Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program    2009 Report Card Results    Catchment Results    Southern Catchments   Pimpama/ Coomera Rivers Catchment and Estuary

Pimpama/ Coomera Rivers Catchment and Estuary

Pimpama_Coomera-catchment-map
 
Pimpama Catchment Facts
  • Total area: 171km2
  • Stream network length: 389km
  • Local Councils: Gold Coast City Council 
  • Dominant land uses: native bush, urban, grazing, intensive agriculture
  • Dominated by intensive agriculture along the middle reaches
  • Urban development, including canal estates, expanding throughout the lower catchment
Coomera Catchment Facts
  • Total area: 489km2
  • Stream network length: 928km
  • Local Councils: Beaudesert (pop. 62,441), Gold Coast (pop. 472,279)
  • Dominant land uses: native bush, rural residential, grazing, urban
  • Headwaters rise in Lamington National Park and remain largely intact
  • Mid reaches flow through rural areas
  • Urban development, including canal estates, expanding throughout the lower catchment, with the possibility of disturbance to acid sulphate soils
Freshwater results
B-Pimpama/Coomera Catchment *  
  • Streams generally in very good condition.
  • Substantial improvements in Ecosystem Processes and Aquatic Macroinvertebrates, slight improvement in the Physical/Chemical indicator.
  • Declines in the Nutrient Cycling and Fish indicators.
Estuarine results
C+Pimpama Estuary  
  • Increases in phytoplankton abundance, nutrient and turbidity levels, particularly in the lower reaches of the estuary.
  • Slight improvements in dissolved oxygen concentrations and biological health rating (nutrient mixing plots).
BCoomera Estuary   
  • Grade decrease due to increases in phytoplankton abundance and nutrient levels, particularly through January-February 2009.
  • Salinity throughout estuary lowest since 2001, indicative of high freshwater inputs.

Other Pimpama/ Coomera Rivers Catchment links:

Local CouncilCommunity/Catchment GroupsEnvironmental Education Centre
Gold Coast City Council Gold Coast and Hinterland Environmental CouncilJacobs Well Environmental Education Centre
 Gold Coast Catchment Association  
 Pimpama River & Hotham Creeck Catchment Management  

 

For more information on the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program Report Card, please log on to:
http://www.health-e-waterways.org/reportcard