Risk Assessment of Threats to Water Quality in Gulf St Vincent

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AUTHORITY A RISK ASSESSMENT OF THREATS TO WATER QUALITY IN GULF ST VINCENT APRIL 2009 A risk assessment of threats to water quality in Gulf St Vincent A risk assessment of threats to water quality in Gulf St Vincent Author: Sam Gaylard For further information please contact: Information Officer Environment Protection Authority GPO Box 2607 Adelaide SA 5001 Telephone: (08) 8204 2004 Facsimile: (08) 8124 4670 Free call (country): 1800 623 445 Website: <www.epa.sa.gov.au> Email: <[email protected]> ISBN 978-1-921125-90-X April 2009 This publication is a guide only and does not necessarily provide adequate information in relation to every situation. This publication seeks to explain your possible obligations in a helpful and accessible way. In doing so, however, some detail may not be captured. It is important, therefore, that you seek information from the EPA itself regarding your possible obligations and, where appropriate, that you seek your own legal advice. © Environment Protection Authority This document may be reproduced in whole or part for the purpose of study or training, subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source and to it not being used for commercial purposes or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those given above requires the prior written permission of the Environment Protection Authority. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................1 GENERAL SUMMARY......................................................................................3 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS FROM THE GULF ST VINCENT RISK ASSESSMENT.....................9 APPENDIX 1 DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF THREATS TO WATER QUALITY .............. 34 APPENDIX 2 RISK MATRIX......................................................................162 APPENDIX 3 EXAMPLES OF APPLYING RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK...............163 APPENDIX 4 ANNUAL RAINFALL MAP OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA ...........................165 APPENDIX 5 NUTRIENT BALANCES BASED ON FERTILISER APPLICATION RATES..............................................................................166 APPENDIX 6 COMMUNITY WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT SCHEMES.....................167 APPENDIX 7 EPA PESTICIDE SURVEY SITES.................................................168 APPENDIX 8 SA WATER WWTP NUTRIENT DISCHARGES .................................169 List of figures Figure 1 Northern Risk Assessment region........................................................16 Figure 2 Eastern Risk Assessment region .........................................................17 Figure 3 Western Risk Assessment region ........................................................18 Figure 4 Southern Risk Assessment region........................................................19 Figure 5 Ulva in mangrove pneumatophores at St Kilda .......................................20 Figure 6 SA Water Bolivar WWTP outlet channel................................................21 Figure 7 Turbidity plume at the Torrens outlet from a rainfall event on 25 October 2005 ...........................................................................22 Figure 8 Discharge from Penrice Soda Products in the Port River ............................23 Figure 9 Coast Protection Board dredging turbidity event on 10 November 1997 .........24 Figure 10 Cygnet River on Kangaroo Island ........................................................25 Figure 11 AGL Torrens Island Power Station cooling water discharge.........................26 Figure 12 Temperature plume from AGL Torrens Island Power Station.......................83 Figure 13 Shipping lanes throughout Gulf St Vincent ............................................99 List of tables Table 1 Table of risk ratings for each region and environmental value as a percentage of total number of risks in that section. ................................. 6 Table 2 Turbidity from urban stormwater.......................................................54 Table 3 Nutrients from urban stormwater.......................................................56 Table 4 Heavy metals from urban stormwater..................................................58 Table 5 Micro-organisms from urban stormwater ..............................................59 Table 6 Hydrocarbons from urban stormwater .................................................60 Table 7 Freshwater from urban stormwater ....................................................62 Table 8 Pesticides from stormwater..............................................................63 Table 9 Rubbish from stormwater ................................................................64 Table 10 Nutrients from WWTP effluent ..........................................................66 Table 11 Trace metals from WWTP effluent .....................................................67 Table 12 Turbidity from WWTP effluent ..........................................................68 Table 13 Freshwater from WWTP effluent........................................................69 Table 14 Micro-organisms from WWTP effluent..................................................69 Table 15 Pesticides from WWTP effluent .........................................................70 Table 16 Endocrine disrupting chemicals from WWTP effluent ...............................71 Table 17 Other chemicals from WWTP effluent .................................................72 Table 18 Nutrients from CWMS and septic tanks.................................................74 Table 19 Micro-organisms in CWMS and septic tanks............................................75 Table 20 Nutrients from agricultural runoff ......................................................78 Table 21 Turbidity from agricultural runoff ......................................................79 Table 22 Pesticides from agricultural runoff .....................................................80 Table 23 Micro-organisms from agricultural runoff..............................................81 Table 24 Temperature from AGL Torrens Island Power Station ...............................84 Table 25 Trace metals from AGL Torrens Island Power Station ...............................84 Table 26 Hydrocarbons from AGL Torrens Island Power Station...............................85 Table 27 Other chemicals from AGL Torrens Island Power Station ...........................86 Table 28 Temperature from other power stations...............................................87 Table 29 Turbidity from other power stations ...................................................87 Table 30 Other chemicals from other power stations...........................................88 Table 31 Total ammonia from Penrice Soda Products ..........................................89 Table 32 Other chemicals from Penrice Soda Products.........................................90 Table 33 Hydrocarbons from Penrice Soda Products ............................................91 Table 34 Hydrocarbons from commercial shipping ..............................................92 Table 35 Trace metals from commercial shipping...............................................94 Table 36 Nutrients from commercial shipping ...................................................95 Table 37 Rubbish from commercial shipping .....................................................96 Table 38 Nutrients from wharves...................................................................98 Table 39 Hydrocarbons from wharves ........................................................... 100 Table 40 Trace metals from wharves ............................................................ 101 Table 41 Turbidity from wharves................................................................. 102 Table 42 Nutrients from recreational boating.................................................. 104 Table 43 Micro-organisms from recreational boating ......................................... 105 Table 44 Trace metals from recreational boating ............................................. 106 Table 45 Hydrocarbons from recreational boating ............................................ 108 Table 46 Rubbish from recreational boating ................................................... 109 Table 47 Nutrients from commercial fishing ................................................... 111 Table 48 Trace metals from commercial fishing............................................... 112 Table 49 Hydrocarbons from commercial fishing .............................................. 113 Table 50 Micro-organisms from commercial fishing ........................................... 114 Table 51 Rubbish from commercial fishing ..................................................... 115 Table 52 Nutrients from marinas and boat ramps ............................................. 117 Table 53 Trace metals from marinas and boat ramps......................................... 119 Table 54 Micro-organisms from marinas and boat ramps..................................... 120 Table 55 Hydrocarbons from marinas and boat ramps ........................................ 121 Table 56 Turbidity from dredging ................................................................ 124 Table 57 Trace metals from dredging ........................................................... 126 Table 58 Nutrients from atmospheric deposition .............................................. 128 Table 59 Turbidity from atmospheric deposition .............................................. 129 Table 60 Trace metals from atmospheric

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