❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses the Swan River Trust's responsibilities regarding water quality in the Swan and Canning Rivers, focusing on drainage, pollutants, and historical flow volumes. The response provides data sources and acknowledges ongoing efforts to address nutrient levels.
AnsweredQoN 2247Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Does the Swan River Trust have responsibility for regulation of drainage water and its contained pollutants that enter the Swan and Canning Rivers and, if not, who is responsible?
(2) What data exists to show the level of nutrients and other pollutants entering the Swan River from the Ascot racecourse and surrounding land area?
(3) What data exists to show the level of nutrients and other pollutants entering the Swan and Canning Rivers from the various drains within the Perth metropolitan area?
(4) What data exists to show the level of nutrients and other pollutants entering the Swan and Canning Rivers from groundwater sources, other than from groundwater leaching into drains, within the Perth metropolitan area?
(5) What are the best estimates of annual flow volumes within the Swan and Canning Rivers prior to European settlement in 1829 and what are the average annual flow volumes in these two rivers today?
(6) What water quality improvement facilities have been installed to improve water quality entering the Swan River from the Claremont drain?
(2) What data exists to show the level of nutrients and other pollutants entering the Swan River from the Ascot racecourse and surrounding land area?
(3) What data exists to show the level of nutrients and other pollutants entering the Swan and Canning Rivers from the various drains within the Perth metropolitan area?
(4) What data exists to show the level of nutrients and other pollutants entering the Swan and Canning Rivers from groundwater sources, other than from groundwater leaching into drains, within the Perth metropolitan area?
(5) What are the best estimates of annual flow volumes within the Swan and Canning Rivers prior to European settlement in 1829 and what are the average annual flow volumes in these two rivers today?
(6) What water quality improvement facilities have been installed to improve water quality entering the Swan River from the Claremont drain?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
4 December 2003
Responded by
Minister for the Environment
Response time
16 days
(2) The Trust is aware of sampling by the City of Belmont from 1999 (and ongoing) which focuses on nutrients in stormwater in the Ascot area. The Swan River Trust understands that this sampling has identified elevated levels of nutrients in some areas and the City of Belmont is working with stakeholders to address this issue. (3) The Trust has a comprehensive program for routinely monitoring nutrient levels in indicator tributaries as part of the Swan-Canning Cleanup Program. This is reported in the Trust’s Annual Report. A number of investigations of water quality in specific drainage catchments have also been undertaken by the Water and Rivers Commission, the DEP, local authorities and catchment groups. These investigations have considered nutrients and other potential contaminants. Information from investigations is published on the Trust’s, Commission’s and the DEP’s websites. (4) Groundwater discharge has been monitored in several localised investigations. Results of any studies undertaken are published on the Trust’s website. (5) A study by the Commission in 2001 compared current flows in the Upper Canning River to pre European settlement conditions. The study estimated the Canning River mean annual flow at Seaforth gauging station in the City of Gosnells, was currently 19.2 million m3per year, compared with 62.4 million m3per year before European settlement. A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
(3) The Trust has a comprehensive program for routinely monitoring nutrient levels in indicator tributaries as part of the Swan-Canning Cleanup Program. This is reported in the Trust’s Annual Report. A number of investigations of water quality in specific drainage catchments have also been undertaken by the Water and Rivers Commission, the DEP, local authorities and catchment groups. These investigations have considered nutrients and other potential contaminants. Information from investigations is published on the Trust’s, Commission’s and the DEP’s websites. (4) Groundwater discharge has been monitored in several localised investigations. Results of any studies undertaken are published on the Trust’s website. (5) A study by the Commission in 2001 compared current flows in the Upper Canning River to pre European settlement conditions. The study estimated the Canning River mean annual flow at Seaforth gauging station in the City of Gosnells, was currently 19.2 million m3per year, compared with 62.4 million m3per year before European settlement. A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
(4) Groundwater discharge has been monitored in several localised investigations. Results of any studies undertaken are published on the Trust’s website. (5) A study by the Commission in 2001 compared current flows in the Upper Canning River to pre European settlement conditions. The study estimated the Canning River mean annual flow at Seaforth gauging station in the City of Gosnells, was currently 19.2 million m3per year, compared with 62.4 million m3per year before European settlement. A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
(5) A study by the Commission in 2001 compared current flows in the Upper Canning River to pre European settlement conditions. The study estimated the Canning River mean annual flow at Seaforth gauging station in the City of Gosnells, was currently 19.2 million m3per year, compared with 62.4 million m3per year before European settlement. A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
(6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
(3) The Trust has a comprehensive program for routinely monitoring nutrient levels in indicator tributaries as part of the Swan-Canning Cleanup Program. This is reported in the Trust’s Annual Report. A number of investigations of water quality in specific drainage catchments have also been undertaken by the Water and Rivers Commission, the DEP, local authorities and catchment groups. These investigations have considered nutrients and other potential contaminants. Information from investigations is published on the Trust’s, Commission’s and the DEP’s websites. (4) Groundwater discharge has been monitored in several localised investigations. Results of any studies undertaken are published on the Trust’s website. (5) A study by the Commission in 2001 compared current flows in the Upper Canning River to pre European settlement conditions. The study estimated the Canning River mean annual flow at Seaforth gauging station in the City of Gosnells, was currently 19.2 million m3per year, compared with 62.4 million m3per year before European settlement. A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
(4) Groundwater discharge has been monitored in several localised investigations. Results of any studies undertaken are published on the Trust’s website. (5) A study by the Commission in 2001 compared current flows in the Upper Canning River to pre European settlement conditions. The study estimated the Canning River mean annual flow at Seaforth gauging station in the City of Gosnells, was currently 19.2 million m3per year, compared with 62.4 million m3per year before European settlement. A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
(5) A study by the Commission in 2001 compared current flows in the Upper Canning River to pre European settlement conditions. The study estimated the Canning River mean annual flow at Seaforth gauging station in the City of Gosnells, was currently 19.2 million m3per year, compared with 62.4 million m3per year before European settlement. A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
A study by the Centre for Water Research indicated that the Avon River flows before European settlement were approximately 20 per cent of the current flows. The major reason for the increase since European settlement is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. (6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
(6) The Trust is unaware of any significant works to improve water quality in drains in the Claremont area. There are several drains in the Claremont area including main drains operated by the Water Corporation and local authority drains. Specific information is required to answer the question.
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