Estuary Health Assessment and Reporting in NSW

NSW has a rigorous estuary health assessment program. It consists of 4 elements: • Indicator development and testing • State-wide monitoring program • Report-card grade calculation • Results dissemination All methods... [ view full abstract ]

NSW has a rigorous estuary health assessment program. It consists of 4 elements:
• Indicator development and testing
• State-wide monitoring program
• Report-card grade calculation
• Results dissemination
All methods are documented in a standard format and implementation is via a mixture of state-wide Agency sampling (which provides a minimal but consistent framework) supplemented by additional sampling funded by local government, using standard indicators, methods for data collection and data analysis. Local Government sampling is often more spatially and temporally intensive than the state-wide program and may include additional indicators of local relevance. Data collection is stratified by estuary type and catchment disturbance and data are currently available for 160 of the state’s 184 estuaries. The primary indicators are chlorophyll, turbidity and DO, supported by context data such as salinity, temperature, CDOM and nutrient concentrations. The indicators are the same as the outputs of predictive models (e.g. CERAT http://www.ozcoasts.gov.au/nrm_rpt/cerat/index.jsp ) allowing seamless testing of model outputs and appropriate data for model inputs. Data from undisturbed estuaries have been used to derive specific reference values using ANZECC protocols. Grade calculations account for both frequency and magnitude of exceedances of trigger values. Validity of indicators (responsiveness, variability and repeatability) and grade calculations has been tested by comparing results against the independently derived catchment disturbance gradient and this shows that they perform as predicted. The use of a standard data collection and analysis protocol provides intercomparability across the state. Local government are using the grade scores for report cards and there has been strong acceptance by their residents.