Comprehensive health check for rivers

Environmental volunteer group, Waterwatch Victoria, have recently published a new manual to increase information about the health of Victoria’s waterways.

Interpreting River Health Data provides a comprehensive public manual to interpreting water quality date.

DSE Waterwatch spokesperson Jane Doolan said taking a sample of water is more complicated than filling a tube with water and estimating turbidity, the data needs to be interpreted as well.

"Just like a high temperature in a human might be an indicator of ill health, different elements are used as indicators of river health. For example, phosphorus is used as an indicator of potential excessive plant growth," Dr Doolan said.

The manual gives comprehensive information on how to interpret levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, electrical conductivity, pH levels, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and temperature.

Waterwatch began as a community monitoring and education program and now more than 2000 volunteers regularly monitor Victoria’s 85,000 km of creeks and rivers.

Dr Doolan said the monitoring skills of Waterwatch volunteers and the data they collect is becoming increasingly valuable.

"Drought and climate change are creating an increased need for information about the health and responses of waterways to changing conditions."