Noosa Council will continue to enlist the services of independent organisation Healthy Land and Water at a cost of $74,000 over the next three years to deliver river catchment monitoring and an annual Report Card.
Healthy Land and Water works with government, utilities, traditional owners and industry to monitor catchments in south east Queensland. Noosa river has been monitored since 2001 and last year received a rating of A- which was a slight decline on previous years.
The report showed pollutant loads had increased, due to an increase in sediment (mud) and nutrients generated from the land.
It also found the health of the freshwater creeks had improved, from fair to good and stream bank vegetation, wetland extent and the extent of wetland habitat in the estuary which is critical for maintaining the productive commercial and recreational fisheries that the community relies on remained excellent.
The water quality of the estuary and estuarine lakes remains excellent, however total nitrogen increased slightly and water clarity decreased throughout the reaches downstream of Lake Cootharaba, including Lake Cooroibah and the lower Noosa estuary. This decline may be related to the influence of groundwater; however this requires further investigation.
Deputy Mayor Cr Frank Wilkie said the partnership with Healthy Land and Water was pivotal to the way it managed the catchment.
