Murray-Marrinup Brook

The condition of the Murray-Marrinup Brook site (MR379MURR1), on the Murray River, just downstream of the confluence with Marrinup Brook, was assessed between 13 and 14 December 2017, over a 100-m length of stream.

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.

2017 was the first time this site had been sampled using SWIRC methods, in 2021 Murdoch University conducted two further assessments on behalf of the Peel Harvey Catchment Council. The species expected to occur here (listed below) are based on those three assessments as well as species reported from studies conducted elsewhere in the catchment. As differences in habitat within a reach naturally influence species distributions, and variability in methods between sampling programs can affect the species caught, so this list is only indicative.

Eleven species of fish and crayfish were found, including seven native fish species, three native crayfish and one exotic species (see table one below).

For full size table, see here.