Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program EHMP
Monitoring the safety & health of our waterways.
Our Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program is one of the first environmental monitoring and reporting programs in Australia.
The Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP) is one of the most comprehensive freshwater, estuarine, and marine monitoring programs in Australia.
The program includes two major parts:
- MONITORING: The SEQ Monitoring Program undertakes event and ambient flow monitoring, estuarine marine and freshwater ecosystems monitoring and modelling, and extent and condition assessment of key habitats.
- REPORTING: The annual SEQ Report Card (health check) for waterways, catchments and Moreton Bay. The Report Card aims to build community awareness of waterway conditions, pressures, actions, and social benefits in SEQ. The results are synthesised and communicated through the Healthy Land & Water Report Card, which is designed around three key elements:
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Environmental: the spatial extent and intensity of pressures on waterways.
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Socio-economic Benefit Rating (1 – 5 stars): the social and economic benefits that the wider community associates with their waterways.
- Cultural: newly introduced in the most recent reporting cycle
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- Explore the Report Card portal: reportcard.hlw.org.au.
Established over 25+ years ago, the EHMP was one of the first environmental monitoring and reporting programs in Australia.
Healthy Land & Water coordinates the EHMP in collaboration with a diverse range of community, industry, and government partners.
The goal of the EHMP is to:
- Inspire action.
- Increase awareness of the health of waterways and catchments and related environmental issues in the region.
- Identify priority areas for investment and support members to identify and implement actions.
- Provide an assessment of the effectiveness of management actions and progress towards targets.
- Provide data relevant for researchers, managers, and the wider community that contributes to greater waterway understanding.
- Enhance community quality of life by fostering stewardship to protect and restore waterway health.
Protecting the community by monitoring the health of South East Queensland's waterways, catchments, and Moreton Bay.
What we are doing
Analyse, interpret, and develop recommendations for protecting and improving freshwater and estuarine marine waterways' health.
- Delivering and promoting the SEQ Report Card (health check) for waterways, catchments and Moreton Bay.
- Building community awareness of the condition, pressures, actions, and benefits to community quality of life in SEQ.
- Monitoring event and ambient flow.
- Monitoring and modelling estuarine marine and freshwater ecosystems.
- Extent and condition assessment of key habitats.
Measuring success
This program aims to:
- Provide data and information about the health of waterways and catchments in South East Queensland.
- Analyse, interpret, and develop recommendations for protecting and improving the health of SEQ’s waterways and catchments.
- Undertake engagement and communication activities to increase awareness of the health of waterways and catchments and of environmental issues in the region.
- Influence policy and inform actions through programs and acknowledging stakeholders that work to improve the health of waterways and catchments, and ultimately community quality of life.
- Contribute to the department’s strategic plan objectives to “Conserve Queensland’s protected areas and biodiversity”; and “Protect the health of the environment and our communities”.
- Report on progress towards the Water Quality Objectives and Environmental Values, listed under the Queensland Government Environmental Protection Act 1994.
- Improve and optimise community access, interaction, and satisfaction with their use of waterways.
Why this project is important
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The standard of waterways in Australia is generally very good, however, multiple pressure factors can change their health. For example, rainfall can wash pollutants into our waterways causing water quality to be altered. This program is one of the most comprehensive freshwater, estuarine, and marine monitoring programs in Australia and it contributes to the department’s strategic plan objectives to “Conserve Queensland’s protected areas and biodiversity” and “Protect the health of the environment and our communities”. While monitoring and modelling estuarine marine and freshwater ecosystems, it also builds community awareness of the condition, pressures, actions, and benefits to community quality of life in SEQ. |
Project snapshot
What's next
This vital work has been underway for 25+ years. It relies on the proactive support of our many project collaborators to be able to continue.
Project collaborators
This Healthy Land & Water project is supported by the Queensland Government, Redland City Council, Logan City Council, Moreton Bay Regional Council, Sunshine Coast Council, Noosa Council, Somerset Regional Council, Scenic Rim Regional Council, Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Ipswich City Council, Unitywater and Urban Utilities.
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