by Chris Noon
The Still Creek Landcare Group has been sampling and testing water quality in our creeks for 17 years. Mainly at three sites at the upper, middle and at the Still Creek catchment exit. This is done as part of the Waterwatch/Streamwatch program around Australia. Results and conclusions are available on our website.
We check for nutrients and pollutants such as Phosphates, nitrates, salts, acidity, E. coli and other coliforms. We check for life by oxygen levels and macroinvertebrates, the small creatures that fish, yabbies and platypus feed on. These creatures are also a vital barometer of the health of the waterways . Our results show that in general water quality is good and has not deteriorated in the last 17 years, although the presence of E. coli has increased.
What causes problems and what can we do about them?
Pollutants we find come from poor wastewa- ter management, livestock and other animal waste, detergents with phosphates, over-use of fertilizers all compounded by land clearing or mowing to the creek lines. This clearing and mowing stops the filtering that naturally cleans waters and reduces turbidity before they enter creeks. Much of the pollution would be lowered drastically if we left 10-20 meters of natural scrub along waterways.
Obviously maintaining wastewater treatments on properties will benefit the waterways. So, are the creeks safe to paddle in? In the sites we test – yes, but not after heavy rain when more pollutants get washed in.
We have reduced our testing program due to lack of resources in the last 18 months. Could you help? The sampling and testing is easy because we have a new simpler kit that needs no chemicals and is now used in some schools. Please contact us if you would like to help once a month for a couple of hours. Data is entered into the Atlas of Living Aus- tralia.
https://www.stillcreeklandcare.com.au/our-catchment/water-quality/
Phone Barry 9653 3691
