CITIZEN SCIENTISTS CONTRIBUTING TO HEALTHIER WATERWAYS

The Allan Labor Government is recognising local volunteers for their vital work in supporting the health of waterways across the Corangamite region through scientific research and on-ground activities that help ensure Victoria’s precious biodiversity and natural environment can thrive into future.

Minister for Water Harriet Shing represented by Member for Geelong Christine Couzens joined local volunteers from EstuaryWatch, WaterWatch and Corangamite CMA to celebrate the contribution of their citizen scientists.

EstuaryWatch and WaterWatch Victoria are community water monitoring programs focused on monitoring the condition of our waterways and improving environmental education and awareness. They bring together schools, community, Landcare groups, landowners and others to test the quality of their local stream, river, or wetland.

The data fills information gaps about waterway health, with citizen scientists offering extra ‘eyes on the ground’ to monitor water quality and collect environmental information.

At today’s event Corangamite CMA presented the Barwon Basin Water Quality Summary, a report featuring data collected by citizen scientists over the past three years at 50 Waterwatch and three EstuaryWatch sites along the Moorabool, Leigh, and Barwon Rivers.

In the Corangamite region, volunteers have been engaged in targeted areas to gather water quality
measurements and macro-invertebrate surveys to help evaluate benefits of water for the environment.
The citizen science program and Barwon Basin report have been funded through the Labor Government’s $248 million investment to improve catchment and waterway health across regional Victoria.

Minister for Water Harriet Shing said that WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch play a pivotal role in monitoring the health of Victorian waterways. ”As a community, we are inextricably linked to our catchment and we have a shared responsibility to act to ensure that the environment is healthy and supports our prosperity and wellbeing,” she said.

Member for Geelong Christine Couzens said: "Through the citizen science program volunteers gain skills and knowledge and become important advocates for their local river, wetlands and estuaries while also collecting data to help inform decision-making."