western Springs" pond mate,is that a place that the Public would go to to swim etc,sorry i am at the other end of the country and dont know the area.

Western Springs, isn't that where they have them noisy smelly dirty racing car type things what the neighbours don't like? No wonder they were killing ducks.

**mashman** · 11th March 2011, 08:24

Originally Posted by 98tls

Wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of some hard evidence re dairy farmers and the state of the rivers,this summer there has been 3 dogs die locally after swimming in local rivers and after taking our dogs for a dip yesterday my mates Collie is in a bad way.Myself and many others constantly blame the dairy farmers but if i am honest i have nothing to back that up with and was after some factual stuff,there must be some surely.Round here dairy farmings pretty intensive so its easy to blame them but is it possibly linked to climate change blah blah?.Any way just thought someone may have a link to some articles etc.

Oi, Erin Brockovich

(couldn't resist)... this may be a little left field, but wouldn't a sewerage plant have the ability to test water (do you have a local one?)? Failing that they may be able to point you in the right direction. Or ask the council to test the water and mention that you have sent the water off privately to get tested (wether you do or don't is another matter

)

Hope yer mates dog gets recovers quickly