FINAL REPORT TO NHT COASTAL & ESTUARINE RESOURCE CONDITION ASSESSMENT A BASELINE SURVEY IN THE SOUTHERN NRM REGION, TASMANIA Nepelle Temby and Christine Crawford June 2008 Coastal and Estuarine Resource Condition Assessment: A baseline survey in the Southern NRM Region, Tasmania Disclaimer The content of this report has been based on existing information that will be subject to change as new information becomes available. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this strategy is accurate. Further information is available from the references listed. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author/s and are not necessarily those of the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute. ©Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania 2008. Marine Research Laboratories – Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 49, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001. Email: [email protected] Ph: (03) 6227 7224 Fax: (03) 6227 8035 Contents SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................................................1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................2 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .........................................................................................................................3 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................4 BACKGROUND............................................................................................................................................................5 CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES IN THE SOUTHERN NRM REGION ..................................................................................5 CERCA OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................................................5 DEVELOPING A CERCA PROGRAM ...............................................................................................................................6 COASTAL AND ESTUARINE WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................6 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................................10 MONITORING LOCATIONS ......................................................................................................................................11 INDICATORS..............................................................................................................................................................13 EQUIPMENT ...............................................................................................................................................................13 SALINITY , TEMPERATURE AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROFILES .......................................................................................13 TURBIDITY AND P H ....................................................................................................................................................14 DISSOLVED NUTRIENTS AND SILICA .............................................................................................................................15 CHLOROPHYLL A ........................................................................................................................................................15 BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES ................................................................................................................................16 EXTENT /DISTRIBUTION OF KEY HABITAT TYPES ............................................................................................................17 PATHOGENS ..............................................................................................................................................................17 ADDITIONAL INDICATORS ............................................................................................................................................17 SAMPLING REGIME..................................................................................................................................................18 MOULTING LAGOON / GREAT SWANPORT ....................................................................................................................18 LITTLE SWANPORT .....................................................................................................................................................19 PITT WATER / ORIELTON ............................................................................................................................................20 NORTH WEST BAY .....................................................................................................................................................20 PORT CYGNET ...........................................................................................................................................................22 MOULTING LAGOON AND GREAT SWANPORT ...................................................................24 LOCATION DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................................................................25 CLIMATE AND TIDES ...................................................................................................................................................25 CONSERVATION VALUE ..............................................................................................................................................26 EXTENT /DISTRIBUTION OF KEY HABITAT TYPES ............................................................................................................26 WATER QUALITY......................................................................................................................................................28 FRESHWATER FLOWS AND WATER ALLOCATION ...........................................................................................................28 SALINITY , TEMPERATURE AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROFILES .......................................................................................28 TURBIDITY AND P H ....................................................................................................................................................32 NUTRIENTS , SILICA AND CHLOROPHYLL A ....................................................................................................................33 PATHOGENS ..............................................................................................................................................................35 LITTLE SWANPORT.................................................................................................................36 LOCATION DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................................................................37 CLIMATE AND TIDES ...................................................................................................................................................37 CONSERVATION VALUE ..............................................................................................................................................37 EXTENT /DISTRIBUTION OF KEY HABITAT TYPES ............................................................................................................37 WATER QUALITY......................................................................................................................................................39 FRESHWATER FLOWS AND WATER ALLOCATION ...........................................................................................................39 SALINITY , TEMPERATURE AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROFILES .......................................................................................39 TURBIDITY AND P H ....................................................................................................................................................41 NUTRIENTS , SILICA AND CHLOROPHYLL A ....................................................................................................................41 PATHOGENS ..............................................................................................................................................................43 PITT WATER AND ORIELTON LAGOON ...............................................................................44 LOCATION DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................................................................45 CLIMATE AND TIDES ...................................................................................................................................................46 CONSERVATION VALUE ..............................................................................................................................................46 EXTENT /DISTRIBUTION OF KEY HABITAT TYPES ............................................................................................................46 WATER QUALITY......................................................................................................................................................48