Transcript

Understanding how water flows in the catchment

To effectively manage a catchment it is important to have a collective understanding of how the catchment works. This map journal gathers information from experts and other data sources to provide that understanding.

The information was gathered using the ‘walking the landscape’ process, where experts systematically worked through a catchment in a facilitated workshop, to incorporate diverse knowledge on the landscape features and processes, both natural and human. It focussed on water flow and the key factors that affect water movement.

The map journal was prepared by the Queensland Wetlands Program in the Queensland Department of Environment and Science in collaboration with local partners.

Main photo. Mid reaches of the Albert River—provided by City of Gold Coast Council.

How to view this map journal

Please note that the use of the terms 'Catchment' and 'Basin' are sometimes used interchangeably. In this map journal the term 'Catchment' has been used.

Map journal for the Albert Catchment—water movement

This map journal describes the location, extent and values of the Albert catchment. It demonstrates the key features which influence water flow, including geology, topography, rainfall and runoff, natural features and human modifications and land uses.

Knowing how water moves in the landscape is fundamental to sustainably manage the catchment and the values it provides.

Moran's Falls, Green Mountain section of Lamington National Park—provided by ©Queensland Government.

Government

Albert Catchment Story

The Albert Catchment is located south of Brisbane with its headwaters in Lamington National Park McPherson Ranges. It falls within the Scenic Rim Regional, Logan City and City of Gold Coast council boundaries.

The catchment covers approximately 790 square kilometres (click for animation).

The main waterway is the Albert River with numerous smaller creeks flowing into it including Canungra, Cainbable, Kerry and Duck creeks.

The Albert River joins the Logan River near Beenleigh (11kilometres upstream of its mouth) and the Logan then flows to southern Moreton Bay. The Redland, Bremer and broader Brisbane catchments are located to the north, and the Gold Coast catchments are located to the east.

Values of the catchment

The Albert catchment contains many environmental, economic and social values.

The catchment includes the townships of Canungra and Tamborine and the urbanised areas of the lower catchment. The mid and lower reaches contain rural residential* areas (see legend), whereas the lower reaches also contain large areas of urban residential.

The catchment contains a number of protected areas.

Please note, there is a drop-down legend for most maps and it can be accessed by clicking on 'LEGEND' at the top right of the map. On this map you can use the drop down legend for the protected areas.

*Please note the rural residential areas shown include rural residential as well as other residential area types.

Values of the catchment—farming

The catchment has large areas of fertile soil derived from basalts and other geologies in the upper catchment. These soils support intensive grazing and cropping. Most of the grazing is on native pastures, however there are small areas of grazing on modified pastures.

The wide variety of farming in the catchment includes cattle grazing, dairy farming, irrigated cropping, turf farming, cane farming, hobby farming, plantation timber and aquaculture.

Farming in the Kerry Valley, upper Albert Catchment—provided by SEQ Catchments.

Values of the catchment—environmental and social

The area contains a number of protected areas, including Lamington and Tamborine national parks, and Wongawallen and Cedar Creek conservation areas. Lamington National Park is World Heritage Listed.

The wetlands and creeks of the catchment provide habitat for many important species. The Eagleby wetlands provide migratory bird habitat. The Lamington, Tamborine and Cedar Creek areas provide habitat for plants and fauna such as frogs, and the estuary supports protected marine plants.

Protected areas also provide recreational activities such as bush walking, bird watching and camping. These activities not only provide substantial social and health benefits but they are also very important for tourism. The Albert River also provides for fishing and kayaking.

Information about the different types of wetlands shown in this mapping is provided here and below.

Conceptual models of floodplain wetlands

Main photos. Camping in the Lamington national park (top left)—provided by ©Queensland Government. Eagleby Wetlands (top centre)—provided by Logan City Council. Marine plant communities (top right)—provided by City of Gold Coast. Duck Creek Road signage (middle left)—provided by SEQ Catchments. Tusked frog (centre)—provided by Department of Environment and Science. Photographers (bottom left), Elabana Falls (bottom centre) and large pink-barked brush box (bottom right) in Lamington National Park—provided by ©Queensland Government.

Natural features—geology and topography (upper catchment)

Approximately half of the catchment is underlain by basalt. Basalts usually enable high amounts of water infiltration and recharge the groundwater system, resulting in good quality water. These headwaters are also steep, which provides for fast run-off of surface waters.

Groundwater recharge is important as groundwater contributes to springs, surface water, wetlands and terrestrial vegetation year round.

In parts of the mid catchment, the basalt is thinner and has lower groundwater recharge potential.

Moran's Falls, Green Mountain section of Lamington National Park—provided by ©Queensland Government.

Natural features—geology and topography (mid and lower catchment)

In the mid catchment, sedimentary rocks are associated with undulating land forms.

There are large areas of relatively impermeable metamorphic rock in the lower catchment.

Runoff from the lower porosity rock areas flows into floodplain alluvium and this groundwater is held up by the underlying impervious rock. This groundwater supports wetlands and maintains stream flows

There are also small outcrops of impermeable geologies throughout the catchment.

These different rock types combine to make up the geology of the Albert Catchment.

Main photo. Undulating land forms of the mid Albert, looking from Tamborine—provided by SEQ Catchments.

Natural features—rainfall

The Albert catchment experiences very high average rainfall in the headwaters, with approximately 1,600 millimetres per year at O’Reilly. This very high rainfall combined with good recharge of groundwater associated with the predominant basalt results in near-permanent flow.

The rest of the catchment experiences high to moderate average rainfall, with the slopes and coastal areas receiving more rainfall than the low lying mid reaches.

These different rainfall levels combine to make up the rainfall of the Albert Catchment.

Natural features—vegetation

Vegetation affects how water flows through the catchment, and this process is affected by land use and management practices. Native vegetation slows water, retaining it longer in the landscape and recharging groundwater aquifers, and reducing the erosion potential and the loss of soil from the catchment.

Slopes cleared for farming in the Kerry Valley, with densely vegetated slopes in the background—provided by SEQ Catchments.

Natural features—pre-clearing vegetation

Historically, the hills of the catchment contained rainforest and scrub and wet eucalypt forest. Most of the catchment contained eucalypt open forest/woodland, and mangroves lined the lower reaches.

These different vegetation types combine to make up the preclearing vegetation of the Albert Catchment.

Rainforest and scrub of the headwaters, including large pink-barked brush box—provided by ©Queensland Government.

*Broad Vegetation Groups derived from Regional Ecosystems. Regional Ecosystems are vegetation communities in a bioregion that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil.

Modified features—vegetation and land use

The vegetation of the headwaters is largely intact. There are large areas of rainforest and scrubs and eucalypt vegetation across the upper catchment.

Much of the mid and lower catchment has been cleared for a range of rural land uses (particularly grazing and residential*), and sand and hard rock extraction**. However there are still relatively large areas of mangrove forest lining the lower reaches and eucalypt vegetation across the mid and lower catchment.

There are still large areas of conservation and natural environments, mostly on the slopes.

These different land use types combine to make up the land use of the Albert Catchment.***

Photo in panel: Grey-crown babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis temporalis) on farm fence post in the Kerry Valley—provided by SEQ Catchments

*Please note the rural residential areas shown include rural residential as well as other residential area types

**Please note sand and hard rock extraction shown are within KRA (Key Resource Areas) only. KRAs are identified locations containing important extractive resources of state or regional significance worthy of protection for future use. Some KRAs include existing extractive operations (see link at end of this map journal for more information)

***See links at end of this map journal for further details regarding land use classification.

Modified features—vegetation clearing

More than half the catchment has now been cleared. Some areas of vegetation have regrown since initial clearing, and there are relatively large areas of remnant and regrowth vegetation across the catchment.

Explore the Swipe map using either of the options below.*

• Interactive Swipe App where you can zoom into areas and use the swipe bar (ESRI version).
• Interactive Swipe App where you can use the swipe bar. Use the white bar at the bottom of the map for a comparison (HTML version).

These developments and activities change the shape of the landscape and can modify water flow patterns.

* Depending on your internet browser, you may experience issues with one or the other. Please note this application takes time to load.

Modified features—channels and infrastructure

Buildings and important infrastructure such as roads and creek crossings create impermeable surfaces and barriers that redirect water through single points or culverts, leading to channelling of water. This increases the rate of flow and the potential for erosion.

The lower reaches have been heavily developed and there are many impermeable surfaces.

Modifications to channels, such as straightening and diversions, can also increase flow rates.

Signage on the Duck Creek Road 4WD track, which extends from Duck Creek through the Kerry Valley to Lamington National Park and O'Reilly—provided by SEQ Catchments.

Signage on the Duck Creek Road 4WD track—provided by SEQ Catchments.

Main photos. Wooden bridge across the mid Albert (top)—provided by City of Gold Coast Council. Concrete ford in the Kerry Valley (bottom left)—provided by SEQ Catchments. Pacific Motorway crossing the lower Albert (bottom right)—provided by City of Gold Coast Council.

Modified features—dams and weirs

Dams and weirs can also modify the natural water flow patterns, by holding water and controlling the timing and quantity of releases.

The Albert River Weir (Luscombe Weir) is located 22 kilometres upstream of the confluence with the Logan River. Historically, it was Beenleigh’s water source. It is currently fitted with a fishway, which does not cater for most native species. The weir presents a barrier to fish migration during baseflow conditions, with migration during extreme flood conditions only.

The catchment also has numerous rural water storages and weirs, which also modify water flows.

Main photos. Looking across Luscombe weir (top left). Looking down Luscombe Weir and fishway (top right). Face of Luscombe Weir (bottom). All provided by City of Gold Coast Council.

Modified features—sediment

Increases in the volume and speed of runoff can increase erosion in the landscape and the stream channels, resulting in sediment being carried downstream and reduced water quality.

During the 2008 flood event, sub-surface erosion (channel bank) was the major sediment source for the lower Albert River.* During 2007, there was evidence of landslips in the Logan-Albert headwaters, including the Albert River right branch (see table).*** Landslips erode large areas of bank and increase sedimentation further downstream.

It is estimated that during the 2008 flood event, approximately 70 per cent of sediment in the Logan Estuary was derived from Lamington Group rocks, however less than 30 per cent of the Logan-Albert Catchment is underlain by these rocks.**

During the 2008 flood event, about 50 per cent of sediment in the Albert Catchment came from forest land use, as opposed to pasture or cultivated land.*

The high sediment loads from this geology compared to others across the catchment is the result of geographic variability of intense rainfalls across the catchment and other potential factors including the erosion potential of the soils and land use.

During the 2008 flood event, gauging sites in the headwater recorded up to 694 millimetres during five days. During the same period, rainfall was up to 162 millimetres in the mid catchment and up to 137 millimetres in the lower catchment (see table). Rainfall was also relatively high in the eastern headwaters of the Logan Catchment.****

Sedimentation in the Logan Estuary—provided by City of Gold Coast.

* Source: Hancock, G. and Revill, A. (2011) Land-use and erosion source discrimination of soil and carbon sources to the Logan and Albert rivers using Compound Specific Isotope Analysis. CSIRO Land and Water Science Report 2/1 (see links at the end of this map journal).

** Source: Hancock, G. and Caitcheon, G. (2010) Sediment sources and transport to the Logan-Albert River estuary during the January 2008 flood event. CSIRO: Water for a Healthy Country National Research Flagship (see links at the end of this map journal).

*** Source: Thompson, B. (2007) The distribution of erosion in the upper catchments of the Logan and Albert Rivers. Report prepared by Land Resource Assessment and Management Pty Ltd. for Logan and Albert Catchment Assoc. Inc. and SEQ Catchments (see links at the end of this map journal).

**** Source: BOM (2016) Climate Data Online [webpage] Accessed 24 August 2016 (see links at the end of this map journal).

Water quality

Water quality is influenced by runoff and point source inputs such as sewage treatment plants, septic tank seepage and stormwater discharge. There are sewage treatment plants at Canungra and Beenleigh.*

In 2015, Healthy Waterways graded the overall Environmental Condition Grade of the Albert Catchment as C-. Estuarine water quality was poor. High sediment and nutrient loads were being generated in freshwater reaches. **

Excerpt from Healthy Waterways report card (larger segment of pie chart indicates better score. See links at end of map journal for more information)

* The location of each sewage treatment plant is provided in the relevant subcatchment discussion.

** Healthy Waterways Albert Catchment Report Card (for current report see links at end of this map journal).

Water flow

Water flows across the landscape into streams and eventually into the Albert River (click to see animation).

The remaining water either sinks into the ground where it supports a variety of terrestrial and groundwater dependent ecosystems or is used for other purposes.

The restricted channels and gullies eventually flatten out to form waterways that meander across the floodplain. They pass through alluvial areas which store and release water, prolonging the time streams flow.

Elabana Falls with crayfish in foreground, Green Mountain section of Lamington National Park—provided by ©Queensland Government.

The subcatchments

A catchment is an area with a natural boundary (for example ridges, hills or mountains) where all surface water drains to a common channel to form rivers or creeks.*

Larger catchments are made up of smaller areas, sometimes called subcatchments.

The Albert catchment consists of large and small subcatchments.

The characteristics of each subcatchment are different, and therefore water will flow differently in each one.

*Definition sourced from the City of Gold Coast website (see links at the end of this map journal).

Upper Canungra Creek

Upper Canungra Creek flows through the Lamington National Park. These headwaters have near-permanent flow due to high to very high rainfall and good groundwater recharge associated with the underlying basalt.

There are occasional landslips, which erode large areas of bank and increase sedimentation further downstream. It is estimated that during the 2008 flood event, approximately 70 per cent of sediment in the Logan Estuary was derived from these Lamington Group rocks.*

This subcatchment provides habitat for protected species such as Fleay's barred-frog (Mixophyes fleayi), and the cascade tree frog (Litoria pearsoniana).

Fleay's barred-frog, which is known to inhabit permanent and semi-permanent freshwater streams, between 100-1000 metres in altitude, in rainforest and other forest communities of the McPherson Range and Mount Tamborine—provided by Department of Environment and Science.

* Source: Hancock, G. and Caitcheon, G. (2010) Sediment sources and transport to the Logan-Albert River estuary during the January 2008 flood event. CSIRO: Water for a Healthy Country National Research Flagship (see links at the end of this map journal).

Lower Canungra Creek

The lower Canungra Creek floodplain has been partially cleared for grazing, and water flow has been modified by rural water storages and weirs.

The Canungra water treatment plant (WTP) is located upstream of the Canungra township, with the sewage treatment plant (STP) located further downstream.

The water treatment plant supplies drinking water to the township, and draws water from Canungra Creek upstream of the township. Land use directly upstream includes farming (grazing on native pastures together with some cropping), the showgrounds and recreation area, and rural residential along Canungra Creek. At times these land uses can result in poor water quality that challenges the treatment capabilities of the plant.

The main street of Canungra—provided by Scenic Rim Regional Council.

Albert River main channel—upper

The upper Albert River is similar to upper Canungra Creek. It has its headwaters in Lamington National Park, high to very high rainfall, some near-permanent flow and good groundwater recharge, and the potential for landslips.

The lower lying parts of the upper Albert River (including Kerry and Cainbable creeks) are used for cropping on the alluvium along the river, and grazing.

Cleared banks of a small waterway in the Kerry Valley—provided by SEQ Catchments.

Albert River main channel—mid

The mid Albert River is less steep and receives lower rainfall than the headwaters. Much of the underlying geology is less porous, and there is more surface water run-off and potential for flooding.

The slopes are largely still vegetated and include several protected areas including Tamborine National Park and the Wongawallen and Cedar Creek conservation areas. Protected species within the area include the cascade tree frog, tusked frog (Adelotus brevis) and plant Belmont Zieria (Zieria furfuracea subsp. gymnocarpa).

The tusked frog is known to inhabit the Cedar Creek area—provided by Department of Environment and Science.

Albert River main channel—mid (low lying land)

Much of the vegetation on the low lying land of the mid Albert has been cleared for farming (grazing, cropping, dairy farming, hobby farms, turf farming and plantation timber), as well as rural residential and sand and hard rock extraction.

The condition of the stream has been impacted by clearing. Large areas of stream bank in the upper parts are eroded and weeds are common. The eroded sediment affects water quality, which is also impacted by contaminants in run-off from farms and septic tanks.

Some lower parts of the mid reaches have good riparian cover—provided by City of Gold Coast.

Albert River main channel—lower (land use)

Parts of the lower Albert are heavily developed, compared to the rest of the Albert catchment.

The lowest parts of the Albert Catchment support land uses not seen in other parts of the catchment, including high density urban residential, manufacturing and industry, sugar cane farming and a golf course. There is a sewage treatment plant at Beenleigh.

Golf course waterway and surrounds—provided by City of Gold Coast.

Main photo. Kayaks near Stanmore Road, Yatala—provided by Logan City Council.

Albert River main channel—lower (water flow)

The lower Albert is prone to flooding, due to increasing localised runoff from low porosity rocks, the large volume of runoff from the large catchment upstream, backing up of flood waters where the Albert meets the larger Logan River, and backing-up of tidal waters.

Runoff from the lower porosity rock areas flows into floodplain alluvium and this groundwater is held up by the underlying impervious rock. This groundwater maintains stream flows and supports wetlands such as Eagleby Wetlands. Eagleby Wetlands provide important habitat for migratory birds.

This information is presented for broad indicative purposes based on land forms and it does not indicate where flooding may occur. For detailed flooding maps see local council (links provided at the end of this map journal).

Logan Estuary

The Logan Estuary has poor water quality, including very high turbidity, high nutrient concentrations and low dissolved oxygen. The turbidity of the lower Albert River appears to be related to sediment inputs and tidal interactions with the lower Logan River.

The estuary supports prawn and fishing industry, and there are several aquaculture facilities on the banks of the Logan River near its mouth.

The estuary provides habitat for protected marine plants such as mangroves (e.g. the grey mangrove Avicennia marina), saltmarsh and seagrasses. Seagrass in the estuary has been lost due to sedimentation and resuspension (turbidity).

Logan Estuary conceptual model—provided by Healthy Waterways.

Conclusion

The Albert Catchment shows how natural and modified features within the landscape impact on how water flows. These issues need to be managed to ensure that the significant natural (and social) values of the catchment are protected, and to minimise impacts on the multitude of values within the catchment and downstream in the Logan Estuary and Moreton Bay.

Knowing how the catchment functions is also important for future planning, including climate resilience. With this knowledge, we can make better decisions about how we manage this vital area.

Main photos. Luscombe Weir (top left)—provided by City of Gold Coast. Eagleby Wetlands (top centre)—provided by Logan City Council. Canoeing near Stanmore Bridge (top right)—provided by Logan City Council. Farming in the Kerry Valley (middle left)—provided by SEQ Catchments. Moran's Falls in Lamington National Park—provided by ©Queensland Government. Pacific Highway crossing of the Albert River (middle right)—provided by City of Gold Coast. View from Tamborine (bottom left)—provided by Logan City Council. Duck Creek Road 4WD track signage (bottom centre)—provided by SEQ Catchments. Hinterland stream (bottom right)—provided by SEQ Catchments.

Acknowledgements

Developed by the Queensland Wetlands Program in the Department of Environment and Science in partnership with:

Logan City Council

Scenic Rim Regional Council

City of Gold Coast

Council of Mayors South East Queensland

SEQ Catchments

Healthy Waterways (Healthy Waterways and Catchments)

Seqwater

Gold Coast Waterways Authority

This resource should be cited as: Walking the Landscape – Albert Catchment map journal v1.0 (2016), presentation, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland.

Images provided by: City of Gold Coast Council, Healthy Waterways, Logan City Council, Queensland Government and SEQ Catchments

The Queensland Wetlands Program supports projects and activities that result in long-term benefits to the sustainable management, wise use and protection of wetlands in Queensland. The tools developed by the Program help wetlands landholders, managers and decision makers in government and industry.

Contact wetlands♲des.qld.gov.au or visit wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au

Disclaimer:

This map journal has been prepared with all due diligence and care, based on the best available information at the time of publication. The department holds no responsibility for any errors or omissions within the document. Any decisions made by other parties based on this document are solely the responsibility of those parties. Information contained in this education module is from a number of sources and, as such, does not necessarily represent government or departmental policy.

Data sources, links and information

Software Used

ArcGIS for Desktop | ArcGIS Online | Story map journal

Some of the information used to put together this map journal can be viewed on the QLD Globe.

The Queensland Globe is an interactive online tool that can be opened inside the Google Earth™ application. Queensland Globe allows you to view and explore Queensland spatial data and imagery. You can also download a cadastral Smartmap or purchase and download a current titles search.

More information about the layers used can be found here:

Source Data Table

Flooding Information: Scenic Rim Regional Council; Logan City Council; City of Gold Coast

Other References

BOM (2016) Climate Data Online [webpage] Accessed 24 August 2016.

City of Gold Coast (2016) About water catchments. [webpage] Accessed 25 August 2021.

Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (2010) Australian Land Use Management Classification [webpage] Accessed 23 August 2016.

Hancock G and Caitcheon G (2010), Sediment sources and transport to the Logan-Albert River estuary during the January 2008 flood event. CSIRO: water for a Healthy Country National Research Flagship.

Hancock G and Revill A (2011), Land-use and erosion source discrimination of soil and carbon sources to the Logan and Albert rivers using Compound Specific Isotope Analysis. CSIRO Land and Water Science Report 2/1.

Healthy Waterways (2016), Albert Catchment 2015 Report Card. [webpage] Accessed 14 June 2016.

Queensland Government (2016), Key Resource Areas in Queensland. [webpage] Accessed 7 July 2016.

Thompson, B. (2007). The distribution of erosion in the upper catchments of the Logan and Albert Rivers. Report prepared by Land Resource Assessment and Management Pty Ltd. for Logan and Albert Catchment Assoc. Inc. and SEQ Catchments.

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Last updated: 25 August 2021