Urban Catchments and Waterways

Current research projects

Robina Lakes water quality assessment

The Robina Lakes are a system of man-made waterways located within the Merrimac floodplain. Runoff from the Mudgeeraba and Worongary Creek catchments flow into these lakes. A management plan developed for the lake system highlighted concerns over the stratification of the lakes and impacts to the water quality. This project will provide an historical data review of water quality, including graphic presentation of the data analysis, and clarification of past stratification and the current status of South Lake.

Catchment management study - Mudgeeraba and Worongary creeks

This is a continuing project. Over several years Gold Coast City Council has been undertaking studies of all its major waterways and catchments, including Mudgeeraba Creek and Worongary Creek. The aim of these studies is to determine the current health of these waterways and to establish ‘Environmental Values’. Environmental Values are an indication of how the community values and uses the waterway, e.g. fishing, irrigation, ecosystem habitat, etc.

Carrara catchment stormwater improvement

This project, which is part of the Commonwealth Government’s Urban Stormwater Initiative, involves Gold Coast City Council, in partnership with Nifsan, undertaking a major program of stormwater improvement in the Carrara Catchment. An evaluation of the local scale activities has been the responsibility of the Centre, acting through the CRC for Catchment Hydrology. The aims of the project are to evaluate the performance of stormwater improvement technology and to assess the effectiveness of a treatment train approach.

Saltwater Creek foreshore management plan

Saltwater Creek is a tributary of the Coomera River. It includes estuarine, tidally-influenced, areas and freshwater reaches. The Saltwater Creek Management Plan

• identified areas of the Creek subject to erosion
• utilised and reinforced existing research to identify causes of this erosion
• evaluated the various options and made recommendations.

The completion of the Environmental Inventory of Saltwater Creek also facilitated the formulation of a master plan to minimise the ongoing erosion of the banks of Saltwater Creek.