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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Blackman River off Old Tier Road
Autumn 2008 Spring 2008
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Macquarie River off Honeysuckle Road
Autumn 2008 Spring 2008
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
30 taxa 27 taxa
27 taxa
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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.
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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)
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Macquarie River off Honeysuckle RoadMacquarie River off Honeysuckle Road
Autumn 2008 Spring 2008
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Elizabeth River at Campbell TownElizabeth River at Campbell Town
Autumn 2008 Spring 2008Autumn 2008 Spring 2008
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Blackman River off Old Tier Road
Autumn 2008 Spring 2008
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Blackman Dam
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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.
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
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