Upper Chapman Brook - Berry Farm

The condition of the Berry Farm site (site code: BR50UPPE1/6090068), in the middle catchment of the of the Upper Chapman Brook, has been assessed on several occasions:

• 19 June 2012 (one day only)
• 24-25 October 2012
• 4-5 February 2013
• 13-14 Feb 2019
• 19-20 May 2020
• 20-21 Feb 2024

The assessment was conducted using standard methods from the South West Index of River Condition. Measures chosen for this assessment included fish and crayfish, aquatic habitat, water quality (dissolved oxygen, temperature, electrical conductivity, and pH logged over 24h, and colour, alkalinity, turbidity and nutrients), fringing vegetation, channel morphology, erosion, connectivity, local land use and flow.

In 2012 and 2013 the site was assessed under site code UCHAP5/6090068 as part of an assessment of river condition in the lower catchment of the Blackwood River – view report here.

Four fish and two crayfish species were found at this site in 2019.

• Bostockia porosa (Nightfish)
• Galaxiella munda (Western mud minnow)
• Galaxias occidentalis (Western minnow)
• Geotria australis (Pouched lamprey, adult)
• Nannoperca vittata (Western pygmy perch)
• Cherax cainii (Smooth Marron)
• Cherax quinquecarinatus (Gilgie)

Notably, Galaxiella munda (western mud minnow) was found in relatively high abundance (~20). This is of ecological significance as it is a rare species known to often occur in low abundance within their natural range (thus chance of detection is naturally low). This species is listed as Lower Risk/Near Threatened on the 1996 IUCN Redlist of threatened species.

Only fish and crayfish are targeted by sampling methods. Other species that were caught and/or observed are listed below:

• Westralunio carteri (Carter’s freshwater mussel)

 Click on the images below to learn more.