How many Rivers are polluted in Australia?
Almost all major rivers in Australia have been degraded by human activity but not necessarily “polluted” in the sense of toxic chemical or waste contamination. Because Australia is a very dry continent, diversion (damming) of rivers is an important water management tool but the lower flow in even the largest river system means that any pollutants are concentrated. The main pollutants are farm chemicals and fertilizer. Low flow and erosion are the main types of river degradation in Australia.
