Ag Reporting
2015-16 agricultural use summary
For 2015-16, A and B grades were awarded to all catchments for agricultural use of water.
For stock water, Connors, Lower Isaac, Fitzroy, Theresa, Lower Dawson and Nogoa received A grades. and Callide, Comet, Mackenzie, Upper Dawson and Upper Isaac received B grades.
For crop water, all catchments received A grades, except for Callide, Comet and Upper Isaac which received a B grade.
Overview
Suitability for Stock
Summary of water quality results from creeks, rivers or on-stream storages compared to water quality thresholds for stock.
| Catchment | Grade |
|---|---|
| Callide |  |
| Comet | |
| Connors |  |
| Lower Isaac | |
| Fitzroy | |
| Theresa | |
| Mackenzie | |
| Upper Dawson | |
| Lower Dawson | |
| Nogoa | |
| Upper Isaac | |
Exceedances
Electrical Conductivity
Beef cattle
Callide:
Site #2701 Site #1714 Site #1721 Site #1731 Site #1743Lower Dawson:
Site #9110 Site #9105 Site #9109 Site #9108Dairy cattle
Callide:
Site #2701 Site #2703 Site #1698 Site #1714 Site #1721 Site #1731 Site #1743Lower Dawson:
Site #9110 Site #9105 Site #9109 Site #9108Pigs
Callide:
Site #2701 Site #1714 Site #1731 Site #1743Lower Dawson:
Site #9110 Site #9105 Site #9109 Site #9108Horses
Callide:
Site #2701 Site #1714 Site #1731 Site #1743Lower Dawson:
Site #9110 Site #9105 Site #9109 Site #9108Poultry
Callide:
Site #2701 Site #2703 Site #1567 Site #1698 Site #1714 Site #1721 Site #1731 Site #1743Mackenzie:
Site #59Lower Dawson:
Site #9110 Site #9105 Site #9109 Site #9108Implications
Aluminium
Callide:
Site #2702 Site #2705 Site #2706 Site #2707 Site #2708 Site #2711 Site #2713 Site #2714 Site #2699 Site #9372 Site #2519Comet:
Site #2766 Site #2767 Site #2768 Site #2479 Site #2482 Site #2484 Site #2485 Site #2486 Site #2487Connors:
Site #9099 Site #2775 Site #2016 Site #2017 Site #2019 Site #2407Theresa:
Site #2442 Site #2443Mackenzie:
Site #9375 Site #9249 Site #9303 Site #9379 Site #9377 Site #9251 Site #2773 Site #2796 Site #32 Site #34 Site #64 Site #2048 Site #2061 Site #2062 Site #2225 Site #2232 Site #2397 Site #2399 Site #2400 Site #2446 Site #2491 Site #2492 Site #9396Upper Dawson:
Site #9340 Site #9142 Site #9141 Site #9145 Site #9144 Site #9146Lower Dawson:
Site #2594 Site #2595Upper Isaac:
Site #9197 Site #9380 Site #9198 Site #9381 Site #2754 Site #2781 Site #2782 Site #86 Site #88 Site #119 Site #137 Site #139 Site #140 Site #2299 Site #9083 Site #9154 Site #9391 Site #9195 Site #9388 Site #9392Implications
Sulfate
Lead
Data Availability
All available data from natural waters across the Fitzroy Basin was included in the report. However, this data is not collected specifically for monitoring the suitability for use as stock drinking water.Some catchments may have only several monitoring sites whereas stream water is used to water stock at thousands of sites across the Fitzroy Basin.
Warning
These reports are provided as a guide only and come with the following warnings:
- These reports are only a guide to provide an indication of the potential water quality for agricultural uses for particular catchments.
- Water quality can vary significantly, both between waterways and even along the same waterway. These results may not be reflective of water at a particular site of interest.
- These results relate to surface waters and not groundwater. The quality of underlying groundwater can vary significantly from surfacewaters
- Where poor water quality is suspected, specific water quality testing should be considered at an enterprise level to determine likely impact on production.
- Stock drinking water reports have been prepared by applying the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality. These guidelines are trigger values below which there should be minimal risk to animal health.
- These reports are based on third party data. Third parties may not be sampling for all of the indicators that are important in determining suitability of water for stock.
About stock drinking water reports
For more information see the FAQ's page
Stock drinking water reports have been prepared by applying Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality to data in the Fitzroy Partnership database. These results are then averaged and graded using the Stock Water Method.
What water is graded?
Unprocessed (raw) surface water in creeks, rivers or on-stream storages has been rated for its suitability for stock drinking water.
Have all water parameters that might affect production animals been included?
No. Many factors influence the suitability of water for livestock watering. Requirements may differ between animal species (generally tolerances decrease in the order sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, poultry), and between different stages of growth and animal condition. Only chemical characteristic that may affect animal health have been used. The Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality also include biological and radiological characteristics but there is insufficient data available in the Fitzroy Basin to include these parameters in the reports.
Unless stated, guidelines and implication information is drawn from the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, Volume 3, Primary Industries — Rationale and Background Information
References
- Australian Government. 2007. Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000). Australian Government PIMC – NRMMC. Online 17 October 2007. Cited: 16 June 2015.
- Balnave, D. 1993. Influence of saline drinking water on eggshell quality and formation. World's Poultry Science Journal, 49, pp 109-119. doi:10.1079/WPS19930009. Online. Cited 16 June 2015. World's Poultry Science Journal - Influence of saline drinking water on eggshell quality and formation - Cambridge Journals Online.
- Bioclyopedia 2012. Toxicity of Aluminium to Animals and Humans. Cited 16 June 2015. Source
- Department of Agriculture and Food 2007. Farmnote No. 249 – Livestock and Water Salinity. The State of Western Australia. Online. Cited 16 June 2015.
- Department of Environment and Resource Management. 2011. Salinity Management Handbook Second Edition. Brisbane: The State of Queensland. Online. Cited 16 June 2015.
- Hamlen H, Clark E, Janzen E. 1993. Polioencephalomalacia in cattle consuming water with elevated sodium sulfate levels: A herd investigation. The Canadian Veterinary Journal. 1993;34(3):153-158. Online. Cited 16 June 2015. Source.
- Linn, J. 2008. Impact of Minerals in Water on Dairy Cows. Online 12 November 2008. Cited 16 June 2015.
- Merry (1988), Cadmium Accumulations in Australia Agriculture (Editors J. Simpson and W. J. Curnow.) pp.62-79.
- NRC (National Research Council) 1980. Mineral tolerance of domestic animals. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, April 2014, Water for livestock: interpreting water quality tests Primefact 533, Second Edition Broken Hill. Online. Cited 16 June 2015.
- Pearce, B. 2006. Water Quality Salinity and Waterlogging; Presentation of the 14th Getting to Know Groundwater and Surface water workshop. Rockhampton : s.n., 2006.
- Underwood EJ 1977. Trace elements in human and animal nutrition. 4th edn, Academic Press Inc, New York.