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

Wallis Creek downstream of Testers Hollow

HuntM4 - Wallis Creek downstream of Testers Hollow

Site Condition Summary

This site has been significantly modified. As can be seen from the photo, the riparian zone was heavily altered and cattle had access to the creek. The channel and bank form suggests some major earthworks have been undertaken at the site significantly modifying stream habitat.

The creek was at times choked by macrophyte and algal growth. Water was reported as being very murky and having a strong odour. Nitrogen concentrations were high on all sampling occasions and large variations in conductivity were recorded.

AusRivAS assessments varied over time with O/E-Taxa values between 0.57 to 0.81, but all indicated some degree of impairment. The combined season assessment was intermediate. Notably absent from all samples were Leptophlebiidae (mayflies). Predicted Hemiptera (true bugs) families were rarely collected.

Location Map

Location Map

Location Details
Map Name Beresfield 9232-3-N
Map Zone 56
Map Scale 1:25000
Easting 362300
Northing 6372500
Distance from source (m) 27762
Elevation (m asl) 0
Average Annual Rainfall (mm) 1100

Sampling Data and Assessments

Single Season Assessments

Edge
  Spring '95 Autumn '96 Autumn '97
  17-Oct-95 1-Apr-96 19-Apr-97
O/E Taxa 0.57 0.73 0.81
Band B B A
O/E SIGNAL 0.85 0.73 0.84

Riffle

Combined Season Assessments

Edge
Seasons SPR95AUT96
Model Eastern
O/E Taxa 0.70
Band B
O/E SIGNAL 0.91

Riffle

Taxa Collected

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

Edge
      Spring '95 Autumn '96 Autumn '97
Phylum Class/Order Family 17-Oct-95 1-Apr-96 19-Apr-97
Annelida Hirudinea Glossiphoniidae   +  
Annelida Oligochaeta     +  
Arachnida Hydracarina   O X X
Crustacea Decapoda Atyidae O X O
Crustacea Ostracoda     + X
Insecta Coleoptera Dytiscidae X X X
Insecta Coleoptera Haliplidae     +
Insecta Coleoptera Hydraenidae   X O
Insecta Coleoptera Hydrophilidae X O X
Insecta Coleoptera Scirtidae O O O
Insecta Diptera Ceratopogonidae     +
Insecta Diptera Chironominae X X X
Insecta Diptera Culicidae O   +
Insecta Diptera Muscidae     +
Insecta Diptera Orthocladiinae + X X
Insecta Diptera Tanypodinae X X X
Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae + + +
Insecta Ephemeroptera Caenidae   + +
Insecta Ephemeroptera Leptophlebiidae O O O
Insecta Hemiptera Belostomatidae   + +
Insecta Hemiptera Corixidae + + +
Insecta Hemiptera Gerridae O O O
Insecta Hemiptera Hebridae +   +
Insecta Hemiptera Hydrometridae O O O
Insecta Hemiptera Mesoveliidae   + +
Insecta Hemiptera Naucoridae   + +
Insecta Hemiptera Veliidae X O X
Insecta Lepidoptera Pyralidae   +  
Insecta Odonata Aeshnidae +    
Insecta Odonata Coenagrionidae + + +
Insecta Odonata Corduliidae     +
Insecta Odonata Libellulidae   + +
Insecta Trichoptera Leptoceridae X O X
Mollusca Gastropoda Lymnaeidae +    
Mollusca Gastropoda Physidae +    

Riffle

Water Quality Data

  Autumn '95 Spring '95 Autumn '96 Autumn '97
Variable 5-Apr-95 17-Oct-95 1-Apr-96 19-Apr-97
Water Temperature (°C) 22.8 17.7 17.7 19.3
Conductivity (µS/Cm) 89 1160 788 500
Alkalinity (mg CaCO3 /L) 55 45 150 110
pH 7.3 7.4 7.27 7.59
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 12.4 7 2 3.6
Turbidity (NTU) 40 587 141 272
Low Total Phosphorus (µg/L) 64 40 77  
Free Reactive Phosphorus (µg/L)        
NOx Nitrogen (µg/L) <10 10 10 <10
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (µg/L) 0.65 0.68 0.69 1.9
Nitrate (µg/L)        
Nitrite (µg/L)        

Key

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