Watching the Water in Sach

1
Watching the Water in Sachs Creek, Oak Valley,
Townsville Sachs Creekwatch A Volunteer
Community Initiative
Sachs Creek begins on the Southern slopes of Mt
Stuart and flows through the community of Oak
Valley and into the Ross River Dam. The
importance of conservation and monitoring of the
creek lies in the plant and animal communities
supported as part of the system and the fact that
it delivers water to Townsvilles drinking water
supply.
Sachs Creek Oak Valley
Sachs Creek A creek system free of aquatic
weeds.
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Sachs Creekwatch is a volunteer group who spend
time at the creek monitoring water quality, fish
populations and keeping an eye on the health of
the creek system. The team usually meet once a
fortnight and welcomes anyone who would like to
take part.
Sachs Creek is free of invasive aquatic weeds
and seems relatively unaffected by increased
sediment loads or nutrient runoff, contributors
to the invasion process. The local community is
well aware of the need to preserve the health
of Sachs Creek as part of its back yard and a
feeder into the Ross River Dam.
J1 ity 0f TownsviLL
From August 2004 air and water temperature began
to rise with a corresponding decrease in
dissolved oxygen levels up to mid-December.
Electrical Conductivity is well within the
expected range. (Note Error Bars depict standard
deviation around the mean where there were
multiple monthly readings taken.)
Sachs Creek Water quality monitoring
Local community and Townsville City Council have
a long term commitment to preserving Sachs
Creek
Dissolved oxygen levels correspond to increases
and decreases in flow rate with the highest score
at the Swimming Hole where the creek course is
narrower and flows over a rock shelf.
Rainfall patterns reflect normal seasonal
variations (wet Jan to Mar DryApr to
Dec). Cormacks Alert is an automatic weather
station of the Bureau of Meteorology adjacent
to Sachs Creek (see map below).
Relocating and caring for aquatic fauna during
the dry season in Oak Valley (1.3 metre
freshwater eel).
Sachs Ck
Source Bureau of Meteorology 2005 AUSLIG
1990
For more information call Greg Willcox on 0427
093 151or email gwillcox_at_cva.org.au Authors
Merilyn Thomas , Greg Willcox. Acknowledgements
Matt Bartel, Evan Kruckow, David Reid