Waterwatch

What is Waterwatch?

ü       Waterwatch is a national community water monitoring program

ü       Waterwatch encourages all Australians to become involved in the protection and management of their waterways.

ü       Waterwatch has a monitoring ( hands on ) focus.

What does Cubberla Creek Waterwatch do?

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Conducts or participates in seminars to inform the community of water and catchment dynamics and health

Relates and records the effects of storms, floods and drought on water quality, erosion and sedimentation

Meets environmental objectives for students

Conducts an active program to local and regional schools to provide hands-on experiences in water testing and water-bug identification

Encourages participation by schools, land users, community groups, local authorities and government

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Contributes to local and national scientific databases

Regular sampling of Cubberla and Witton Creek waters; analysing for temperature, turbidity, salinity, pH nitrates and phosphates

Identification and recording of aquatic life including plants, fish and macro-invertebrates

Maintains a database, based on Australian Map Grid of water quality at specified sites in the Cubberla-Witton Catchments as well as sites deemed necessary for investigation.

Responds to community concerns about water quality issues

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Performs regular snapshot scans of creek salinity and graphically presents the results to the community

Uses the database to inform the community and scientific bodies of trends and changes in creek water chemistry and sediment load

Provides assistance to other Waterwatch groups when required

Since the Cubberla Creek Waterwatch group was formed in 1996 regular monitoring of water quality has been maintained by a dedicated community group. Over 277 samples have been obtained and analysed for nine parameters, and this has produced a database of over 1260 items. Across the 10 square kilometres which form the Cubberla-Witton Catchments samples have been analysed from 47 sites. Statistical analysis of this database shows that the water can be described as neutral, sometimes elevated levels of salinity are detected, along with elevated levels of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus. Highest levels of these parameters appear to be recorded in the middle reaches of the creek (between Moggill Road and Centenary Highway). Variation in data range in all parameters is notable.

For information regarding general Waterwatch issues check www.waterwatch.org.au.