Queanbeyan
Issue: Catchments
This issue is discussed for these areas: [an error occurred while processing this directive]
Fore 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?
Queanbeyan City Council area is located on the eastern border of Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in the Murrumbidgee Catchment. The City Council area has an area of 172 square kilometers. Queanbeyan City Council is one of the fastest growing regional centres in New South Wales (NSW) and has a population of approximately 36,000.
Insufficient data was available for Queanbeyan City Council area 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 Queanbeyan City Council area over the current reporting period. The drought which commenced in 1997, is as serious if not worse than other major prolonged droughts such as 1895 to 1903 and 1938 to 1945. Previous extreme drought years include 1902, 1914, 1938, 1940, 1944, 1967, 1982 and 2002. The 2006–2007 irrigation season was a record dry season for much of the area.
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 carryover 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 dilution 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 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’?
Over the past decade, the City Council has focused on programs to improve catchment health with residents, businesses and industry. However, water quality in the Queanbeyan River remains an issue. Stormwater run off from urban areas continues to impact upon water quality in our waterways as well as posing a flooding threat. Queanbeyan’s catchments drain to two major watercourses: the Queanbeyan River and Jerrabomberra Creek. Both watercourses contribute to flow into Lake Burley Griffin in central Canberra.
The Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant treats sewage before it is discharged into the Molonglo River. Over the reporting period, a number of prevention notices were issued to Queanbeyan City Council by the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) relating to discharges of untreated sewage from the system into the Queanbeyan Riverside Tourist Park, that subsequently entered the Queanbeyan River. The discharges were most likely caused by a pump failure at the Morrisset Street Sewage Pump Station. There were also further discharges in the previous reporting period.
Queanbeyan City Council must provide DECC with a plan that outlines the steps they will take to reduce effluent surcharges from the entire System, as a result of the multiple prevention notices and the subsequent clean up notices. The City Council must record details in relation to each observed or reported overflow from the System. The City Council must also supply to DECC an Annual System Performance Report.
Over the reporting period, the area with the highest concentration of severe to extreme gully erosion was in the Molonglo River subcatchment. Small areas also occurred within the Queanbeyan River. Extreme sheet erosion occurred within the Queanbeyan River subcatchment. Large areas of moderate sheet erosion occurred within the Molonglo River subcatchment.
No land use results were available for the reporting period for Queanbeyan City Council area. The Council Annual Report identifies that the quantity of new single dwellings dropped significantly over the reporting period, due to land shortages while applications for multi-unit dwellings increased. Support for major greenfields land releases at Googong and Tralee from the NSW State Government have allowed these projects to progress to a stage where a Draft Local Environment Plans has been placed on public consultation. Subject to these plans receiving approval these developments will provide substantial new land releases for the next 20 to 25 years.
The majority of the Queanbeyan River subcatchment consists of urban development, whilst the majority of Jerrabomberra Creek and Molonglo River subcatchments are rural residential and with some urban development. These areas continue to be under pressure from future development. As a result of current development and potential developments, it is expected that related erosion and sedimentation will continue to increase.
Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority identify some of the key challenges facing catchments in the Queanbeyan City Council area as:
- use local knowledge and enthusiasm for social, environmental and economic sustainability, including continuing land care and improving water management.
- continue scientific research, monitoring and reporting on river issues
- reverse the loss of native trees and other perennial vegetation across parts of the catchment that is leading to stream and wetland sedimentation, increased water turbidity, rising watertables, increased salinity levels in waters, and urban salinity
- reduce the causes of unnatural rates of river erosion and manage riparian zones to protect remaining native vegetation
- reduce remaining significant point-source pollution (e.g. sewage treatment plants, unsewered villages)
- further reduce pollution of stormwater runoff from both urban and rural lands, and contamination of surface or groundwater with pesticides or other chemicals
- enable continuing improvements in efficiency of agricultural and urban water uses.
- increase efforts to control exotic plant and animal pests in rivers, particularly carp (DECC, 2008).
What has been done to address Catchment Quality?
Ongoing drought conditions and long term effects of climate change are providing challenges to the city in respect of its water supply. Queanbeyan City Council is committed through its Waterwise program to educate and inform residents on the conservation of water resources. As a part of this program, Queanbeyan City Council promotes the NSW Government's Rainwater Tank program to be used by residents to reduce potable water demand. The City Council has also adopted water restrictions for the City Council over the reporting period.
As a result of the unlicensed sewage discharges the City Council was directed by DECC to install an underground retention system and earth bund to prevent the system surcharges at the Tourist Park. The City Council was also to directed to undertake alterations to the sewer connections within the Tourist Park and the system relating to the Tourist Park. The City Council conducted a surcharge investigation of sewage flows into the system in the vicinity of the Morisset Street pump station to determine the most appropriate surcharge location, having regard to minimising the pollution of waters and the impacts upon human health and amenity.
The Queanbeyan sewage treatment plant had a study will be undertaken in 2007-08 to assess the future needs of the treatment plant concerning any necessary augmentation. Results of the study were not available at the time of reporting.
The City Council has also continued to install gross pollutant traps in various catchments in Queanbeyan to trap litter and silt before entering the Queanbeyan River and Jerrabomberra Creek.
What does this mean for Council?
The catchment data supplied from Council and the Department of Water and Energy is lacking for many indicators within Queanbeyan City Council area. This means that only partial assessment of the catchment quality is ever possible.
There is limited 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 Council strategies and associated actions is also necessary to determine their effectiveness in achieving the desired catchment management outcomes.
The Queanbeyan City Council should undertake the following actions to ensure environmental improvement in the catchment:
- continue to work closely with Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority, to implement joint projects and ensure consistency in approach to land and water management and complementary actions
- continue and build on the effective relationship NSW State Government agencies to ensure up to date information regarding condition of the catchments environmental drivers such as salinity, and associated management issues relevant to them
- continue to ensure impacts on ground and surface water quality are considered in landuse zoning, development applications, sewage and water supply treatment
- implement appropriate environmental monitoring programs to measure the effectiveness of 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: Murrumbidgee River Community Comment on Objectives, Department of Environment and Climate Change viewed at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ieo/Murrumbidgee/report-01.htm on 20 October 2008.
