Lenswood Creek

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Introduction

Lenswood Creek is a freshwater stream which flows into the Onkaparinga River (see Onkaparinga River at Noarlunga and Scott Creek). Lenswood Creek flows through an intensive horticultural region (mainly fruit crops). Elevated turbidity and nutrient levels are the most likely water quality problems.

The monitoring site is located at a flow gauging station in the upper third of the catchment. Stream flow data for this site is available from the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation. The site has limited aquatic plants in the creek and the riparian vegetation is dominated by exotic species (e.g. blackberries and willows). >> Map (2.3MB PDF)

Water quality assessment

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

Ecological health is assessed in spring and autumn using the AUSRIVAS model. 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 June 2006

Habitat	Ecological health
Edge	Moderate
Riffle	Moderate

The edge and riffle habitats at Lenswood Creek in autumn 2006 were rated in moderate condition, similar to the results from previous years.

Twenty-three different types of macroinvertebrates were found in the edge habitat. The most common were amphipods (Austrochiltonia australis) and two introduced snails (Physa acuta and Potamopyrgus antipodarum). The riffle habitat included 31 different macroinvertebrates. The most common were hydrobiid snails.

The site lacked a number of macroinvertebrates that typically occur in Mt Lofty Ranges streams, including beetles, odonates, corixid waterbugs, caenid mayflies and freshwater shrimp. Poor habitat and dense shading by extensive growths of willows and other deciduous trees is probably responsible for the absence of these macroinvertebrates and the impacted condition of the site.

Despite this the site included a number of unusual or rare species, including larvae from the dipteran family Empididae, the midge Podonomopsis species, and caddisflies Lingora aurata and Triplectides similis.

Download ecological health data

• All the macroinvertebrate data for Lenswood Creek

Water chemistry

The indicators that are measured in Lenswood 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	Good
Soluble Phosphorus	Good
Total Phosphorus	Good
Turbidity	Good

Water quality in Lenswood Creek during this period was generally consistent with previous seasonal results.

Oxidised nitrogen can be increased by fertilisers or animal wastes being washed off farms during storms. The EPA is working with the horticultural industry, SAWater, CSIRO and the regional NRM Board on several projects to reduce nutrients in diffuse agricultural runoff from the Lenswood catchment. The Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board is also developing a regional NRM Plan, which will address catchment management issues affecting the condition of watercourses such as the Lenswood Creek.

>> Archived results

Download water chemistry graphs

• Oxidised nitrogen in Lenswood Creek
  
• Total nitrogen in Lenswood Creek
  
• Total phosphorus in Lenswood Creek
  
• Soluble phosphorus in Lenswood Creek
  
• Turbidity in Lenswood Creek
  
• Salinity in Lenswood Creek

Download raw chemistry data

• All chemistry data for Lenswood 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 25-09-2007