Likely to be enriched with nutrients when wet due to the surrounding land use, particularly when logging is occurring in the catchment
Riparian vegetation comprises native canopy plants over weeds and grasses
Potential for considerable bank erosion due to the dominance of fine sediments at the site
Area map
About the location
Tributary of Congeratinga Creek is a small stream in the Southern Mount Lofty Ranges that rises in the Second Valley Forest to the north of Deep Creek Conservation Park, and flows north where it discharges into the Congeratinga Creek. The monitoring site was located on a track off Forest Road, about 5 km east from Delamere on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The major land use in the 73 hectare catchment is forestry, with smaller areas used for stock grazing and roads.
The creek was given a Fair rating because the site sampled showed evidence of moderate changes in ecosystem structure, and some changes to the way the ecosystem functions. There was evidence of human disturbance including a degraded riparian understorey and the widespread extent of pine forest in the catchment.
The 3.5 m wide channel was dry in both autumn and spring 2011. No macroinvertebrate or water quality data was consequently available for this site.
The sediments were dominated by detritus with sand, silt and clay also present. No bank erosion was recorded in autumn and the site was not accessed in spring due to pine logging in the immediate vicinity of the site; some sediment runoff and erosion would probably have been evident if the creek had been accessed due to the amount of rainfall that had fallen in the region during winter and early spring.
The only aquatic plant recorded from the creek was a rush (Juncus) that extended over about 10% of the channel. The riparian vegetation consisted of a native overstorey of gums and wattles and an understorey of introduced grasses, bracken and rushes. The surrounding vegetation was pine forest.
Widespread introduced weeds in the riparian zone at the site and upstream (reducing habitat quality).
The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board has several pest plant (weed) mitigation and control programs. They work closely with landholders to control weeds on their property and to help stop the spread to other properties and waterways.
This aquatic ecosystem condition report is based on monitoring data collected by the EPA. It was prepared with and co-funded by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board.
Observed Condition
Expected Condition
