River Health and what it means for our estuary

Landholders discuss fencing and revegetation to exclude stock and improve water quality

Our estuary is highly valued for the wide variety of social, cultural, recreational and economic services it provides.  Have you ever stopped to think about the health of our rivers and how they impact our estuary?

There are three main river systems in the Peel-Harvey Estuary Catchment. The Murray, Serpentine and Harvey Rivers are the life blood and arteries that feed our Estuary. Ongoing stressors and pressures on our rivers directly impact the state of health of the Estuary.

Agriculture has historically and continues to have ongoing impacts on our rivers. Altered hydrology and modified channels for increased irrigation and drainage across the catchment on farms and properties along with clearing of fringing vegetation, erosion of banks and eutrophication from excess nutrient run-off contributes to the decline of water quality and ultimate health of the overall system. Whilst there can be obvious, visible signs of poor water quality including increased incidence of algal blooms and fish kills, the signs are not always evident and a beautiful looking waterway is not always a healthy waterway.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (the department) have been conducting River Health Assessments in our catchment since 2008. PHCC Waterways team staff have had the opportunity to assist the department’s team during recent assessment rounds and gained valuable knowledge with regards to methodology and outcomes.

Assessments have been undertaken across 40 sites in the Peel-Harvey Estuary catchment under the department’s Healthy Rivers program. Some sites have been assessed more regularly to capture seasonal and inter annual variation. The assessments collect data on water quality, fringing vegetation, flow, land use, and aquatic habitat, as well as aquatic biodiversity. Both native and exotic species present are identified to determine biodiversity values and threats. To find out more visit the department’s newly launched webpage: https://estuaries.dwer.wa.gov.au/peel-harvey-river-health/

Whilst it is important to understand the stressors and health of our rivers and estuary, it is even more important that we take long term action to prevent further decline. On ground actions such as fencing and revegetating streams, drains and creeks across the catchment are one way to take such action.

The Peel-Harvey Catchment Council with funding from the State Government’s Healthy Estuaries WA and Bindjareb Djilba Protection Plan will fence up to 80km and revegetate up to 24 hectares of waterways on private property across the catchment by 2025. Since 2010, more than 290 farmers across south-west Western Australia have been participating in projects such as this to keep stock out of waterways and drains, and momentum is building.  For the benefits go to: https://www.wa.gov.au/system/files/2023-05/healthy-estuaries-wa-fact-sheet-fencing_0.pdf

To get involved or find out more, visit https://peel-harvey.org.au/grants/funding-opportunity-fencing-and-revegetation-of-foreshore-areas/  or contact PHCC’s Healthy Estuaries Officer Bec MacKenzie at Waterways@peel-harvey.org.au or phoning 6369 8800.