Environmental issues

Water

Ballina Shire Council

Ocean beaches: Seven Mile, Shelly. Freshwater lake: Lake Ainsworth. Estuaries: Shaws Bay,
The Serpentine. For details see 08472Ballina.pdf, 302 KB.

Local government area description

Ballina Shire is located on the New South Wales Far North Coast and covers an area of 487 square kilometres. Its coastal waters extend from Seven Mile Beach in the north to Wardell in the south.

Land use is predominantly rural, with more than 80 square kilometres of rural land along the coast. The main commercial activities are agriculture, tourism and fishing, with a growing sector of primary goods production.

Approximately 42 000 people live in the Shire and the population is growing at three per cent each year. In 2000 there were approximately 1.9 million visitors to the area and approximately half participated in outdoor recreational activities.

The major towns in the region are Ballina, Lennox Head, Alstonville, Wollongbar and Wardell. Two significant tributaries to the Richmond River in the Shire are Emigrant Creek and North Creek, both of which enter the estuary at Ballina (Ballina Shire Council 2004).

Program outline

Ballina Shire Council monitored nine locations over the 2007–2008 summer swimming season. These were the ocean beaches of Seven Mile and Shelly, three sites in Lake Ainsworth, one site at The Serpentine and three sites in Shaws Bay. For details see 08472Ballina.pdf, 302 KB.

All locations have been monitored since summer 2002–2003. These results have previously been reported in State of the Beaches reports for these years (DEC 2004b, 2004c, 2006a, 2006b, DECC 2007).

Monitoring in the Shire was conducted during the four busiest months of the summer swimming season: November, December, January and February. Faecal coliform and enterococci samples were collected to assess compliance with the NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines.

More intensive sampling was conducted in January in response to extensive flooding along the Richmond River. Although eight samples were collected, only five data points were required to calculate compliance. Data collected on consecutive days were not included in the calculations.

It should be noted that the five samples necessary to calculate compliance were not collected in all months. Where only four samples were collected, the closest sample in time from an adjacent month was ’borrowed’ in order to provide the five data points required.

Ballina Council publishes ‘star ratings’ in The Advocate, and also issues regular media releases during the summer swimming season.

Rainfall

Rainfall data presented in the timeseries plots were obtained from the Bureau of Meteorology’s gauge at Ballina Airport.

Actions to improve water quality

Ballina Council has been undertaking works to improve the stormwater system. Gross pollutant traps have been installed at the stormwater outlets at Shaws Bay, Seven Mile Beach and Lighthouse Beach (which adjoins Shelley Beach). Council is also in the process of installing a further six gross pollutant traps on the main stormwater discharge points along Seven Mile Beach at Lennox Head. In addition, Council continues to ensure that new developments consider and apply water-sensitive urban design principles for stormwater quality and quantity.

Ocean beaches

Guideline compliance assessment

Seven Mile and Shelly beaches complied with the NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines in three of the four months monitored over the 2007–2008 summer season. Both beaches failed the guidelines in January 2008 owing to elevated levels of enterococci associated with a major flooding event in the region (Figure 2). For details see 08472Ballina.pdf, 302 KB.

High levels of compliance were recorded at these beaches over the last four summer seasons (DEC 2004b, 2004c, 2006a, 2006b and DECC 2007).

Figure 2: Summary of compliance with NHMRC (1990) microbiological guidelines for swimming at Ballina Shire Council swimming sites during the 2007–2008 summer swimming season

Graph -

Response to rainfall

The levels of indicator bacteria measured at Seven Mile Beach and Shelly Beach over this summer swimming season were generally low, with elevated enterococci levels recorded in response to heavy rainfall in January 2008.

Results from previous monitoring show generally low bacterial levels, with little response to rainfall and little evidence of sewage contamination at these sites (DEC 2004b, 2004c, 2006a and 2006b and DECC 2007).

Lake Ainsworth

Guideline compliance assessment

Levels of faecal coliforms and enterococci were measured in the southern corner and in the east and west of Lake Ainsworth. For details see 08472Ballina.pdf, 302 KB.

The southern corner of Lake Ainsworth complied with the NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines in all months sampled. Lake Ainsworth West failed the guidelines in December 2007 and Lake Ainsworth East failed swimming water quality guidelines in January 2008. Both sites failed because of elevated levels of enterococci.

Response to rainfall

Elevated levels of enterococci were measured at all three Lake Ainsworth sites in response to heavy rainfall.

The Serpentine

Guideline compliance assessment

The Serpentine is a popular swimming location situated in a tributary of the Richmond River. The site passed NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines in November 2007, December 2007 and February 2008. The site failed to comply with guidelines in January 2008 owing to elevated levels of enterococci associated with major flooding in the area. For details see 08472Ballina.pdf, 302 KB.

This site consistently complied with swimming guidelines during the previous four summer seasons (DEC 2004b, 2004c, 2006a, 2006b and DECC 2007).

Response to rainfall

Slightly elevated levels of indicator bacteria were measured at The Serpentine on several occasions following heavy rainfall.

Wet weather data collected between October 2002 and July 2003 indicated that swimming in The Serpentine should be avoided during, and for three days following, heavy rainfall (DEC 2004b).

Shaws Bay

Guideline compliance assessment

Shaws Bay is located at the mouth of the Richmond River. Three locations were monitored: the north, east and west sides of the bay. For details see 08472Ballina.pdf, 302 KB.

Shaws Bay East and Shaws Bay North complied with the NHMRC (1990) swimming guidelines in November 2007, December 2007 and February 2008. Both sites failed in January 2008 owing to elevated levels of enterococci associated with major flooding along the Richmond River. Shaws Bay West failed to comply with guidelines in January and February 2008.

High levels of compliance were recorded at these sites over the previous four summer seasons (DEC 2004b, 2004c, 2006a, 2006b and DECC 2007).

Response to rainfall

Faecal coliform levels at all three locations were generally low during dry weather conditions, with slightly elevated results recorded on a number of occasions, generally in response to rainfall.

Levels of enterococci at Shaws Bay East and Shaws Bay North occasionally exceeded the geometric mean guideline value in response to rainfall. Enterococci levels at Shaws Bay West exceeded the geometric mean guideline value more frequently than the other two sites, with most elevated readings in response to rainfall.

Wet weather monitoring between October 2002 and July 2003 indicated that elevated bacterial levels are present in the bay for up to two days following heavy rainfall (DEC 2004b). Swimming in the bay should be avoided during, and for at least 48 hours following, heavy rainfall.

Page last updated: 26 February 2011