Estuary Management Planning Lake Conjola - 2004
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and Estuaries |
Lake Conjola
| 2004 Indicator description
Lake Conjola
Environmental Overview
Environmental Issues
Environmental Pressures
Estuary Management Programs
UoW Environmental
Science Research Projects
Environmental Overview
Around 95% of
Lake Conjola’s catchment remains undeveloped and mostly forested. The majority
of this area is managed by State Forests and National Parks and Wildlife
Service. Urban development accounts for only around 5% of the catchments
area. The main urban areas are at Conjola, West Conjola and Fisherman's
Paradise.
Lake Conjola covers an area of around 7
sq km and drains a small catchment of 145
sq km. In 2001 the resident catchment population was around
2700. The lake has a natural intermittently opening regime and provides
opportunities for high quality recreational activities, the impacts of which
need to be managed effectively to ensure minimal environmental harm.
Due to
water quality concerns associated with elevated lake levels and on-site sewerage
treatment, Council, in concert with community and state government agencies,
have designed an entrance management plan and accompanying review of
environmental factors to monitor the entrance shoal and, where indications of
closure are observed, to initiate mechanical intervention to maintain the
entrance in an open configuration. The status of the entrance shoal can be
viewed on the internet at
http://www.mhl.nsw.gov.au/www/clients.htmlx
Both an
Estuary Management Plan and an Entrance Management Plan have been completed for
Lake Conjola.
Environmental Attributes
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Various wetlands
around Lake Conjola are protected under Coastal Wetlands State Environmental
Planning Policy No 14.; and
-
Well forested land
(including national park and State forests) occurs throughout much of the
catchment, with a good variety of both terrestrial and aquatic vegetation
communities, including ecologically valuable habitats such as
seagrasses.
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Environmental Issues
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A heavy infestation of
the invasive marine seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia exists in the lake.
This presents a serious threat to the biological diversity (through smothering
of aquatic vegetation), amenity and economic viability of local tourist
industries that depend on healthy coastal lakes in the Shoalhaven
http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au ;
-
Unsewered townships in areas of high water table and
subject to periodic flooding;
-
Elevated levels of
nutrients and faecal coliforms occur in specific areas within the lake.
There is an ongoing need to monitor bacterial levels in the lake in order to
properly assess this issue;
-
Erosion caused by
development, recreation and agriculture; and
-
Entrance management
and water quality.
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Environmental Pressures
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Sewage and other
pollutants have potential to impact upon the lake’s water quality;
-
Both commercial and
recreational fishing are undertaken within the lake. There is potential
for a decline in fish and prawn abundance if fishing is not managed;
-
Recreational and
boating activities within the catchment may impact on foreshore stability and
bird habitat quality;
-
Informal boat
launching sites may decrease bank stability and may harm aquatic vegetation
and its associated ecological community;
-
There is potential for
increased erosion from development, recreation and agriculture. An increase
in sediment and nutrient export from new developments can impact upon water
quality and the health of aquatic and semi-aquatic ecological communities;
-
Further decreases in
water quality may result from run-off associated with on-site effluent
disposal systems on new and existing developments. This may impact upon
the biological communities and habitats of ecological value, thereby reducing
the appeal of these popular tourist areas and the economic prosperity derived
from those activities;
-
Introduced animals,
including foxes, domestic and feral cats and dogs, black rats and rabbits,
threaten native animal and plant populations;
-
Weeds, although scarce
overall, are prevalent in some areas where they threaten native plant
communities;
-
Dumping of garden
refuse and other material causes damage to bushland and continues to be an
issue; and
-
There is some damage
and clearance of vegetation on foreshores and other areas.
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Estuary Management Programs
Key implementation
actions in progress or completed in partnership with Shoalhaven Cit Council and
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (DIPNR) and funded
under the following programs include:
Estuary Program
-
2002 Entrance
Management Policy and REF link;
-
2003 Stormwater Impact
Rehabilitation completed $10,000;
-
2003 Fishing Haven
Status declared by NSW Fisheries;
-
2003-2004 Caulerpa
monitoring repeated and ongoing by NSW Fisheries;
http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au .
-
2003-2004 Public
education project design commenced $50,000;
-
2003-2004 Entrance
Dune Stabilisation Stage 3 commenced $40,000;
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2003-2004 Catchment
Stormwater Review- design $10,000;
-
2003-2004
implementation of Bushfire Asset Protection Zones for the villages;
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2003-2004 Boating
Management Plan Review $5000;
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2004-2005 Foreshore
Reserve Rehabilitation Plan development $20,000;
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2002 Septic sewerage
System audit undertaken and ongoing;
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2003-2005 Reticulated
Sewerage System Design commenced; and
-
2003-2005 Crown lands
Assessment for the southern shore commenced.
Flood Program
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University of Wollongong Environmental
Science Research Projects
Shallow water seagrass fish
communities of Intermittently Open and Closed Lakes and Lagoons (ICOLLs) of
southeastern Australia. Author: Martine Jones To obtain a full
copy of this report or more information contact Environmental Science,
University of Wollongong.
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Surface Water Quality Lake Conjola
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Lake Conjola
| 2004 |
