Algal Bloom – Sandy Beach Creek – Nov 2005-Mar 2006 Sandy Beach Creek catchment
Description:
Key Questions:
• What has led to algal blooms at Bournda Lagoon (Sandy Beach Creek catchment)?
• How can Wallagoot Lake be protected from eutrophication and sedimentation?
Some desirable outcomes of the Coastal Catchment Research Program:
• Linking school students and teachers with University researchers – students exposed to real science.
• Increased scientific understanding of our local catchments.
• Collaboration on education projects between key agencies involved in the management of local catchments.
• Involvement of the local community in research projects
• Opportunities for students to make a real contribution to the protection of local ecosystems.
NRM Focus:
The ANU approach involves linking student learning, research and stakeholder needs, identifying key knowledge gaps in the areas of:
• Geochemistry
• Hydrology, water resources management and regolith
• Marine science
• Geomorphology
• Ecology and aquatic biology
• Spatial and temporal mapping
• Socio-economic and policy/planning contexts for anthropogenic impacts on complex systems
CAP Priority Areas
• Community (Environmental Citizenship, NRM Capacity, Partnerships),
• Water(River & Wetland Protection, Water Conservation, Managing Water Supply
and Sewerage, Improving Water Quality),
• Soils (Soil Management,Soil Health, Soil Erosion, Acid Sulfate Soils, Salinity),
• Sustainable Land Use (Recognition & Respect- Aboriginal Values, Land capability,
Planning),
• Coast & Marine (Coasts & Estuary Management, Biodiversity, Research)
Projects on:
• Geochemistry of acid sulfate soils
• Floodplain geomorphology and hydrology
• Sources of scalding – salinity or acidity?
• Spatial and temporal variability of land and water degradation
• Impacts of human settlement on water quality
• Sources, fluxes and sinks of nutrients and sediments
• Water quality assessment of fish-kill events
• Management of scalded pasture
• Hydrological responses of estuarine systems to floodgate management
• Impacts of land and water degradation on biodiversity
• Groundwater assessment
• Palaeo-environments and reconstruction
Post-graduate research includes:
• Study of Bournda Lagoon and catchment including water chemistry (pH, nutrients, trace element chemistry), source of elements and
comparison with associated waterways
• Coastal aquifers
• Heavy Metals in estuarine environments -sources, transformations and fluxes
• Geochemical analysis and extraction of environmental information from bivalve shells
Target Audience: Senior Geography and Science students
Host organisation(s): Bournda EEC/ANU
Landholder:Dept of Environment and Conservation, Bournda National Park
Contact Information:
Bournda Environmental Education Centre 0264945009
Prof David Ellis, Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, Dr Sara Beavis, Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.
Cost: Will depend on successful ASISTM funding in 2008.
Dates available: Subject to availability of University staff and students
Preferred days and hours: As above
Visit Duration: 1 day only
Visit restrictions: Nil
Supervision(staff/student ratio): 1:15 - Bournda Staff available
Numbers: Maximum group size of 30
Disabled Access: To Bournda Lagoon only
Comments on Access: Vehicle access to Bournda Lagoon carpark or Bournda Field Studies Hut carpark
Amenities:
Bournda Lagoon - toilet,fireplaces, picnic tables ,Bournda Field Studies Hut - Shelter, picnic tables, toilets, fireplace BBQ
OHS Information: Risk Assessments available
Equipment: Streamwatch water testing equipment, data logger, GPS, kayaks, waterbug survey equipment
Resources: GIS Water Quality Program