Narellan Creek Catchment: an Urban Impact Study
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Narellan Creek Catchment: An Urban Impact Study Prepared By Aruna Deo A Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Master of Commerce (Honours) School of Management, University of Western Sydney June 2008 Narellan Creek Catchment: An Urban Impact Study Prepared By Aruna Deo A Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Master of Commerce (Honours) School of Management, University of Western Sydney © Aruna Deo 2008 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my gratitude to all those who gave me the possibility to complete this thesis. In particular I wish to thank the former Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Trust who commissioned the study and financed the surveys, and the Upper Nepean Catchment Management Committee for supporting this research and for providing access to data and information on the Hawkesbury Nepean catchment and the Narellan Creek Catchment. Furthermore, I wish to thank the former staff of the Upper Nepean Catchment Management Committee, Dr Tony Ross, Chair, Upper Nepean Catchment Management Committee, Paul Berry and Chris Thorburn, Project Leaders, Upper Nepean Catchment Management Committee who gave permission and provided valuable research assistance and support for the study. During my research I have collaborated with Camden Council, Sydney Water, the Environmental Protection Agency, developers ‘Over Arup and Partners’, the community of Narellan Creek catchment and others, and I wish to extend my warmest thanks to all who have helped me with my work My utmost gratitude goes to my supervisor, Dr. Gregory Teal for his expertise, kindness, and most of all, for his patience. I am immensely indebted to Dr Gregory Teal whose valuable advice, motivation, encouragement and editorial assistance helped me throughout my research and in the preparation of this thesis. I also wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to my Co- supervisor Dr. Fernanda Duarte. Special thanks to my partner, Sean and my children Liam and Charlotte whose patience and kind support have enabled me to complete this work. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES iv LIST OF FIGURES AND ILLUSTRATIONS v ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS vii ABSTRACT viii 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. Background 5 1.1.1. The Narellan Creek project 6 1.2. Significance of the study 7 1.3. Research objectives 9 1.4. Outline of the thesis 9 1.5. Definitions of key terms 14 1.6. Limitations and key assumptions 17 1.7. Ethical considerations 18 1.8. Conclusion 19 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 21 2.1. Information on water quality and ecology 21 2.2. Overview of the ecology of Narellan Creek catchment 22 2.2.1. Stakeholder involvement in catchment management 24 2.3. Models of catchment management 27 2.3.1. Contemporary research on catchment management 36 3. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW AND CONTEXT OF THE STUDY: THE HAWKESBURY NEPEAN CATCHMENT AND NARELLAN CREEK SUB-CATCHMENT 40 3.1. Historical overview 40 3.2. The context of the study: the Hawkesbury Nepean catchment and Narellan Creek sub-catchment 43 3.3. Environmental degradation within the Hawkesbury region 50 3.4. Environmental impacts upon the Hawkesbury-Nepean River 52 3.4.1. Extractive industries 52 3.4.2. Mining 53 3.4.3. Drought 54 3.4.4. Biological impacts 54 3.5. Physical profile of Narellan Creek 58 3.5.1. Flow regulation 58 3.6. Government interventionist strategies 59 3.6.1. Local government 60 3.7. Summary of studies of Narellan Creek 60 3.7.1. A summary of studies in the Narellan Creek catchment by Sydney Water 61 3.7.2 Summary of Narellan Creek Water Quality Information 61 3.7.3 Review of Existing Data Sets and Water Quality Information 61 3.7.4. Spatial and temporal distribution of data 62 3.7.5. Data Storage and Accessibility 62 3.7.6. Data Gaps and Information Requirements 62 3.8. The Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Trust 64 i 4. METHODOLOGY 71 4.1. Introduction 71 4.2. Research design 74 4.2.1. Case study research 74 4.2.2. An outline of participatory action research 79 4.2.2.1. Application of participatory action research Enquiry process towards an integrated approach to catchment management: a staged process 82 4.2.3 Action research and its application in environmental management 87 4.3. Overview of the project 89 4.3.1. Project modules 89 4.3.1.1. Module: water quality and flow monitoring study 90 4.3.1.2 Collection and review of scientific land and water data available on the Narellan Creek catchment 91 4.3.1.3 Module: evaluating levels of community awareness of environmental issues within the Narellan Creek catchment 92 4.4. Scientific Data Collation and Analysis 95 4.5 Data Gaps 97 4.6 Assessing the Impact of a Participatory, Action Research-oriented Project 98 4.7 Survey Methodology 99 4.7.1 Error, Variance and Limitations of the Survey 102 4.7.2 Study Time Line 102 4.8 Summary 103 5. SCIENTIFIC DATA COLLATION AND ANALYSIS 105 5.1. Results of a Survey to Assess Community Awareness of Environmental Factors Affecting the Water Quality of Narellan Creek – 1996 105 5.2 Demographic Data 106 5.2.1 Respondents by Suburb 5.2.2 Respondents by Age and Gender 107 5.2.3 Knowledge of Stormwater Runoff 108 5.2.4 Knowledge of water drainage from other properties 109 5.2.5 Knowledge of sources of water pollution from homes and/or gardens 110 5.2.6 Perceived effect on local creek/waterway 111 5.2.7 Local Environment: Awareness of local environmental issues 112 5.2.8 Condition of local creek 113 5.2.9 Knowledge of ways to reduce water pollution 114 5.2.10 Involvement of Local Organizations in the Reduction of Water Pollution 115 5.2.11 Suggestions of other organizations and how they can assist 116 5.2.12 Suggestions of organizations responsible for the environment 117 5.3 Summary of 1996 Pre-Survey 118 5.3.1 Gender Difference 118 5.3.2 Age 118 5.3.3 General Comments 119 5.4 Education and Community Awareness Module 121 5.4.1 Educational Programme Key Strategies 122 5.4.1.1 Existing Residents 122 5.4.1.2 New Residents 123 5.4.1.3 Developers 125 5.4.1.4 Builders 126 5.4.2 Businesses and Industries 127 5.4.3 Industry Associations 129 5.4.4 Educational Institutions 130 5.4.4.1 Universities 130 5.4.4.2 Schools 130 ii 5.4.5 Camden Council 132 5.4.6 State Government Agencies 134 5.4.7 Community and Environmental groups 135 5.4.8 Media 136 5.5 Post Community Educational Programme Implementation: Narellan Community Awareness Survey, April 2001 137 5.5.1 Background 137 5.5.2 Survey Sample 137 5.5.3 Survey Results 138 5.5.3.1 Understanding the link between rainwater, stormwater and the local river 138 5.5.3.2 Understanding of the impact of home and garden on the local creek 139 5.5.3.3 Is the River a local environmental issue? 139 5.5.3.4 Is there an understanding that the local council can do things to keep the local creek and river clean and healthy? 139 5.5.3.5 Additional Questions: Coverage of the Messages promoted by the Narellan Creek Project 140 5.5.4 Summary of Main Findings of 2001 Post-Survey 141 5.6 Discussion 142 5.6.1 Integration and participation 142 5.6.2 The Educational Programme: An Approach designed to Achieve Behavioural Change 143 6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 145 6.1. Proposed future monitoring and analysis 145 6.2. Preferred option for future assessment of urbanisation 147 6.3. Monitoring, sampling frequency and methodology 148 6.3.1. Data storage and access 148 6.3.2 Biological Sampling 151 6.4. Managing for the future 151 7. REFERENCES 156 8. GLOSSARY 165 9. APPENDIX A 170 COPY OF SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE 171 10. APPENDIX B 178 MONITORING STUDIES 179 iii List of Tables Table 1 Channel Reaches of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River Table 2 Summary of the Monitoring Studies Conducted within the Narellan Creek Catchment Table 3 Total Annual Rainfalls (mm) measured at each pluviometer between 1983 and 1996 Table 4 Number of Conductivity Samples and Compliance with ANZECC Guidelines Table 5 Number of Total Dissolved Solids Samples and Compliance with ANZECC Guidelines Table 6 Number of pH Samples and Non-Compliance with ANZECC Guidelines Table 7 Event Mean Concentrations iv List of Figures and Illustrations Chapter 2 Figure 1 A participatory research framework to facilitate the identification and introduction of more sustainable land management practices Figure 2 A Best Practice Model of Catchment Management Map 1 The Hawkesbury Nepean River Catchment Map 2 Upper Narellan Creek Catchment and Locality Photo 1 Dry creek bed in Narellan Creek at Harrington Park Photo 2 Rileys Creek at Catherine Field Photo 3 Section of Narellan Creek illustrating impact of vegetation Photo 4 Algal blooms in Kemps Creek at Leppington Photo 5 Salvinia in South Creek at Oran Park Photo 6 Instream emergent macrophytes and riparian vegetation in South Creek at Bringelly Chapter 3 Figure 1 Sampling Sites in Narellan Creek and the Nepean River Figure 2 Streamflow in the Narellan Creek and the Nepean River, 1983 to 1996 Figure 3 Total Daily Rainfall in Narellan Creek and the Nepean River,, 1983 to 1996 Figure 4 Total Phospohorus Levels in Narellan Creek and the Nepean River,, 1983 to 1996 Figure 5 Total Nitrogen Levels in Narellan Creek and the Nepean River,, 1983 to 1996 Figure 6 Total Keldjahl Nitrogen Levels in Narellan Creek and the Nepean River, 1983 to 1996 Figure 7 Total Oxidized Nitrogen Levels in Narellan Creek and the Nepean River, 1983 to 1996 Figure 8 Chlorophyll-a Levels in Narellan Creek and the Nepean River, 1983 to 1996 Figure 9 Faecal Coliforms Levels in Narellan Creek and the Nepean River, 1983 to 1996 Figure 10 Enterococci Levels in Narellan