Water Quality Monitoring

Council regularly monitors the health of five (5) main creek systems within our catchment area. These five sites include:

• Terrys Creek
• Shrimptons Creek
• Porters Creek
• Buffalo Creek
• Archers Creek

Monitoring water quality 

Water quality is monitored by testing for both biological factors and chemical elements in the water.

Biological factors or biological sampling indicate the number and diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates (water bugs)  present in our creeks. Samples that include aquatic macroinvertebrates sensitive to pollution suggests a healthier creek system.

Chemical monitoring involves measuring characteristics of the water in a creek using a probe (for example, the level of dissolved oxygen and turbidity), and taking water samples back to the laboratory to measure characteristics such as amounts of nitrogen and faecal coliforms in the creek. 

Streamwatch

Our Bushcare Volunteers have been busy using our new ‘Alert Kit’ to test the water quality in several key catchments: Buffalo Creek, Kittys Creek, Shrimptons Creek, Smalls Creek, Strangers Creek and Terrys Creek. Our Bushcare volunteers are providing useful data and are contributing to our understanding of catchment health. This complements the testing carried out by Sydney Water in spring and autumn and may help to detect pollution incidents.

If you would like to become involved, come along to one of the following Bushcare groups which include Streamwatch during their regular Bushcare activities: Darvall Park, Forsyth Park, Greenwood Park, Minga Reserve, Monash Rd, Kittys Creek and Strangers Creek. We test the dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, phosphate, nitrate, tubidity etc on a monthly basis. For more information about these Bushcare groups, please visit our Bushcare webpage.

Biological and water quality monitoring results 

Use our interactive map and find out about water quality for Terrys, Shrimptons, Archers, Porters and Buffalo Creeks.

You will also find historical water quality data and information about riparian corridors, stormwater devices and locating waterways near your home and destination.

Visit Council's WaterInfo website for access to interactive maps, water quality data and more information. 

Reports

View a number of biological and water quality monitoring reports (2004 to 2014) written for the City of Ryde below.