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

Goulburn River

Hunt07 - Goulburn River near Tunbridge Creek

Site Condition Summary

This site was within the Goulburn River National Park. Riparian vegetation consisted largely of exotic species which provided little stream shading. The water quality at the site was generally good, with the exception of Spring 1995 data. When sampled in Spring 1995, nutrient concentrations and turbidity were higher than during other visits while conductivity was lower. The cause of this deterioration in water quality was unclear. During Autumn 1996, stream flow was low and almost half of the reach was covered in filamentous algae.

Only edge habitat was sampled at this site. The models consistently returned high O/E values from both single and combined season models, even in Spring 1995 when water quality was compromised. The assessments indicated the macroinvertebrate fauna at this site was similar to those expected under reference condition. Orthocladiinae (True flies) were the only taxa predicted but not collected in any of the samples.

Location Map

Location Map

Location Details
Map Name Mount Misery 8933-3-N
Map Zone 56
Map Scale 1:25000
Easting 240000
Northing 6422000
Distance from source (m) 125365
Elevation (m asl) 260
Average Annual Rainfall (mm) 650

Sampling Data and Assessments

Single Season Assessments

Edge
  Spring '94 Spring '95 Autumn '96
  2-Nov-94 13-Dec-95 3-Apr-96
O/E Taxa 0.91 1.18 0.87
Band A X A
O/E SIGNAL 0.87 1.01 1.08

Riffle

Combined Season Assessments

Edge
Seasons SPR95AUT96
Model Eastern
O/E Taxa 1.03
Band A
O/ E SIGNAL 1.01

Riffle

Taxa Collected

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

Edge
      Spring '94 Spring '95 Autumn '96
Phylum Class/Order Family 2-Nov-94 13-Dec-95 3-Apr-96
Annelida Hirudinea Glossiphoniidae +    
Annelida Oligochaeta   +    
Arachnida Hydracarina       +
Crustacea Decapoda Atyidae O X O
Insecta Coleoptera Dytiscidae X X X
Insecta Coleoptera Gyrinidae   +  
Insecta Coleoptera Hydraenidae   +  
Insecta Coleoptera Hydrophilidae X X X
Insecta Coleoptera Scirtidae   +  
Insecta Diptera Chironominae X X X
Insecta Diptera Culicidae +    
Insecta Diptera Orthocladiinae O O O
Insecta Diptera Simuliidae   +  
Insecta Diptera Stratiomyidae   +  
Insecta Diptera Tanypodinae X O X
Insecta Diptera Tipulidae +    
Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae O X X
Insecta Ephemeroptera Caenidae O X X
Insecta Ephemeroptera Leptophlebiidae O X X
Insecta Hemiptera Corixidae X X X
Insecta Hemiptera Gerridae   + O
Insecta Hemiptera Hebridae +    
Insecta Hemiptera Hydrometridae +    
Insecta Hemiptera Notonectidae X X O
Insecta Hemiptera Veliidae X X O
Insecta Lepidoptera Pyralidae   +  
Insecta Odonata Aeshnidae + +  
Insecta Odonata Coenagrionidae + + +
Insecta Odonata Corduliidae + +  
Insecta Odonata Gomphidae X X X
Insecta Odonata Protoneuridae +   +
Insecta Trichoptera Leptoceridae X X X
Mollusca Bivalvia Corbiculidae +    
Mollusca Gastropoda Physidae X X +
Mollusca Gastropoda Thiaridae +    
Platyhelminthes Turbellaria Dugesiidae +   +

Riffle

Water Quality Data

  Spring '94 Autumn '95 Spring '95 Autumn '96
Variable 2-Nov-94 1-Jun-95 13-Dec-95 3-Apr-96
Water Temperature (°C) 29.8 12.6 24.3 17.8
Conductivity (µS/Cm) 1100 1140 508 820
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 8.2 8.95   10
Alkalinity (mg CaCO3 /L) 220 220 100 300
pH 7.89   7.5 8.31
Turbidity (NTU) 0.7 1.2 554 0
Low Total Phosphorus (µg/L) 71   340 61
Free Reactive Phosphorus (mg/L)        
NOx Nitrogen (mg/L) <10   300 <10
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (mg/L) 0.47   1.0 <0.3
Ammonia (mg/L)        
Nitrate (mg/L)        
Nitrite (mg/L)        

Key

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