Healthy Land and Water has released the 2019 Waterway Health Report Card, highlighting the importance of stopping sediment entering South East Queensland’s waterways.
Healthy Land and Water says our waterways will continue to deteriorate if the major issue of sediment pollution is not addressed.
Several Unitywater projects are actively tackling this issue. Between June and August 2019, Unitywater completed a project to stabilise a 250m section of the Caboolture River at Bellmere. The works reshaped severely eroded banks before planting with species native to the area.
The stabilisation works have stopped 3,600 tonnes of soil entering the river each year, keeping it cleaner and healthier.
Unitywater Executive Manager Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions, Amanda Creevey, said the Bellmere stabilisation works also keep nutrients out of the river, and help offset nutrients discharged to the river from the nearby Caboolture South Sewage Treatment Plant.
“We estimate our works at Bellmere will hold back an annual 1.51 tonnes of total nitrogen and 0.79 tonnes of total phosphorus,” Ms Creevey said.
“Later this financial year we will also investigate the potential of more stabilisation works on the banks of the Pine River and Mooloolah River.
“We are also restoring 190 hectares of former cane land near the Maroochy River to a natural wetland. The Yandina Creek Wetland works to remove nutrients and sediments from the river and improves the overall river health.”
The Caboolture River received a rating of B+ in the 2019 Healthy Land and Water Report Card, while the Maroochy River received a B- and the Mooloolah River a C+, each unchanged from last year. The Pine River has improved its rating from a B- to a B since 2018.
