Water Quality Monitoring
- Purpose: Monitor the effectiveness of Farm Water Access Plans (Farm WAPs) and detect changes in watercourses due to irrigation operations.
- Parameters Monitored: pH, conductivity (salinity proxy), temperature, turbidity, nitrogen, phosphorus.
- Sites: 124 sites (20 schemes) – approx. 10,000 data points per year.
- Method: Field testing and lab analysis.
- Data analysis: Data at potential impact sites compared with reference sites and long-term catchment trends.
- Recent Initiatives: Investment in new testing equipment, and operator training for consistent sampling.
- Findings: No correlation between TI operations and water quality changes has been identified.
Summary of water quality and water flow monitoring at Tasmanian Irrigation Sites 2023-2024.
| Monitoring program | No. schemes* | No. sites | No tests required** | No. tests conductes | % tests conducted*** | Change from last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrometric | 11 | 24 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Surface water quality | 20 | 125 | 7,790 | 6,827 | 88% | -8% |
| Groundwater quality | 1 | 12 | 300 | 278 | 93% | +3% |
* Scheme includes sub-schemes, e.g. Rubicon (part of Greater Meander).
** Surface and groundwater quality field test parameters include pH, conductivity, temperature, turbidity, plus observations. Quarterly lab tests include parameters such as total nitrogen and total phosphorus.
*** Reasons for missed testing include equipment failure or repair, inaccessible sample sites (e.g. due to flooding), or low/no flow (i.e. no water to sample).
Groundwater Monitoring
- Parameters Monitored: Level, pH, conductivity (salinity proxy), temperature, turbidity, nitrogen, phosphorus.
- Sites: 12 sites across three groundwater zones in the Sorell district
- Method: Quarterly sampling compared against established threshold levels.
- Recent Initiatives: The monitoring program was independently reviewed in 2023 and Tasmanian Irrigation has updated monitoring practices in line with the review recommendations.
- Upcoming: Annual report on 2024 monitoring program outcomes will be developed which will also assess the efficacy of the recommendations implemented from the 2023 review.
Aquatic Habitat Condition (AusRivAS)
- Focus: Assessment of river health via macroinvertebrate communities.
- Sites: Meander and Midlands schemes.
- Outcomes: Stable conditions were observed above and below dams/weirs during the 2023 monitoring program.
Fish Surveys
- Fish Monitoring: Twice-yearly assessments are conducted in selected scheme catchments to monitor changes in fish community composition and the potential introduction of pest species.
- Sites: Meander and Midlands schemes.
- Outcomes: Results from ongoing monitoring indicate no significant changes in fish populations regarding diversity, abundance, or the introduction of pest fish.
Green and Gold Frog Habitat Monitoring
Tasmanian Irrigation undertook habitat monitoring of Green and Gold Frogs (GGF) during the development phases of the SWIS and Winnaleah schemes. Monitoring continues as part of the ongoing development of the Sassafras Wesley Vale Augmentation project. Recent surveys suggest that Green and Gold Frogs thrive within the landscape, utilising dams and waterways associated with irrigation. This monitoring effort aims to ensure the conservation of GGF habitats and their sustainable coexistence with irrigation infrastructure.
Central North Burrowing Crayfish Monitoring
The Central North Burrowing Crayfish (CNBC), a threatened species restricted to a narrow range overlapping the Sassafras Wesley Vale region, is actively monitored by Tasmanian Irrigation. Initial monitoring during the development of the SWIS scheme and ongoing efforts related to the Sassafras Wesley Vale Augmentation project indicate no decline in CNBC numbers, abundance, or changes associated with irrigation activities. This ongoing monitoring supports the conservation of CNBC populations within the farming landscape.
Spotted-tailed Quoll Population Monitoring
Historically, Spotted-tailed Quoll populations around the Meander Scheme and Huntsmans Lake have been monitored through camera trapping studies, particularly during the construction phase of the Meander Dam. Past surveys have shown no negative impacts or decline in quoll population numbers attributed to dam construction or the lake creation. Ongoing monitoring is underway to document current quoll populations in the area, revealing healthy numbers and indicating no adverse changes in population dynamics.