Canebrake Pool has detailed River Health Assessment with DWER scientists, GeoCatch and community group

Popular Busselton camping spot Canebrake Pool was recently the subject of a detailed river health assessment by a team of Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) scientists. This process was billed as the “Life in our Waterways” experience, and was organised by GeoCatch and Nature Conservation Margaret River Region. As part of the experience a group of community members was invited to meet representatives from GeoCatch, along with the DWER scientists as they conducted a their assessment and tests at Canebrake Pool. Working with Tim Storer and his team from DWER’s River Science Department, the group was given an insight into the hidden wonders of Canebrake Pool. The results of the assessment revealed a diverse and thriving aquatic ecosystem. The team saw a wide range of aquatic fauna, from nightfish and pygmy perch, to a snake-necked south-western turtle and marron. Geographe resident and GeoCatch board member Annette Batley shared her enthusiasm for the event. “Exploring Canebrake Pool with the DWER scientists was a real eye-opener. Not only was it fascinating to see the range of species that are living right here in our own backyard, but it highlighted the passion that the DWER team have for protecting the waterways,” she said. DWER environmental officer Kelli O’Neill also gave participants a close look at the technology that is used to monitor the waterway, measuring water quality (with dissolved oxygen levels, salinity, and temperature) and discussing other river-condition indicators that are assessed like fringing vegetation. Steve Pursell from OzFish also attended the event and explained that the South West continued to dry and in the future, deepwater refuges such Canebrake would be vital habitats for healthy native fish populations. Through the Healthy Rivers program, more than 1000 assessment sites have been allocated across south-west WA, with repeated assessments undertaken over time. The work is vital in understanding how changes to our climate, including reductions in rainfall and increasing temperatures, can affect our river ecosystems and what can be done to best protect and improve their health and the communities the rivers support.