CAMPFIRE Report—Year 1

Community Assessment Monitoring Program for Fire Impacted River Ecology (CAMPFIRE)

After the January 2003 bushfires a band of community volunteers, backed by Waterwatch ACT, got together to set up an action group to monitor the ecological effects of bushfires on our waterways.

This program involved more than 100 volunteers of all ages from across the ACT and is a fantastic example of our community working together for the benefit of our environment.

Community groups currently monitor water quality at over 50 sites across the ACT. Sites are monitored for turbidity, salinity, water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, Macroinvertebrate life and pictorial recovery.

CAMPFIRE set out to develop a coordinated community waterway monitoring network that has monitored the recovery and impacts of bushfires on the ACT waterways. An analysis of the data shows a clear connection between fire severity, weather conditions, rain fall, catchment characteristics such as vegetation, slope, geology and land use; and the eventual impact on waterway health.

The most obvious impact has been the increased amount of ash, sediments and nutrients ending up in the waterways after heavy rain which will pose a significant threat to aquatic biodiversity, fish species and river habitats for years to come.

Recovery of our catchments is still continuing with many results showing a trend towards stream recovery. Vegetation is returning, pollution tolerant water bugs are being found and turbidity readings are stabilising. However, expected impacts from the fires may continue for several years or even decades.

For more information on the CAMPFIRE Report please call Canberra Connect on
13 22 81.

Downloads

• CAMPFIRE Report -Year 1—Part 1( PDF 699Kb )
• CAMPFIRE Report -Year 1—Part 2( PDF 77Kb )
• CAMPFIRE Report -Year 1—Part 3( PDF 117Kb )
• CAMPFIRE Report -Year 1—Part 4( PDF 1.0Mb )
• Information Results—Flints Crossing ( PDF 252Kb )
• Information Results—Murray's Corner( PDF 329Kb )
• Information Results—Tidbinbilla Lower Site( PDF 225Kb )
• Information Results—Tidbinbilla Upper Site( PDF 310Kb )
• Information Results—Gibraltar Upper Site(  PDF 284Kb )
• Information Results—Gibraltar Lower Site( PDF  299Kb )
• Information Results—Uriarra Crossing ( PDF 244Kb )
• Information Results—Casuarina Sands( PDF 204Kb )
• Information Results—Kambah Pool ( PDF 176Kb )
• Information Results—Pine Island( PDF 176Kb )
• Information Results—Point Hut( PDF 195Kb )
• Information Results—Tharwa Bridge( PDF 191Kb )
• Information Results—Angle Crossing( PDF 181Kb )
• Information Results—Lower Tuggeranong Creek( PDF 152Kb )
• Information Results—Condor Creek( PDF 230Kb )
• Information Results—Coppins Crossing(  PDF 210Kb )
• Information Results—Weston Creek GPT(  PDF 230Kb )
• Information Results—Cooleman Ridge Dam( PDF 203Kb )
• Information Results—Naas Crossing( PDF 211Kb )
• Information Results—Glendale Crossing( PDF 263Kb )
• Information Results—Hospital Creek North(  PDF 195Kb )
• Information Results—Hospital Creek Central(   PDF 195Kb )
• Information Results—Hospital Creek South(   PDF 573Kb )
• Information Results—Bogong Creek North (  PDF  211Kb )
• Information Results—Bogong Creek Central (  PDF 191Kb )
• Information Results—Bogong Creek South(  PDF 178Kb )
• Information Results—Little Dry Creek( PDF 183Kb )
• Information Results—Storm Sampling( PDF 147Kb )
• CAMPFIRE Report -Year 1—Part 5( PDF  202Kb )