Lower Cape River
Contents |
Subcatchments
Smaller Catchments within the Lower Cape River Catchment include:
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 has decreased from very good to relatively good condition in the last 30 years. This change has been as a result of increasing gaps in the riparian corridor of small headwater and anabranching streams. The TRARC field survey scores support this assessment with the average score showing good condition.
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.
The condition of the Lower Cape River is considered to be fairly typical of upper Burdekin rangelands catchments, with cattle grazing being the dominant land use. Although permanent waterbodies are not common, there are a few significant permanent waterbodies in the lower reaches, particularly in the anabranches. These are in generally good condition. This sub-division has been the subject of significant NHT investment in riparian fencing and management through the Dalrymple Landcare Committee, and the water quality of two anabranch lagoons and the Cape River at the Gregory Developmental Road bridge, was monitored as part of that project (Burrows 2001). Fish surveys from here were reported in Burrows (2001) and riparian vegetation in Dowe (2004) and in Burrows (1999). Part of the lower Cape River is inundated by Lake Dalrymple (Burdekin Falls Dam), creating a highly modified habitat.
Lower Cape River 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 Lower Cape River subcatchment are summarized as follows:
- Sub-catchment modelled area: 2,382 sq. km.
- Source contributions: Hillslope = 71%; Gully = 22%; Streambank = 7%
- Area of subcatchment with <50% ground cover: 927 sq. km or 39% of subcatchment
- Hillslope sediment supply: 267 kg/ha/yr
- Total suspended sediment (flow weighted) supply: 90 kt/yr
- Total suspended sediment supply (flow weighted; normalized to area): 376 kg/ha/yr
- Mean Annual Flow: 986,146 ML
Hillslope erosion is identified as the major source of sediment and particulate nutrients affecting water quality within the Rollston River subcatchment (71%), while gully erosion is also predicted to contribute substantially (22%) to the total load of 90 kt/yr. It is estimated that approximately 39% of the sub-catchment has poor ground cover (<50%). The rate of soil loss from all sources (supply) is considered moderate to low (376 kg/ha/yr) when compared to other sub-catchments. The Lower Cape receives waters from a number of upstream rivers and creeks, including the Campaspe River, resulting in a relatively large mean annual flow of 986,146 ML.
Water Quality Monitoring
There are no water quality monitoring data available for this catchment.
Relevant information of Water Quality Monitoring in the Cape Campaspe 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
Aquatic Ecosystems:
The aquatic ecosystem values of the Lower Cape River 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 are identified in the subcatchment.
Lower Cape River draft HEV waters
Stock Watering:
Water supply for production of healthy livestock.
Visual Recreation:
Camping along the Cape River.
Cultural and Spirtual:
Custodial use of water resources by Jangga traditional owners.
Landuse
Principle land uses within the Lower Cape River subcatchment as a proportion of total area:
- Grazing: 91.7%
- Conservation & minimal use: 5%
- Water: 3.25%
- Urban & semi urban: Limited urban & semi urban water activity use identified.
Grazing Land
Lower Cape River is a medium sized subcatchment where the land use is dominated by grazing on natural pastures.
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 Lower Cape River sub-catchment is proportioned as follows:
- A Condition: 9%
- B Condition: 42%
- C Condition: 45%
- D Condition: 4%
Data from the Lower Cape River River sub-catchment is based on 127 observations.
On the basis of the rapid assessment, the Lower Cape River sub-catchment is estimated to have the largest proportion of land in poor (C) condition (45%), followed by fair (B) condition (42%) and good (A) condition land (9%). 4% of observed land was in very poor (D) condition.
Ground Cover
Ground Cover in the Lower Cape River sub-catchment is proportioned as follows:
- ( BC) Bare Cover: 1%
- ( LC) Low Cover: 16%
- ( MC) Moderate Cover: 41%
- ( HC) High Cover: 39%
- (VHC) Very High Cover: 3%
Data from the Lower Cape River sub-catchment are based on 128 observations.
On the basis of the rapid assessment (2004-2007), the Allingham Creek sub-catchment is estimated to have the highest proportion of land within the moderate (MC) ground cover category (41%), followed by high (HC) cover (39%) and low (LC) cover (16%) categories. 1% of land was estimated to fall into the bare cover (BC) category.
Resource Condition Summary
Lower Cape River is a medium sized subcatchment where the land use is dominated by grazing on natural pastures. Approximately 5% of the land area is remnant native vegetation with minimal use. Riparian condition in this subcatchment has declined over the last 30 years, largely due to floodplain clearing, and is currently assessed to be in fair (B) condition. The lower Cape River itself is a largely dry, sandy and seasonal river channel and, while permanent waterbodies are not common, there are a few significant wetlands in the lower reaches, particularly in the anabranches. Part of the lower Cape River is inundated by Lake Dalrymple (Burdekin Falls Dam).
Hillslope erosion is identified by models as the major source of sediment and particulate nutrients affecting water quality within the Lower Cape River subcatchment, while gully erosion is also identified as a significant contributor. Both the rate of soil loss and total soil loss from the subcatchment are predicted to be comparatively low. Land condition is assessed as having high proportions of fair (B) and poor (C) condition land. This is also reflected in the rapid ground cover assessment (2004-07) and analysis of ground cover from satellite imagery (reference), which indicates that the mean ground cover has declined substantially from 1999 to 2006.
Water quality in the Lower Cape River subcatchment is predicted by models to be only slightly impacted by suspended sediment. There are no water quality monitoring data with which to compare the modelled concentrations, but monitored loads from the Cape River near the top of the subcatchment are lower than predicted by models.
Draft Environmental Values
The aquatic ecosystem values of the Lower Cape River 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 are identified in the subcatchment. Little is known about the human use Environmental Values of the Basalt River subcatchment, which are thought to be limited to visual recreation, use for stock watering, and the cultural and spiritual values of the Jangga traditional owners.
Maps
Lower Cape River
Lower Cape River Landuse (focus on Lower Cape River)
Lower Cape River Wetlands
Lower Cape River Geology
Please feel free to download the maps in the following formats:
- Lower Cape River Map as *.pdf (requires Acrobat Reader)
- Catchment Layer as *.kmz (requires Google Earth)
Photos
- LowerCapeRiver1.jpg
- LowerCapeRiver2.jpg
- LowerCapeRiver3.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
