Healthy water produces healthy paddocks and vice versa.
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That’s MidCoast Water Kirsty Hughes’ message to farmers.
“Productive farms and clean, healthy water in our catchments are absolutely compatible.”
In depth Coastal Catchment Initiative studies have demonstrated the great benefits to water quality of well-planned grazing management – properties with good pasture production and good groundcover retained more rainfall in healthy soil and had much cleaner water running of them than properties with degraded pastures. Conversely, increased nutrients and sediment that degrade water quality represent loss of fertility and of the soil itself from the landscape.
“Simple do it yourself water quality tests are a useful tool for landholders to observe the results of improved land management. For example, looking at tiny, humble water bugs can give a very useful indicator of the health of our waterways, and by extension, the health of our farm landscapes. Water that is wriggling with a diverse zoo of these miniature critters has been in good condition over time, while poorer water will have lower bug diversity, sometimes harbouring only mossie larvae.”
MidCoast Council’s recently released 2016 Waterway and Catchment Report Card has shown mixed results, with mid-catchment streams showing problems that are also associated with negative impacts on farm health in the catchment.
“Our scientists found that sites in the upper reaches of the Karuah, Myall, Coolongolook, Wangwauk, Wallingat and Wallamba Rivers were typically in excellent health” said Dr Peter Scanes of the NSW Environment Department.
“Further down these rivers, health declines with higher inputs of both nutrients and sediments leading to algae growth and stress to river bug populations. Whilst river health is hanging in there for now, there are clear warning signs that action is required.”
Land management actions work well for both water quality and productivity, and there are plenty of Great Lakes landholders demonstrating the benefits of planned grazing, building soil health, and protecting waterways.
A free hands on workshop on farm management for water improvement will be held on Thursday December 15 at Firefly by Karuah and Great Lakes Landcare with Ms Hughes. To book, contact Joël Dunn on 0401 932 533 or email joel.dunn@glcr.org.au by Tuesday December 13.