Question On Notice No. 1384 asked in the Legislative Council on 12 June 2018 by Hon Alison Xamon
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Tabled Paper No: 1703-
View tabled paper
Question
I refer to the Swan Canning River Protection Strategy dated September 2015, and Progress Report dated October 2017, as well as the Auditor-General’s August 2014 report titled Our Heritage and Our Future: Health of the Swan Canning River System, and I ask:
(a) in relation to action 2.4 from the Strategy, ‘Improve management of fertiliser use to reduce nutrient loss from urban and rural land in the Swan Canning catchment’, what measurements have been used to test whether work conducted under this action has:
(i) reduced the amount of fertiliser used; and
(ii) reduced the amount of nutrients entering the
catchment;
(b) in relation to action 6.2 from the Strategy, ‘Establish
a program to monitor non-nutrient contaminants entering, and in, the river
system’:
(i) what are the names of the ‘emerging
contaminants’ that are being investigated; and
(ii) when is the overarching monitoring program
expected to be completed;
(c) does the Government consider the actions listed
in the Strategy will sufficiently address all the concerns raised by the
Auditor-General in 2014 about inadequate management of water quality in the
Swan Canning river system;
(d) if no to (c), why not;
(e) does the Government to intend to update the
Strategy before 2021 and, if yes, when;
(f) the Auditor-General’s report states that in 2014
the Swan River Trust had an annual budget of $18 million and around 60
professional and technical staff. What is the current annual budget and number
of FTE staff for:
(i) the Trust; and
(ii) all the functions of the Trust that have been
transferred to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions;
(g) the Auditor-General’s report called for a review
of the Fertiliser Action Plan and Fertiliser Partnership, has this occurred;
(h) if yes to (g), will the Minister table the review;
(i) if no to (g), does the Government intend to review the Action Plan and/or Partnership;
(j) if yes to (i), in what year;
(k) if no to (i), why not;
(l) in relation to (g), what measurable benefits in terms
of fertiliser reduction have occurred as a result of the Fertiliser Action Plan
and Partnership since both programs’ inception;
(m) the Auditor-General called for the Swan River
Trust to work with planning entities, developers and other organisations associated
with major developments and land use changes to ensure that its advice on how
to minimise nutrient discharge into the drainage and river systems is provided
when it is most needed, is this now occurring;
(n) if no to (m), why not;
(o) the Auditor-General further recommended the
Trust work with the Department of Planning to improve role clarity in the
administration of planning controls outside the Development Control Area, has
this occurred;
(p) if no to (o), why not;
(q) the Auditor-General also recommended the Trust improve
dialogue with the Department of Planning on the requirements and appropriate
interpretation of management guidelines to reduce the release of nutrient and
other contaminants into the river system by new developments, did this occur;
(r) if no to (q), why not;
(s) the Auditor-General recommended that the Trust work
with agencies and Local Government Authorities to clarify responsibility for
managing and maintaining water quality in drains, rivers and tributaries
throughout the Perth metropolitan area and the Swan Canning river system and
identify the additional resources required to enable this to occur, has this
clarity of responsibilities been achieved;
(t) if no to (s), why not;
(u) in relation to (s), have the additional
resources required for this to occur been allocated;
(v) if no to (u), why not;
(w) does the Government have any way of knowing
whether contaminants in groundwater and stormwater from entering drains and the
river system have been reduced:
(i) if yes to (w), what are these ways; and
(ii) if no to (w), why not;
(x) what is the total annual running cost of all four
operating oxygenation plants in the Swan Canning river system; and
(y) is the Government considering installing more
oxygenation plants and, if yes, where and at what estimated cost?
Answered on 30 August 2018
(a) (i) Achieving the objectives of the Swan Canning River Protection Strategy (Swan Canning RPS) involves partnering with a range of State Government departments. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has been working with farmers to improve fertiliser use. Nutrient mapping on farms is undertaken to improve farm economic performance and reduce phosphorus use with the objective of reducing long-term phosphorus inflows to coastal waterways.
To 2016, mapping primarily delivered by DPIRD on 15 farms (10,250 hectares across 439 paddocks) in the Ellen Brook Catchment showed that 50 per cent of the paddocks have enough phosphorus in the soil to achieve maximum production, providing the basis for reduced fertiliser application in the catchment in future years.
The Healthy Soils Healthy Rivers Program (a joint initiative between Perth NRM, Wheatbelt NRM and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions [DBCA]) promotes good fertiliser management through soil and irrigation water testing to ensure nutrients are not applied to crops unless needed. Many of the horticultural growers that participated in the program have reduced fertiliser applications by 30 to 40 per cent.
Between 2012 and 2016, over 10,000 participants attended sustainable gardening workshops aimed at reducing urban fertiliser and water use. When surveyed, over 70 per cent of participants reported making positive behavioural changes that resulted in reduced fertiliser use. Participants in the program from the Southern River Catchment reduced fertiliser use by 28 per cent (15 kilograms) per annum.
In 2017, 20 local governments responded to the Phosphorus Awareness Project survey completing soil, leaf tissue and/or moisture testing on sports fields, with many also testing golf courses, irrigated parks and foreshore reserves. This testing helped determine if nutrients are required and the application rate, type of nutrients and fertiliser needed. Testing before applying fertiliser can assist land managers to avoid applying nutrients unnecessarily and reducing the quantity of nutrients entering waterways.
(a) (ii) Trials undertaken in the Ellen Brook Catchment assessed various soil amendments (materials added to soil to improve physical or chemical properties) for effectiveness in reducing nutrient leaching in an agricultural setting. The products (Iron Man Gypsum® Alkaloam® and LaBC® [Lime-Amended Bioclay]) tested reduced the amount of phosphorus leaching to groundwater and ultimately the river system, in some cases by as much as 90 per cent.
Further soil amendment trials undertaken in the Southern River Catchment demonstrated that use of Iron Man Gypsum® in subsoil drains beneath urban development is effective in reducing the concentration of dissolved nutrients entering waterways from catchments.
Other nutrient intervention measures assessed on the Swan Coastal Plain include:
- The Ellen Brook Constructed Wetland (Belhus), which included the first large scale application of Iron Man Gypsum® as a filter material. From 2015 to 2017 this wetland removed between 53 and 94 per cent of phosphorus from water it treated that flowed on to the Swan River.
- Fifty tonnes of Phoslock® applied to the Ellen Brook in winter 2013 which reduced soluble phosphorus loads entering the Swan River by up to 500 kilograms.
- To February 2016, the Wharf Street Constructed Wetland (Cannington) prevented 1660 kilograms of nitrogen and 130 kilograms of phosphorus entering the Canning River. (See Tabled paper #).
- To 2013, the Anvil Way Compensation Basin Living Stream (Welshpool) was shown to have retained an estimated two tonnes of phosphorus, 17 tonnes of nitrogen and 164 tonnes of total organic carbon. (See Tabled paper #).
- A constructed biofilter in the Glades Estate (Byford) which showed up to 90 per cent reduction in total phosphorus and 86 per cent reduction in total nitrogen over nine rainfall-based sampling events from October 2014 to October 2015. (See Tabled paper #).
Since 1995, water quality within sub-catchments of the Swan and Canning rivers and six ecological management zones of the estuary have been monitored. Funded and supported by DBCA, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) collects data fortnightly from sub-catchment sites and weekly from the ecological management zones.
In 2009, the Swan Canning Water Quality Improvement Plan (Swan Canning WQIP) was developed and supported by the water quality monitoring and modelling of hydrological and nutrient loads into the Swan Canning river system from the coastal catchments.
In the coming years, further modelling will be conducted to enable river management strategies to be updated to assess the effectiveness of past management actions (noting that due to legacy nutrients a time lag is expected between implementation of activities and improved water quality in the estuary).
(b) (i) Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
(b) (ii) The establishment of the overarching non-nutrient monitoring program will be completed in early-mid 2019.
(c) Yes. The Auditor General’s report on the Health of the Swan Canning River System recommended ongoing, concerted and cooperative actions across State Government agencies and stakeholders. The Swan Canning RPS includes long-term, across agency strategies to protect and enhance the ecological and community benefits of the Swan Canning Riverpark.
(d) Not applicable.
(e) The Swan Canning RPS will be reviewed as soon as practicable after 15 November 2020 (the fifth anniversary of the day on which it came into operation), which is consistent with the provisions of the Swan and Canning Rivers Management Act 2006.
(f) (i) Following the amalgamation of the Swan River Trust with the former Department of Parks and Wildlife (now DBCA) in 2015, the Trust serves as an advisory board to the Minister for Environment and Director General of DBCA. In 2017-18, $71,150 was allocated for Trust Board member sitting fees, administration and support.
(f) (ii) The functions of the Trust are managed through five DBCA divisions: Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Conservation and Ecosystem Management, Corporate and Business Services, Parks and Visitor Services and Regional and Fire Management Services, consolidated under Service 4: Visitor Services and Public Programs Provided in the Swan and Canning Riverpark. For 2017-18, the total cost for Service 4 was $15,799M and approximately 51 full time equivalents (FTEs).
(g) Yes.
(h) Following conclusion of the Fertiliser Partnership on 30 June 2016, the former Department of Environment Regulation (now DWER) coordinated an evaluation report assessing the effectiveness and implementation of strategies in the Partnership (see Tabled paper #).
(i)-(k) Not applicable.
(l) The benefits of the programs in terms of fertiliser reduction are outlined in draft report (See Tabled paper #).
(m) Yes. DBCA, works collaboratively with other State Government agencies and local government to minimise nutrient discharges into the Swan Canning rivers, including indirectly through the stormwater system. This includes advice provided through the development application process to the Western Australian Planning Commission, local governments and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority. As well as advice on strategic planning including, Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) and local planning scheme amendments, structure plans, subdivisions and the associated water management strategies.
DBCA has a Water Sensitive Cities officer dedicated to strategically influencing land use changes and development to enhance the ecological health, community benefits and amenity of the Swan Canning river system.
(n) Not applicable.
(o) Yes. The MRS specifies that a development application that is likely to affect waters in the Swan Canning Development Control Area is to be referred to the Trust for advice. DBCA, on behalf of the Trust, has been working with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) and local government to remind them of their obligations under the MRS and identify relevant development applications that should be referred. There is a DPLH representative on the Trust Board.
(p) Not applicable.
(q) Yes. DBCA, on behalf of the Trust, has been working with DPLH, local government and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, to reduce nutrient outputs from developments focusing on preventing further water quality degradation, as provided for by State Planning Policy 2.10 – Swan-Canning River System.
This includes focus on the consistent application of State planning policies and guidance, including the Decision Process for Stormwater Management in Western Australian (DWER, 2017) and application of the draft Government Sewerage Policy (DPLH, 2016), as well as current best management practises and water sensitive urban design principles.
In 2016-17, DBCA and the Trust updated the suite of planning policies used to assess development on or near the Swan Canning river system and provide clear guidance for the community, developers, and State and local government agencies and authorities.
(r) Not applicable.
(s) DBCA continues to work with State and local government partners and asset managers regarding responsibilities for managing and maintaining water quality in drains and waterways entering the Swan Canning rivers through the Swan Canning RPS and associated advisory committee. In addition, DBCA is undertaking on-ground works such as constructed wetlands and living streams, often as demonstration sites, to build capacity in its partners to undertake similar works. DBCA targets these activities in high nutrient priority catchments identified in the Swan Canning and local WQIPs.
(t) Not applicable.
(u) Sufficient resources have been allocated to enable this work to proceed.
(v) Not applicable.
(w) Yes.
- In 2009, baseline studies on non-nutrient contaminants in surface waters and sediments of the Swan Canning Estuary and its catchment were completed. The investigation of contaminants in estuarine sediments was replicated in 2015 and expanded to include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The report on findings from the studies is anticipated to be finalised in 2019.
(ii) Not applicable.
(x) For 2017-18, the cost for routine operation of the two oxygenation plants on the Upper Swan Estuary and the two plants on the Canning River was $1,184,640.
The two plants at Guildford and Caversham provide oxygen relief over a 10km stretch of the river known to be regularly impacted by low oxygen conditions. On the Canning River, the plants at Bacon Street and Nicholson Road deliver oxygenated water over 4.5km, ensuring oxygen relief in all feasible areas upstream of the Kent Street Weir.
(y) No. Operation of the existing oxygenation plants have a demonstrable benefit on the water quality and ecological health of the rivers, however additional plants are not a priority at this time. It is considered that focusing on behaviour change and mitigating nutrient flows into the Swan Canning river system will have longer-term gains.