Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road

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Glossary

Introduction

The Cygnet River is a brackish stream on Kangaroo Island. It flows east into Nepean Bay, south of Kingscote. Land use in the catchment is a mix of broad-acre cropping and grazing. Elevated turbidity and nutrient levels are the most likely water quality problems. This site at Stokes Bay Road is one of two sites being monitored on the Cygnet River (see the site further downstream at Bark Hut Road). Stream flow and electrical conductivity data for the Cygnet catchment are available from the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation at Huxtable Forest and Koala Lodge. >> Map (481KB PDF)

Water quality assessment

Water quality is assessed as being in good, moderate or poor condition by interpreting water chemistry data in the context of protecting environmental values. >> More

Ecological health is assessed in spring and autumn. We use macroinvertebrates for this purpose because they provide a relatively simple way to assess the health of an aquatic ecosystem. >> More

Water chemistry is measured each month. We measure chemical indicators because when they reach a certain level they can cause stress or toxicity to animals and plants in an ecosystem. Some indicators can also indicate if the water is suitable for drinking water or for activities such as swimming. >> More

Ecological health

We collect two samples of macroinvertebrates, one from riffle (or flowing water) habitat and one from edge (still water) habitat. The diversity of the macroinvertebrate community is used to describe ecological health as being in good, moderate or poor condition.

Go here to find out how we classify ecological health in streams.

Ecological health assessment for May 2006

Habitat	Ecological health
Edge	Good
Riffle	Good

The good ratings were consistent with previous results for this site and are in direct contrast with the poorer results from downstream at Bark Hut Road during autumn 2006.

The edge habitat had 37 different types of macroinvertebrates present, with waterbugs (Micronecta species) and caddisflies (Hellyethira simplex) the most common. The riffle habitat had 26 types of macroinvertebrates. The most common being blackfly larvae (Austrosimulium furiosum and Simulium ornatipes), diamesine midge larvae (Paraheptagyia species) and hygrobatid mites (Procarticacarus species).

The site had an unusually rich water mite community, with representatives from the families Eylaidae, Limnesiidae, Hygrobatidae, Arrenuridae and Oribatidae.

Download ecological health data

• All the macroinvertebrate data for the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road (10KB CSV)

Water chemistry

The indicators that are measured in the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road are nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), turbidity and salinity. The concentrations of these indicators are used to classify the water chemistry as being in good, moderate or poor condition, according to the needs of aquatic ecosystem protection.

Go here to find out how we organise and classify the chemistry data.

Water chemistry classification for April to September 2006

Indicator	Classification
Oxidised Nitrogen	Good
Total Nitrogen	Good
Soluble Phosphorus	Good
Total Phosphorus	Good
Turbidity	Good

The nutrients and turbidity were all classified as good in this sampling period. The grazing and cropping landuses in the Cygnet River catchment can result in nutrients being washed into the river, mainly during winter months; however the unusually dry conditions during this period have probably kept the nutrient concentrations low. The Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board has identified important issues that affect water quality in this catchment and the Board is working with landholders to address them.

>> Archived results

Download water chemistry graphs

• Oxidised nitrogen in the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road
• Total nitrogen in the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road
• Total phosphorus in the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road
• Soluble phosphorus in the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road
• Turbidity in the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road
• Salinity in the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road

Download raw chemistry data

• All chemistry data for the Cygnet River at Stokes Bay Road

What is being done to improve the condition of South Australian rivers and streams

Efforts to improve the condition of South Australia's rivers and streams are being driven by various government agencies, primarily

The Environment Protection Authority
The Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation
Natural Resource Management Boards
Department for Environment and Heritage (SA)

Collaborative projects and programs being run by these agencies are based on the protection of environmental values, as explained in the National Water Quality Management Strategy. >> More

This page was last modified 04-12-2007