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We really have had a good winter for the waterways. Now all the
elms have started to pink up for spring, and many of the wattles are full of
bud. The prickly moses wattle has its pale yellow balls out already. The
January–June 2010 Catchment Health Indicators Report to which all of you
contributed is now able to be seen
elsewhere on the website at and I’d be very happy to have feedback.
As a thank you for all your efforts Tanya has provided a
knapsack/backpack for every one of you! They are made from recycled material,
and will hold most of your kit if you want them to, or make a useful bushwalking
pack. Please come into the office and claim yours! And we’ve still got MCG
canvas hats for those of you that want one.
Your Results
As would be expected, almost all the flows were ‘medium’ or better. Several
people noted that the EC readings were markedly lower than has been the norm
over the drought. Now that the soil moisture level has settled, most of what you
are measuring is rain, and so has little opportunity to pick up too many ions.
One slightly odd result has been the percent saturation of dissolved Oxygen in
rapidly flowing but cold water. Many reports were of between 80–100%. This is
actually what is predicted, as a dynamic equilibrium is established in the
moving water at water temperatures close to air temperatures.
Sullivans Ck has done it again, providing a good example of
erosion-induced nutrient elevation around EPIC, but with remarkably low
phosphate levels at ANU. Phosphate is in such high demand in our systems that it
is usually grabbed by any bacterium, alga or water plant root that notices it
before it gets away. So free phosphate means that the gullies in the paddocks
above the Barton Highway probably have saturated walls and the erosion
nick-points are moving for the first time in years. This very situation was
predicted by the Natural Resource Management students from ANU when they did
their survey in May. They made quite a point of reporting that the open paddocks
with unfenced waterlines and no attempt at appropriate revegetation above the
Highway were very vulnerable to continuing erosion. The low phosphate levels at
the ANU point once again to the likely source of free phosphate at that end of
the creek being fertilizer on lawns, gardens and playing fields.
Frogs and Floods
 Frogs
are a lot cannier than we often give them credit for. There are few of our local
frogs that are confined to the water. As long as they can keep their skin moist
they are happy on dry land. They are also good weather forecasters –– they
exploit overcast, grey days to explore their environs, travelling between soak
and spring to see what's there. Pobblebonks take a delight in burying themselves
in compost heaps and other large accumulations of loose plant matter. The two
grass frogs are great at using well developed tussocks, postholes with rotten
posts, crumbling stumps and fallen timber as prime real estate. The tree frogs
will not only slip behind bark and into the nooks and crannies of living timber,
but will happily exploit that sheet of corrugated iron up against your back
fence, the old tire near the shed or the bricks round the side of the house with
the ivy over them. The spotted grass frog still with its tail in the picture was
under bark on a log ... well above the waterline. The tiny froglets, and they
are very small, they can comfortably sit on a 10 cent coin, travel out into the
wilds of the riverbank and will shelter under any convenient old flat thing with
soil under it. Frogs are wanderers. So don't worry too much about them in storms
and downpours – they are probably cosy and safe well above the flood they knew
better than you was likely to happen. And that goes for the yabbies too! |
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Calendar
Macroinvertebrates: this can be done any time
between September and November. Drop in and borrow a net a tray and a
couple of guides, and have fun doing your site. We really would like
many more sites done this spring, to give more body to the six monthly
M–CHiP report.
Frogwatch: there will be an Introductory
Frogwatch Training evening in Queanbeyan this year. It will be
conducted by Emma Keightley and Dave Hunter. The date is Wednesday
15th September, starting at 6:00pm at the Queanbeyan Public School
in Isabella St and later in Glebe Park along the weir. There will be a
local advanced session too, in October. Frogwatch Census Week is the
17th to 23rd October this year. It promises to be a great year for frogs
and we would be very happy to have Frogwatching catchment wide!
Registration details will be on our website shortly.
The National Threatened Species Day walk is at
Mulligans Flat, on Sunday 5th September. If you would like to go ring
6207 2113; there is a limit of 40 people. This being spring there are
many other walks on, all over the region. Landcare week is 6th to 13th
September. Check the website for further information.
The next sampling weekend is the 18th and 19th
September. If you need kits, batteries, calibration fluid or
anything else let me know well beforehand and we can arrange pick-up or
delivery. |
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