Assessment of spatial and temporal variation in surface water quality in Jerrabomberra Wetlands, Australian Capital Territory

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Abstract
This Masters thesis aims to add to the knowledge of the spatio-temporal variation in surface water quality in Jerrabomberra Wetlands in order to provide information for managers as they seek to protect the values of the wetland, improve water quality and manage pollutants from the Fyshwick catchment. Located in the heart of Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Jerrabomberra Wetlands is a habitat for a variety of animals and plants. The Basin Priority Project (BPP), undertaken by the ACT and Commonwealth Governments to improve the quality of water flowing through the ACT includes this Fyshwick-Jerrabomberra catchment as a key site of mixed urban and agricultural land usage. Current study outcomes will add to the knowledge of the ACT wide water quality monitoring program. This project studied eight water quality parameters: water temperature, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus and nitrate, and zinc using surface water samples collected from six locations at the south eastern corner of Jerrabomberra Wetlands on a weekly basis for four months in 2015. Results from spatial data plotted using a geographic information system found these parameters changing downstream in four different wetlands. Upstream wetlands were found to contain an elevated nitrate and zinc level compared to that in the downstream wetlands and exceed the guideline values provided by ACT Parliamentary Counsel (2005). Results from comparative assessment of the water quality data, tested using statistical parametric and non-parametric approaches, indicate that both of Wetland 22 and Wetland 24 are mostly dependent on catchment discharge, while the Billabong and Kellys Swamp were significantly different in nature with prominent groundwater effect with high electrical conductivity. An elevated total phosphorus level in two large bird habitats namely, the Billabong and Kellys Swamp was observed while it was considerably low in the upstream wetlands such as Wetland 22 and 24. These variations in water quality data in each wetland was mostly related to their characteristic feature and major water sources feeding the wetlands. Time series analysis of the observed weekly sampled data, when compared to archived data and event sampled results from BPP, indicate that the nutrient and zinc levels carried during storm events are higher than the observed values in the wetlands. An important observation from this study is to find the upstream wetlands efficiently functioning in retaining zinc and other pollutants from flowing to the downstream. However, the pollutants present in the wetlands were lower than the amount predicted by the MUSIC model used by BPP indicating the need to include the fraction deposited as sediment and accumulated in plant species in future nutrient balance estimates. In conclusion, the spatio-temporal and comparative assessment of the data, contributes to understanding the effect of urban polluted stormwater from industrial areas in Jerrabomberra Wetlands and identified suitable locations for further monitoring sites, providing managers with information to assist decision- making.
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Author(s)
Nazmul, Rahnum
Supervisor(s)
Pearson, Stuart
Riesen, Hans
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Publication Year
2017
Resource Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Masters Thesis
UNSW Faculty
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