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

Barrington River

Mann12 - Barrington River at Bobs Crossing

Site Condition Summary

This site was in the high ranges of the Barrington Tops National Park. The site was surrounded by native forest and the riparian zone was undisturbed. However, some infestations of scotch broom were present nearby.

Water quality at the site was good with nutrients all below detection limits. Large amounts of filamentous algae were recorded, particularly in April 1996.

AusRivAS assessments of edge habitat in Spring 1995 indicated considerable impairment of the macroinvertebrate community. The combined season assessment of the edge habitat returned a higher O/E-Taxa value (0.78). The assessments of the riffle habitat indicated a relatively richer fauna, however, still some degree of impairment. In particular, Psephenidae (beetles) and Eustheniidae (stone flies) were predicted but not collected. These two families are considered common in fast flowing stream habitats such as this.

Location Map

Location Map

Location Details
Map Name Barrington Tops 9133-1-N
Map Zone 56
Map Scale 1:25000
Easting 354900
Northing 6455000
Distance from source (m) 6108
Elevation (m asl) 1400
Average Annual Rainfall (mm) 750

Sampling Data and Assessments

Single Season Assessments

Edge
  Spring '95 Autumn '96
  12-Oct-95 2-Apr-96
O/E Taxa 0.56 -
Band B -
O/ E SIGNAL 1.05 -
Riffle
  Spring '95 Autumn '96
  12-Oct-95 2-Apr-96
O/E Taxa 0.83 0.89
Band A A
O/ E SIGNAL 0.93 0.91

Combined Season Assessments

Edge
Seasons SPR95AUT96
Model Eastern
O/E Taxa 0.78
Band B
O/ E SIGNAL 1.04
Riffle
Seasons SPR95AUT96
O/E Taxa 0.88
Band A
O/ E SIGNAL 0.98

Taxa Collected

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

Edge
      Spring '95 Autumn '96
Phylum Class/Order Family 12-Oct-95 2-Apr-96
Annelida Oligochaeta   +  
Arachnida Hydracarina   O  
Copepoda Copepoda     +
Crustacea Amphipoda Eusiridae +  
Crustacea Amphipoda Perthiidae   +
Insecta Coleoptera Carabidae +  
Insecta Coleoptera Chrysomelidae +  
Insecta Coleoptera Dytiscidae O +
Insecta Coleoptera Elmidae O  
Insecta Coleoptera Hydraenidae   +
Insecta Coleoptera Hydrophilidae O +
Insecta Coleoptera Scirtidae + +
Insecta Diptera Ceratopogonidae X +
Insecta Diptera Chironomidae   +
Insecta Diptera Chironominae X +
Insecta Diptera Dixidae O  
Insecta Diptera Orthocladiinae X +
Insecta Diptera Tanypodinae X +
Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae O  
Insecta Ephemeroptera Caenidae O  
Insecta Ephemeroptera Leptophlebiidae X +
Insecta Ephemeroptera Oniscigastridae + +
Insecta Hemiptera Corixidae O +
Insecta Hemiptera Hebridae +  
Insecta Hemiptera Veliidae O +
Insecta Odonata Aeshnidae   +
Insecta Odonata Synlestidae O  
Insecta Plecoptera Gripopterygidae X  
Insecta Plecoptera Notonemouridae + +
Insecta Trichoptera Calamoceratidae +  
Insecta Trichoptera Conoesucidae + +
Insecta Trichoptera Hydrobiosidae + +
Insecta Trichoptera Leptoceridae X  
Insecta Trichoptera Polycentropodidae   +
Mollusca Gastropoda Planorbidae +  

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

Riffle
      Spring '95 Autumn '96
Phylum Class/Order Family 12-Oct-95 2-Apr-96
Annelida Oligochaeta Oligochaeta X X
Arachnida Hydracarina Hydracarina X X
Crustacea Amphipoda Eusiridae   +
Crustacea Amphipoda Perthiidae +  
Insecta Coleoptera Scirtidae X X
Insecta Coleoptera Elmidae X X
Insecta Coleoptera Psephenidae O O
Insecta Coleoptera Ptilodactylidae O  
Insecta Coleoptera Coleoptera +  
Insecta Diptera Tipulidae O X
Insecta Diptera Simuliidae X X
Insecta Diptera Empididae +  
Insecta Diptera Diamesinae + +
Insecta Diptera Tanypodinae X +
Insecta Diptera Orthocladiinae X X
Insecta Diptera Chironominae X X
Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae X X
Insecta Ephemeroptera Leptophlebiidae X O
Insecta Ephemeroptera Caenidae O  
Insecta Megaloptera Corydalidae   O
Insecta Odonata Aeshnidae O O
Insecta Plecoptera Eustheniidae O O
Insecta Plecoptera Gripopterygidae X O
Insecta Trichoptera Hydrobiosidae X X
Insecta Trichoptera Philopotamidae   O
Insecta Trichoptera Hydropsychidae X X
Insecta Trichoptera Conoesucidae X X
Insecta Trichoptera Calocidae O X
Insecta Trichoptera Philorheithridae +  
Insecta Trichoptera Odontoceridae   +
Insecta Trichoptera Leptoceridae O X

Water Quality Data

  Autumn '95 Spring '95 Autumn '96
Variable 10-Apr-95 12-Oct-95 2-Apr-96
Water Temperature (°C) 7.6 12.1 11.1
Conductivity (µS/Cm) 14.1 2 0
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 8.26 8.1 7.4
Alkalinity (mg CaCO3 /L) 10 10 10
pH 5.6 7.2 8.15
Turbidity (NTU) 0 2.5 0
Low Total Phosphorus (µg/L) <12 <12 <12
Free Reactive Phosphorus (µg/L)      
NOx Nitrogen (µg/L) <10 <10 <10
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (mg/L) <0.3 <0.3 <0.3
Ammonia (µg/L)      
Nitrate (µg/L)      
Nitrite (µg/L)      

Key

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