Foreshore and Channel Assessment of Spencers Brook
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Water and Rivers Commission Foreshore and Channel Assessment of Spencers Brook FORESHORE AND CHANNEL ASSESSMENT OF SPENCERS BROOK Jointly funded by Natural Heritage Trust WATER AND RIVERS COMMISSION REPORT NO. WRM 28 2002 Water and Rivers Commission Foreshore and Channel Assessment of Spencers Brook Acknowledgments This report was prepared by Patricia Janssen who • Phyllis Graham, Catherine Walker, Bernard Kelly and acknowledges the funding provided by the Natural Clare Taylor, Water and Rivers Commission for report Heritage Trust for the project and the assistance and editing. support from the following people: • Dianelle Pisconeri for assistance with research and • Landholders along Spencers Brook for their valuable field assessments. information about the waterway and surrounding • Martin Revell, Water and Rivers Commission for catchment, as well as assistance with the field surveys. project support and assistance and report editing. • John Wilding, Rex and May Wilson and Michael • Brendan Oversby, Water and Rivers Commission for Letch for information regarding the Spencers Brook assistance with plant identification. Catchment and history of the area. Photographs taken by Patricia Janssen. • Gerry McCourt, Water and Rivers Commission for map production. Reference details The recommended reference for this publication is: Water and Rivers Commission 2002, Foreshore and Channel Assessment of Spencer Brook. Water and Rivers Commission, Water Resource Management Series, No WRM 28. ISBN 1-920687-28-9 ISSN 1326-6934 Text printed on 115gsm recycled stock, Cover, 250gsm Sapphire Dull November 2002 i Water and Rivers Commission Foreshore and Channel Assessment of Spencers Brook Foreword Jointly funded by the Natural Heritage Trust and the As a result of development pressures and inappropriate Water and Rivers Commission, this project is part of the landuse, many sections of the study area are under threat Avon Waterways Committee’s (AWC), formerly the from degradation. A wide range of management issues, Avon River Management Authority’s Avon Rivercare such as stock and vehicle access, erosion, feral animals Program, a project undertaking management surveys of and salinisation of the land and water, have been major tributaries feeding into the Avon River. identified through field surveys and consultation with landholders along the waterway. The objective of this project is to document the current condition and future management needs of Spencers Management recommendations have been included to Brook through consistent field surveys, in consultation suggest ways in which the foreshore and channel with adjacent landholders and surrounding community. conditions along the length of the brook can be improved The project emphasises community consultation, with to provide environmental, economic and social benefit to attempts made to involve landholders along the landholders and community members throughout the waterway in as many aspects of the survey as possible. area. The Spencers Brook catchment drains part of the Although this tributary of the Avon River has been western portion of the Shire of Northam into the Avon surveyed in isolation to other major waterways, the long- River. Foreshore and channel assessments along term management of the riverine environment is Spencers Brook were undertaken between April and dependent upon an integrated catchment approach, May 2001. whereby landholders within the whole catchment are responsible for working together to improve the The purpose is to provide information to the people condition of the waterways. It is hoped that the results of within the Spencers Brook Catchment who manage or this report will help to create a sense of ownership of the have an interest in waterways. It is hoped that this brook for the community as a whole and encourage information will encourage and assist the planning of integrated catchment management (ICM), conservation management actions that can be undertaken by of the riverine environment and sustainable landholders and community groups from the areas development. surrounding the waterway. "The future is not some place we are going to, ... it is a place we are creating. The path to the future is not found, ... it is made." Paul Ellyard Author/Philosopher ii Water and Rivers Commission Foreshore and Channel Assessment of Spencers Brook Contents Introduction...................................................................................................1 Purpose of the survey ............................................................................................................................1 Study area ..............................................................................................................................................1 Historical description of Spencers Brook..............................................................................................1 Aboriginal heritage .......................................................................................................................1 European heritage .........................................................................................................................2 Catchment description...........................................................................................................................2 Population .....................................................................................................................................2 Climate ..........................................................................................................................................2 Geomorphology and soils .............................................................................................................2 Hydrology .....................................................................................................................................6 Vegetation......................................................................................................................................6 Catchment landuse and tenure ......................................................................................................6 Survey methods.............................................................................................8 Community awareness and involvement...............................................................................................8 Assessment techniques ..........................................................................................................................8 Method of analysis ................................................................................................................................9 Survey results..............................................................................................10 Bank and channel stability ..................................................................................................................10 Waterways features..............................................................................................................................11 Foreshore Condition ............................................................................................................................11 General foreshore condition........................................................................................................11 Best foreshore condition .............................................................................................................11 Poorest foreshore condition ........................................................................................................11 Foreshore vegetation ...........................................................................................................................12 Presence of common species ......................................................................................................12 Proportion of native species........................................................................................................15 Regeneration of native species ...................................................................................................16 Death of common native species ................................................................................................16 Vegetation cover..........................................................................................................................17 Weeds ..........................................................................................................................................17 Pest plants ...................................................................................................................................18 Declared plants............................................................................................................................18 Habitat diversity ..................................................................................................................................19 Fencing status ......................................................................................................................................20 Water quality........................................................................................................................................22 Overall stream environmental health rating........................................................................................22 Disturbance..........................................................................................................................................23