EcoH plots

Spring 2008	Autumn 2009

Previous Year Spring 2007 Autumn 2008

Change over time

Legend
		Fish indicator
		Physical/Chemical indicator
		Nutrient Cycling indicator
		Ecosystem Processes indicator
		Invertebrates indicator

A description of the indicators and methods used can be downloaded as a PDF file.

Indices

Legend

The charts show the distribution of the site scores for the catchment in a box and whisker plot. The image to the right shows the meaning of the different elements in the chart.

The number behind the charts is the number of sites with valid data. It can be less than the total number of sites in the catchment if some data could not be collected.

A description of the indicators and methods used can be downloaded as a PDF file.

Summary

Nine sites were assessed in the Bremer reporting area, which was awarded a 2009 Report Card grade of ‘D+’, higher than its 2008 grade of ‘D‑’. Streams were generally in poor condition and increases in Ecosystem Processes, Aquatic Macroinvertebrate and Fish indicators contributed to the increase in grade.

The three highest scoring indices for the Bremer reporting area during 2008‑09 were pH (Annual Reporting Area Index Score = 1.00), GPP (0.98) and δ¹³C (0.92). The three lowest scoring indices for the area were O/E₅₀ (0.59), Temperature (0.62) and δ¹⁵N (0.63).

The assessment site yielding the highest annual score (indicating the best ecological condition) during 2008‑09 was one on Warrill Creek (site 143‑0044) with an excellent score of 0.93. The assessment site yielding the lowest annual score (indicating the worst ecological condition) during 2008‑09 was one on Western Creek (site 143‑0048) with a poor score of 0.59. This site is located within a substantial agricultural area and upstream reaches of the associated stream have little riparian vegetation.

Abbreviations glossary

Site scores

The scores range from 0.0 (worst) to 1.0 (best). A dash ('-') indicates that sufficient data was not available.

Flowchart for calculation of summary statistics based on site scores

Map

Click to open PDF version of the map.

Facts

• Total area: 2,031km²
• Stream network length: 4,425km
• Local Councils: Ipswich City Council, Scenic Rim Council
• Dominant land uses: grazing, native bush, intensive agriculture, urban
• Lower catchment mostly urbanised, rest of the catchment rural, with the majority of the catchment cleared for cattle grazing
• Some areas of natural bush remaining in upper catchment
• Widespread channel and gully erosion in the river and its tributaries
• Riparian vegetation significantly modified; little native vegetation remaining
• Four WWTPs and other point sources discharging into the catchment’s waterways, contributing to sediment and nutrient loads

Fish

Fish species identified in Bremer streams