This study was developed collaboratively between the South West Catchments Council and our department to provide river health data to meet the following requirements:
- South West Catchments Council secured funding to undertake a program of on-ground works to address threats to the lower Blackwood high ecological value aquatic ecosystem. A core component of the South West Catchments Council works program was to establish a baseline ecosystem health dataset against which the effectiveness of the on-ground works could be evaluated.
- South West Catchments Council commissioned a river action plan for the McLeod and Rushy creeks to guide natural resource management activities for protecting the ecological, social and cultural value of the creeks. Ecosystem health data were required to contribute to the assessment of the creeks’ current condition.
- We identified the need to collect ecosystem health data for the lower Blackwood River catchment, to inform water resource management decisions and contribute to the development of the Stage 2 water quality improvement plan for the Hardy Inlet.
