Assignment 1

AGE- Environmental Health

Working Towards Improved Water
Quality

Introduction
Alpheius Global Enterprises has developed close working relationships with a
number of organisations over the past 10 years, with the aim of assisting in the
management of water quality in the South East region. AGE has made a
commitment for the next five years to continue this involvement in the following
areas of interest:

Grazing Practices
Water Contamination

Areas of Interest
Water Contamination
The South East River Contaminants Program builds upon the National Water
Management Program that addressed issues concerning the cause and
management of algal blooms. The program continues the partnership between
AGE and the South East Region Commission, and addresses issues of declining
water quality in local river systems, with salinity and sediments being identified as
the highest priority contaminants for consideration.
A major review concluded that contaminants affect not only the health and
ecological value of riverine systems (including wetlands and floodplains) but also
threaten consumptive and commercial uses of water resources. River
contaminants are also a major threat to receiving waters (estuarine, coastal,
wetland and reservoirs) and some ecosystems under serious threat are of
enormous national value e.g. the Great Southern Lake and Flinders River.

Grazing Practices
It has long been recognised that excessive and long term grazing of pastoral
lands influences the condition of local waterways. The level of erosion caused by
grazing increases and ultimately becomes difficult to reverse without long periods
of non-grazing activity. Increased soil erosion and reduced soil quality influences
the contaminants, such as silt, that enters the adjoining waterways.
Grazing regimes in Australia have typically focused on short term returns without
looking to long term sustainability. Unless new sustainable systems are
recognised by producers to be at least as profitable in the short term as
traditional methods, they are unlikely to be adopted and the quality of waterways
will not be able to maintain a healthy equilibrium.
The Water Initiatives Programme is developing new land use and management
practices in the grazing lands of the South East region to ensure minimal,
detrimental influence on the water catchments in the area. The beef industry is
the major land user in the South East region and has the most direct influence on
the water quality of the streams and rivers of any land user in the area.

Over 80 per cent of sediments and nutrients discharged to the water catchments
in the South East originate from the extensive grazing lands of the area. High
concentrations of these sediments, and the pollutants they carry, cause damage
to the flora and fauna of the local waterways and reservoirs.
The Water Initiatives Programme aims to educate and assist graziers in changing
their management practices and decrease the impact of their industry on
waterways within and passing through their own properties.

Groundwater Management
Risks
Invasive Pests

15

Wetlands Diversity

10

Salinity

15

River Health

20

Riparian Lands

30

Native Vegetation and Biodiversity

40

Managing Agricultural Landscapes

30

Water that has accumulated beneath the Earth's surface in soil pores, cracks and
spaces in the rock can be pumped to the surface and used for agriculture and
other industries. However, the store can be polluted by chemicals seeping down
through the soil and the removal of water can affect dependent ecosystems and
even cause subsidence.
Traditionally, groundwater has been regarded as an inexhaustible source of
water. But this view has changed and it is now recognised that its quantity and
quality can be jeopardised. The South East Groundwater R&D Programme
provides management and policy information, and tools to assist in the
sustainable use of groundwater and the protection of its quality.

Invasive Pests
Water quality of reservoirs is put at risk by invasive pests such as Duckweed
(Lemnaceae spirodela). Even with the assistance of mechanical skimmers, which
have the capacity to remove up to 400 cubic metres of duckweed per day, this
weed is incredibly difficult to control. It is estimated that currently 65% of the
reservoirs in the South East region have been invaded.
Duckweeds, however, reveal a dark and a light side: they have been shown for
instance, to be particularly proficient at removing phosphates and nitrates
(especially ammonia) from water. This is of particular interest in intensive farming
practices when dealing with sewerage and waste water.

Nevertheless, the existence of Duckweed in natural reservoirs is not desirable

and the South East Invasive Pest Programme will look at ways to increase the
rate of Duckweed removal and management strategies to ensure future control.

Wetlands
Wetlands have long been considered unproductive waste lands by traditional
farming communities. Public opinion has been to drain these areas, thereby
expanding viable areas of agriculture. However, through intensive research it is
shown that these areas are in fact performing an invaluable service to the
surrounding ecosystems by providing a natural aquatic filter. Additionally,
wetlands serve to support a wide diversity of flora and fauna that would not exist
otherwise. For these reasons, wetlands in the South East region need to be
conserved. A complication in the matter is that many of the wetlands in this region
occur on private or leasehold land, so a comprehensive education programme
needs to be constructed and delivered to landholders.

Salinity
Salinity is a condition where soils contain high levels of salt. There are two forms
of salinity: dryland salinity and irrigated land salinity. Dryland salinity, also known
as the white death among the farming community, currently affects more than 5
million hectares of land; 1.7 million hectares in the South East region alone, and
causes damage totalling $270 million each year. Irrigated land salinity, occurs on
land subject to irrigation.
Much of the land in the South East region contains high levels of salt, but it is
usually held deep in the soil profile where it does not affect plants. Rising water
tables, however, cause the salt to rise in the soil profile and this is when salinity
issues arise. The high level of salts in the soil restricts or prevents plant growth
and arable land usability and value thereby decreases dramatically.
Whereas in the past farmers were surveyed to determine the extent of salination
on their properties, it eventuates that the results were not very successful, due to
limited knowledge (and therefore ability to determine the extent of salination) and
an absence of mapped data. Current methods involve aerial surveys using
remote sensing cameras. The data collected is extremely accurate and enables a
much clearer insight.

River Health
Rivers are a vital link within natural systems. They provide drainage from and
supply of water to a catchment. Rivers are also a reflection of the total system
and the health of the river can be an indicator of the health of the broader
landscape. As river systems increase in size, so too do their potential problems.
The Water Initiatives Plan also seeks to:

estimate and manage environmental flow to rivers and floodplains

investigate managing water storages

investigate the relationship between flow and river biota
investigate the water requirements of wetlands

Riparian Lands
Riparian lands play a vital role in the health of the surrounding landscape and
provide important habitats for flora and fauna. Riparian lands influence stream
health and river shape and stability. Degradation of these habitats, caused by
vegetation removal, has lead to river bank erosion, resulting in flooding and
decreased water quality.
Poor management or no management of riparian lands has become an economic
burden, with almost $45 million spent annually on improving the water quality of
the region.

Native Vegetation and Biodiversity

The management of native vegetation and biodiversity of the South East region is
of importance due to the critical role that the vegetation plays in the balance of
the ecosystem. By improving landscape health, the community can also improve
productivity. To be able to ascertain the health of the native landscape and
suggest methods for its continued improvement, the Environmental Initiative aims
to:

work with farmers to manage and restore native vegetation

develop a system for evaluating and documenting biodiversity benefits
resulting from the Initiatives actions
work with indigenous populations to manage fires
assess biodiversity benefits from water management in the South East
rangelands
develop software to enable hands-on learning for landholders
measure biodiversity of regrowth vegetation in modified landscapes

Affiliations
The organisations with which Alpheius Global Enterprises is working to improve
the quality of the environment include:

Landcare Australia
Environment Victoria
Global Friends Australia
Australian Conservation Foundation
Australian Student Environment Network
The Natural Edge Project
South East Water Conservation Group

South East Ranges Trust