Ag Reporting
2018-19 agricultural use summary
For 2018-19, A and B grades were awarded to all catchments for agricultural use of water.
For stock water, Lower Isaac, Fitzroy, Theresa, Upper Dawson, Lower Dawson and Nogoa received A grades. and Callide, Comet, Connors, Mackenzie and Upper Isaac received B grades.
For crop water, Lower Isaac, Fitzroy, Theresa, Upper Dawson, Lower Dawson and Nogoa received A grades. and Callide, Comet, Connors, Mackenzie and Upper Isaac received B grades.
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
Poultry
Callide:
Site #2582 Site #1714 Site #1731 Site #1741Theresa:
Site #1781Upper Isaac:
Site #9802 Site #9804Dairy cattle
Callide:
Site #1714 Site #1731Beef cattle
Callide:
Site #1714 Site #1731Pigs
Callide:
Site #1714 Site #1731Horses
Callide:
Site #1714 Site #1731Implications
Selenium
Copper
Beef cattle
Callide:
Site #9550 Site #1714Dairy cattle
Callide:
Site #9550 Site #1714Pigs
Callide:
Site #1714Poultry
Callide:
Site #1714Implications
Aluminium
Callide:
Site #9550 Site #1714 Site #2522Comet:
Site #9724 Site #9889 Site #2766 Site #2767 Site #2768 Site #9843 Site #9847 Site #9849 Site #2479 Site #2485 Site #2487 Site #9797 Site #9840Connors:
Site #9100 Site #9900 Site #9220 Site #9212 Site #2403 Site #9905 Site #9898Theresa:
Site #9893 Site #9924 Site #9907 Site #9910 Site #9928 Site #9914 Site #2442 Site #2443 Site #9895 Site #9912 Site #9906Mackenzie:
Site #9187 Site #9301 Site #9281 Site #9375 Site #9249 Site #9379 Site #9818 Site #9714 Site #9251 Site #9727 Site #9305 Site #2598 Site #2607 Site #9830 Site #9859 Site #9278 Site #24 Site #33 Site #34 Site #64 Site #2059 Site #2061 Site #2062 Site #2392 Site #2446 Site #2480 Site #2481 Site #9718 Site #9892 Site #9795 Site #9717 Site #9419 Site #9794 Site #9194 Site #9713 Site #9720Lower Dawson:
Site #2602 Site #9735 Site #14 Site #18 Site #2394 Site #2572 Site #9737 Site #9742 Site #9736 Site #9738Upper Isaac:
Site #9806 Site #9853 Site #9877 Site #9834 Site #9862 Site #9817 Site #9810 Site #9199 Site #9574 Site #9819 Site #9835 Site #9870 Site #9803 Site #9573 Site #2782 Site #9864 Site #9802 Site #2585 Site #9804 Site #9831 Site #9812 Site #86 Site #93 Site #119 Site #120 Site #9800 Site #9675 Site #9195 Site #9808Implications
Cadmium
Fluoride
Zinc
Nitrate
Sulfate
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.