Media release from Healthy Waterways
Healthy Waterways launched the 2013 Ecosystem Health Report Card today, providing insight into the health of South East Queensland’s waterways and Moreton Bay.
The Report Card revealed the overall health grade for Moreton Bay declined from B- to C, mainly due to reduced water clarity and increased algae. However, there have been small improvements in freshwater and estuarine grades across the region.
The annual Report Card was released today at four launch events across the region, presenting ‘A to F’ waterway health grades based on data collected through an intensive, ongoing Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program coordinated by Healthy Waterways.
At the launch event in Brisbane, Ms Leith Boully, Chairman of Healthy Waterways, stated that our waterways provide over $5 billion per year to South East Queensland’s economy through industry, tourism, recreation and fishing.
“Investing in waterway health supports the region’s economic growth by protecting agricultural land and infrastructure, ensuring the security of drinking water and supporting our tourism industry,” Ms Boully said.
“The investment in wastewater treatment plant upgrades has been effective in lowering the nutrient loads in many estuaries. However, to further protect waterway health and improve Report Card results, we must address diffuse source pollution by reducing the amount of mud and nutrients washing off the land into our waterways.
“Healthy Waterways’ members are working together to plant native vegetation along riverbanks, improve stormwater runoff, support best practice agriculture and restore floodplains,” she said. A representative of the Healthy Waterways Scientific Expert Panel, Professor Jon Olley, presented the 2013 Report Card results to the Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, the Hon. Andrew Powell MP.
Professor Olley said the 2013 Report Card results show the mud and nutrients deposited into Moreton Bay during the 2011 and 2013 floods continues to reduce water clarity and stimulate the growth of algae.
“There was a slight overall decline in Moreton Bay (B- to C), with Central Bay (A- to C+) showing the greatest decline,” Professor Olley said.
“Last year, the health of seagrass beds and corals appeared to improve slightly. However, this year corals and seagrasses are showing signs of ongoing stress and decline due to the large amount of mud and nutrients deposited into Moreton Bay during the 2011 and 2013 floods.
“On a positive note, most of Moreton Bay showed an improvement in the sewage indicator, which led to improvements in Broadwater (C- to B-) and Pumicestone Passage (C- to C+).
“Noosa, Bremer, Tingalpa, Eprapah and Albert estuaries all improved, receiving some of the highest grades on record for these estuaries, with the Bremer River improving above an F,” he said.
Minister Andrew Powell said the Newman Government will continue to contribute $4.6 million of cash and in-kind investment to protect South East Queensland’s waterways.
“This includes $950,000 funding for Healthy Waterways to work with local governments and the development industry to reduce the amount of sediment running off construction sites and into our waterways,” Mr Powell said.
Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the Lower Brisbane (D+ to D-) and Oxley Creek (D- to D-) had maintained grades above an F for the second year in a row, but Council was continuing to work on improving sediment and erosion control.
“Brisbane City Council’s vision is to become Australia’s most clean, green and water-smart city and this financial year we are investing more than $16 million to improve the health of our waterways,” Cr Quirk said.
“This year we have undertaken a number of key waterway projects to help achieve this, such as installing creek filtration systems, tree plantings within creek catchments, litter removal and stabilisation works to decrease erosion.
“Today’s results are reflective of the circumstances we’ve endured from the 2011 floods and this year’s Australia Day storms, and our aim is to continually work on improving sediment and erosion control in our waterways to improve their overall health,” Cr Quirk said.
Healthy Waterways has released a free Report Card iPhone App providing a quick reference tool to access the Report Card grades. Search for ‘2013 Report Card’ in the App Store. For more information, visit www.healthywaterways.org.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.