Home » Report cards » 2009 » Western » Lockyer Catchment
Lockyer Catchment
F
2001
F
2002
F
2003
D
2004
D-
2005
D-
2006
D-
2007
F
2008
D
2009

EcoH plots

Spring 2008 Autumn 2009
Numerical Overlay for EcoH Plot EcoH Plot
Numerical Overlay for EcoH Plot EcoH Plot
Previous Year
Spring 2007 Autumn 2008
EcoH plot spring 2007 EcoH plot autumn 2008
Change over time
Plot showing change over time
Axis
Legend
EcoH plot legend Fish Fish indicator
Physical/Chemical Physical/Chemical indicator
Nutrient Cycling Nutrient Cycling indicator
Ecosystem Processes Ecosystem Processes indicator
Macroinvertebrates Invertebrates indicator

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

Indices

Box plot of indices

Legend

Box plot explanation

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

Fourteen sites were assessed in the Lockyer reporting area, which was awarded a 2009 Report Card grade of ‘D’, higher than its 2008 grade of ‘F’. Streams were generally in poor condition; but small increases in four of the five Freshwater EHMP ecological indicators resulted in an improvement in grade.

The three highest scoring indices for the Lockyer reporting area during 2008‑09 were pH (Annual Reporting Area Index Score = 0.99), GPP (0.87) and R24 (0.84). The three lowest scoring indices for the area were O/E50 (0.40), PONSE (0.46) and Temperature (0.55).

The assessment site yielding the highest annual score (indicating the best ecological condition) during 2008‑09 was one on Alice Creek (site 143‑0031) with an excellent score of 0.94. The assessment site yielding the lowest annual score (indicating the worst ecological condition) during 2008‑09 was one on Stockyard Creek (site 143‑0034) with a very poor score of 0.48. This site is situated in a significant agricultural area, and areas adjacent to and upstream were affected by the removal of riparian vegetation and stock trampling.

Abbreviations glossary

Site scores

Spring Site Indicator Scores
Site Code Physical and Chemical Nutrient Cycling Ecosystem Processes Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Fish
143-0029 0.75 0.90 0.92 0.67 0.49
143-0030 0.80 0.26 0.81 0.69 0.77
143-0031 0.97 1.00 0.90 0.95 0.89
143-0032 - - - - -
143-0033 0.51 1.00 0.90 0.50 0.59
143-0034 0.36 0.24 0.75 - 0.09
143-0036 0.84 - - 0.82 0.46
143-0037 0.70 0.90 0.68 0.98 0.49
143-0039 0.74 0.70 0.88 0.88 0.69
143-0040 0.50 - 0.36 0.59 0.46
143-0041 0.68 - - 0.59 0.08
143-0042 0.62 1.00 1.00 0.73 0.45
143-0063 0.25 0.62 1.00 0.39 -
143-0065 0.75 1.00 0.65 0.70 0.73
Autumn Site Indicator Scores
Site Code Physical and Chemical Nutrient Cycling Ecosystem Processes Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Fish
143-0029 0.94 - 1.00 0.77 0.49
143-0030 0.78 1.00 0.80 0.94 0.93
143-0031 0.92 1.00 0.90 0.99 0.88
143-0032 0.79 - - 0.84 0.50
143-0033 0.77 0.66 0.96 0.61 0.64
143-0034 0.68 0.49 0.33 0.72 0.41
143-0036 0.94 - 1.00 0.52 0.46
143-0037 0.95 1.00 0.57 0.88 0.57
143-0039 0.95 0.88 0.92 0.91 0.61
143-0040 1.00 - 1.00 0.86 0.53
143-0041 0.90 - - 0.57 -
143-0042 0.88 1.00 1.00 0.76 0.35
143-0063 0.45 - 0.88 0.35 -
143-0065 0.75 1.00 0.82 0.73 -
Annual Site Indicator Scores
Site Code Physical and Chemical Nutrient Cycling Ecosystem Processes Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Fish
143-0029 0.84 0.90 0.96 0.72 0.49
143-0030 0.79 0.63 0.81 0.81 0.85
143-0031 0.94 1.00 0.90 0.97 0.88
143-0032 0.79 - - 0.84 0.50
143-0033 0.64 0.83 0.93 0.55 0.62
143-0034 0.52 0.36 0.54 0.72 0.25
143-0036 0.89 - 1.00 0.67 0.46
143-0037 0.83 0.95 0.62 0.93 0.53
143-0039 0.84 0.79 0.90 0.90 0.65
143-0040 0.75 - 0.68 0.72 0.49
143-0041 0.79 - - 0.58 0.08
143-0042 0.75 1.00 1.00 0.74 0.40
143-0063 0.35 0.62 0.94 0.37 -
143-0065 0.75 1.00 0.73 0.72 0.73

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

Catchment map
Site Code Waterway
Site Name
143-0029 Running Creek
Windsor Drive, Mount Hallen
143-0030 Buaraba Creek
Buaraba Creek Road, Buaraba
143-0031 Alice Creek
Mill Road, Upper Lockyer
143-0032 Murphys Creek
Dodts Road, Murphys Creek
143-0033 Lockyer Creek
Back Flagstone Road, Helidon
143-0034 Stockyard Creek
Stockyard Creek Road, Deverton
143-0036 Tenthill Creek tributary
Ambroses Road, Lower Tenthill
143-0037 Blackfellow Creek
East Haldon Road, Glen Rock Regional Park
143-0039 Laidley Creek
Peacocks Bridge, Mulgowie - Townson Road, Townson
143-0040 Laidley Creek
Miles Road East, Laidley Heights
143-0041 Lockyer Creek
Pointings (Patrick) Bridge, Patrick Estate Road, Lowood
143-0042 Woolshed Creek
Warrego Highway, Hatton Vale
143-0063 Plain Creek
Shulz Road, Coolana
143-0065 Heifer Creek
Ma Ma Creek (Gatton - Clifton) Road, West Haldon

Facts

  • Total area: 2,974km²
  • Stream network length: 6,056km
  • Local Councils: Toowoomba Regional Council, Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Somerset Regional Council, Ipswich City Council
  • Dominant land uses: native bush, grazing, intensive agriculture, rural residential
  • The upper catchment remains forested
  • Mid and lower catchment has been largely cleared
  • The catchment has the highest proportion of land used for intensive agriculture in SEQ; irrigation has regulated water flow and changed groundwater dynamics
  • Numerous impoundments are present in the catchment
  • Instability of stream banks and gully erosion due to degradation of the riparian vegetation

Fish

Fish species identified in Lockyer streams

Species Common name
Ambassis agassizii Olive perchlet
Anguilla reinhardtii Long-finned eel
Carassius auratus Goldfish [A]
Craterocephalus marjoriae Marjorie's hardyhead
Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum Fly-specked hardyhead
Gambusia holbrooki Gambusia [A]
Hypseleotris galii Fire-tail gudgeon
Hypseleotris klunzingeri Western carp gudgeon
Leiopotherapon unicolor Spangled perch
Melanotaenia duboulayi Duboulay's rainbowfish
Mogurnda adspersa Southern purple-spotted gudgeon
Nematalosa erebi Bony bream
Philypnodon grandiceps Flathead gudgeon
Philypnodon macrostomus Dwarf flathead gudgeon
Retropinna semoni Australian smelt
Tandanus tandanus Eel-tailed catfish
[A]Alien species
[T]Translocated species
[EM]Estuarine-Marine species

Macroinvertebrates

Aquatic macroinvertebrate taxa identified in Lockyer freshwater streams

Class Order Taxa
Arachnida s.o. Acariformes Acarina
  Araneae Araneae
Bivalvia s.c. Paleoheterodonta Hyriidae
  Veneroida Sphaeriidae
Branchiopoda Cladocera Cladocera
  Conchostraca Conchostraca
Copepoda – Copepoda
Gastropoda Basommatophora Ancylidae
    Lymnaeidae
    Physidae
    Planorbidae
  Mesogastropoda Hydrobiidae
    Thiaridae
s.c. Hirudinea – Glossiphoniidae
Hydrozoa Hydroida Hydridae
Insecta s.o. Anisoptera Cordulephyidae
    Gomphidae
    Hemicorduliidae
    Libellulidae
    Lindeniidae
    Macromiidae
    Pseudocorduliidae
  Coleoptera Chrysomelidae
    Curculionidae
    Dytiscidae
    Elmidae
    Gyrinidae
    Hydraenidae
    Hydrochidae
    Hydrophilidae
    Noteridae
    Scirtidae
    Staphylinidae
  Collembola Collembola
  Diptera Ceratopogonidae
    Culicidae
    s.f. Chironominae
    s.f. Orthocladiinae
    s.f. Tanypodinae
    Stratiomyidae
    Tabanidae
    Tipulidae
  Ephemeroptera Baetidae
    Caenidae
    Leptophlebiidae
  Hemiptera Belostomatidae
    Corixidae
    Gelastocoridae
    Gerridae
    Hebridae
    Hydrometridae
    Mesoveliidae
    Naucoridae
    Nepidae
    Notonectidae
    Ochteridae
    Pleidae
    Veliidae
  Lepidoptera Pyralidae
  Megaloptera Corydalidae
    Sialidae
  Trichoptera Calamoceratidae
    Ecnomidae
    Hydroptilidae
    Leptoceridae
  s.o. Zygoptera Coenagrionidae
    Isostictidae
    Megapodagrionidae
    Protoneuridae
Malacostraca Decapoda Atyidae
    Palaemonidae
    Parastacidae
  Isopoda Cirolanidae
phy. Nematoda – Nematoda
s.c. Oligochaeta – Oligochaeta
Ostracoda – Ostracoda
Turbellaria Seriata Dugesiidae