Environmental action through community monitoring: case studies

Waterwatch Australia
Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage

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Contents

Introduction

Waterwatch is a national community water monitoring program that encourages all Australians to become involved and be active in the protection and management of their waterways and catchments. Waterwatch is funded by the Commonwealth Government's Natural Heritage Trust.

The Waterwatch network is made up of individuals, community groups and school groups who undertake a variety of biological and habitat assessments as well as physical and chemical tests to build up a picture of the health of their waterways.

The following stories highlight the enthusiasm and hard work that individuals, schools and community volunteers are undertaking to monitor, protect, improve and manage one of our most valuable resources, water.

Waterwatch enables Australians to become envolved in the monitoring and management of their local waterways and catchments. The Waterwatch network strives to achieve a shared responsibility and collective action for natural resource management through partnerships between community,government and industry.

Scouts learn about watching water (Vic)

Learning about water monitoring techniques has become an essential element for scouts who wish to obtain the Victorian Branch World Environment Badge. The Scouting Association of Australia in conjunction with Melbourne Waterwatch has incorporated Waterwatch monitoring techniques into their accreditation for this badge.

Scouts from across Victoria train for a weekend every year at Gilwell Park in the Dandenong Ranges to obtain this important badge. Integral to this training is the ability for the scouts to monitor their impact on the waterway below the campsite and subsequently, each group undertakes Waterwatch training and testing on the waterway to achieve accreditation. The results are then transferred to a database at the campsite and kept for future reference and comparison.

Waterwatch Co-ordinator Ben Scullin says that the Badge incorporates a variety of environmental aspects with an emphasis on water. "The scouts had five activities which they had to participate in during the Environment Camp. The Pond Life and Bush survey in the riparian zone were the main areas in which I assisted."

Scout Leader, Ken Reid, commented that Waterwatch had particularly aided in the scouts understanding of how the different activities fit together. "The knowledge gained and experiences enjoyed by the Scouts will greatly encourage them to develop a good attitude to environmental issues with their future activities."

Waterwatch aids in willow removal (ACT)

They may look appealing with their long sweeping limbs cascading over the water but most species of willow are in fact detrimental to the waterways on which they grow. As willows spread out over the waterway, they block out the essential sunlight required by aquatic plants and animals and native vegetation on the banks. Willows also reduce the amount of oxygen available in the water and perhaps the most destructive component of the willow is its ability to regenerate itself from a single twig.

In June 1999 the Ginninderra Catchment Group (ACT) coordinated a willow survey and report on the Ginninderra Creek. The purpose of the report was to identify and mark those trees which were recommended to be retained during a willow control program to be carried out by Canberra Urban Parks and Places in conjunction with the Ginninderra Catchment Group, and to give specific advice on control methods. The project was planned to improve wildlife habitat, water flows and water quality.

Observers have been surprised by changes at the first site completed. Even though the work was completed as recently as 1998, the water is clearer and flowing more freely. There has been remarkable regrowth of native vegetation and wildlife is returning, including most noticeably ducks, frogs and macroinvertebrates.

Waterwatch monitoring continues at 25 sites along the watercourses to provide valuable before and after data on the influences of the willow removal and revegetation program.

Bindaree water monitoring project (NSW)

The success of Waterwatch is due to the dedication and hard work of the volunteers and regional coordinators who monitor our waterways. A diverse range of people make up the Waterwatch network from a variety of different cultures, lifestyles and backgrounds.

Bindaree Living Skills Centre was established by the Wyong Mental Health Rehabilitation Service to provide a rehabilitative service to people in the community who live with a major mental illness. The Bindaree group have been monitoring their waterway since 1997 and have initiated environmental action to improve the health of their local catchment.

Waterwatch empowers people to make a difference. By working as part of a team people improve their interpersonal and work related skills.

Waterwatch/Streamwatch remains as an integral part of the program at Bindaree and assists as a stepping stone for those working towards a longer term rehabilitation plan.

Mooloolah River wildlife corridor (Qld)

The deforestation of many parts of Australia and increased urbanisation has decreased the extent of native flora and habitat for native animals. The Mooloolah River Waterwatch and Landcare Group have joined forces with the Sunshine Coast Environment Council to address this problem with their Wildlife Corridor 2001 project.

The objectives of the project are, firstly, to fence cattle from the Mooloolah River and connect wildlife corridors by revegetating the banks and gaps along the river. The second objective is to stabilise the banks and provide shade. The river is monitored monthly and macroinvertebrate samples will be collected and classified before and after revegetation for comparison. The project is heavily dependent upon the participation of local farmers, landholders, the local council and community volunteers who will take an active role in planting and maintaining the sites.

The body shop has also volunteered to lend a hand, by encouraging their customers to take an active role in planting trees and maintaining the site.

The Mooloolah River is a sensitive ecosystem that is changing with the development of housing, subdivisions and roads. This project aims to protect the water quality of the river, the banks, riparian vegetation and the varied wildlife that use the river corridor as their home.

Apex Park Wetland restoration project (SA)

In the suburb of West Beach in Adelaide you'll find the Apex Park Wetland, the result of a great deal of planning and hard work by the local community and the regional KESAB Torrens and Patawalonga Waterwatch coordinators.

A Community Information Day for the wetland was organised and attracted a large number of people. Subsequently over 15 partnerships were formed between local community groups, environment groups, schools, councils and many local residents, to help to save the wetland.

A botanical survey was conducted to assess the biodiversity of the wetland and surrounding areas. During this survey a rare species, "mimulus" or creeping monkey-flower, once thought to be extinct in the local area, was identified. Volunteers planted 3000 native plants which were propagated from locally collected seeds.

The wetland was pumped to remove water and recreate the natural drying down-wetting cycles that wetlands naturally experience. On the fishy side, it was estimated that one tonne of feral carp were removed from the site. At a much later stage, when the wetland water levels increased, local native fish species were released.

Waterwatch carried out a number of classroom activities and wetland field sessions with seven local schools, including the West Beach Primary School, who regularly undertake water quality and biological monitoring of the site.

Perhaps the most important outcome of the project is that after becoming involved in the initial restoration, a number of local groups and individuals want to be involved in the ongoing maintenance of the wetland. Daniel Popping, regional Waterwatch Coordinator commented that "the volunteers understand the problems, they want to make a difference. And it's great to see people putting their knowledge into action."

Feral fish found in Alice Springs (NT)

Feral fish have been identified as one of the key threats to the survival of native fish in our river systems. Fortunately, to date the Northern Territory has had few of these problem species. The central drainage systems around Alice Springs, including the Finke and Todd River catchments, are among the most pristine river systems in Australia.

It was a shock when in May 2000 Gambusia, otherwise known as the mosquito fish, were discovered by Waterwatch volunteers in Ilparpa Swamp south of Alice Springs. Gambusia is native to Central America and eats native fish and frog eggs. Although the discovery of Gambusia is not welcomed it has shown the value of the regional Waterwatch program. Since the discovery, Waterwatch has worked with the community and government agencies to promote awareness of the problem, monitor its extent, examine the potential risks, and organise and implement an eradication program.

To eradicate the Gambusia, Waterwatch volunteers pumped the Ilparpa swamp dry and two weeks later rains refilled it to capacity.

To ensure waterways in the region continued to be protected, Waterwatch has implemented a communication strategy to raise awareness of this species including newspaper articles, radio and television reports. Gambusia has almost become a household name in Alice Springs as residents are urged never to release unwanted aquarium fish into natural wetlands and to check their backyard ponds for the noxious pest.

In the future a 'Fisheries Officer' will be based in Alice Springs to assist in protecting local waterways from this and similar threats. Waterwatch will continue to monitor the region for the re-occurrence of this pest species.

Phillips Brook Catchment (WA)

As awareness of land degradation and its impact on waterways has grown in the Avon River Catchment, Western Australia, there has been a corresponding growth of community interest in water monitoring to assess and improve the health of local waterways.

Many of the landowners in the Phillips Brook Catchment have long recognised the environmental value of their local waterways as important habitat for birds, fish, invertebrates and other aquatic fauna. In 1999, concerned landowners formed the Phillips Brook Catchment Group Inc, to protect the health of the Brook by carrying out measures to alleviate land degradation, stream erosion and to enhance stream biodiversity.

The group sought regional Ribbons of Blue/Waterwatch WA support for the initial design and implementation of a catchment monitoring program. Turbidity, temperature, electrical conductivity and pH levels continue to be monitored on a monthly basis at six selected sites as a baseline record of the health of the Brook.

Over the period May to June 2000, group members prepared a riparian revegetation trial site, implemented weed control measures and planted trees native to the region. Later in the season, as a component of the school's environmental education program, students from the Toodyay District High School assisted by planting native plants which will help to stabilise the bank, minimising further erosion.

Trial log walling has been constructed with tree branches and logs secured to sections of the bank to dissipate stream energy and protect the newly revegetated embankments. The first of several planned rock riffle structures has been implemented to arrest the erosive power of the stream flow, reduce scouring and decrease the transportation of sediment downstream. The group is hopeful that the riffles, once stabilised, will help create stream habitat areas for aquatic invertebrates.

The regional Ribbons of Blue/Waterwatch WA program actively encourages water quality monitoring as the basis for planning local action projects. Since formation, the Phillips Brook Catchment Group has endeavoured to consolidate their stream restoration plans within a framework that uses water quality indicators of environmental health to evaluate the on-going success of their projects.

Burnie Wynard Waterwatch (Tas)

The Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster Astacopsis gouldi is the largest freshwater crustacean in the world, weighing up to six kilograms with a total length of greater than one metre. The lobster is listed as "vulnerable" in both State and Commonwealth threatened species legislation and a total ban on the removal of this species has been in place since January 1998.

Burnie Wynyard Waterwatch has actively used the lobster as a symbol to promote freshwater awareness in their region. Water quality is extremely important to the lobster's survival because temperature, turbidity, chemicals and the pH of the water can all affect lobster numbers. The lobsters prefer cool, shaded waterways with little or no deposited silt and good water quality.

A major aim of the Burnie Wynyard Waterwatch Program has been to educate school children and the public about the need to retain an intact riparian zone along creek banks and to minimise silt entering the waterways. Major activities being undertaken to improve the health of the lobster's habitat include the removal of Crack Willows (a noxious weed) from the riparian zone, a native revegetation program and fencing off lobster habitat areas.

Macro-invertebrate sampling is also being taught to school and community groups as the Macro-invertebrates are used as an indicator of river health. Lobsters are also included as part of the groups' macro-invertebrate sampling, where mainly juvenile lobsters are being observed. Surveys have shown that the lobsters will thrive in pristine areas and will not retain a strong population in degraded waterways. The lobster has become a fauna symbol of Tasmanian waterways, playing a major role in educating the public about freshwater ecology. The results of this project will be far reaching for the waterways of Tasmania's North West and North East.

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