Black Head Lagoon

Our water quality monitoring program has shown Black Head Lagoon to have very poor water quality. Find out more about the estuary and its unique features.

Black Head Lagoon is located on the mid-north coast of New South Wales at Black Head. It is classed as a creek, with an entrance intermittently open to the sea.

Estuary health and features

Water quality

As part of our water quality monitoring program we assess the water quality and ecosystem health of an estuary using a range of relevant indicators. We sample a subset of the estuaries located between the Queensland border and Taree every 3 years. The most recent sampling in Black Head Lagoon was completed over the 2018–19 summer when 2 sites were sampled on a monthly basis.

Black Head Lagoon water quality report card for algae and water clarity showing colour-coded ratings (red, orange, yellow, light green and dark green, which represent very poor, poor, fair, good and excellent, respectively). Algae is rated 'very poor' and water clarity is rated 'poor' giving an overall rating of 'very poor' or 'E'.

This report card represents 2 water quality indicators that we routinely measure: the amount of algae present and water clarity. Low levels of these 2 indicators equate with good water quality.

The report card shows the condition of the estuary was very poor with:

  • algae abundance graded very poor (E)
  • water clarity graded poor (D)
  • overall estuary health graded poor (E).

Find out more about our estuary report cards and what each grade means. Read our sampling, data analysis and reporting protocols and find out how we calculate these grades.

We have monitored water quality in the Black Head Lagoon since 2010. This table shows the water quality grades for this estuary over that time.

Black Head Lagoon historic water quality grades from 2008-09 for algae and water clarity. Colour-coded ratings (red, orange, yellow, light green and dark green represent very poor (E), poor (D), fair (C), good (B) and excellent (A), respectively).

Grades for algae, water clarity and overall are represented as:

  • A – excellent
  • B – good
  • C – fair
  • D – poor
  • E – very poor.

Physical characteristics

Estuary type: Creek

Entrance
location 		Latitude (ºS) –32.07
Longitude (ºE) 152.54
Catchment area (km2) 2
Estuary area (km2) 0.01
Estuary volume (ML) 1.4
Average depth (m) 0.2
Notes: km2 = square kilometres; m = metres; ML = megalitres.

Water depth and survey data

Bathymetric and coastal topography data for this estuary are available in our data portal.

Land use

The catchment of Black Head Lagoon has been heavily disturbed by urban development centred around the towns of Black Head and Hallidays Point. An area of bushland remains adjacent to the estuary, but most bushland has been cleared.

National and marine parks

  • No conservation areas are located within this catchment.
  • This estuary does not flow into a marine park.

Community involvement

  • Manning Coastcare Group is the umbrella organisation for a set of local volunteer groups, including a group based in Hallidays Point.
Black Head Lagoon

Local government management

Local councils manage estuaries within their area unless the estuary is attached to a marine park. MidCoast Council manage this estuary.