Little McCreadys Creek Rehabilitation Project

Alluvium

Catchment Solutions

Council

On-ground work

(none)

Voluntary Mechanism for Stormwater Quality Management

Reef Programme Urban Systems Repair

$350,000

$50,000

1 September 2015

30 June 2016

The Mackay Region has undergone extensive urban development that has led to the removal and degradation of a wide variety of natural ecosystems. Freshwater creeks, lagoons and wetlands have been particularly impacted by urban development that  occurs in highly fertile areas valued for  agriculture.  These aquatic systems benefit a wide variety of fauna by providing critical refuge habitats. These wetland habitats also treat and improve the quality of water flowing from the terrestrial landscape before entering into estuarine and near shore marine habitats. The Little McCreadys Creek rehabilitation project is one of five priority implementation projects under Councils voluntary mechanism for stormwater quality management.

Council has partnered with Reef Catchments to improve the quality of the water entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon from coastal urban development centres in the region as well as improve native habitat connectivity in these areas.

A rehabilitation project on Little McCreadys Creek is currently underway. Little McCreadys Creek is a 720 metre long, degraded and straightened creek channel. It has  lost nearly all of its habitat value due to removal of riparian/in-stream habitat and invasion of weeds.
Project aims include:

• improve and treat water quality runoff from built up urban areas and improve the quality of water flowing into estuarine and Great Barrier Reef habitats
• increase in the amount of habitat available for biodiversity including the provision for fish passage
• local costed out example of naturalised/vegetated waterways versus mown swales in the provision of water quality and ecosystem services, as well as ongoing maintenance and operational costs
• improved visual amenity of the local area, and opportunities to engage with the community
• re-establish riparian vegetation and ecosystem service values in the McCreadys Creek catchment, including channel stability
• increased coordination between terrestrial and aquatic land managers and improve the knowledge of local government to better manage naturalised waterways that drain urban areas.

Positive community and industry consultation supports the project and has informed the detailed design process. Project construction is currently underway and is scheduled to be finished by the end of the 2015-16 financial year.

This project will:

• restore ecological function and habitat
• improve water quality & shading
• have reduced long term maintenance costs.

(not documented)

(none)