Noxious algal blooms and excessive growth of aquatic plants are symptoms of waterways that have undergone nutrient enrichment (eutrophication).  Algal blooms can impact drinking or stock water supplies and can result in loss of aesthetic or recreational value due to taste, odour, toxicity and clogging of filters and other irrigation equipment. They can also adversely affect aquatic ecology by causing fish kills and dissolved oxygen depletion.

 

Excessive growth of aquatic plants (macrophytes) can result in choking of waterways, with associated navigational problems as well as loss of aesthetic and recreational amenity. Dense growth of macrophytes can also alter the hydraulic efficiency of streams, resulting in backing up of water, bank erosion and loss of habitat for aquatic organisms.

 

We have either led or significantly contributed to the following projects:

 

• Nutrient Management Project: Lagoon of Islands.  

• Algal Bloom and Salinity Management: Nocton Park irrigation storage.

• Predictive Modelling of Algal Blooms in Proposed Storages: Tasmanian Irrigation Development Board.

• Wastewater Treatment Plant Compliance Monitoring Plan: Sandgate WWTP, Queensland.

• Water Quality in Drought Affected Hydropower Storages: Tasmanian hydropower system.

 

Algal blooms and aquatic weeds are a persistent challenge when managing aquatic ecosystems. Aquateco provides algal management strategies that reduce problems related to Eutrophication.