Mcleod Creek - Boathaugh

Basin : Blackwood River

Catchment : Lower Blackwood River

The condition of the Mcleod Creek - Boathaugh site (site code: MC10), in the upper catchment of Mcleod Creek, was assessed between 17 and 18 October 2012 and 6 and 7 February 2013 over a 100-m length of stream. At this time no previous assessments of river ecology had been reported.

The assessment was conducted using standard methods from the South West Index of River Condition. Measures chosen for this assessment included fish and crayfish, macroinvertebrates, aquatic habitat, water quality (dissolved oxygen and temperature logged over 24h, and electrical conductivity, pH, colour, alkalinity, turbidity and nutrients), fringing vegetation, channel morphology, erosion, connectivity, local land use and flow. A water quality sample was also taken on 18 June 2012.

Condition summary

The site was assessed as part of an assessment of river condition in the lower catchment of the Blackwood River – view report here.

A snapshot of the condition of Mcleod Creek can be found here.

Fish and crayfish

Seven fish and three crayfish species were found at this site:

Pseudogobius olorum (Swan river goby)
Leptatherina wallacei (Western hardyhead)
Acanthopagrus butcheri (Southern black bream)
Bostockia porosa (Nightfish)
Galaxias occidentalis (Western minnow)
Nannoperca vittata (Western pygmy perch)
Afurcagobius suppositus (South-western goby)
Cherax cainii (Smooth marron)
Cherax quinquecarinatus (Gilgie)
Cherax crassimanus (Restricted gilgie)

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

Palaemon australis (South-west glass shrimp)
Metapenaeus dalli (Western school prawn)
Chelodina oblonga (South-western snake-necked turtle)
Hydromys chrysogaster (Water rat (Rakali))

Please contact the River Science Branch for specific yearly species counts.

Click on the images below to learn more.

Species found in subcatchment

This includes all species found within the subcatchment of the assessment site, from this and previous studies in the area. The photos are linked to more information about each species, including maps of where they are expected across the south-west.