Rivers and creeks water quality monitoring

Melbourne Water monitors the water quality of rivers and creeks at over 136 sites throughout the Melbourne and metropolitan area, which are highlighted on the following map. The data collected from these sites assists Melbourne Water in determining the priorities for rehabilitation of rivers and creeks. The following information outlines Melbourne Water’s compliance with the State environment protection policy (SEPP) from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008 and the results of our monitoring of rivers and creeks and performance in meeting EPA Victoria alerting requirements on problem spots in rivers and creeks.

Melbourne Water has been publishing water quality data regularly in our annual reports for several years. Data from our long-term monitoring program varies little over the years. Key features are:

Water quality varies considerably across the Port Phillip and Westernport Region. While some sites are in excellent condition, others will have very poor quality
Typically water quality reflects the catchment and, as such, tends to be poorer within urban rivers and creeks subject to excessive stormwater volumes and associated pollutants. For example, E.coli and nitrogen levels were higher than the SEPP standard in Watsons Creek at Dandenong-Hastings Road, Somerville most probably due to fertiliser run-off from market gardens upstream. On the other hand, rivers and creeks flowing through forested catchments within the region tend to have very good water quality.
Many sites do not currently meet SEPP objectives, although waterway and catchment management aims to achieve them over the life of the Policy. Such activities include the treatment of urban stormwater through Water Sensitive Urban Design and uptake of environmental best practice land management in rural areas, and through the investigation and mitigation of point sources of pollution
Currently Melbourne Water, in conjunction with a range of stakeholders (including EPA Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Department of Primary Industry, Department of Human Services, Municipal Association of Victoria and the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority) and part funding from the Department of Environment and Heritage, is developing a Water Quality Improvement Plan for the Port Phillip and Westernport catchments. This plan will provide important direction for the ongoing improvement and protection of water quality in the region.

Please note: the following tables refer to the monitoring sites depicted in the map. Each monitoring site is shown in the relevant SEPP segment. Site numbers differ from previous years reporting as new monitoring sites covering our expanded are have been established.

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Rivers and creeks water quality monitoring results

The following tables show results from the river and creek monitoring sites with the relevant State environmental protection policy objective described at the top of each section. A cell coloured green indicates compliance with State environmental protection policy and a red cell indicates non-compliance. These objectives vary between different State environmental protection policies and also between segments within each State environmental protection policy. The map on the previous page shows site locations.

Waters of Yarra

#	Waterway	EC 75%	DO% min	pH min	pH max	E Coli Geomean	Turb 50%	TSS 50%	TSS 90%	TP max	TN max	Pb max	Zn max
Rural Eastern Waters			80	6	8.5	200	15	20	40	0.05	0.6	0.0034	0.008
34	Arthurs Creek at Hurstbridge-Arthurs Creek Road, Hurstbridge	505	14	6.6	8.3	65	24	10	24	0.17	2.433	0.003	0.027
14	Cockatoo Creek at Tschampions Road, Macclesfield	160	30	5.9	8.2	33	18	5	15.6	0.051	2.099	0.001	0.01
20	Coranderrk Creek	130	28.1	6.7	8.3	81	3	2	8.2	0.064	0.984	0.001	0.011
33	Diamond Creek at Strathewan Road, Cottlesbridge	812.5	14	6.6	8.3	32	13	8	15.9	0.17	3.714	0.002	0.019
13	Hoddles Creek	154	25	6.2	8.6	198	15	4	9.6	0.032	1.448	0.005	0.02
12	Little Yarra River at Corduroy Road, Yarra Junction	85	29	5.8	8.1	279	16	10	16.4	0.036	1.857	0.003	0.012
16	McCrae Creek	130	26	5.4	8.2	300	24	10	14.8	0.03	1.546	0.003	0.016
21	New Chum Creek	130	25.7	6.5	8.2	66	14	5	10	0.048	2.73	0.002	0.013
23	Pauls Creek	1250	21.9	6.7	7.3	137	22	12	30.6	0.19	3.322	0.008	0.046
15	Shepherd Creek	130	26	5.7	8.2	330	19	8	12	0.04	1.858	0.007	0.023
24	Steels Creek at Yarra Glen-Healesville Road, Yarra Glen	710	25.7	6.2	7.8	32	27	11	15.6	0.073	2.14	0.002	0.018
25	Stringybark Creek at Melba Highway, Yering	630	32.6	6.6	8.1	100	12	6	19.6	0.28	1.777	0.001	0.029
19	Wandin Yallock Creek at Killara Road, Gruyere	680	31	6.9	8.2	75	11	6	9.6	0.069	2.747	0.001	0.011
29	Watsons Creek at Henley Road, Kangaroo Road	1415	30	7.1	8.6	31	5	3.5	16.7	0.14	2.343	0.002	0.033
17	Woori Yallock Creek at Macclesfield-Woori Yallock Road, Yellingbo	150	25	5.9	7.4	124	16	6	9.8	0.038	2.508	0.002	0.013
18	Woori Yallock Creek at Warburton Highway, Woori Yallock	175	33	5.9	8.6	132	17	6	9.6	0.35	2.02	0.001	0.019
22	Watts River at Healesville-Kinglake Road, Healesville	120	19.7	6.6	8.2	295	11	8	55.6	2.2	1.578	0.008	0.046
1	Yarra River at McKenzie-King Drive, Millgrove	56	29	6.6	7.9	160	7	3	4	0.019	0.837	0.002	0.017
2	Yarra River at Don Road, Launching Place	64	29	5.8	8.2	194	7	5	7	0.019	1.057	0.002	0.011
3	Yarra River at Maroondah Hwy, Healesville	110	44.4	6.4	8.8	206	11	8	11.8	0.036	1.296	0.001	0.012
4	Yarra River at Spadonis Reserve, Coldstream	157	46.9	7.1	7.9	162	13	10	19.6	0.06	1.487	0.001	0.009
Rural Western Waters			60	6	8.5	200	25	25	90	0.05	0.6	0.0034	0.008
37	Bruces Creek	292.5	13	6.7	8.4	67	13	8.5	29.8	0.37	2.249	0.003	0.16
42	Merri Creek at Summerhill Road, Craigieburn	4450	22	6.9	8.5	43	10.5	10	21.6	0.14	2.011	0.0025	0.037
38	Plenty River at Kurrak Road, South Morang	1100	27	6.8	7.9	41	12.5	8	20	0.13	1.866	0.002	0.025
Upper Estaury			60	6.5	8.5	200	30	50	90			0.0034	0.008
7	Yarra River at Princes Bridge, Melbourne	25850	50	6.8	8.4	217	8	19	75.2	0.14	1.427	0.01	0.2
Urban Waters			60	6	8.5	200	25	25	90	0.1	1	0.0034	0.008
31	Andersons Creek at Everard Drive, Warrandyte	880	30	7	7.9	266	10.5	9.5	17.6	0.31	4.771	0.006	0.038
28	Brushy Creek at Lower Homestead Road, Wonga Park	680	34.9	6.9	7.7	421	24	16	22	0.43	9.64	0.003	0.073
41	Darebin Creek at Clark Road, Alphington	1025	35	6.8	8.6	360	7.5	4	19.5	0.24	1.85	0.016	0.19
35	Diamond Creek at Main Road, Eltham	471.75	28	7	8.3	351	32.5	22.5	54.7	0.26	2.518	0.006	0.11
43	Edgars Creek	705	23	7.3	9.1	731	3.5	2	17	0.16	1.689	0.004	0.17
45	Scotchman Creek	467.5	60	7	10.9	513	12	7	52	0.18	2.57	0.016	0.16
47	Gardiners Creek at Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn	497.5	49	6.6	8.5	874	9.5	6	17.2	0.12	2.018	0.005	0.14
30	Jumping Creek at Jumping Creek Road, Wonga Park	1200	32.3	6.8	8.1	180	10	10	43	0.24	2.273	0.005	0.027
40	Koonung Creek at Bulleen Road, Bulleen	1025	28	7.1	8.3	573	12.5	14	36.7	0.33	2.318	0.008	0.11
44	Merri Creek at Roseneath Street, Yarra Bend	1100	38	6.8	9.1	105	6	4.5	9.8	0.17	1.626	0.005	0.12
48	Moonee Ponds Creek	1700	24	7.4	8.6	116	14	9	25.6	0.57	3.878	0.003	0.074
49	Moonee Ponds Creek at Racecourse Road, Flemington	2625	44	7.1	8.9	1086	9.5	10.5	18.5	0.12	3.9	0.003	0.09
32	Mullum Mullum Creek at Deep Creek Reserve, Warrandyte	492.5	28.5	7	8.2	400	27	18	33.2	0.57	4.49	0.004	0.057
26	Olinda Creek	177	21	6.5	7.9	218	16	7	10	0.066	2.22	0.002	0.031
27	Olinda Creek at MacIntyre Lane, Coldstream	723	31	7	8	311	12	8	16.4	0.23	3.867	0.002	0.026
39	Plenty River at Henty Road, Lower Plenty	902.5	26	7	8.5	288	23	17	27.3	0.16	2.214	0.005	0.043
36	Ruffey Creek at Parker Street, Templestowe	1275	37	7.1	8.6	491	12.5	3.5	17.2	0.2	2.631	0.003	0.066
46	Gardiners Creek at High Street Rd	792.5	33	7.3	9	346	11	5	18.9	0.11	1.82	0.006	0.14
5	Yarra River at Kangaroo Ground-Warrandyte Road, Warrandyte	165.5	57.2	7	8.6	61	11.5	7.5	14.9	0.059	2.405	0.001	0.015
6	Yarra River at Chandler Hwy, Kew	245	31	6.7	8.9	149	28	24.5	33.8	0.11	1.833	0.004	0.033
Parks and Forests			85	6.5	8.5	200	5	5	10	0.03	0.2	0.0034	0.008
11	Big Pats Creek		29	6.3	7.8	39	6	3	7.6	0.017	0.765	0.0005	0.014
8	McMahons Creek		30	6.2	7.7	77	7	3	5	0.035	0.727	0.012	0.016
10	O'Shannassy River		31	5.4	7.3	38	4	1	2.6	0.14	2.405	0.002	0.018
9	Starvation Creek		29	6	7.9	52	7	2	4	0.014	0.626	0.002	0.014

Waters of Victoria

#	Waterway	EC 75%	DO% min	pH min	pH max	E Coli Geomean	Turb 50%	TSS 50%	TSS 90%	TP max	TN max	Pb max	Zn max
Cleared Hills & Coastal Plains Werribee / Maribyrnong		1500				150						0.0034	0.008
118	Arundel Creek	3150	38	7.3	8.2	79	10	5	9	0.16	2.696	0.0025	0.22
113	Barringo Creek	190	44	6.8	8.4	29	4	1	68.4	0.065	0.491	0.001	0.016
106	Deep Creek	925	30	6.8	9.4	29	10.5	7.5	66.8	0.34	4.227	0.001	0.013
107	Deep Creek	1425	30	6.6	8.1	71	7	6.5	22.6	0.079	2.725	0.002	0.012
108	Deep Creek	1950	40	7.1	9	72	17.5	8	42	0.31	3.106	0.0025	0.056
115	Jacksons Creek	1100	35	6.9	7.8	39	7.5	3	9.4	0.14	4.816	0.003	0.018
116	Jacksons Creek	1200	43	7.3	9	80	29.5	12	30.6	0.071	3.523	0.003	0.015
117	Jacksons Creek	1215	30	7	8.4	82	12	5	41	0.27	3.089	0.004	0.023
109	Maribyrnong River	2050	30	7.2	8.7	34	7.5	6.5	23.8	0.26	2.165	0.0025	0.11
110	Maribyrnong River at Brimbank Park Ford (upstream Taylors Creek), Keilor	1925	45	6.8	8.1	79	10.5	12	42	0.14	2.136	0.002	0.015
111	Maribyrnong River at Canning Street Ford, Avondale Heights	2250	39	7.1	8.3	98	12	16	35.6	0.12	4.798	0.003	0.016
112	Maribyrnong River at end of Newsom St. Ascot Vale West	47175	54	7.2	8.4	34	9.5	35	57.4	0.2	1.537	0.01	0.07
114	Riddells Creek	972.5	20	7	8.3	40	5	4	10.9	0.056	5.067	0.0005	0.028
120	Steele Creek at Rose Avenue, Niddrie	1532.5	52	7	9.1	288	4	2	13.1	0.079	1.314	0.003	0.13
121	Stony Creek at Bena Street, Yarraville	644.25	54	7.1	9.4	416	9.5	6	11	4	17.42	0.005	0.3
119	Taylors Creek	2527.5	45	7.1	8.1	203	12	13	29.1	0.18	2.371	0.004	0.084
124	Cherry MD	1272.5	21	7	8.3	64	5.5	4	13.6	2.4	2.844	0.003	0.1
122	Kororoit Creek at Millbank Drive, Deer Park	2162.5	31	7.2	9.6	159	7.5	4.5	9.8	0.12	1.514	0.019	0.025
123	Kororoit Creek at Racecourse Road Ford, Altona	20750	30	7.2	8.6	90	16	40	49.3	0.31	2.443	0.012	0.1
125	Laverton Creek	945	21	6.8	8.2	131	23.5	25	38.2	0.32	2.722	0.006	0.082
132	Lerderderg River	265	30	7	8.3	23	8	4	14	0.11	3.0025	0.001	0.009
133	Lerderderg River	722.5	25	7	8.8	31	12.5	7.5	15.5	0.048	0.847	0.001	0.024
136	Little River	8302.5	36	7.6	8.5	33	7	5.5	7.9	0.094	2.122	0.0025	0.021
135	Lollypop Creek	302.5	35	7.7	9.3	340	65	46	107.8	0.23	1.923	0.013	0.14
131	Parwan Creek	9172.5	41	7.2	8.3	37	46.5	53	79.5	0.24	2.25	0.036	0.18
126	Skeleton Creek at Ayr Street, Laverton	4840	13	6.7	8.1	264	15	17.5	21	0.17	1.2075	0.0025	0.055
134	Yangardook Creek	172.5	25	6.9	8.6	70	19.5	15	22.6	0.41	1.705	0.005	0.046
127	Werribee River	645	28	6.8	8.3	27	8	4.5	6.9	0.074	1.306	0.0005	0.016
128	Werribee River	2672.5	38	7.3	8.1	86	15	13	22.7	0.079	1.128	0.001	0.011
129	Werribee River	2830	39	7.4	8.6	199	14.5	15.5	26.9	0.069	1.19	0.004	0.02
130	Werribee River	2725	59	7.5	8.4	166	12	10	77.4	0.26	2.223	0.006	0.088
Cleared Hills & Coastal Plains Westernport		500				150						0.0034	0.008
55	Blind Creek	700	17	6.8	8.1	529	21	11	27.4	0.34	3.464	0.009	0.18
65	Boggy Creek	1700	7	7.3	9	634	20	18	51	1.8	11.113	0.006	0.086
58	Corhanwarrabul Creek at Wellington Road, Rowville	1025	22	6.9	8.4	327	22	12	14.9	0.18	2.671	0.006	0.16
54	Croydon MD	871.5	20	6.4	8.4	525	16.5	7.5	18.1	0.15	4.693	0.004	0.22
51	Dandenong Creek at Boronia Road, Wantirna	468.75	23	6.6	9.1	287	16.5	6	18.6	0.16	4.03	0.004	0.18
52	Dandenong Creek at Stud Road, Dandenong North	436.25	22	7	8.4	263	34	20	23.9	0.3	3.219	0.004	0.1
53	Dandenong Creek at Pillars Crossing, Dandenong South	690	24	6.9	8.7	174	51.5	33	50.5	0.15	2.109	0.007	0.14
66	Elster Creek at Cochrane Street, Elwood	743	55	6.8	10.3	567	11.5	6	19.1	0.19	2.824	0.01	0.39
63	Eumemmerring Creek at Worsley Road, Bangholme	800	23	6.7	8.3	182	26	12.5	19.9	0.2	3.013	0.003	0.057
57	Ferny Creek	412.75	23	6.8	8.3	234	22	13	24	0.12	2.973	0.003	0.068
62	Hallam Main Drain at South Gippsland Highway, Hampton Park	1085	22	6.8	8.2	135	15	9.5	21.3	0.11	2.878	0.003	0.21
61	Heatherton Drain	351	61	7.2	9.3	232	9	10	19.4	0.54	1.809	0.007	0.55
67	Kananook Creek at Wells Street, Frankston	53500	44	6.2	8.4	138	5	43	65.7	0.16	1.232	0.01	0.11
59	Mile Creek at Cheltenham Road, Keysborough	1900	58	7.1	8.4	404	9.5	5	15.8	0.34	2.697	0.004	0.33
56	Monbulk Creek	349	20	7	8.6	281	29	12	20	0.11	2.723	0.003	0.046
60	Mordialloc Creek at Wells Road, Mordialloc	12200	46	6.8	8.5	213	24	40.5	50.2	0.48	2.096	0.01	0.24
64	National Water Sports Centre outlet, Bangholme	552.5	46	7.2	8.6	73	51.5	31.5	62.4	0.22	2.398	0.008	0.14
70	Balcombe Creek at footbridge off Uralla Drive, Mt Martha	1900	38	6.1	8.1	158	9	11.5	35.3	0.17	2.317	0.002	0.033
72	Chinamans Creek at Eastborne Road, Rosebud West	1625	20	6.4	8	205	4.5	4	9.8	0.46	12.9	0.002	0.075
71	Dunns Creek at Marine Drive, Safety Beach	4300	41	6	8.1	306	7.5	8.5	34.7	0.22	4.226	0.01	0.032
69	Kackeraboite Creek	2800	23	6.1	8.2	258	7	7	15.8	0.13	1.575	0.005	0.07
73	Main Creek at Boneo Road, Flinders	2300	54	6.3	8.3	89	6	8	117.2	0.47	2.904	0.002	0.015
68	Sweetwater Creek	2000	29	6.2	8.7	604	9	9	31.1	0.7	3.462	0.003	0.22
Forest - A		100				150						0.001	0.0024
50	Dandenong Creek at Sheffield Road, Doongalla Forest	160.5	22	6.8	7.8	36	11	4	46	0.026	1.674	0.001	0.011

Waters of Western Port Bay & Catchment

#	Waterway	EC 75%	DO% min	pH min	pH max	E Coli Geomean	Turb 50%	TSS 50%	TSS 90%	TP max	TN max	Pb max	Zn max
Lowlands & Phillip Island			80	6.5	9	200	15	20		0.05	0.6	0.0034	0.008
91	Bunyip River at Healesville Koo-Wee-Rup Road, Koo-Wee-Rup	920	20	5.7	8	26	28	12	56.4	0.59	3.1035	0.002	0.033
81	Cardinia Creek at Ballarto Road, Cardinia	393.25	65	6.5	10	141	20	13.5	37.8	0.12	1.937	0.002	0.021
84	Deep Creek at Ballarto Road, Rythdale	995	30	6.8	7.8	156	70	51	76	1.8	3.632	0.003	0.038
85	Lower Gum Scrub Creek	884.25	64	7	8.2	40	12.5	7	7.8	0.3	3.646	0.001	0.014
83	Toomuc Creek at Ballarto Road, Rythdale	720	36	6.4	8.2	159	21.5	12	79.3	0.68	2.618	0.004	0.032
76	Warrangine Creek at Frankston-Flinders Road, Hastings	2350	43	6.3	8.3	157	16	8.5	36.2	0.15	16.016	0.007	0.053
74	Watsons Creek at Dandenong-Hastings Road, Somerville	4175	18	6.2	7.6	357	18.5	17	67.5	5.8	263.46	0.006	0.088
79	Wylies Drain	1895	54	7.1	8.1	23	10	7	19	2.1	42.946	0.0005	0.019
98	Yallock Outfall at South Gippsland Highway, Monomeith	8800	21	6.5	7.9	209	62.5	76	568	9.8	10.464	0.04	0.07
Northern Hills			80	6.5	9	200	5	5		0.03	0.2	0.001	0.0024
88	Bunyip River at North Labertouche Road, Labertouche	110	67	6.4	8.1	59	8	9	32.9	0.042	0.998	0.002	0.01
89	Bunyip River d/s Cannibal Creek, Longwarry North	250	66	6.4	8.3	304	13	6.5	14	0.054	0.994	0.002	0.009
80	Cardinia Creek at Chadwick Road, Upper Beaconsfield	228	55	6.6	8.4	61	7.5	4	6.9	0.043	0.667	0.0005	0.02
92	Diamond Creek	281.5	21	6.1	8.5	60	12	4	33	0.1	2.158	0.001	0.06
95	Labertouche Creek	602.5	55	6.6	7.7	194	10	5	7.4	0.34	1.785	0.001	0.018
94	Tarago River at Morrisons Road, Labertouche	455	8	6.9	8.4	355	8	4	6	0.052	1.357	0.006	0.53
82	Toomuc Creek at Princes Highway, Pakenham	552	42	6.8	8.1	160	8	6	15.8	0.11	1.478	0.002	0.068
93	Upper Tarago River	102.5	8	6.5	8	85	13	8	13.7	0.042	1.247	0.002	0.014
Peninsula			80	6.5	9	200	15	20		0.05	0.6	0.0034	0.008
77	Merricks Creek at Bridge Street, Merricks (Beach Road)	29000	29	6.2	8	152	11.5	42.5	55.8	0.28	5.105	0.01	0.05
75	Olivers Creek	3525	24	6.3	7.7	213	13.5	13.5	26.8	1.6	3.842	0.01	1.2
78	Stony Creek	3150	39	6.1	8.3	295	5.5	7	56.8	0.43	2.723	0.0025	0.027
South Eastern Rural			80	6.5	9	200	15	20		0.05	0.6	0.0034	0.008
86	Ararat Creek	703	43	6.8	8	150	26	8.5	28.3	0.13	1.73	0.003	0.041
103	Bass River	750	12	7	8.6	197	13	7	30.1	1.1	7.01	0.004	0.024
104	Bass River	1425	6	7	8.6	61	12	4.5	17.1	0.19	6.481	0.002	0.022
105	Bass River	37000	12	6.7	8.4	624	16.5	20	88.4	0.19	3.932	0.01	0.06
90	Bunyip River at Little Road, Iona	252.5	69	6.7	8.5	534	11	5.5	14.3	0.051	0.994	0.0005	0.01
96	King Parrot Creek	1300	44	7	8	287	38	20	60	0.96	6.211	0.002	0.029
100	Lang Lang River upstream Drouin-Poowong Road, Athlone	504.75	14	7	8.1	266	17.5	8	13.9	0.31	5.329	0.006	0.029
101	Lang Lang River at South Gippsland Highway, Lang Lang	710	42	6.7	8	278	20.5	13.5	93.2	0.2	6.436	0.003	0.016
87	McDonalds Drain	900	22	6.6	70	206	29	18	91.2	0.75	8.414	0.006	0.035
99	Minnieburn Creek	366	32	7	8.1	176	10.5	5.5	10.8	0.32	4.288	0.002	0.021
97	Musk Creek	1535	13	6.8	7.9	391	15	16.5	41.8	0.35	3.1025	0.002	0.018
102	Red Bluff Creek	3650	46	6.4	8.5	69	21.5	12	30	0.61	6.065	0.0025	0.022

Alerting EPA Victoria to problem spots in rivers and creeks

Alert levels are generally well above water quality objectives specified in relevant State environment protection policies, representing instances of particularly undesirable water quality. Melbourne Water is required to report all alert-level exceedances that occur within our operating area to EPA Victoria. The notifications identify sites that often experience poor water quality and also provide a mechanism for locating and mitigating chronic pollution problems.

During 2007/08, there were a total of 789 alert level exceedances reported to EPA Victoria, or approximately 3% of the analyses performed.

The key problem sites for the year included:

Watsons Creek at Dandenong-Hastings Road, Somerville, most probably due to fertiliser run-off from market gardens upstream

Stony Creek at Bena Street, Yarraville, due to the highly urbanised and industrial catchment of Stony Creek.
Brushy Creek at Lower Homestead Road Bridge, Wonga Park, most probably associated with upstream wastewater treatment plant discharges.

The following table shows how alert level exceedances have varied over the past five years.

Year	Alert level exceedances
2000/01	511
2001/02	246
2002/03	343
2003/04	395
2004/05	431
2005/06	348
2006/07	387
2007/08	959*