Adelaide Coastal Waters Study has been completed

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February 2008

Seagrass [posidonia sinuosa] in flower [photo: DEH]

The Adelaide Coastal Waters Study (ACWS) has been completed. The Final Report Vol. 1 Summary of Study Findings (2.3MB PDF) has been released by Minister Gail Gago.

The ACWS was initiated in 2001 by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). The study was undertaken in response to concerns about the decline in coastal water quality along the Adelaide coastline and the loss of more than 5000 hectares of seagrass.

The ACWS has involved the development of a model to determine how different components of water quality impact on the health of the marine environment and seagrass in particular. The study has involved the production of twenty technical reports that present the research findings.

The findings from the ACWS indicate:

• nutrient-rich inputs to Adelaide's coastal waters have caused loss of seagrass along the Adelaide coastline,
• high levels of suspended solids in the near-shore waters from stormwater flows and beach dredging impair recreational water quality.

The ACWS Final Report identifies that management actions need to work towards improved environmental outcomes by reducing inputs to Adelaide's coastal waters. The study has fourteen recommendations; the first five are focussed on the reduction of inputs.

Key players in achieving reduced levels of inputs to Adelaide's coastal waters will include: SA Water, the Department for Environment and Heritage, the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, Penrice Soda Products and local government.

View from Seacliff

Implementation of some of the recommendations from the ACWS will come under the Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Program (ACWQIP) - an initiative of the Australian Government Coastal Catchment Initiative being developed in 2008.

Everyone can play a role in conserving water each day and sending less water into our sewage and stormwater systems that will ultimately impact on the health of our marine waters. For information on reducing water use and re-using water refer to the SA Water website.

This page was last modified 03-03-2008