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

Five sites were assessed in the Tallebudgera/Currumbin reporting area, which was awarded a 2009 Report Card grade of ‘B’, lower than its 2008 grade of ‘A‑’. Streams were generally in good condition; but declines in all ecological indicators resulted in the lower grade.

The three highest scoring indices for the Tallebudgera/Currumbin reporting area during 2008‑09 were Conductivity (Annual Reporting Area Index Score = 1.00), DO (1.00) and GPP (1.00). The three lowest scoring indices for the area were Temperature (0.66), δ¹⁵N (0.73) and O/E₅₀ (0.79).

The assessment site yielding the highest annual score (indicating the best ecological condition) during 2008‑09 was one on Tallebudgera Creek (site 146‑0017) 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 Currumbin Creek (site 146‑0002), albeit with a good score of 0.76. This site is located downstream of, and within, an area of rural residential and agricultural land use.

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

Tallebudgera Catchment

• Total area: 110km²
• Stream network length: 219km
• Local Councils: Gold Coast City Council
• Dominant land uses: native bush, suburban, grazing, intensive agriculture
• Headwaters rise in the relatively pristine areas of the McPherson Ranges near the Qld-NSW border
• Mid reaches flow through rural residential areas
• Lower reaches not as urbanised as the catchments of Coomera and Nerang rivers
• Mouth of Tallebudgera Creek stabilised by a rockwall
• Riparian vegetation intact throughout much of the catchment

Currumbin Catchment

• Total area: 48km²
• Stream network length: 126km
• Local Councils: Gold Coast (pop. 472,279)
• Dominant land uses: native bush, urban, grazing, intensive agriculture
• Headwaters rise in the relatively pristine areas of the McPherson Ranges near the Qld-NSW border
• Mid reaches flow through rural residential areas
• Lower reaches not as urbanised as the catchments of Coomera and Nerang rivers
• Mouth of Currumbin Creek almost completely blocked by a sandbar
• Riparian vegetation intact throughout much of the catchment

Fish

Fish species identified in Tallebudgera/Currumbin streams