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Environmental Condition of Rivers and Streams in the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicholson Catchments

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Environmental Condition of Rivers and Streams in the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicholson Catchments ENVIRONMENT REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION OF RIVERS AND STREAMS IN THE MITCHELL, TAMBO AND NICHOLSON CATCHMENTS ENVIRONMENT REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION OF RIVERS AND STREAMS IN THE MITCHELL, TAMBO AND NICHOLSON CATCHMENTS Freshwater Sciences EPA Victoria 40 City Road, Southbank Victoria 3006 AUSTRALIA Key contributor: Stephen Perriss Publication 858 ISBN 0 7306 7620 X © EPA Victoria, June 2002 ABSTRACT This report provides an assessment of the environmental condition of rivers and streams in the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicholson catchments. Together, these river systems form the eastern part of the Gippsland Lakes catchment. Since European settlement, forests in these catchments have been cleared for agriculture, urban development and mining of gold and other metals. In general, the impacts from these activities have been less severe than in the catchments of the Latrobe, Thomson and Avon river systems, which form the western part of the Gippsland Lakes catchment. The environmental condition of the rivers and streams in the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicholson catchments was assessed against the draft State environment protection policy (Waters of Victoria) (SEPP WoV) biological objectives. Habitat condition and water quality measures were used to explain why sites may be degraded. The environmental condition of sites largely reflected landuse in the catchment. In the Mitchell catchment – where agriculture and human settlement are largely concentrated in the lowlands – water quality, habitat condition and biological scores were markedly lower compared to sites in the upper catchment. Diminished riparian zones and poor water quality are identified as issues that may help to explain low scores for the draft SEPP WoV biological objectives in the lower reaches of the Mitchell River and its tributaries. A gradient between upland and lowland sites was less apparent in the Tambo River where much of the catchment in the upper to mid reaches has been cleared for agriculture. Poor riparian zones, elevated salinities and a lack of in-stream habitat for aquatic life are issues in these reaches of the Tambo River and two of its tributaries, Little River and Swifts Creek. These were reflected in low scores for the draft SEPP biological objectives and habitat condition ratings. In the Nicholson catchment, habitat condition ratings and scores for the draft SEPP biological objectives were generally good. However, Morgans Creek, a small tributary of the Nicholson River, was found to be degraded. This report highlights a number of streams in the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicholson catchments which, like Morgans Creek, are intermittently flowing, particularly in drought years. These stream types are difficult to assess against the draft SEPP (WoV) objectives, which are designed for perennial rivers. Initiatives are now being implemented to restore the quality and quantity of streamside vegetation and in-stream habitat in these catchments. If support for these programs is to be maintained, their effectiveness needs to be demonstrated. A review of current investment in program monitoring and assessment could be considered, as this feedback is essential for demonstrating the value of programs, improving current programs and adapting to new challenges. i LIST OF ACRONYMS AUSRIVAS Australian Rivers Assessment System AWT Australian Water Technologies CMA Catchment Management Authority DNRE Department of Natural Resources and Environment EGCMA East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority EPA Environment Protection Authority Victoria EPT Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera ISC Index of Stream Condition NRHP National River Health Program RBA Rapid Biological Assessment RHA Rapid Habitat Assessment SEPP State environment protection policy SIGNAL Stream Invertebrate Grade Number Average Level USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency VWQMN Victorian Water Quality Monitoring Network WoV Waters of Victoria ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Stephen Perriss prepared the text, figures and tables for this report and also carried out data manipulations and calculation of biological indices. Lisa Dixon provided extensive editing and review of the various drafts. David Robinson also provided editorial comments. EPA acknowledges the financial support of the Commonwealth under the NRHP, for the collection of the biological information that forms the primary basis for the assessment of environmental condition. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................ I LIST OF ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................................II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..............................................................................................................................III 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................1 1.1 THE MITCHELL, TAMBO AND NICHOLSON CATCHMENTS: FEATURES AND HISTORY..................................................1 1.2 SCOPE...................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 DATA SOURCES ........................................................................................................................... 2 2. ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION............................................................................................ 4 2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OBJECTIVES................................................................................................. 4 2.2 WATER QUALITY............................................................................................................................5 2.3 BIOLOGICAL QUALITY ......................................................................................................................7 2.4 HABITAT CONDITION ..................................................................................................................... 11 3. BIOLOGICAL REGIONS IN THE MITCHELL, TAMBO AND NICHOLSON CATCHME NTS .....................................12 3.1 HIGHLANDS (REGION 1).................................................................................................................12 3.2 FORESTS B (REGION 3) .................................................................................................................13 3.4 CLEARED HILLS AND COASTAL PLAINS (REGION 4)...................................................................................13 4. MITCHELL RIVER CATCHMENT ............................................................................................................ 15 4.1 STUDY AREA.............................................................................................................................. 15 4.2 HISTORY OF CATCHMENT LANDUSE..................................................................................................... 15 4.3 WATER QUALITY CHARACTERISATION AND ASSESSMENT.............................................................................16 4.4 BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT..............................................................................................................19 4.6 MITCHELL CATCHMENT SUMMARY......................................................................................................27 5. TAMBO AND NICHOLSON RIVER CATCHMENTS.....................................................................................28 5.1 STUDY AREA..............................................................................................................................28 5.2 HISTORY OF CATCHMENT LANDUSE.....................................................................................................28 5.3 WATER QUALITY CHARACTERISATION AND ASSESSMENT ............................................................................29 5.4 BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT..............................................................................................................33 5.5 TAMBO AND NICHOLSON CATCHMENT SUMMARY ....................................................................................42 6. OVERVIEW OF THE CATCHMENTS .......................................................................................................44 6.1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................44 6.2 HIGHLANDS...............................................................................................................................45 6.3 UPPER CATCHMENTS (FORESTS B).....................................................................................................45 6.4 LOWLAND REACHES (CLEARED HILLS AND COASTAL PLAINS) .......................................................................46 6.5 MAIN FACTORS INFLUENCING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION.........................................................................47 7. MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES IN THE REGION ......................................................................................49 7.1 CATCHMENT AND WATERWAYS MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................49 8. CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................................ 51 8.1 HABITAT DEGRADATION ................................................................................................................
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