Eight Mile Creek

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Introduction

Eight Mile Creek is a fresh stream that flows through a very small catchment of grazing and irrigated pasture. It flows from Ewen Ponds Conservation Park to the Southern Ocean. With a very small catchment, and therefore little runoff from the surrounding land, flow in the creek is due to groundwater inputs. Elevated nutrient levels are the most likely water quality problems. >> Map (249KB 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

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

Water chemistry

The indicators that are measured in Eight Mile Creek 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	Poor
Total Nitrogen	Poor
Soluble Phosphorus	Good
Total Phosphorus	Good
Turbidity	Good

In Eight Mile creek, the total nitrogen is mainly in the form of soluble oxidised nitrogen. The amount of nitrogen can be increased as a result animal wastes being washed off farms or infiltrating the groundwater in the region and flowing to Ewen Ponds, which is the source of this creek.

Elevated oxidised nitrogen can lead to excessive algal growth (usually filamentous), particularly during warmer months. The EPA Mt Gambier Office collaborates with the South East NRM Board, Primary Industries and Resources SA and The Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation on a project to enhance our understanding of the relationship between land use and nutrient transport.

>> Archived results

Download water chemistry graphs

• Oxidised nitrogen in Eight Mile Creek
  
• Total nitrogen in Eight Mile Creek
  
• Total phosphorus in Eight Mile Creek
  
• Soluble phosphorus in Eight Mile Creek
  
• Turbidity in Eight Mile Creek
  
• Salinity in Eight Mile Creek

Download raw chemistry data

• All chemistry data for Eight Mile Creek

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 22-04-2008