January 2026: Chemical, Water Quality and Macroinvertebrate Analysis

Alison Loxton
Mar 8
2 min read

Hi everyone,

Trusting you are all keeping as well as you can be. Attached are the results of our WQM for January, 2026.

It is an interesting set of results with some pleasing reduction in levels of pollutants in Waterhen Lake.

Some observations as follows;

1. The water temperatures and pH are within the normal range although conductivity levels are elevated in some waterways due to low water flow

2. Dissolved oxygen levels are great for this time of year, with is a positive for fish and platypus

3. Whilst phosphate levels in the Coomera River are somewhat elevated, this may well be due to the low water levels increasing the concentration of pollutants

4. It is great to see that levels of Ammonia Nitrogen are surprisingly low, indicating compliance with septic and sewerage regulations is at a high level; this is also a reflection of low rainfall reducing runoff from residential properties

5. Results from Waterhen Lake are both surprising and encouraging – there is increased visibility in the water and the chemical readings show vast improvement. Let us hope that trend continues.

You may recall that I lamented the lack of fishlife in both Regatta Waters and the Coomera River, specifically at the weir. In the past couple of weeks that lack of life has been reversed – there is now an abundance of what appear to be Australian smelt, a small fish which is food for many larger fish. These small fish are in their millions from Paradise Point right up to the weir; yesterday on the outgoing tide the little fellows were sheltering from bream on a shallow rock ledge, however as the tide receded so did their cover. Who would want to be a baitfish?

In Regatta Waters the mullet have returned in numbers, small schools feeding around the rock walls and jumping all over the lake. Where they have been hiding only they would know.

All in all it has been a positive last month or two.

Kindest regards to you all

Steven Gill