Resource 1

> Guide for rating you local waterway

A Waterways Health Check

rating your local waterway gy y
Each waterway pictured here is different. How Each waterwayrate would you pictured herehealth? them for is different. How This document would you rate system gives you a them for health? that helps you This document score a waterway gives you a system by examining it in that helps you a number of score a waterway different ways. by examining it in
a number of

rating Health Check A Waterwaysyour local waterway

How healthy is your local creek, stream, lake or wetland? Heres How guide is your local creek, a simplehealthythat will help youstream, lake or wetland? local rate the health of your Heres a simple guide that will help waterway. Its easy, doesnt take you rate the health of your local too much time or require waterway. Its easy, doesnt take complex equipment, and it will too much time or require allow you toequipment,aand it will complex tune into vital component of our into a vital allow you to tune environment. of our component
environment. Hows your local creek? Is it a place of thriving life, clear water andIshealthy bush? Hows your local creek? it a place of Is it an area life, clear enjoy visiting or bush? thriving that you water and healthy walking by?area is it a smelly, dirty trickle Is it an Or that you enjoy visiting or walking by? Or thats best avoided?is it a smelly, dirty trickle
thats best avoided? Our wetlands, creeks, streams and lakes Our wetlands, creeks, streams and (which well refer collectively to as lakes (which are refer collectively to as waterways)well far more than just a part of waterways) are far more than just the the scenery theyre the lifeblood of a part of the scenery theyre the lifeblood of the environment. They provide homes for environment. They provide homes for wildlife and plants, water supplies for wildlife and plants, water supplies for homes, industries andand farms, and places of farms, and places of homes, industries recreation and and enjoyment for us all. enjoyment for us all. recreation

Besides being important environments Besides being important environments themselves, our waterways and wetlands themselves, our waterways and wetlands also also reflect health of thethe surrounding reflect the the health of surrounding land land because theyre the collection point because theyre the collection point for water coming from all around. for water coming from all around. A A healthy waterway usually reflects that the healthy waterway usually reflects that the locallocal environmentin good shape, environment is is in good shape, whereas an unhealthy waterway often whereas an unhealthy waterway often means other things going wrong means other things are are going wrong somewhere in catchment. somewhere in the the catchment. But how can you tell if a waterway is healthy? Its actually quite simple to healthy? Its actually quite simple to estimate the overall condition of these estimate the overall condition of these environments. You dont need high-tech environments. or chemicals, buthigh-tech equipment You dont need you will need equipment or chemicals, but you will and a your senses, your common senses need your genuine concern for the senses and a senses, your common waterway. genuine concern for the waterway.
But how can you tell if a waterway is

Once youve tried a different ways.your few ratings of own, there are ways of making your scores When you visit a waterway you very quickly Once youve tried a few ratings of your well more objective and meaningful. Then form an opinion on whether its healthy. Its own, thereways of actually improving the discuss are ways of making your scores When a feeling than a detailed more ofyou visit a waterway you very quickly more objectiveand meaningful. Then well score itself that is, improving the health form an opinion on whether its what goes understanding; but ask yourselfhealthy. Its discuss ways of actually improving the of your waterway. more of a feeling than a detailed into creating that feeling. Clearly its based score itself that is, improving the health understanding; but ask on what you see, smell,yourself what goes and touch (its not of your waterway. into creating that feeling. Clearly its based wise to taste water from waterways). on what you see, smell, and touch (its not Weve suggested nine areas or categories Of course, most of your judgement is based wise to taste water from waterways). you suggested nine areas or categories Wevemight like to consider. Each category is on what you see,of your judgement is this Of course, most but you can break based rated out of to consider. Each category the like 10, and the lower the mark down intoyounumber of areas break thisHow you mightthe condition of the waterway is a see, but you can as well. on what poorer in rated out of 10, and the lower the mark the much litter is number ofHow health and down into a around? areas as well. How that the condition of the waterway in poorer category. Weve also suggested things mixed is theis around? How health and the much litter vegetation? How clear is you might Weve also suggested things that category.look for when making your water? is the vegetation? add up to a the mixed All these things How clear is rating, look for when making your you mightbut its impossible to come up with All these things add up to a water? for the waterways health. To feeling rating, but its impossible to come up with indicators that will work in every situation feeling for feeling into some form convert your the waterways health. Toof indicators that will work in every situation up and in many cases youll need to come convert your feeling into some each health rating you could considerform ofof and in many own indicators or modify up with your cases youll need to come the health rating you could giving each mark. with your own indicators or modify the these areas separately, consider eachaof ones weve suggested. In general, keep in these areas separately, giving each a mark. ones weve suggested.best possible rating you Over the next couple of pages weve mind that 10 is the In general, keep in Over the next couple of pages weve proposed areas or categories in which you mind that 10for the best possible ratingand zero can hope is with your waterway, you proposed areas or categories in which you can hope for with your waterway, and zero is the worst. Then judge where your can make judgements on your local is the worst. Then judge where your can make judgements on your local waterway might fall on this scale. waterway. In each category you can rate waterway might fall on this scale. waterway. In each category you can rate your waterway and then combine your You might like to the next two pages as your waterway and then combine your You might like to useuse the next two pages as scores to come up with an overall rating for scores to come up with an overall rating for a a master score card. Make photocopies of master score card. Make photocopies of the area. In this way youve converted your them forfor every waterway site you score. them every waterway site you score. the area. In this way youve converted your feeling into a series of numbers you can feeling into a series of numbers you can Keep good notes on each recording Keep good notes on each site,site, recording use to compare different waterways or use to compare different waterways or the location, date details on on anything the location, date andand detailsanything different places on the same waterway. same waterway. different places on special that might vary from to visit. special that might vary from visitvisit to visit. This is is important youyou can more This important so so can more This approach is not completely objective This approach is not completelyobjective (based only on fact) because its still using meaningfully compare your scores if you you meaningfully compare your scores if (based only on fact) because its still using visit the site over time. For For example, if you your senses and your judgements, not visit the site over time. example, if you your senses and your judgements,not visit after a large storm the the water might be machines and monitors that measure visit after a large storm water might be machines and monitors that measure quite stirred up up and murky, and needneed to absolutequantities. On some days you quantities. On some days you quite stirred and murky, and you you to absolute know this when comparing the site with a might be happy with the know this when comparing the site with a might be happy with the world and give a a world and give visit at a time when no rain has fallen. waterway high marks. On another day you visit at a time when no rain has fallen. waterway high marks. On another day you might have had a bad time at school and Try rating your own local waterway and might gloomy mood might have school and have had a bad time at you scoring Try rating your own local waterway and your then turn to the final page for a discussion your gloomy mood might have you scoring onthen turn canthe final page for aNext to low marks. However, its a good start to how you to use these results. discussion low marks. However, its a good its also on category can use these results. Next to breaking down your feeling and start to each how you is a box with a tip on how breaking you to examine components ofalso each category is a your monitoring more getting down your feeling and its the you might try to make box with a tip on how getting you to examine components of the objective. try to make your monitoring more you might waterway. objective. waterway.

Whats in a feeling?
Whats in a feeling?

What rates?

What rates?

Reproduced with permission from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communication <www.waterwatch.org.au/publications/pubs/healthcheck.pdf>

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>> Year 7 Geography: Mapping our waterway | January 2012

Resource 1 (continued)

Waterway health check

Make notes on each category on a separate sheet

Site information
Name of wetland/waterway:
If unnamed, what is the closest town, suburb or road.

CATEGORY 2

Rating Category 2 0. Lots of human litter such as car bodies, tyres, plastics and cans, oily films and/or excessive algae growth. 1. 2. A lot of human litter, cans, plastics or algae. 3. 4. 5. Some human litter such as garden rubbish and plastics 6. 7. 8. One or two pieces of human litter, and local vegetation such as leaves floating in the water 9. 10. No human use at all, preserved in its natural state

CATEGORY 3

litter
Make notes on the type of litter floating on or in the water or on the surrounding land. (Include natural litter such as leaves sticks and animal faeces.) If litter seems to collect in one particular area, take a photo of that area each time you monitor your waterway so you can compare litter buildup. YOUR RATING

pipes and drains

Look for pipes, drains or trenches leading into your waterway. Examine what's coming out of them (by smell and sight: don't touch or taste), record how many there are and make notes on what you think they're there for. Without touching the discharge from the pipes, figure out a method of calculating what the volume of any discharge is.
Rating Category 3 0. A number of pipes from industry and/or sewage treatment and/or urban stormwater. 1. 2. Some pipes or trenches 3. 4. 5. No pipes from industry, but some urban stormwater drainage 6. 7. 8. No pipes or drains 9. 10.

Location:
Provide sufficient details so that you or someone else using your directions can return to exactly the same spot to repeat your rating.

Date: Weather: Has it rained in the last 24 hours? (If yes, was it heavy rain?): Area being rated:
Create a simple site map using a road directory or local plan. Mark in features that might affect your waterway. Mark in where you made your rating. Provide enough detail so that when you repeat your rating you're examining the same area. For example, you might look at an area 50 metres on either side of the waterway, stretching up and down the waterway as far as you can see.

YOUR RATING

CATEGORY 1

Rating Category 1 0. Lots of industry nearby, most of land cleared, soil bare, environment disturbed 1. 2. Some industry, some land cleared 3. 4. 5. Some commercial, recreational and residential land use 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. No human use at all, in its natural state

land use
Walk around the area surrounding your waterway. Record land uses that you see or land uses you're aware of in the local area. Create a list of places where water comes from that flows into your waterway.

What kind of litter is found in your waterway, and how much is there?

What are the pipes and drains bringing to your waterway?

CATEGORY 4

Rating Category 4 0. A number of artificial structures, large modification of natural flow 1. 2. Some artificial structures or some flow modification 3. 4. 5. No concrete structures or minimal modification of water flow 6. 7. 8. No extra structures or artificial modifications 9. 10.

extra structures / modifications

In addition to pipes and drains, record the presence of other artificial structures such as weirs, concrete banks, piers or any artificial modification of the water flow. Describe what effect you think these structures have had on the waterway. Stormwater filters such as shown here are designed to catch litter that might accumulate in other areas.

YOUR RATING

What's the land being used for around your waterway?

YOUR RATING

>> Year 7 Geography: Mapping our waterway | January 2012

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Resource 1 (continued)

CATEGORY 5

Rating Category 5 0. Very strong, unnatural chemical smell 1. 2. Strong unnatural smell 3. 4. 5. Stronger decaying smell or slight unnatural smell 6. 7. 8. Very slight smell, perhaps natural decay 9. 10. No smell / natural smell

CATEGORY 7

Rating Category 7 0. Lots of introduced plants, much clearing, bare ground, pasture, extensive erosion 1. 2. Mixed plants, much clearing, large eroded areas 3. 4. 5. Mixed native and introduced plants. Some clearing. Small corridor of vegetation. Some minor erosion. 6. 7. 8. Mainly native plants. Natural vegetation extends up to 30m from water, no erosion 9. 10.

smell
Sit by the waterway and record any smells. Take a sample of water and record its smell (don't taste it). A strong natural smell in wetlands and estuaries should be recorded as 6 or more.

vegetation
Look at the banks and the land extending from the waterway. Note if the vegetation is natural or introduced, and if the soil is eroded or stable. Using flora books or consulting local experts, learn the names of your local plants. Create a list of species growing around your waterway. There's vegetation around but the banks themselves are eroded and appear unstable.

Take a sample of water in a glass jar and ask other people how they would judge the smell. Is it the water that smells or something else at the waterway? YOUR RATING

YOUR RATING

CATEGORY 8

CATEGORY 9

invertebrate animals
(insects, crustaceans, molluscs and so on) Sit by your waterway and look for invertebrate animal activity. Run a scoop net through the water and see if you can catch insects or other invertebrates. Scrape up the first centimetre of sediment with a tin. Put it into an ice cream container and wash it with lots of water. Draw any animals you find.

Rating Category 8 0. No invertebrate animal life visible at all 1. 2. Only one or two types of animal life visible (probably snails leeches or worms) 3. 4. 5. Fewer than five types of animals found 6. 7. 8. At least seven types of animals found 9. 10. Many types of animals found including insect larvae and nymphs

vertebrate animal life

Rating Category 9

(birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians and mammals) Sit by you waterway and look for vertebrate animal activity. Note both the variety and number of birds. Look for fish, listen for frogs and record any animal tracks

The water is clear but doesn't smell very nice!

CATEGORY 6

Rating Category 6 0. Milky brown or green colour with particles and scum. You can hardly see through it! 1. 2. Cloudiness and/or greenish colour, with some particles or film 3. 4. 5. Some colour and particles 6. 7. 8. A little colour 9. 10. Colourless and clear as tap water

water clarity
Collect a water sample in a clear container. Hold it up to the light. Record how clear the sample is. If your water sample is murky, allow it to stand for a couple of days. Do particles settle out of it, causing it to become clearer?

YOUR RATING

Using bird books, learn the names of birds around your waterway and compile a list. Keep a chart of what birds are around at what YOUR RATING times of year.

0. No vertebrate animal life visible at all 1. 2. 3. One type of animal life (birds) 4. 5. 6. Two types of animals found 7. 8. 9. 10. Many types of vertebrate animals found

YOUR RATING

Run a scoop net through the water and see what you catch.

What birds are using the waterway near you?

total score
It's looking good!

25

Water
Learn it for

life!

>> Year 7 Geography: Mapping our waterway | January 2012