2 Renmark to border LAP area assessment - EPA - Sa.gov.au

River Murray and Lower Lakes catchment risk assessment for water quality: Results and management options
weekend. As camping is a seasonal activity, the likelihood of this activity having an effect on ecosystem
health increases during peak holiday periods. Areas such as Ramco Point and Holder Bend within this LAP
area have been identified in the Sustainable Recreation Project (2005) as requiring toilet facilities.
Three ferries operate in this area, at Cadell, Waikerie and Morgan, and were identified as a low risk to
water quality.
Organic matter
Moderate-high organic matter risks were attributed to horticultural areas but there was some uncertainty
as to this assessment (most groundwater monitoring data pertained to salinity). The large horticultural
areas noted above were those given the high-risk rankings. Discharges from creeks (eg Little Toolunka
and Big Toolunka) and lagoons (eg Devlin’s Pound and Yarra) in the area were assessed as posing a
moderate organic matter risk, although again there was a lack of certainty to this ranking.
Other sources of moderate organic risks included houseboats, marinas, river vessel waste disposal
stations and stormwater from Waikerie.
Sources of low organic risks were similar to those noted for nutrients above such as failure of STEDS
infrastructure. The Waikerie STEDS ponds and the Morgan and Blanchetown townships’ septic tanks were
considered a moderate risk for the reasons noted above for nutrients.
Turbidity
The current very high level of turbidity in the river coming into South Australia makes additional
turbidity impacts on the aquatic ecosystem less likely than in many other waterbodies. The majority of
turbidity risks were classified as low and came from vessel launching/boat ramp areas, marinas, quarries
and vessel waste disposal stations. The few moderate sources of risk identified were predominantly
rainfall event discharges from creeks and a stormwater outlet in Waikerie, and wash down activities at a
Morgan slipway.
The community raised concerns about wake boat induced erosion but it was difficult to determine the
precise location, extent or impact of this activity.
Hydrocarbons
The McCutcheon St catchment in Waikerie is predominantly residential, and stormwater runoff from it
was assessed as a moderate hydrocarbon risk. Accidental spillage from the Blanchetown bridge was also
rated as a moderate risk. Although it is unlikely that a catastrophic event (eg fuel tanker spillage) would
take place, the effect on the ecosystem could be quite large. A houseboat refuelling facility in Waikerie
was considered a moderate risk based on the likelihood of spills during vessel refuelling. The fuel storage
tank (10,000 L) for this facility is above ground, bunded and approximately 50 m away from the river.
Low hydrocarbon risk sources included ferry runoff, leakage from petrol stations, and accidental
spillage from recreational river craft, fuel stores on the edge of the river, and a truck wash facility near
Ramco lagoon.
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