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USC scientists research water quality
USC scientists involved in an award-winning water quality project at Boreen Point are conducting further research to help safeguard the ecosystem health of Lake Cootharaba and the Noosa River.
Senior Lecturer in Chemistry Dr Peter Brooks, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Chemistry Dr Neil Tindale and laboratory technician Daryle Sullivan were part of a collaboration that won a major research award at the annual Healthy Waterways 2009 presentations recently.
The $1,500 prizemoney from this award will go towards further research at Lake Cootharaba.
The USC scientists were heavily involved in the Noosa River Estuary project that was launched in early 2008 following community concern about high inorganic nitrogen levels in the upper reaches of the Noosa River system.
Nitrogen was one of the factors cited when the estuary’s score dropped from A to A- in the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program 2008 report card.
“We analysed the bore and ground waters around Boreen Point and the river inflows into Lake Cootharaba to measure nutrient and coliform levels indicating faecal pollution,” Dr Brooks said.
“Our component of the project showed that Boreen Point township is not the source of high nitrogen levels. The community of about 250 people uses septic systems, so people were concerned the whole town would have to be sewered if it was found responsible.”
Dr Brooks said the USC results suggested the nitrogen increased after rainfall runoff from surrounding agricultural or “disturbed” catchments. Waste from farm and native animals were possible sources.
“The lake is big and shallow – about 40sqkm and a couple of metres deep – so whatever settles on the bottom builds up quickly,” he said.
“Our field and lab work involved collecting bore, lake and river samples and analysing them in USC’s specialist water analysis laboratory.
“Getting this award is excellent because it means we’ve addressed community concern about a lake that’s used for recreation such as swimming and sailing.”
Dr Brooks said the USC team would select an Honours student to assist ongoing monitoring of the water. The aim was to determine if natural drainage eased the build-up or if intervention in the catchments was needed long-term.
“The best part of this project was collaborating with community members and stakeholders including Noosa & District Landcare, University of Queensland, SEQ Catchments, SEQ Healthy Waterways Partnerships, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, the State Department of Environment and Resource Management and the Australian Government,” he said.
“This project emphasises USC’s environmental science and chemistry strengths which contribute to an increasing focus on sustainability in the local and wider community.”
Details of USC’s environmental teaching and research programs will be available at the 2009 Sunshine Coast World Environment Day Festival at the University campus, Sippy Downs, on Sunday 28 June.
– Julie Gatehouse