Young
Issue: Catchments
This issue is discussed for these areas: [an error occurred while processing this directive]
For more information refer to the following Indicators:
Contaminated Sites | Discharge to Waters | Groundwater | Land Degradation | Land Use | Surface Water Quality
How has Catchment Quality Changed?
The Young Shire lies within the Lachlan Catchment and covers an area of 2,670 square kilometers, with a population of around 11,500 people.
Insufficient data was available for Young Shire to assess changes to, or impacts on, many aspects of catchment quality over the current reporting period. As a result, changes in erosion and groundwater quality are not reported.
Drought was a significant event impacting on catchment quality in Young over the current reporting period. The drought which commenced in 1997, and is as serious, if not worse, than other major prolonged droughts, such as those over 1895 to 1903 and 1938 to 1945. The 2006–2007 irrigation season was a record dry season for much of the area. Previous extreme drought years include 1902, 1914, 1938, 1940, 1944, 1967, 1982 and 2002.
As water availability has changed, water allocations within the catchment have been adjusted. Water allocations are made in a way that reflects the priority given to domestic and basic rights supplies, then to core environmental needs, then to irrigation and industry. Operational plans for 2007–2008 reflect that the catchment experienced one of the lowest inflow periods in history. In many cases, high security licences were permitted to carry over unused water for the first time.
Drought or excessive water extraction causes water bodies to dry out, water quality conditions deteriorate and the fish within them may die or be eaten by birds. This scenario is unlikely for the main river channels, but is likely for many of the smaller creeks and tributaries. Indeed, many of the smaller creeks have already dried back to a series of disconnected pools.
Algal blooms are also more frequent during drought conditions due to low, slow flows. Most towns however have sufficient treatment facilities and treat all sewage before discharging to water and, where possible, manipulate flows to break up algal blooms.
During the drought, salinity levels are generally relatively low. This is due to little or no inflows from higher salinity tributaries and no return flows. Groundwater leakages from saline floodplains are generally also lower. However, if river flows continue to reduce, river salinity levels increase.
With little water available for irrigation there is the potential for substantial economic impacts. Irrigators who grow annual crops generally adjust their planting area depending on water availability. However, irrigators who grow perennial crops are impacted in the long term if they are unable to ensure crop survival.
Over the current reporting period, water allocations that were assigned in July 2006 had to be suspended in October and November 2006, due to the drought and inflows being below previous recorded low inflows. Domestic water restrictions are currently in place in the majority towns within the catchment. These are used to raise awareness and understanding of the current drought and encourage people to conserve and use water more efficiently, resulting in lower water consumption.
Where are the ‘Hot-Spots’?
Effluent from Young Shire is treated at the Young Sewage Treatment Plant. The plant is licenced to discharge into Burrangong Creek, and to the Young Golf Course. The Burrangong Meat Processors Plant is licensed by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) to discharge to an utilisation area.
In 2005-2006, the Young plant exceeded the daily volume limit on eight occasions, due to wet weather. The daily volume limit was exceeded in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, each on one occasion, again due to wet weather. The non-compliance report also notes that the Young Sewage Treatment Plant does not comply with the specified timeframes for upgrade.
Landuse in the Young Shire remained relatively stable since the previous reporting period. However, it is expected that the rural residential development within the shire continued to increase. As such, it is expected that the related erosion and sedimentation to this development would have also increased.
Extreme gully erosion was recorded predominantly along the Crowther and Burrangong Creeks. Severe to extreme sheet erosion predominantly occurs within the Burrangong Creek subcatchment.
Despite the drought, severe to extreme dryland salinity outbreaks were reported in the Burrangong and Crowther Creek subcatchments.
Lachlan Catchment Management Authority identified some of the key challenges facing catchments in Young Shire:
- the impact of carp in the catchment.
- the loss of native vegetation across the catchment and resulting land degradation. This is leading to stream and wetland sedimentation, increasing water turbidity, rising water tables and increased salinity levels in waters.
- rapidly increasing dryland salinity and some irrigation salinity, associated with rising water tables.
- the need for irrigation to remain viable. Irrigation was held to be necessary for agriculture in the river valley and a significant contributor to the catchment's prosperity.
- reduce remaining significant point-source pollution, and urban and rural runoff where this is causing water quality problems - particularly turbidity and increased levels of nutrients (DECC, 2008).
What has been done to address Catchment Quality?
The Young Shire works with Landcare Groups and the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority (CMA) to assist in reducing land degradation. Over the reporting period, Young Shire undertook a number of projects with the Lachlan CMA, for example, the installation of two gross pollutant traps in 2007 to capture litter and sediment before entering the waterways, and erosion control and gully works at 5 separate sites over the reporting period.
The Lachlan CMA also undertook the Drought Support Initiative for Local Councils for which the CMA provided funding to Councils to educate landholders and local communities that are still under severe economic and personal pressure due to the on going drought. The Lachlan CMA made available $5,000 to councils to assist facilitating events that are related to supporting regional communities during the drought. These events provided an opportunity to promote the drought support networks available to communities. This funding was received by nine councils to assist in holding regional events, including Young Shire Council.
What does this mean for Council?
The catchment data supplied from the Shire Council and the Department of Water and Energy is lacking for many topics within Young. This means that only partial assessment of the catchment quality is ever possible.
There is limited Shire Council monitoring of erosion, sedimentation, salinity and ground and surface water quality. Therefore impacts from urban and rural development and significant natural pressures such as drought cannot be fully determined. The monitoring of the implemented Shire Council strategies and associated actions is also necessary to determine their effectiveness in achieving the desired catchment management outcomes.
Young Shire should undertake the following actions to ensure environmental improvement in the catchment:
- continue to work closely with the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority, to implement joint projects and ensure consistency in approach to land and water management and complementary actions
- continue to build on the effective relationship with NSW State Government agencies to ensure collection of up to date information regarding condition of the catchments and environmental drivers such as salinity, and associated management issues relevant to them
- monitor and adapt to the impacts of climate change to ensure no significant detrimental catchment effect is sustained from the changing conditions and any future actions
- continue to ensure impacts on ground and surface water quality are considered in land use zoning, development applications, sewage and water supply treatment
- implement appropriate environmental monitoring programs to measure the effectiveness of the Shire Council's policies, strategies, and management activities
- support and encourage sustainable land use and water management in the urban and rural communities. Approach business and industries regarding sustainable practices and monitoring.
References
DECC (2008) NSW Water Quality and River Flow Objectives: Lachlan River Community Comment on Objectives, Department of Environment and Climate Change viewed at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ieo/Lachlan/report-01.htm on 15 October 2008.
