Star River
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 located largely within the Townsville Field Training Area, was in excellent condition in the 1970s and remained so in 2004. The TRARC data indicate poor condition but it is interesting to note that all sites show good to very good regeneration, however weeds are a problem, and are reducing the overall TRARC scores at these sites.
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 river arises in the rainforest-covered mountains of the Paluma Range, thus providing it with regular wet season flushes of good quality water. The creek system contains a wide variety of habitats as it progresses downstream from rainforest through to savanna rangelands. The large amount of good condition habitat provides for high ecological values, with many of the rainforest streams little (if any) changed from natural. The lower tributaries of the Star River arise is drier savanna country and have little if any aquatic habitat. Most of the upper catchment is either within pristine rainforest or a military training area, enabling a generally good condition to be maintained, although riparian weeds are common in the lower reaches. The water and sediment quality and riparian habitat and fish communities of this sub-division have been well studied as part of aquatic ecological monitoring funded through the Department of Defence (see Williams et al. 1993, Burrows and Butler 2000, Burrows and Butler 2001, CSIRO 2006, Dowe 2006, Loong et al. 2006) for summaries of these programs.
Star 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 Star River subcatchment are summarized as follows:
- Sub-catchment modelled area: 1,988 sq. km.
- Source contributions: Hillslope = 80%; Gully = 10%; Streambank = 10%
- Area of subcatchment with <50% ground cover: 441 sq. km or 22% of subcatchment
- Hillslope sediment supply: 496 kg/ha/yr
- Total suspended sediment (flow weighted) supply: 123 kt/yr
- Total suspended sediment supply (flow weighted; normalized to area): 619 kg/ha/yr
- Total suspended sediment end-of-subcatchment (flow weighted) yield: 117 kt/yr
- Event Mean Concentration (EMC - flow weighted): 311 mg/L
- Mean Annual Flow: 374,994 ML
Hillslope erosion is identified as the major source of suspended sediment and particulate nutrients (80%) that influence water quality in the Star River subcatchment. Hillslope erosion is predicted to contribute approximately 496 kg/ha/yr. It is estimated that 22% of the sub-catchment has poor ground cover (<50%), although much of the upper reaches the Star River sub-catchment is in good condition, with high ground cover. The total sediment losses from all sources is predicted to be substantial (619 kg/ha/yr) but may be overestimated due to the steep slopes. The event mean concentration of sediment is predicted to be relatively low compared to other Burdekin sub-catchments, due to the comparatively high flows. The Star River, which is fed from the rainforest upland regions of the Paluma Range, receives a moderate to high mean annual flow (374,994 ML).
Water Quality Monitoring
The monitoring site in the Star River catchment is on Kirkland Downs Station and has been sampled by BDTNRM volunteers for 2 years (2005/06 and 2006/07 wet seasons). The catchment area for this site is 1,688 sq km, of which 44.8% is grazing. Suspended sediment concentrations have been relatively low (mean concentration of 165 mg/L) compared to other waterways of the Burdekin rangelands over the monitoring period. The annual flow-weighted suspended sediment loads for the Star River is estimated at 30,000 tonnes per year based on the 2 years of monitoring data. This estimate is considerably lower than the load calculted by the SedNet model (117,000 tonnes) which suggests that the modelling data are overestimating loads for this catchment. Based on the monitoring data, the Star River contributes only around 1% of the total sediment load for the upper Burdekin River.
Relevant information of Water Quality Monitoring in the Upper Burdekin 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 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:
A large area, corresponding to the entire upper section of the Star River subcatchment, taking in the steep western slopes of the Paluma Ranges and forested headwaters of Star River, has been identified as containing High Ecological Value (HEV) waters by the BWQIP ecological values technical panel. This area includes: (i) sections of the Paluma State Forest and adjacent section of Paluma Range National Park; (ii) the area contained within Mount Zero – Tarvale Sanctuary on the western side of the upper catchment; and (iii) the large area of the Townsville Field Training Area. The aquatic ecosystems values of the lower reaches and tributories of the Star River are considered to be Slightly to Moderately Disturbed (SMD) as a consequence of the surrounding land use for cattle grazing.
The aquatic ecosystem values of Star River ?
Stock Watering:
Water supply for production of healthy stock.
Drinking Water:
Suitability of raw drinking water supply.
Cultural and Spirtual:
Custodial use of water by Nywaigi traditional owners.
Landuse
Principle land uses within the Star River subcatchment as a proportion of total area:
- Grazing: 53%
- Conservation & minimal use: 44.35%
- Water: 1.3%
- Production & forestry: Limited production & forestry water activity use identified.
- Urban & semi urban: Limited urban & semi urban water activity use identified.
- Mining: Limited mining water activity use identified.
Grazing Land
Star River is a relatively small subcatchment where land use is predominantly divided between grazing on natural pastures, and conservation and minimal use, with only a small area set aside for production forestry.
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 Star River sub-catchment is proportioned as follows:
- A Condition: 40%
- B Condition: 54%
- C Condition: 6%
- D Condition: 0%
Data from the Star River sub-catchment is based on 50 observations.
On the basis of the rapid assessment, the Star River sub-catchment is estimated to have the largest proportion of land in fair (B) condition (54%), followed by good (A) condition (40%) and poor (C) condition land. Data not available for (D) condition land.
Ground Cover
Ground Cover in the Star River sub-catchment is proportioned as follows:
- ( BC) Bare Cover: 0%
- ( LC) Low Cover: 0%
- ( MC) Moderate Cover: 53%
- ( HC) High Cover: 29%
- (VHC) Very High Cover: 17%
Data from the Star River sub-catchment are based on 58 observations.
On the basis of the rapid assessment (2004-2007), the Star River sub-catchment is estimated to have the highest proportion of land within the moderate (MC) ground cover category (53%), followed by high (HC) cover (29%). 17% of land was estimated to fall into the very high cover (VHC) category.
Resource Condition Summary
Star River is a relatively small subcatchment and, while the major land use is grazing on native pastures, approximately 44% of the land area is set aside for conservation and minimal use. There is a very small area of production forestry and many abandoned and operational mines throughout the subcatchment. Riparian habitat in this subcatchment has undergone no apparent change in the last 30 years and remains in very good (A) condition. The Star River arises in the rainforest-covered mountains of the Paluma Range, thus providing it with regular wet season flushes of good quality water. The creek system contains a wide variety of habitats as it progresses downstream from rainforest through to savannah rangelands. The lower tributaries of the Star River arise is drier savannah country and are thought to be largely dry, sandy ephemeral creeks.
Hillslope erosion is identified by models as the major source of sediment and particulate nutrients affecting water quality within the Star River subcatchment. The rate of soil erosion is predicted to be moderate and close to both the basin and BWQIP region averages, while the total soil loss to waterways from the subcatchment is comparatively low due to its small area. Grazing land condition is assessed as having high proportions in fair (B) and good (A) condition. This is also reflected in the rapid ground cover assessment (2004-07). However, analysis of ground cover from satellite imagery (reference) identifies an area of land along the lower reaches and tributaries of the Star River that are marginal and vulnerable to 'D' condition.
Water quality in the Star River subcatchment is predicted by models to have only slightly elevated sediment concentrations during wet season event flows. Nevertheless, water quality monitoring data from the Star River have recorded consistently lower suspended sediment (and associated particulate nutrient) concentrations than predicted by models. It is likely, therefore, that the SedNet model is overestimating erosion from this subcatchment, possibly due to its steep topography and inter-annual variability in ground cover.
Draft Environmental Values
A large area, corresponding to the entire upper section of the Star River subcatchment, taking in the steep western slopes of the Paluma Ranges and forested headwaters of Star River, has been identified as containing High Ecological Value (HEV) waters by the BWQIP ecological values technical panel. This area includes: (i) sections of the Paluma State Forest and adjacent section of Paluma Range National Park; (ii) the area contained within Mount Zero – Tarvale Sanctuary on the western side of the upper catchment; and (iii) the large area of the Townsville Field Training Area. The aquatic ecosystems values of the lower reaches and tributories of the Star River are considered to be Slightly to Moderately Disturbed (SMD) as a consequence of the surrounding land use for cattle grazing. The human use Environmental Values of the Star River subcatchment are understood to include use for stock watering, drinking, and the cultural and spiritual values of the Nywaigi traditional owners.
Maps
Star River
Star River Landuse (focus on Star River)
Star River Wetlands
Star River Geology
Please feel free to download the maps in the following formats:
- Star River Map as *.pdf (requires Acrobat Reader)
- Star River Landuse Map as *.pdf (requires Acrobat Reader)
- Star River Geology Map as *.pdf (requires Acrobat Reader)
- Catchment Layer as *.kmz (requires Google Earth)
Photos
- StarRiver1.jpg
- StarRiver2.jpg
- StarRiver3.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
