RIVER HEALTH REPORT CARD 2013 - 2014 GEORGES RIVER COUNCILS ARE IMPROVING RIVER HEALTH A SNAP-SHOT OF RIVER HEALTH In 2013-14 the River Health Monitoring Program By combining results of ecological indicators a alongside ecologists collecting data integral to entered its fifth year of monitoring in the Georges greater understanding of the Georges river system assessing the ecological condition of Georges River. River catchment. is gained. In particular, River Health is investigating the pressures and impacts of an increasingly Since 2009, volunteers have contributed over 4,000 River Health monitors three important ecological urbanised catchment. hours of field work to the program while gaining a indicators to provide an assessment of valuable insight into dynamic nature of the Georges catchment health; water quality, vegetation and River Health encourages participation of community River system. macroinvertebrates. members in monitoring activities. Volunteers work HURSTVILLE CITY COUNCIL KOGARAH CITY COUNCIL CAMPBELLTOWN HURSTVILLE GOLF COURSE CARSS PARK ENVIRONMENTALLY CITY COUNCIL Hurstville City Council has completed the FRIENDLY SEAWALL DRAIN STENCIL PROGRAM construction of a large scale stormwater Urban waterways are fragmented environments, A community inspired drain stencilling program harvesting and reuse project to secure the future resulting in the loss of natural habitats and a with local primary schools promotes environmental irrigation needs of the Hurstville Golf Course. The decline in biodiversity. The Carss Park seawall stewardship through catchment education workshops. scheme will harvest over 50 ML of stormwater per project aims to reconnect the foreshore by Participating schools then apply their learned year and save 21ML of potable water per annum. replicating natural intertidal habitats, including knowledge to design drain stencils that aim to change MACROINVERTEBRATES WATER QUALITY VEGETATION The improved water quality and enhanced saltmarsh, rocky intertidal and mudflats, through community behaviors’ to reduce pollutants entering biodiversity which has resulted from the project constructing an environmentally friendly seawall. our stormwater and their impacts on our waterways 2013 - 2014 Macroinvertebrates are small animals Water quality is an important factor to Healthy vegetation communities are will provide significant environmental benefits for The Carss Park seawall will create diverse, intertidal and catchments. The designs are used to produce Lime Kiln Bay, within the Georges River in Sydney. without a backbone, such as snails, maintaining a healthy ecosystem. River important for maintaining a functioning habitats resulting in the migration of organisms stencils for stormwater drain lids with messages worms, and dragonfly nymphs. They Health monitors water quality in streams, ecosystem. Vegetation plays a major through the Georges River and increasing the that promote awareness of the connectivity of the live in freshwater creeks and streams wetlands and estuaries of the Georges role in providing habitat, nutrient LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL biodiversity of the Kogarah foreshore. stormwater systems within the natural environment. and are particularly sensitive to changes River throughout the year. Monitoring cycling, regulation of temperature and In 2013-14, Liverpool City Council has RIVER HEALTH in water quality. River Health surveys water quality is providing us with a better filtration of urban runoff. River Health undertaken environmental restoration works macroinvertebrates in spring and autumn understanding of how urbanisation assesses riparian (stream bank) and in the Georges River catchment to the value GEORGES RIVER REPORT CARD each year. Monitoring these animals and changed land use practices estuarine vegetation every three years. of $368,000 covering an approximate area of provides an increased understanding are affecting the health of the river By monitoring these communities we are 76,000m2. Council also supports 11 environment groups undertaking bush regeneration, one of how aquatic ecosystems within the estuarine ecosystems. gaining a better understanding of their Streamwatch group and delivers environmental Georges River catchment respond to role in maintaining healthy ecosystems in education to the community. environmental pressures. the Georges River Catchment. ROCKDALE CITY COUNCIL HAWTHORNE STREET NATURAL AREA SUTHERLAND SHIRE COUNCIL BANKSTOWN CITY COUNCIL GEORGES RIVER Hawthorne St Natural Area in Ramsgate is a ‘show piece’ of original flora and fauna of western Botany IMPROVING CARINA CREEK LAKE GILLAWARNA The Georges River catchment covers Bay. Many habitats are present here including In 2013-14 Sutherland Shire Council invested In 2013-14 Bankstown City Council completed an area of approximately 960 km2 Kurnell Dune Forest and Swamp Oak Floodplain $60,000 on works along Carina Creek between a water quality and natural area improvement Forest – both endangered ecological communities. Wiak Rd and Carina Bay. This included noxious project at Lake Gillawarna, Georges Hall. The and has a population of over 1 It also provides habitat to threatened fauna and weed control, bush regeneration and 1,500 project involved planting 29,000 locally native million people. It begins its journey is key fish breeding habitat. Rockdale Council, seedlings planted. Members of Optus Rockcorps plants in and around the lake; restoration and 60km south west of Sydney near along with Bushcare volunteers, corporate groups also gave their time to improve riparian vegetation rehabilitation of habitat features on the main the town of Appin and flows north and Riverkeeper teams are undertaking bush at Carina Bay Reserve. Volunteers and council staff island within the lake; control of invasive weeds towards Liverpool, before turning regeneration on-site to rehabilitate bushland and planted 50 x 200mm trees and undertook weed and feral aquatic species such as European Carp; east at Chipping Norton Lakes and re-establish creek bank vegetation. removal in the bushland below Riverview Rd. and creating two visitor interaction areas. enters the sea at Botany Bay. The river has a number of important FAIRFIELD CITY COUNCIL WOLLONDILLY SHIRE COUNCIL tributaries including Bunbury Curran BARAGOOLA ST BANK STABILISATION PROJECT 1ST APPIN SCOUT GROUP Creek, Cabramatta Creek, Prospect A 46m length of severely eroded creek bank has been stabilised using 1st Appin scout group were successful in receiving a grant from Keep Australia Creek, Mill Creek and the Woronora sandstone rocks, coir logs, in-stream large woody debris and landscaping Beautiful to implement a program to reduce the problem of litter and waste River. Land use within the catchment works. An upstream bund has been constructed to control a localised break around Kennedy Creek. They partnered with Wollondilly Shire Council to; includes industrial, agricultural out point, resulting in creek flows being held within banks. The woody debris and mining while approximately centralises creek flows during minor storm events and provides fauna habitat. · Setup a public recycling and waste disposal station and signage in the car park 45% remains in natural or near Landscaping with native vegetation also provides important habitat for local · Install signage identifying the location of the public toilets. natural condition. wildlife and improves diversity, water quality and aesthetics of the area. · Engage Appin primary school in council’s ‘Adopt an Environment’ program with a focus on waste reduction, recycling and composting. INTERPRETING GRADING ICONS The GRCCC represents member councils in the Georges River catchment of NSW including Bankstown, FIND US AT This diagram shows an example grading box. Use this example to interpret the results Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hurstville, Kogarah, Liverpool, Rockdale, Sutherland and Wollondilly. GRADING SYSTEM GRADE CONDITION Georges River, NSW from the individual sub catchments. The River Health Monitoring Program is being undertaken in association with Georges River Environmental Education Centre and georgesriver.org.au River Health indicators are A+ EXCELLENT the Cooks River Alliance. River Health is funded by the member councils of the GRCCC. 2013 – 2014 River Site Name Defines whether assessed against environmental A - B+ GOOD Health Grade A site has routine or Acknowledgments: The River Health Monitoring Program was developed by C. Tippler, A. Hanlon and P. Birtles and is modeled on the following existing programs: guidelines allowing the award seasonal water B - C- FAIR B A+ A+ A+ 1. EHMP (2008). Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program 2006–07 Annual Technical Report. South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership, Brisbane. Centre of a grade between A+ and F-. quality monitoring. for Environmental Management, Central Queensland University. 2. IWC (2009). Cobaki and Terranora Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program. 2009 technical report. D+ - F- POOR Historical River Health Grade International Water Centre, Brisbane. 3. Story A.W, Anderson L.E, Lynas J & Melville F (2007). Port Curtis Ecosystem Health Report Card. Port Curtis Integrated Monitoring Macroinvertebrate Water Quality Vegetation Project (PCIMP). Cover Photography by C. Ebejer. © 2013 – 2014 River Health Georges River Report Card. B- OVERALL SCORE FRESHWATER SITES B GEORGESB RIVERA- OVERALL RIVER HEALTH Georges River A- at Cambridge Avenue Results from 2013-14 River Health monitoring show throughout the catchment. As a result, many of macroinvertebrate communities