Annual Water Quality Monitoring Summary Clutha River 2007-2008
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Clutha River/Mata-Au Annual Monitoring Summary 2007-2008 Key points Water quality monitoring • South West Otago’s surface water Between June 2007 and the end of May 2008 the Otago Regional Council monitored is typically high in nutrients, 29 river and stream sites in the Clutha Catchment to assess the current state of exceeding the ANZECC water water quality. Of these sites, seven are monitored only once every three years. NIWA quality guidelines for nitrogen monitored a further five sites (Clutha River/Mata-Au at Luggate, Millers Flat, Balclutha, and phosphorus. the Kawarau River and the Shotover River). All the sites are shown in the map below. For historical results see previous report cards and trend analysis is available in the • The median level of E. coli was 2007 SOE report. Cover photos courtesy of Stephen Moore generally below the Department of Health (DoH) guideline level There are few significant point source discharges to freshwater in the Clutha Catchment at all sites other than in the and land use has the greatest effect on water quality. The sites with poorer water Pomahaka Catchment in South quality are generally intensively farmed, such as in South West Otago, whereas the West Otago. sites with good water quality are in the upper catchment including the large lakes and upper tributaries. • There is a reasonable correlation between water quality and biological health. For site details refer to back page. River and stream health, Clutha River Annual Monitoring Summary 2007-2008 Water quality results Guidelines & standards Water quality results Sites were classified using a water quality index, derived from median values of seven • The ANZECC (2000) guidelines Sites were classified using a water quality index, derived from median values of seven outline trigger values for water indicator variables: turbidity, dissolved oxygen (% saturation), ammoniacal nitrogen, indicatornitrite-nitrate variables: nitrogen, turbidity, dissolved dissolved reactive oxygen phosphorus, (% saturation), and Escherichia ammoniacal coli nitrogen,(E.coli) quality aspects that put stress nitrite-nitrate nitrogen, dissolved reactive phosphorus, and Escherichia coli (E.coli) on river and stream health. This bacteria. bacteria. specifies a level below which the Median values of these variables were compared with ANZECC and DoH guideline risk of adverse biological effect is Medianlevels, enabling values ofclassification these variables of waterwere qualitycompared into withone ofANZECC the following and DoHgroups: guideline low. Note: the ANZECC trigger values used here are for lowland levels, enabling classification of water quality into one of the following groups: Very good All seven values comply with guideline values rivers (< 150m). GoodVery good FiveAll sevenor six valuesmedian comply values with comply guideline (to include values dissolved oxygen) Good Five or six median values comply (to include dissolved oxygen) • Otago’s water quality standards Fair Three or four median values comply (to include dissolved oxygen) are outlined in the Regional Plan: Fair Three or four median values comply (to include dissolved oxygen) Water (Water Plan), which sets PoorPoor TwoTwo or or fewerfewer median values values comply comply with with guideline guideline values values targets to maintain and improve Selected water quality indicators are displayed in the graphs and discussed below. Selected water quality indicators are displayed in the graphs and discussed below. water quality within the region. Overall these graphs show that water quality in the lakes and mainstem of the Clutha Overall these graphs show that water quality in the lakes and mainstem of the Clutha • The Department of Health (DoH) River/Mata-Au is generally very good, but poorer water quality is evident in the River/Mata-AuPomahaka Catchment. is generally very good, but poorer water quality is evident in the 1992 guidelines for contact Pomahaka Catchment. recreation waters recommend a season median of 126 E. coli/100 ml. NutrientsNutrients Note: The red lines on these graphs Nitrite-nitrateNitrite-nitrate nitrogennitrogen (NNN) (NNN) is a formis a ofform nitrogen of nitrogen primarily primarily derived from derived land drainage. from land indicate the ANZECC trigger value or drainage.It’s an important It’s an nutrientimportant for nutrient algae and for other algae plant and growth,other plant but cangrowth, be harmful but can in be the DoH guideline level. harmfulhigher concentrations. in higher concentrations. The median The concentration median concentration of NNN was of above NNN thewas ANZECC above the ANZECCtrigger value trigger at four value sites, allat offour which sites, are ainll theof Pomahakawhich are River in theCatchment. Pomahaka River Catchment. 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 Median of Concentration Nitrite/Nitrate Nitrogen mg/lNitrite/Nitrate 0 DartRiver Lake Wakatipu Matukituki Lake Wanaka Lake Hawea River Hawea Creek Mill LakeHayes LakeJohnson ArrowRiver CardronaRiver Creek Luggate (Luggate) Clutha RiverPeak at Lindis Ardgour at Lindis ShotoverRiver River Kawarau NevisRiver Manuherikia FraserRiver Lake Onslow (M-Flat) Clutha Teviot River Burn Tima Burn Minzion Tuapeka River usGKPomahaka Burn Heriot River Waipahi River Waiwera BF at Pomahaka Waitahuna Lake Tuakitoto (Balclutha) Clutha MedianMedian dissolveddissolved reactive phosphorusphosphorus (DRP)(DRP) concentrations concentrations were were above above the the ANZECC ANZECCtrigger value trigger at 10 value of the at 10sites of monitored.the sites monitored. These high These DRP high sites DRP included sites theincluded lower theManuherikia, lower Manuherikia, the Tima theBurn Tima and Burn Minzion and MinzionBurn, the Burn, Tuapeka the TuapekaRiver, all River, sites inall the sites inPomahaka the Pomahaka Catchment Catchment and Lake and Tuakitoto.Lake Tuakitoto. Heriot Burn at Parkhill-Kelso Road 0.03 0.02 0.01 0 Median Concentration Median of Concentration DartRiver Lake Wakatipu Matukituki LakeWanaka LakeHawea River Hawea Creek Mill LakeHayes LakeJohnson Arrow River CardronaRiver Creek Luggate (Luggate) Clutha RiverPeak at Lindis Ardgour at Lindis ShotoverRiver River Kawarau NevisRiver Manuherikia FraserRiver LakeOnslow (M-Flat) Clutha TeviotRiver Burn Tima Burn Minzion TuapekaRiver usGKPomahaka Burn Heriot River Waipahi River Waiwera BF at Pomahaka Waitahuna Lake Tuakitoto (Balclutha) Clutha Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus Dissolved Reactive mg/l Turbidity River and stream health, Clutha River Annual Monitoring Summary 2007-2008 Turbidity was elevated above the ANZECC trigger value at only two sites - the shallow Lake Tuakitoto and the Dart River. 8 7 6 47.2 5 4 3 2 1 Median Turbidity (NTU) 0 DartRiver LakeWakatipu Matukituki LakeWanaka LakeHawea River Hawea Creek Mill LakeHayes LakeJohnson ArrowRiver CardronaRiver Creek Luggate (Luggate) Clutha Peak River at Lindis Ardgour at Lindis River Shotover River Kawarau NevisRiver Manuherikia FraserRiver LakeOnslow (M-Flat) Clutha River Teviot Burn Tima Burn Minzion TuapekaRiver us GK Pomahaka Burn Heriot River Waipahi River Waiwera BF at Pomahaka Waitahuna LakeTuakitoto (Balclutha) Clutha 80%, which above concentrations likely to be is the main toxic component 3 3 toxic to fish (>0.021 mg/l). Water at all sites with respect to pH, falling within was neutral ANZECC guideline levels. Dissolved oxygen should be saturations was the case at all sites above elevated was nitrogen Total the trigger level at most sites in the Pomahaka Catchment, well as the as Tuapeka River. Lake Johnson and Lake Tuakitoto also had elevated levels of TN. Total phosphorus was elevated above the ANZECC trigger value in the Dart River, Lake Johnson and Lake Tuakitoto, Burn the Tima and Minzion Tuapeka River Burn, and the River as well Waitahuna as most sites in the Pomahaka Catchment. of ammoniacal toxicity nitrogen, of which the is on pH dependent and temperature. Taking these factors into account, none Hayes Lake than other sites the of (December sample) Johnson and (February sample) Lake had NH NH Lindis River at Ardgour Road • • • • Other analytes • Clutha (Balclutha) Clutha (Balclutha) Clutha (Balclutha) Lake Tuakitoto Lake Tuakitoto Lake Tuakitoto Waitahuna Waitahuna Waitahuna Pomahaka at BF Pomahaka at BF Pomahaka at BF Waiwera River Waiwera River Waiwera River Waipahi River Waipahi River Waipahi River Heriot Burn Heriot Burn Heriot Burn Pomahaka us GK Pomahaka us GK levels are likely to Pomahaka us GK Tuapeka River Tuapeka River Tuapeka River Minzion Burn Minzion Burn Minzion Burn Tima Burn Tima Burn Tima Burn Teviot River Teviot River Teviot River Clutha (M-Flat) (126 cfu/100ml) at only four Clutha (M-Flat) Clutha (M-Flat) Lake Onslow Lake Onslow Lake Onslow Fraser River Fraser River Fraser River Manuherikia Manuherikia Manuherikia trigger value at only two sites - the Nevis River Nevis River aware that bacteria Nevis River Kawarau River Kawarau River Kawarau River Shotover River Shotover River Shotover River RP) concentrations were above the above were concentrations RP) Lindis at Ardgour below below the trigger value indicating minimal monitored. These high DRP sites included monitored. Lindis at Ardgour Lindis at Ardgour , Clutha River Annual Monitoring Summary 2007-2008 Lindis River at Peak Lindis River at Peak Lindis River at Peak Clutha (Luggate) Clutha (Luggate) Clutha (Luggate) Luggate Creek Luggate Creek Luggate Creek Cardrona River Cardrona River Cardrona River Arrow River Arrow River Arrow River Lake Johnson Lake Johnson Lake Johnson Lake Hayes Lake Hayes were above