National Estuaries Network meeting
The National Estuaries Network (NEN) Science Symposium was held at the EPA on 22 May, for more than 40 representatives from across Australia.
This event was jointly hosted by the EPA and Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR).
Throughout the day, there were a number of discussions and presentations by EPA staff. Principal Scientific Officer Marine Sam Gaylard spoke about ‘Monitoring South Australian Estuaries: what and why?’ and Senior Scientific Officer Shaun Thomas addressed the question of ‘Contaminants in estuarine fish: where do we go from here?’
There were also presentations on the Port Waterways Water Quality Improvement Plan and the Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan (ACWQIP), with discussions focused on seagrass restoration both in SA and interstate.
The EPA project Catchment to Coast Focus for Water Quality Improvement Across Urban Adelaide funded and supported by Australian Government Caring for Our Country, was also highlighted at the NEN meeting. The project forms part of the ACWQIP implementation and informs people on actions that can be taken to improve the condition of water quality in our urban waterways and along Adelaide’s coast. The EPA will continue to keep the NEN updated on the progress of this project at their regular six-monthly meetings.
SA Water Team Leader Source Water and Environment Research Tim Kildea presented on the unique conditions of Gulf St Vincent as an inverse estuary while another presentation covered the conditions of Spencer Gulf.
