Home » Report cards » 2009 » Western » Upper Brisbane Catchment
Upper Brisbane Catchment
D
2001
D+
2002
D
2003
C-
2004
C-
2005
D
2006
F
2007
D-
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

Eighteen sites were assessed in the Upper Brisbane 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. The grade for this reporting area has improved over the past three years, but the Fish indicator still scores poorly.

The three highest scoring indices for the Upper Brisbane reporting area during 2008‑09 were pH (Annual Reporting Area Index Score = 1.00), Number of Taxa (0.91) and δ15N (0.88). The three lowest scoring indices for the area were O/E50 (0.54), Proportion Alien (0.56) and PONSE (0.62).

The assessment site yielding the highest annual score (indicating the best ecological condition) during 2008‑09 was one on Sandy Creek (site 143‑0020) with a very good score of 0.89. The assessment site yielding the lowest annual score (indicating the worst ecological condition) during 2008‑09 was one on Esk Creek (site 143‑0018) with a fair score of 0.61. This site is situated a short distance upstream of the impounded waters of Lake Wivenhoe, and much of the land in the associated upper catchment has been heavily cleared for agriculture.

Abbreviations glossary

Site scores

Spring Site Indicator Scores
Site Code Physical and Chemical Nutrient Cycling Ecosystem Processes Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Fish
143-0001 0.58 1.00 0.77 0.73 -
143-0003 0.69 0.52 0.78 0.59 -
143-0004 0.46 1.00 0.86 0.76 0.28
143-0006 0.82 1.00 0.97 0.96 0.05
143-0008 0.89 1.00 0.98 0.80 0.68
143-0009 0.94 - 0.75 0.91 0.38
143-0010 0.90 1.00 0.69 0.89 0.66
143-0011 0.93 1.00 0.49 0.87 0.65
143-0012 0.61 1.00 0.95 0.74 0.68
143-0013 0.85 0.86 0.83 0.80 0.41
143-0014 0.72 1.00 0.60 0.44 0.40
143-0015 0.50 1.00 0.85 0.78 0.60
143-0016 0.87 - 0.40 0.80 0.71
143-0017 0.86 1.00 0.42 0.88 0.94
143-0018 0.55 0.00 1.00 0.97 0.36
143-0020 0.88 0.92 0.87 0.86 0.68
143-0021 0.70 1.00 0.17 0.82 0.54
143-0060 0.75 0.06 1.00 0.49 -
Autumn Site Indicator Scores
Site Code Physical and Chemical Nutrient Cycling Ecosystem Processes Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Fish
143-0001 0.75 - - 0.69 -
143-0003 0.77 - 0.90 0.83 0.45
143-0004 0.79 1.00 0.76 0.74 0.29
143-0006 0.90 1.00 0.98 0.92 0.12
143-0008 0.81 1.00 0.56 0.85 0.53
143-0009 0.95 - 0.46 0.79 0.39
143-0010 0.90 1.00 0.67 0.92 0.82
143-0011 0.75 1.00 0.86 0.90 0.69
143-0012 0.67 1.00 0.67 0.77 0.64
143-0013 0.85 1.00 0.79 0.73 0.49
143-0014 0.69 1.00 0.50 0.68 0.49
143-0015 0.70 1.00 0.65 0.71 0.54
143-0016 0.78 0.84 0.45 - 0.58
143-0017 0.72 1.00 0.79 0.95 0.89
143-0018 0.95 0.00 1.00 0.74 0.53
143-0020 0.94 1.00 0.84 0.99 0.91
143-0021 1.00 1.00 0.93 0.92 0.61
143-0060 0.73 1.00 0.79 0.73 0.75
Annual Site Indicator Scores
Site Code Physical and Chemical Nutrient Cycling Ecosystem Processes Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Fish
143-0001 0.66 1.00 0.77 0.71 -
143-0003 0.73 0.52 0.84 0.71 0.45
143-0004 0.63 1.00 0.81 0.75 0.29
143-0006 0.86 1.00 0.97 0.94 0.09
143-0008 0.85 1.00 0.77 0.82 0.60
143-0009 0.94 - 0.61 0.85 0.38
143-0010 0.90 1.00 0.68 0.91 0.74
143-0011 0.84 1.00 0.67 0.89 0.67
143-0012 0.64 1.00 0.81 0.76 0.66
143-0013 0.85 0.93 0.81 0.77 0.45
143-0014 0.71 1.00 0.55 0.56 0.45
143-0015 0.60 1.00 0.75 0.75 0.57
143-0016 0.83 0.84 0.43 0.80 0.65
143-0017 0.79 1.00 0.60 0.92 0.92
143-0018 0.75 0.00 1.00 0.86 0.45
143-0020 0.91 0.96 0.85 0.92 0.79
143-0021 0.85 1.00 0.55 0.87 0.58
143-0060 0.74 0.53 0.89 0.61 0.75

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
143-0001 Yarraman Creek
Din Din Road, Yarraman
143-0003 Pierces Creek
Pierces Creek Road, Pierces Creek
143-0004 Emu Creek
Pierces Creek Road, Sylvia Vale
143-0006 Crows Nest Creek
Crows Nest National Park, Crows Nest - Esk Road
143-0008 Brisbane River (West Branch)
Linville - Murgon Road, Avoca Vale
143-0009 Brisbane River (East Branch)
Eastern Branch Road, Mount Stanley
143-0010 Kangaroo Creek
Kangaroo Creek Road, Boomerang Gap
143-0011 Monsildale Creek
Monsildale Creek Road, Mount Pascoe
143-0012 Emu Creek
via Grieves Road, Harlin
143-0013 Wallaby Creek
Himstedts Road, Moore
143-0014 Maronghi Creek
Maronghi Creek Road, Harlin
143-0015 Ivory Creek
Ivory Creek Road, Ivory Creek
143-0016 Cressbrook Creek
Esk - Crows Nest Road, Noonans Corner
143-0017 Brisbane River
Arababy Creek Road, The Round Mountain
143-0018 Esk Creek
Falls Road, Esk
143-0020 Sandy Creek
Wivenhoe - Somerset Road, Crossdale
143-0021 Northbrook Creek
Northbrook Parkway, Dundas
143-0060 Cooyar Creek
Kooralgin - Gilla Road, Pidna State Forest

Facts

  • Total area: 5,493km²
  • Stream network length: 11,368km
  • Local Councils: Toowoomba Regional Council, Somerset Regional Council
  • Dominant land uses: native bush, grazing, intensive agriculture, waterbodies
  • The upper catchment is located in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range and the Conondale Range, remaining in a relatively natural state
  • The majority of the remaining catchment has been cleared for grazing and rural residential use, with limited riparian vegetation present
  • The upper Brisbane River is impounded by Wivenhoe Dam, which acts as an effective trap for sediment from the upper catchment

Fish

Fish species identified in Upper Brisbane streams

Species Common name
Ambassis agassizii Olive perchlet
Amniataba percoides Barred grunter [T]
Anguilla reinhardtii Long-finned eel
Carassius auratus Goldfish [A]
Craterocephalus marjoriae Marjorie's hardyhead
Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum Fly-specked hardyhead
Gambusia holbrooki Gambusia [A]
Glossamia aprion Mouth almighty
Hypseleotris galii Fire-tail gudgeon
Hypseleotris klunzingeri Western carp gudgeon
Leiopotherapon unicolor Spangled perch
Macquaria ambigua Golden perch [T]
Macquaria novemaculeata Australian bass
Melanotaenia duboulayi Duboulay's rainbowfish
Mogurnda adspersa Southern purple-spotted gudgeon
Oreochromis mossambicus Mozambique mouthbrooder [A]
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 Upper Brisbane freshwater streams

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