BDBSA Project Metadata Detail

Survey/Project Number: 1014          Total No. of Sites: 3
Survey/Project Name: Aquatic Ecosystem Condition Monitoring (EPA)
Abstract: The Environment Protection Authority coordinates a statewide monitoring, evaluation and reporting program for the condition of South Australian aquatic ecosystems. The EPA monitors South Australian waterways (lakes, creeks and rivers, marine) in order to assess their condition, and provide information that can be used to guide management decisions. This is useful as general information for State of the Environment reporting, and for supporting environmental decision-making by government, industry and the community. The EPA also initiated a water quality Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) program for streams, groundwater and nearshore marine environments in 1994. This was usually referred to as the water-quality monitoring program rather than a MER program, although it was implicit that the program did evaluate and report on the data being collected. Monitoring data are used to produce aquatic-ecosystem condition reports every year. There are reports available for creeks and lakes, and the nearshore marine waters. EPA Condition Reports. Data available from the website is from 2008. Refer to website for data: https://data.environment.sa.gov.au/Data-Systems/Pages/EPA.aspx
 
Start Date: 01/01/1994      End Date: 01/01/2025
Survey Type: Other
   
Study Area Description: 591 sites across the whole state of SA.
Objectives
         Vegetation: *** No vegetation survey objectives recorded
         Fauna: *** No fauna survey objectives recorded
Methodology
         Vegetation: *** No vegetation methodology recorded
         Fauna: Only natural waterbodies are assessed as part of the aquatic ecosystem MERP. The scope of the previous water quality monitoring program was largely based around monthly or quarterly sampling of surface waters and 1-2 samples per year for groundwater sub-programs, with a suite of water chemistry parameters analysed and compared against national guideline values to infer the condition of waters. Biological indicators were also incorporated into the stream and coastal sub-programs to provide a complementary assessment of condition for these waters. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were used to assess stream conditions using predictive models developed as part of the national river health program (Australian River Assessment System or AUSRIVAS2). This involved sampling the two major stream habitats (flowing riffles and still-water edges) in autumn and spring of at least one year. The coastal sub-programs involved separate seagrass and reef health assessments, typically carried out over longer time periods (decadal for seagrasses, five-yearly for some reefs) on more of an opportunistic basis depending on available funds and volunteers to collect some of the data. Data Collected on a rotational cycle, KI and SAMDB & other regions.

Data Distribution Rules: Public Dataset
Project Basis: Vegetation : Monitoring - Vegetation/Ecosystem (ie species records - usually re-visited for ongoing monitoring) NOTE:NON Std Svy methodology may have been used.
Fauna : Monitoring - Fauna/Ecosystem (ie species records - usually re-visited for ongoing monitoring) NOTE:NON Std Svy methodology may have been used.
Information Authority: Environment Protection Authority
Department for Environment and Heritage (BDBSA:Adelaide)