Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program    Program Components   Event-based Monitoring

The event monitoring program is a specific task under the EHMP that will support both the fresh- water and estuarine/marine EHMP components and provide important data for the calibration of our estuarine and catchment models. While the EHMP in general is an ambient monitoring program, assessing water quality during base flow conditions, the event-based program will provide information on the potential pollutant loads and impacts associated with sediment and nutrients sourced from non-urban catchment areas during "wet" periods (i.e. during/following significant rainfall events). Data from this pro- gram will also be used to provide information on catchment land use change and performance benchmarks for the assessment of catchment remediation measures such as riparian rehabilitation works. The program's objectives are to: Better characterise the quantity and quality of different diffuse sourced pollutant concentrations during runoff (storm) events Adjust and validate the event mean pollutant concentration values used in catchment models and provide locally specific data for parameters of concern that have not been quantified as yet Provide performance benchmarks against which the effectiveness of planned catchment remediation measures can (eventually) be assessed  (202KB)