Ecosystem health index and the annual

report card

Ben Longstaff

4-August-2005

Presentation to TMAW

• All major waterways from Noosa All major waterways from Noosa River to the NSW BorderRiver to the NSW Border

• 250 water quality sites (monthly)250 water quality sites (monthly)

• 250 sewage plume mapping sites 250 sewage plume mapping sites (annual)(annual)

• 20 seagrass monitoring sites20 seagrass monitoring sites

• 6 coral monitoring sites6 coral monitoring sites

• Maps of entire region (Bay and estuaries)• Most water quality parameters

Annual mediansMonthly Uncertainty in prediction

Spatial presentation

Regional overviews

• Comparison between waterways• Prioritization of action

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0

BremerBrisbane

AlbertLogan

PimpamaCaboolture

PineNoosa

MaroochyNerang

MooloolahCurrumbinCoomera

TallebudgeraPumicestoneCoombabah

Bramble BayDeception

Broadw aterSouthern

Waterloo BayCentral BayEastern Bay

Eastern

Nutrient Concentration (mg/L)

Total Nitrogen (mg/L)

Total Phosphorus (mg/L)

**

**

**

*

*STP discharge into system

Local waterway synthesisEach year all data for one waterway analyzed,

synthesized and presented

Ecosystem Health Report Card

Moreton Bay (Australia):– Annual release since 1999

– The most important tool for evaluating and communicating health of the regions waterways

– Significantly raised awareness of waterways health

– Often directed / focused management action

– Impetus for some costly (but environmentally important) intervention

High profile media release:

Media Interest Public Awareness Political Interest Action

Report Card needs to be robust and defendable

Proportion of the waterways area that complies with the established objectives (EHI)

Report CardRating

Wat

erw

ay /

regi

on o

f bay A

C

F

D

B

How the report card grades are generatedHow the report card grades are generated

• 80% of grade determination based on Ecosystem Health Index (EHI)• 20% of grade determination based on interpretation of data not compatible with EHI approach / expert opionio

Annual

SEQRWQMS water quality objectives

Central Bay

Eastern Bay

Bramble Bay

Eastern BanksWaterloo Bay

Nth Deception Bay

Sth Deception Bay

1 year of monthly monitoring data

Spatial interpolation of annual median

Area of compliance calculated

Ecosystem health indicator (e.g. Secchi depth)

Central Bay

Eastern Bay

Bramble Bay

Eastern BanksWaterloo Bay

Nth Deception Bay

Sth Deception Bay

Central Bay

Eastern Bay

Bramble Bay

Eastern BanksWaterloo Bay

Nth Deception Bay

Sth Deception Bay

Central Bay

Eastern Bay

Bramble Bay

Eastern BanksWaterloo Bay

Nth Deception Bay

Sth Deception Bay

Central Bay

Eastern Bay

Bramble Bay

Eastern BanksWaterloo Bay

Nth Deception Bay

Sth Deception Bay

Process repeated for

each indicator and averaged

Central Bay

Eastern Bay

Bramble Bay

Eastern BanksWaterloo Bay

Nth Deception Bay

Sth Deception Bay

Ecosystem Health Index (80%)Ecosystem Health Index (80%)Proportion of the waterways area that complies with the established objectives

Estuaries

Moreton Bay

Different indicators for estuaries and Moreton Bay….

Region of Moreton Bay EHI Chl_a TN delN Secchi LyngbyaBramble Bay 0.64 0.75 0.75 0.59 0.55 N/ACentral Bay 0.93 0.75 1.00 1.00 0.97 0.94Deception Bay 0.81 0.77 0.92 0.99 0.61 0.70

1 = 100% of area complies with objective0 = 0% of the area complies with the objective

Ecosystem Heath Index

• Spatial compliance of key indicators

Proportion of the waterways area that complies with the established objectives (EHI)

Report CardRating

Wat

erw

ay /

regi

on o

f bay A

C

F

D

B

How the report card grades are generatedHow the report card grades are generated

• 80% of grade determination based on Ecosystem Health Index (EHI)• 20% of grade determination based on interpretation of data not compatible with EHI approach

Communication

• Report card– Grades– Management response– Regional summaries

• Annual report– Linked to report card– Regional overview– Local waterway summaries