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Curtains drawn for the Lower Vasse River water treatment trial

A water treatment trial in the Lower Vasse River over the 2017-18 summer has ended with the removal of large blue plastic curtains used to separate sections of the river upstream of the traffic bridge in Busselton.

Department of Water and Environmental Regulation scientist Svenja Tulipani said despite some issues with summer storms, the trial had gone well.

“The trial involved applications of a new phosphorus-binding clay to sections of the Lower Vasse River to test if algal blooms can be reduced,” Dr Tulipani said.

“The clay product was successful in reducing concentrations of phosphorus and was able to clear algal blooms from the treated areas in the river.

“There were some challenges to overcome when two large summer rainfall events in December and January created significant flow in the river causing the curtains to dislodge and leak water between the separated trial areas.”

Regardless of these set-backs, the trial has proven the effectiveness of the clay product in reducing the nutrient phosphorus and the occurrence of algal blooms where clay has been applied, Dr Tulipani said.

“During this trial, we also tested if the clay application has a negative impact on the small organisms that are living in the sediments and near the banks of the Lower Vasse River.

“Preliminary results of these studies are looking good and do not indicate any effects of the clay on these organisms.”

The project team will now analyse data from the trial and undertake further testing of the locally produced clay product.

“Formulations of the product will be tested for effectiveness in differing environments such as more saline conditions and in drainage channels,” Dr Tulipani said.

“We will also do more detailed testing to ensure that widespread clay application does not have any adverse environmental impacts or long term effect on organisms living in the waterbodies.”

Dr Tulipani said the production method of the clay formula will also be reviewed.

“It is hoped that the current cost of production can be reduced to enable its future broad scale use in controlling algal blooms in waterways,” she said.

This project is part of Revitalising Geographe Waterways and the Regional Estuaries Initiative programs supported by the State Government to improve water quality, waterway health and management of Geographe waterways

For more information on the water treatment trials Lower Vasse River, visit the Revitalising Geographe Waterways website https://rgw.dwer.wa.gov.au/applying-science/lower-vasse-river-and-toby-inlet-science/

 

Hon Pierre Yang MLC, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Water has been appointed as the new Chair of the Vasse Taskforce Vasse Taskforce to continue the important work of managing the waterways of the Geographe Bay catchment Outgoing Chair, Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis, thanked for her valuable contribution Water Minister Simone McGurk has announced...
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Removal of Sediment This project is part of a multi-staged approach to reducing nutrients and improving health of the Lower Vasse River. The City of Busselton aims to improve water quality of the River by progressing with the removal of sediment. Nutrient-rich sediments have built up on the bed of the Lower Vasse River over...
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The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) is investigating the illegal dumping of a blue substance into the Lower Vasse River last week on Thursday, 2 March 2023. The blue substance caused the river to turn blue upstream and downstream of the Strelly Street Bridge and downstream of the Causeway Bridge. The City of...
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There would be only a handful of local families that could say they have been farming the same land for 123 years! The Carter family from Tutunup have that claim to fame with ancestors, Timothy and Martha Carter taking up the lease of 3000 acres back in 1899. The farm is still a family affair...
Continue Reading
Four years of trials have found that national phosphorus recommendations are relevant for soils in South West Western Australia. This means that South West WA farmers can have confidence in applying the recommendations of their soil test results to apply only the fertiliser needed for plant growth. While this often means that less fertiliser can be...
Continue Reading
Farmers from across the Geographe catchment joined experts from Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and local agronomists to learn more about nutrient management on their farms this week. The farmers have been participants in the Geographe Soil Testing Program, providing access to whole farm soil testing and lab analysis, nutrient mapping, customised...
Continue Reading
Scientists monitoring the health of Geographe Bay’s seagrass meadows continue to be pleased with the overall health of the seagrass following the release of the 2022 Keep Watch seagrass monitoring report by GeoCatch. Each summer, scientists from Edith Cowan University join divers from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to monitor the seagrass meadows...
Continue Reading
Monitoring water quality in the Vasse Wonnerup wetlands and Geographe waterways is an important component of the Revitalising Geographe Waterways program, especially over summer months, where monitoring is used to inform management decisions. The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) undertakes routine monitoring of catchment waterways and wetlands all year round with monitoring increased...
Continue Reading
Friday, 23 December 2022 Improving water quality in Geographe waterways is a continued focus of the plan The current phase of the Revitalising Geographe Waterways program runs until 2024 The program has been overseen by the Vasse Taskforce since 2014 A new science and monitoring plan that provides insight into the health of the Geographe...
Continue Reading
Hon Pierre Yang MLC, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Water has been appointed as the new Chair of the Vasse Taskforce Vasse Taskforce to continue the important work of managing the waterways of the Geographe Bay catchment Outgoing Chair, Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis, thanked for her valuable contribution Water Minister Simone McGurk has announced...
Continue Reading
Removal of Sediment This project is part of a multi-staged approach to reducing nutrients and improving health of the Lower Vasse River. The City of Busselton aims to improve water quality of the River by progressing with the removal of sediment. Nutrient-rich sediments have built up on the bed of the Lower Vasse River over...
Continue Reading
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) is investigating the illegal dumping of a blue substance into the Lower Vasse River last week on Thursday, 2 March 2023. The blue substance caused the river to turn blue upstream and downstream of the Strelly Street Bridge and downstream of the Causeway Bridge. The City of...
Continue Reading
There would be only a handful of local families that could say they have been farming the same land for 123 years! The Carter family from Tutunup have that claim to fame with ancestors, Timothy and Martha Carter taking up the lease of 3000 acres back in 1899. The farm is still a family affair...
Continue Reading
Four years of trials have found that national phosphorus recommendations are relevant for soils in South West Western Australia. This means that South West WA farmers can have confidence in applying the recommendations of their soil test results to apply only the fertiliser needed for plant growth. While this often means that less fertiliser can be...
Continue Reading
Farmers from across the Geographe catchment joined experts from Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and local agronomists to learn more about nutrient management on their farms this week. The farmers have been participants in the Geographe Soil Testing Program, providing access to whole farm soil testing and lab analysis, nutrient mapping, customised...
Continue Reading
Scientists monitoring the health of Geographe Bay’s seagrass meadows continue to be pleased with the overall health of the seagrass following the release of the 2022 Keep Watch seagrass monitoring report by GeoCatch. Each summer, scientists from Edith Cowan University join divers from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to monitor the seagrass meadows...
Continue Reading
Monitoring water quality in the Vasse Wonnerup wetlands and Geographe waterways is an important component of the Revitalising Geographe Waterways program, especially over summer months, where monitoring is used to inform management decisions. The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) undertakes routine monitoring of catchment waterways and wetlands all year round with monitoring increased...
Continue Reading
Friday, 23 December 2022 Improving water quality in Geographe waterways is a continued focus of the plan The current phase of the Revitalising Geographe Waterways program runs until 2024 The program has been overseen by the Vasse Taskforce since 2014 A new science and monitoring plan that provides insight into the health of the Geographe...
Continue Reading

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