Water

Publications

River Health in the New South Wales Lower North Coast, Hunter and Central Coast Catchments

A report of AusRivAS assessments 1994 - 1999
Grant Hose and Eren Turak
Environment Protection Agency, 2004
ISBN 0 642 55099 9 ISSN 1447-1280

Parsons Creek

Hunt05 - Parsons Creek upstream of Terrys Creek

Site Condition Summary

This site was within the Wollemi National Park. The site was surrounded by native forest, however, there was some invasion by weeds in the riparian zone. On all visits to this site, stream flow was low.

Water quality at the site was generally good, however, high nitrogen (TKN) was reported in Spring 1994. During both visits in 1997, an oily scum was noted on the water surface. This may have been the result of natural processes and low flow conditions rather than anthropogenic impacts.

The combined and single season assessments for the edge habitat returned scores in band A, indicating a rich macroinvertebrate community was present.

Location Map

Location Map

Location Details
Map Name Parnell 9032-1-S
Map Zone 56
Map Scale 1:25000
Easting 305300
Northing 6374800
Distance from source (m) 7557
Elevation (m asl) 180
Average Annual Rainfall (mm) 750

Sampling Data and Assessments

Single Season Assessments

Edge
  Spring '95 Autumn '97 Spring '97
  12-Dec-95 16-Apr-97 22-Oct-97
O/E Taxa 0.99 0.93 0.87
Band A A A
O/E SIGNAL 0.95 0.94 0.97

Riffle

Combined Season Assessments

Edge
Seasons AUT97SPR97
Model Eastern
O/E Taxa 0.89
Band A
O/E SIGNAL 0.96

Taxa Collected

X= Taxa Predicted & Collected, O = Taxa Predicted & NOT Collected, + = Taxa Collected & NOT Predicted

Riffle
      Spring '95 Autumn '97 Spring '97
Phylum Class/Order Family 12-Dec-95 16-Apr-97 22-Oct-97
Annelida Oligochaeta        
Arachnida Hydracarina   X X X
Crustacea Amphipoda Talitridae      
Crustacea Decapoda Atyidae O X O
Insecta Coleoptera Dytiscidae X X X
Insecta Coleoptera Gyrinidae + O O
Insecta Coleoptera Hydraenidae + + +
Insecta Coleoptera Hydrophilidae X O X
Insecta Coleoptera Scirtidae X O O
Insecta Diptera Ceratopogonidae + + +
Insecta Diptera Chironominae X X X
Insecta Diptera Culicidae X + X
Insecta Diptera Tanypodinae X X X
Insecta Diptera Tipulidae +    
Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae + X  
Insecta Ephemeroptera Caenidae +    
Insecta Ephemeroptera Leptophlebiidae X X X
Insecta Hemiptera Corixidae + + O
Insecta Hemiptera Gelastocoridae      
Insecta Hemiptera Gerridae X X O
Insecta Hemiptera Hydrometridae O    
Insecta Hemiptera Nepidae      
Insecta Hemiptera Notonectidae + O  
Insecta Hemiptera Veliidae X X X
Insecta Lepidoptera Pyralidae      
Insecta Megaloptera Corydalidae   +  
Insecta Odonata Corduliidae +    
Insecta Odonata Megapodagrionidae +    
Insecta Plecoptera Gripopterygidae   O  
Insecta Trichoptera Leptoceridae O X X
Mollusca Bivalvia Corbiculidae   +  
Mollusca Gastropoda Planorbidae      
Platyhelminthes Turbellaria Dugesiidae   + +

Water Quality Data

Riffle
  Spring '94 Autumn '95 Spring '95 Autumn '97 Spring '97
Variable 27-Oct-94 29-May-95 12-Dec-95 16-Apr-97 22-Oct-97
Water Temperature (°C) 20.3 12.7 21.2 15.6 14.4
Conductivity (µS/Cm) 310 278 204 150 147
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 2.5 7.45 17.4 2.2 2.2
Alkalinity (mg CaCO3 /L) 68 31 35 43 18
pH 6.74   7.02 6.42 6.35
Turbidity (NTU) 7.4 3.6 27.5 6.1 18
Low Total Phosphorus (µg/L) 33   14 18 14
Free Reactive Phosphorus (mg/L)          
NOx Nitrogen (mg/L) <10   80 <10 20
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (mg/L) 0.68   <0.3 0.38 0.30
Ammonia (mg/L)          
Nitrate (mg/L)          
Nitrite (mg/L)          

Key

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