Hawkesbury Estuary Program 2014 Annual Report
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Hawkesbury Estuary Program 2014 Annual Report HORNSBY SHIRE COUNCIL Hawkesbury Estuary Program 2013 - 2014 Annual Report Acknowledgements The Hawkesbury Estuary Program 2013-2014 Annual Report was produced by Dr Ana Rubio and Dr Peter Coad. Assistance with programs and report contributions were provided by staff from Council’s Natural Resources Branch, Planning Division and Infrastructure and Recreation Division. For further information contact: Dr Peter Coad Natural Resources Strategy Manager Environment and Human Services Division Hornsby Shire Council Tel: 02 9847 6766 Fax: 02 9847 6598 Email: [email protected] Web: www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/estuary Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................ III TABLE OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................... IV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1 HAWKESBURY ESTUARY PROGRAM ..................................................................................................... 4 1.1 APPROACH .................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 GOALS ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................................................................... 4 2 ON-GROUND WORKS ................................................................................................................................. 5 2.1 CLEAN4SHORE PROGRAM .............................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 FLOATING LANDCARE .................................................................................................................................... 7 2.3 VEGETATION CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF ESTUARINE SITES ........................................................................ 8 2.4 FORESHORE REHABILITATION ....................................................................................................................... 9 2.4.1 Wisemans Ferry Recreation Reserve ........................................................................................... 9 2.4.2 Singleton Rd, Laughtondale .......................................................................................................... 9 2.4.3 One Tree Reach, Laughtondale ..................................................................................................... 9 2.4.4 Bar Island .......................................................................................................................................... 9 2.4.5 Brooklyn Park & Cole St Brooklyn .............................................................................................. 10 2.4.6 McKell Park, Brooklyn ................................................................................................................... 10 2.4.7 Kangaroo Point, Brooklyn ............................................................................................................ 10 2.4.8 Brooklyn Road, Brooklyn .............................................................................................................. 10 2.5 KANGAROO POINT VESSEL PUMP OUT FACILITY ........................................................................................... 11 3 COMPLIANCE ............................................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 RIVERSIDE SETTLEMENT ONSITE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT INSPECTIONS ............................................... 13 3.2 SEAGRASS BEDS PROTECTION ..................................................................................................................... 14 4 EDUCATION ................................................................................................................................................. 15 4.1 BROOKLYN SPRING FAIR AND BUSHLAND FESTIVAL ..................................................................................... 15 4.2 GUIDED BUSHWALK PROGRAM ..................................................................................................................... 16 4.3 BROOKLYN PUBLIC SCHOOL – CONNECTING COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT .............................................. 17 4.4 SEAGRASS EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ............................................................................................................... 18 4.5 HAWKESBURYWATCH TOOLS ....................................................................................................................... 20 5 PLANNING .................................................................................................................................................... 21 5.1 COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT PLAN .............................................................................................. 21 5.2 NSW BOATING PLANS ............................................................................................................................... 22 5.3 NSW COMMERCIAL FISHERS REFORM .......................................................................................................... 23 6 RESEARCH .................................................................................................................................................... 25 6.1 LOWER HAWKESBURY SEDIMENT MONITORING ........................................................................................... 25 6.2 EROSION STUDY ......................................................................................................................................... 27 6.3 NETWORK OF AUTONOMOUS WATER QUALITY MONITORING........................................................................... 31 6.3.1 Algal bloom monitoring ................................................................................................................ 32 6.3.2 Swimming risk maps ..................................................................................................................... 36 6.3.3 Estuarine health monitoring ........................................................................................................ 37 6.4 PACIFIC OYSTER MORTALITY SYNDROME (POMS) RESEARCH IN THE HAWKESBURY .................................... 38 7 2013-2014 ESTUARY MANAGEMENT ACTIONS IMPLEMENTED ............................................... 41 8 FOR FURTHER READING ......................................................................................................................... 47 8.1 REPORTS: .................................................................................................................................................. 47 8.2 RELEVANT WEBSITES: ................................................................................................................................. 47 APPENDIX- 1 INTERNET VIDEOS ............................................................................................................... 48 APPENDIX- 2 PRINT MEDIA COVERAGE .................................................................................................. 49 2013-14 Estuary Program Annual Report CONTAMINANTS AT THE 52 SAMPLING LOCATIONS Table of Figures ALONG THE LOWER HAWKESBURY .......................... 26 FIGURE 22: EROSION POTENTIAL FOR EACH FIGURE 1 LOWER HAWKESBURY ESTUARY TRANSECT UNDER MID-LOW TIDE CONDITIONS ... 28 MANAGEMENT PLAN STUDY AREA (RED LINE) .......... 3 FIGURE 23: EROSION POTENTIAL FOR EACH FIGURE 2: BREAKDOWN OF RUBBISH ITEMS TRANSECT UNDER HIGH TIDE CONDITIONS ............ 28 COLLECTED DURING FORESHORE CLEAN-UPS FIGURE 24: OVERALL MANAGEMENT AROUND BEROWRA CREEK DURING 2013/14. A RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LOW BOAT TRAFFIC (150 TOTAL OF 10 TONNES WAS COLLECTED DURING BOAT PASSES – 8 HOUR DURATION) FOR THIS PERIOD. (DATA PROVIDED BY TANGAROA WAKEBOARD OPERATING ACTIVITIES UNDER MID- BLUE) ........................................................................... 5 LOW TIDE .................................................................. 29 FIGURE 3: MACMASTERS BEACH SLSC’S FIGURE 25 EXAMPLES OF SITES WITH DIFFERENT VOLUNTEERS DURING A CLEAN UP ............................. 6 OVERALL SCORE OF EROSION INCLUDING THE FIGURE 4: VOLUNTEERS UNLOADING RUBBISH ON ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES ATTRIBUTING TO SUCH TO MOXHAM’S OYSTER LAND BASE ............................ 6 OVERALL SCORE ........................................................ 30 FIGURE 5: MARRAMARRA POINT. MOTHER OF FIGURE 26 LOCATION OF REMOTE WATER QUALITY MILLIONS, WORKING FROM THE GOOD TO THE BAD. PROBES IN THE LOWER HAWKESBURY RIVER. ....... 31 ...................................................................................... 7 FIGURE 27 2013-14 WATER QUALITY SUMMARY FIGURE 6: LOCATION OF THE 14 BOAT-ACCESS DATA FOR UPSTREAM PROBE AT LAUGHTONDALE ... 33 ONLY ESTUARINE SITES WHERE VEGETATION FIGURE 28 2013-14 WATER QUALITY SUMMARY CONDITION ASSESSMENTS WERE UNDERTAKEN IN DATA FOR MID-UPSTREAM PROBE AT COURANGRA 2013/14 ...................................................................