In the face of rapid population growth, urban and rural development and the worst drought in living memory, the waterways of Australia`s fastest-growing region have remained mostly in good health for 2005.
These are the findings of the annual Southeast Queensland Ecosystem Health Report Card released today (October 19) by The University of Queensland`s Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield, who is Chair of the Healthy Waterways Scientific Expert Panel.
UQ provides scientific support and conducts some of the fieldwork for the Report through the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP) - one of the most comprehensive marine, estuarine and freshwater monitoring programs in Australia.
The University plays an important role in the EHMP using rigorous science to measure waterway health using a broad range of biological, physical and chemical indicators.
Professor Greenfield was joined at the launch by Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman who said that while there were encouraging improvements in individual catchments across Southeast Queensland, the overall health of the Moreton Bay ecosystem had declined from B+ to B this year.
The 2005 Report Card provides grades for 18 catchments, 18 estuaries and Moreton Bay for the period of July 2004 to June 2005. It involved the analysis of data from more than 127 freshwater and 248 estuarine and marine sites.
“The annual check-up, which provides an A (excellent) to F (fail) rating of South East Queensland waterways, showed the ecosystem health of freshwater, estuarine and marine environments had 28 sites with improved or unchanged ratings and 14 sites with slight declines,” Mr Newman said.
“This year, the research and analysis benefited from increased monitoring of sites and more detailed reporting.”
Highlights of the 2005 Report Card include a positive change in the Noosa River estuary which has seen its rating improve from A- to A, and a significant improvement in the Maroochy River from D to C. Further improvements to the ecosystem health of the northern catchments (Pine, Caboolture and Pumicestone) have also been observed this year.
The 2005 Ecosystem Health Report Card was produced by the Moreton Bay Waterways and Catchment Partnership and can be downloaded at www.healthywaterways.org
Media: For more information, contact Chris Saxby at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2479, email c.saxby@uq.edu.au).
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