Logan Creek
Contents |
Topography
Vegetation
Riparian Habitat
The following information is summarized from the ACTFR report: Assessing the condition of riparian vegetation in the Burdekin catchment using satellitte imagery and field surveys by Leo Lymburner and John Dowe. 2006. This report can be accessed from the report section below.
iTRARC analysis of Riparian Habitat indicates that this subcatchment went from relatively good (B) condition to poor (C) condition in the last 30 years, primarily due to floodplain and riparian clearing and subsequent floodplain grazing. The field survey TRARC results support this assessment with all survey sites showing poor results with varying degrees of regeneration and low levels of weediness.
Wetlands
The following information is summarized from the ACTFR report: Assessing the condition of Wetlands in the Burdekin catchment using existing GIS and field knowledge for CCI by Mirjam Maughan, Damien Burrows, Barry Butler, Leo Lymburner and George Lukacs. 2006. This report can be accessed from the report section below.
This sub-division is poorly known ecologically, with even basic knowledge on the number and location of permanent or significant waterbodies, not recorded. The system here includes numerous channels and off-channel waterbodies, so that significant habitat is present. Most of the waterholes present are likely to be highly and persistently turbid. Condition is not well known. Like much of the Belyando-Suttor sub-catchment, this area should be further explored for its aquatic resources. The limnology of a large waterhole on Logan Creek at Avon Downs was assessed by Loong et al. (2005).
Logan Creek wetland condition summary...
Water
SedNet Modelling of Water Quality
The following statistics are summarized from the CSIRO report: Improved SedNet Modelling of Grazing Lands in the Burdekin Catchment by Kinsey-Henderson, A., Sherman, B. and Bartley, R. 2007. This report can be accessed from the report section below.
Model results for the Logan Creek subcatchment are summarized as follows:
- Subcatchment modelled area: 3,372 sq. km.
- Source contributions: Hillslope = 70%; Gully = 17%; Streambank = 13%
- Area of subcatchment with <50% ground cover: 1,016 sq. km or 30% of subcatchment
- Hillslope sediment supply: 193 kg/ha/yr
- Total suspended sediment (flow weighted) supply: 93.3 kt/yr
- Total suspended sediment supply (flow weighted; normalized to area): 277kg/ha/yr
- Total suspended sediment end-of-subcatchment (flow weighted) yield: 66 kt/yr
- Event Mean Concentration (EMC - flow weighted): 484 mg/L
- Mean Annual Flow: 137,275 ML
Logan Creek is a relatively large subcatchment (over 3,000 sq. km) with approximately one third of its surface area showing less than 50% ground cover. This would account for the high proportion of sediment (70%) supplied from hillslope erosion. Due to the large size of the sub-catchment, the quantity of sediment loss per hectare is moderate to low compared to other Burdekin subcatchments. Flow is moderate to low due to low rainfall in this area, resulting in moderate concentrations of suspended sediment.
Water Quality Monitoring
The monitoring site in the Logan Creek catchment is located on the Avon Downs Station and has been sampled by BDTNRM Volunteers program for 2 years (2005/06 and 2006/07 wet seasons). The catchment area for this monitoring site is 3,325 sq km, of which 60.5% is used for grazing and 32% for cropping. Suspended sediment concentrations have been low to intermediate (mean concentration of 310 mg/L) over the monitoring period compared to other sites within the Burdekin rangelands. Additional monitoring data are required before a comparison with the SedNet model can be made. Filterable reactive phosphorus concentrations have been relatively high (mean concentration of 78 ug/L) in this waterway compared to other catchments within the Burdekin rangelands, probably explainable by the basalt soils within the catchment area.
Relevant information of Water Quality Monitoring in the Suttor River Basin can be found by following these links:
- Water Quality Monitoring
- Water Quality Monitoring results
- Event-based community water quality monitoring in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region: 2002-2007. Volume 1
- Event-based community water quality monitoring in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region: 2002-2007. Volume 2
Environmental Uses and Values
The following summary of environmental uses and values is based on information extracted from the following reports: Social, Economic, Cultural and Environmental Values of Streams and Wetlands in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region by Greiner, R and Hall, N. 2006 and Burdekin Basin Draft Water Resource Plan by Queensland Dept. of Natural Resources, Mines and Water, 2006, The Greiner and Hall 2006 report may be accessed from the report section below.
Definition of Environmental Values in the Queensland Water Quality Guidelines
The aquatic ecosystem values of the Logan Creek subcatchment are poorly known and, while considered to be Slightly to Moderately Disturbed (SMD) as a consequence of the surrounding land use for cattle grazing, the biological communities are thought to remain in a healthy condition and ecosystem integrity is likely to be largely retained. No High Ecological Value (HEV) waters have been identified in the subcatchment.
Logan Creek subcatchment draft HEV waters
Irrigation:
Extensive dryland cropping only.
Stock Watering:
Water supply for production of healthy livestock.
Cultural and Spirtual:
Custodial use of water resources by Wangan and Jagalingou traditional owners.
Landuse
Principle land uses within the Logan Creek subcatchment as a proportion of total area:
- Grazing: 67%
- Dryland agriculture: 26.7%
- Water: 4.2%
- Conservation & minimal use: 2%
Grazing Land
Logan Creek is a medium sized subcatchment where the major land use is grazing on, mostly, modified pastures, while there is a substantial area of dryland cropping of cereals.
Land Condition
Definition of ABCD land condition framework
Results of a Rapid Land Condition Assessment (adopted from Hassett et al. 2000) are presented below. The assessment has been devised to subjectively characterise condition while traversing the BDT region by vehicle. The data are based on a total of 4666 observations across the Burdekin region between 2004 and 2007.
The data were collected to provide independent information on land condition and provide a regional perspective. Resource assessment data are most useful when interpreted with other sources of data e.g. time-series remote sensing, modelling and water quality monitoring.
The estimated condition of the Logan Creek sub-catchment is proportioned as follows:
- A Condition: 26%
- B Condition: 44%
- C Condition: 29%
- D Condition: 1%
Data from the Logan Creek sub-catchment is based on 110 observations.
On the basis of the rapid assessment, the Logan Creek sub-catchment is estimated to have the largest proportion of land in fair (B) condition (44%), followed by poor (C) condition (29%) and good (A) condition land (26%). 1% of observed land was in very poor (D) condition.
Ground Cover
Ground Cover in the logan Creek sub-catchment is proportioned as follows:
- ( BC) Bare Cover: 0%
- ( LC) Low Cover: 17%
- ( MC) Moderate Cover: 15%
- ( HC) High Cover: 49%
- (VHC) Very High Cover: 19%
Data from the Logan Creek sub-catchment are based on 114 observations.
On the basis of the rapid assessment (2004-2007), the Logan Creek sub-catchment is estimated to have the highest proportion of land within the high (HC) ground cover category (49%), followed by very high (VHC) cover (19%) and low (LC) cover (17%) categories. 15% of land was estimated to fall into the moderate cover (MC) category.
Resource Condition Summary
Logan Creek is a medium sized subcatchment where the major land use is grazing on, mostly, modified pastures, while there is a substantial area of dryland cropping of cereals. The riparian habitat of the subcatchment has deteriorated over the last 30 years, principally due to clearing of riparian vegetation in headwater streams and along floodplains, and is currently assessed to be in poor (C) condition. The subcatchment waterways are poorly known ecologically, with even basic knowledge on the number and location of permanent or significant water bodies not recorded. The waterways are understood to include numerous channel and off-channel water bodies that are likely to be highly and persistently turbid.
Hillslope erosion is identified by models as the major source of sediment and particulate nutrients affecting water quality within the Logan Creek subcatchment, while gully and streambank erosion are also identified as significant contributors to the total sediment load. The rate of soil erosion is predicted to be low and considerably less than the Basin average, while the total soil lost from the subcatchment to waterways is also comparatively low. Land condition is assessed as having a high proportions in fair (B), poor (C) and good (A) condition. This is also reflected in the rapid ground cover assessment (2004-07). Analyses of satellite imagery identify extensive areas of vulnerable and marginal 'D' condition land, and show that the mean ground cover declined substantially from 73% in 1999 to 40% in 2004, but had recovered to 70% in 2006. The low cover may, in part, reflect the substantial land use for dryland cropping.
Water quality in the Logan Creek subcatchment is predicted by models to be slightly to moderately impacted by suspended sediment during wet season event flows, with elevated concentrations at the end-of-subcatchment. Water quality monitoring data from this subcatchment reflect model predictions.
Draft Environmental Values
The aquatic ecosystem values of the Logan Creek subcatchment are poorly known and, while considered to be Slightly to Moderately Disturbed (SMD) as a consequence of the surrounding land use for cattle grazing, the biological communities are thought to remain in a healthy condition and ecosystem integrity is likely to be largely retained. No High Ecological Value (HEV) waters have been identified in the subcatchment. Little is known about the human use Environmental Values of the subcatchment, which are thought to be limited to use for irrigation, stock watering, and the cultural and spiritual values of the Wangan and Jagalingou traditional owners.
Maps
Logan Creek
Logan Creek Landuse (focus on Logan Creek)
Logan Creek Wetlands
Logan Creek Geology
Please feel free to download the maps in the following formats:
- Logan Creek Map as *.pdf (requires Acrobat Reader)
- Logan Creek Landuse Map as *.pdf (requires Acrobat Reader)
- Logan Creek Geology Map as *.pdf (requires Acrobat Reader)
- Catchment Layer as *.kmz (requires Google Earth)
Photos
- LoganCreek1.jpg
- LoganCreek2.jpg
- LoganCreek3.jpg
Reports
- Assessing the condition of Riparian Vegetation in the Burdekin catchment for CCI (2.8 Mb)
- Assessing the condition of Wetlands in the Burdekin catchment for CCI (10 Mb)
- Water Quality Issues in the Burdekin Region (3.8Mb)
- Monitoring of sediments and nutrients in the Burdekin Dry Tropics region: 2005-06 wet season (4.3 Mb)
- Event based Water Quality Monitoring in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region: 2004/05 wet season (3.1 Mb)
- A report into the water quality condition of the Burdekin River and surrounds based on the AIMS end-of-catchment sampling program (13.2 Mb)
- Limnological assessment and benchmarking of key sentinel wetlands in the Burdekin catchment
- Improved SedNet Modelling of Grazing Land in the Burdekin Catchment(812Kb)
- Economic, Cultural and Environmental values of streams and wetlands in the Burdekin Dry Tropics region. (23.5Mb)
- Draft High Ecological Value waters assessment for BDT WQIP
