If getting all the info on water quality is your thing, or you’re simply interested in the health of the water in the Lakes, you can now access data from four sites via the Water Measurement Information System website.
Four new and upgraded stations have been installed to monitor water quality and provide updates with the community in real time across the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site.
The new stations share information from Jones Bay, Lake Coleman and Clydebank Morass and the existing Loch Sport station now has a salinity sensor.
“These stations continuously monitor key water parameters including salinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature and turbidity within the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site” said Bec Hemming, CEO of East Gippsland CMA.
And the exciting thing is that it’s available to everyone, anytime online.
“It’s great that we can share the live data with community along with it helping is assess ecological processes within the Lakes,” Ms Hemming said.
‘It provides an opportunity for the public to learn and see firsthand how variable water quality is – especially in times of high rainfall and drought.”
Water quality levels can tell us a lot about the Lakes’ ever changing environments.
The new station at Clydebank Morass demonstrates the natural wetting and drying cycles of the wetland and how salinity levels fluctuate over time in the Morass.
Monitoring for salinity in Jones Bay, Lake Coleman and Lochsport demonstrates the rate of change in variably salty (saline) areas. The data is also used in the annual wetland water quality assessments and the Gippsland Lakes Environment Report prepared every three years.
“The data you see is some of the same information the CMA uses to help guide how we can protect and increase the resilience of the precious Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site in response to a changing climate. Jump on an take a look for yourself,” enthused Ms Hemming.
How to explore the new stations on the Water Measurement Information System (WMIS) website:
Log into: Water Measurement Information System
Search the location using the unique site ID number shown below, making sure you select the Water Quality Data filter:
- Jones Bay (224603)
- Lake Coleman (226617)
- Clydebank Morass (225601)
- Loch Sport (226606).
This project is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.
