2016-12-12 General Committee - Attachment 1 to Item 6 - Biodiversity Assessment Report

                                                  Noosa Biodiversity Plan – Biodiversity Assessment Report




 1
                                                                                       Healthy with minimal
                                                                                       disturbance
0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

 0                                                                                     Unhealthy and highly
        2009       2010        2011        2012        2013           2014   2015      disturbed

                 Habitat              Turbidity               TN               TP
                 Dissolved Oxygen     Chlorophyll A           Algae            Biological health


Figure 27: Ecosystem health monitoring results for marine environments in the Noosa River catchment

For the sub-catchment of the Mary River that occurs within the Noosa Shire, the threats of degradation
are again variable. Six Mile Creek is the main tributary within the catchment and condition monitoring
results in 2000 indicate the presence of moderate and major disturbances to some reaches of the creek
system. From the headwaters of Six Mile Creek to Lake MacDonald the in-stream health and riparian
habitat trajectory were assessed as degrading due to the low riparian vegetation cover, low macro-
invertebrate richness and elevated nutrient levels (Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee
(MRCCC), 2000). Whilst other parts of the Six Mile Creek show minimal to moderate signs of
disturbances, degradation processes have been evident in the upper portions of the sub-catchment,
particularly within the cleared rural areas of Cooroy.

Draining of wetland to facilitate urban development have historically impacted upon Noosa’s heathland
and Melaleuca wetland communities (Burrows, 2003). Where wetlands remained, the alteration of natural
drainage patterns due to urban developed have also impacted on wetland communities. However, since
2001 changes to the extent of wetland areas within the Noosa Shire have been minimal (Figure 27).




  © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD                                                                             68