health of thehealth of the macquarie river catchment

HEALTH OF THEHEALTH OF THE MACQUARIE RIVER CATCHMENT

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

BioassessmentBioassessment

•Water quality monitoring•Habitat assessment•Macroinvertebrate sampling•AUSRIVAS


Macroinvertebrates

Amphipoda (shrimp)Mollusca (snails)Ephemeroptera Odonata Amphipoda (shrimp)( )(mayflies)

Odonata (dragonflies)

Coleoptera (beetles)

Diptera

Oligochaeta (worms)

Diptera (true flies)

Trichoptera (caddis)

MACQ83

Monitoring SitesMACQ05

MACQ36MACQ82 CONARA

Monitoring SitesMACQ02 Macquarie River at Tooms Lake RdMACQ03 Macquarie River off Honeysuckle Rd

MACQ07

MACQ08

MACQ09 MACQ10MACQ81

MACQ80

MACQ84

CAMPBELL TOWN

LAKE LEAKE

q yMACQ04 Macquarie River at Long Marsh RdMACQ05 Isis River at IsisMACQ07 Prideaux Creek at Isis RdMACQ08 Elizabeth River at Merton Vale

MACQ04MACQ14

LAKE LEAKE

MOUNT MORRISTON

ROSS MACQ09 Elizabeth River at Campbell TownMACQ10 Elizabeth River at Tea Tree HillMACQ12 Blackman River at Old Tier RdMACQ13 Blackman River at Tunbridge

MACQ02MACQ12MACQ03

MACQ13

MACQ16WOODBURY

TUNBRIDGE

gMACQ14 Glen Morriston Rivulet at MoultonMACQ16 Kittys Rivulet at TrefusisMACQ36 Macquarie River at Barton RoadMACQ80 Macquarie River u/s Morningside SG

YORK PLAINS

q gMACQ81 Macquarie River d/s Hoggs Ford RoadMACQ82 Blanchards Creek u/s Valleyfield RoadMACQ83 Macquarie River at Delmont RoadMACQ84 Macquarie River off Ashby Roady


Riffle Average = 18.7 taxaAutumn 2008 = 21.5 taxa

25

30Autumn 2008

Spring 2008

Spring 2008 = 16.9 taxa

15

20

Taxa

Sp g 008

10

15

mbe

r of

0

5

Num

MA

CQ

02

MA

CQ

03

MA

CQ

04

MA

CQ

05

MA

CQ

07

MA

CQ

08

MA

CQ

09

MA

CQ

10

MA

CQ

12

MA

CQ

14

MA

CQ

80

MA

CQ

81

Sites


Blackman River off Old Tier Road

Autumn 2008 Spring 2008


Macquarie River off Honeysuckle Road



EdgewaterAverage = 21 7 taxaAverage = 21.7 taxaAutumn 2008 = 23.1 taxaSpring 2008 = 20.7 taxa

30

35Autumn 2008Spring 2008

20

25

Taxa

10

15

ber o

f T

0

5

Num

b

MA

CQ

02

MA

CQ

03

MA

CQ

04

MA

CQ

05

MA

CQ

07

MA

CQ

08

MA

CQ

09

MA

CQ

10

MA

CQ

12

MA

CQ

13

MA

CQ

14

MA

CQ

16

MA

CQ

36

MA

CQ

80

MA

CQ

81

MA

CQ

82

MA

CQ

83

MA

CQ

84

Sites


30 taxa 27 taxa

27 taxa


EPHEMEROPTERA

40

45

EPHEMEROPTERA

Autumn 2008

Spring 2008

25

30

35Spring 2008

10

15

20

25

%

0

5

10

2 3 4 5 7 8 9 0 2 4 0

MA

CQ

02

MA

CQ

03

MA

CQ

04

MA

CQ

05

MA

CQ

07

MA

CQ

08

MA

CQ

09

MA

CQ

10

MA

CQ

12

MA

CQ

14

MA

CQ

80

MA

CQ

81

Sites


PLECOPTERA - Stoneflies

20 0

25.0 Autumn 2008

Spring 2008

15.0

20.0 Sp g 008

5.0

10.0%

0.0

CQ

02

CQ

03

CQ

04

CQ

05

CQ

07

CQ

08

CQ

09

CQ

10

CQ

12

CQ

14

CQ

80

CQ

81

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

Sites


TRICOPTERA - Caddisflies

70

80

TRICOPTERA Caddisflies

Autumn 2008

Spring 2008

40

50

60

20

30

40

%

0

10

Q02

Q03

Q04

Q05

Q07

Q08

Q09

Q10

Q12

Q14

Q80

Q81

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

MA

CQ

Sites


Assessment of River HealthAUSRIVAS – Australian River Assessment System

Predict aquatic macroinvetebrate fauna that would be expectedto occur in the absence of environmental stress

List of probabilities of occurrence of macroinvetebrates that would be expected to occur at a test site if there were no impacts

The summed probabilities of the fauna expected to occur(E) is compared to those actually collected (O).

The O/E ratio provides a measure of the degree to which the macroinvertebrate fauna at a test site departs from that found at reference sites.


Band OE Scores

Band Name Comments

X >1.18 Richer than Reference • More families than expected • Potentially biodiverse site

• Possible mild organic enrichment A 0.83-1.18 Similar to Reference • Index value within range of the central

80% of reference sites 80% of reference sitesB 0.48-0.82 Significantly Impaired • Fewer families than expected • Potential mild to moderate impact on water

quality, habitat or both, resulting in the loss of families loss of families

C 0.13-0.47 Severely Impaired • Considerably fewer families than expected • Loss of families due to moderate to severe impact on water and/or habitat qualityp q y

D <0.13 Impoverished • Very few families collected • Highly degraded • Very poor water and/or habitat quality


MACQ02 Macquarie River at Tooms Lake RdMACQ02 Macquarie River at Tooms Lake RdMACQ03 Macquarie River off Honeysuckle RdMACQ04 Macquarie River at Long Marsh RdMACQ05 Isis River at IsisMACQ06 Isis River at Verwood RoadMACQ0 P id C k I i RdMACQ07 Prideaux Creek at Isis RdMACQ08 Elizabeth River at Merton ValeMACQ09 Elizabeth River at Campbell TownMACQ10 Elizabeth River at Tea Tree HillMACQ11 Snowy River above Duck Hole FlatsyMACQ12 Blackman River at Old Tier RdMACQ13 Blackman River at TunbridgeMACQ14 Glen Morriston Rivulet at MoultonMACQ16 Kittys Rivulet at TrefusisMACQ17 Blue Tier Creek at Honeysuckle RdMACQ17 Blue Tier Creek at Honeysuckle RdMACQ36 Macquarie River at Barton RoadMACQ80 Macquarie River u/s Morningside GSMACQ81 Macquarie River d/s of Hoggs Ford RdMACQ82 Blanchards Creek upstream of Valleyfield RdMACQ83 M i Ri t D l t R dMACQ83 Macquarie River at Delmont RoadMACQ84 Macquarie River off Ashby Rd (Ashby property)


Macquarie River off Honeysuckle RoadMacquarie River off Honeysuckle Road



1 2

1.4

1.0

1.2

0.6

0.8

Taxa

0.2

0.4

O/E

T

RiffleEdgewater

0.0

998

998

999

999

2000

2000

2001

2001

2002

2002

2003

2003

2004

2004

2005

2005

2006

2006

2007

2007

2008

2008

2009

2009

2010

EdgewaterA

utum

n 1

Spr

ing

1A

utum

n 1

Spr

ing

1A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Spr

ing

2A

utum

n 2

Season


Elizabeth River at Campbell TownElizabeth River at Campbell Town

Autumn 2008 Spring 2008Autumn 2008 Spring 2008


1.2

1.0

1.2

0.6

0.8

Taxa

0.4O/E

T

0.0

0.2 RiffleEdgewater

prin

g 20

03

tum

n 20

04

prin

g 20

04

tum

n 20

05

prin

g 20

05

tum

n 20

06

prin

g 20

06

tum

n 20

07

prin

g 20

07

tum

n 20

08

prin

g 20

08

tum

n 20

09

prin

g 20

09

tum

n 20

10

S Au S Au S Au S Au S Au S Au S Au

Season


Blackman River off Old Tier Road



Blackman Dam


1.4 RiffleD

1.0

1.2 EdgewaterDam Failure

0.6

0.8

Taxa

0 2

0.4

0.6O

/E

Dam Construction

0.0

0.298 98 03 04 04 05 05 06 06 07 08 09 09 10

Constructionut

umn

199

Spr

ing

199

Spr

ing

200

utum

n 20

0

Spr

ing

200

utum

n 20

0

Spr

ing

200

utum

n 20

0

Spr

ing

200

Spr

ing

200

Spr

ing

200

utum

n 20

0

Spr

ing

200

utum

n 20

1

A S S A S A S A S S S A S A

Season


SummarySummaryWater QualityEl t d d ti it d T bidit L l•Elevated conductivity and Turbidity Levels

•Low dissolved Oxygen levels

Riparian VegetationRiparian Vegetation •acts as a buffer against contamination•Sediment from bank erosion& Runoff from cleared land•Increased light levels and nutrient input into streams•Increased light levels and nutrient input into streams => prolific growth of aquatic weeds

Flow•Dry part of the state•Flow variability => high variation in community composition•Opportunistic species can dominate macroinvertebrate faunapp p•Macroinvertebrate fauna are dependent on refugia –need to be identified and protected


Further information

DPIW (2008). River Health of the Macquarie River Catchment. Water Assessment Water Monitoring Report Series, (Internal Reference No. WA 08/53.) Water Assessment Branch, Department of Primary Industries and Water, Hobart.

Krasnicki, T., Pinto, R.D. and Read, M.G. (2001). Australia Wide Assessment ofRiver Health; Tasmania Program Final Report. Department of Primary Industries,Water and Environment Hobart Technical Report No WRA 01/2001Water and Environment, Hobart, Technical Report No. WRA 01/2001.


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