Trial work exploring clay-based products to reduce phosphorus concentrations and algal growth has been continuing in Mandurah’s Cox Bay North Lake this summer. We applied a phosphorus-binding clay product called hydrotalcite clay (HT-clay) to the lake in early November 2024. A few hours after the application, the phosphate concentrations in … Read More
Helping hands for seagrass in the Leschenault Estuary
A new collaborative citizen science project is giving a helping hand to Halophila, the main species of seagrass in the Leschenault Estuary. The seagrass science team from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (the department) have joined forces with the Leschenault Catchment Council, community volunteers, OzFish and The University … Read More
Exploring dairy effluent management systems for healthier estuaries
Our Dairy for Healthy Estuaries project recently hosted visits to two dairy farms. Planning and environmental health officers from local governments visited the farms to observe best practice in the protection of waterways. Project officer Niamh Rayne says that best-practice effluent management on dairy farms helps to protect downstream waterways … Read More
Community estuary forums celebrate project success
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s Healthy Estuaries WA team, along with partner catchment groups, is inviting community members to estuary forum events scheduled for October and November 2024. Jennifer Stritzke, Healthy Estuaries WA coordinator, shared that these events will feature updates on the latest scientific findings from estuary … Read More
New resources for horticulture industry in the Peel-Harvey estuary catchment
With support from the State Government’s Bindjareb Djilba (Peel-Harvey estuary) Protection Plan, project partner PHCC has recently published resources for future horticulture developments in the Peel-Harvey coastal catchment. Horticulture is an important industry in the Peel region, with it and the greater food production sector projected to grow and diversify in … Read More
Loving the Lesch
Over 1000 people joined Leschenault Catchment Council on Sunday 19 May at the first ever Love the Lesch Festival in Australind. Visitors helped build possum hides, learnt how to improve their soil health and met three different species of black cockatoos. Staff from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation … Read More
Clay trial reduces phosphorus to prevent algal growth
Recent trials of phosphorus-binding clay in the Peel–Harvey estuary catchment have successfully reduced the amount of phosphorus available for algal growth.
Sowing new solutions for seagrass
This World Seagrass Day, seagrass scientists from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (the department) are not only celebrating successful Healthy Estuaries WA summer seagrass surveys in three estuaries, but also sowing the seeds of a new collaboration. ‘Seagrass for Swimmers’ is a new initiative between the department, OzFish … Read More
Shedding light on Nullaki seagrass
Scientists from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation took to the water and sky to monitor seagrass in Nullaki (Wilson Inlet) last month. Caitlyn O’Dea, Environmental Officer from the department’s Aquatic Science Branch, is part of a team that monitors seagrass in estuaries across south-west Western Australia each summer. … Read More
Farmers across south-west WA are soil test ready
We have had a record turnout at the DIY (do-it-yourself) soil sampling workshops held in eight catchments across south-west Western Australia (WA) this November. A total of nine training sessions brought together 190 landholders to learn how to gather soil samples from their own paddocks. This year, for the first … Read More