Bellingen Riverwatch
Macro Muster 7 Data
What waterbugs did Bellingen Riverwatch citizen scientists find in our rivers and what do they mean?
Written by Nakia Belmer, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, NSW Government.
What we did…
The Bellingen Riverwatch volunteers together with the Department of Climate Change, Energy the Environment and Waters (DCCEEW) Estuaries and Catchment Team, Conservation Programs Heritage & Regulations and North Coast Local Land Services worked together to sample Waterbugs (macroinvertebrates) at six sites across the Bellinger River catchment during October 2024. The sites sampled included the Bellinger, Kalang, Never Never and Rosewood rivers which together comprise a unique river system, located on the mid-north coast of NSW.
The Waterbug Blitz method (The Waterbug Survey) was used to guide thesampling, identification and analysis of results (www.waterbugblitz.org.au).
Macro Muster 7 saw Macro Helpers, Macro Helpers-in-training and Macro Teachers-in-training come together, both to conduct an accurate count of waterbugs at six sites, but also to learn from the Macro teachers, further their knowledge and become familiar with the process for future musters.
What we found
Our Macro Muster 7 data tells us that these rivers are in good health.
Good water quality and a very healthy Waterbug community occur at all sites, with SIGNALT scores in the healthy (4.2 – 4.9) and very healthy range (above 4.9), other than the Kalang River site K1.
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The information collected from a Waterbug Blitz sample provides us with good data that can be used to provide a preliminary assessment of waterway health. The primary indicators that we use to assess waterway health using waterbug (macroinvertebrate) data are biodiversity (Biodiversity Score) and pollution sensitivity (SIGNAL Score) of the community.
The Biodiversity score, which is calculated from the number of different individual waterbug taxa collected at this site.
The method for identification of waterbugs through the Waterbug Blitz sampling and application is known as the Agreed Level Taxonomy, or ALT method (https://www.thewaterbug.net/ALT.html).
ALT uses features that are visible to the naked eye to identify macroinvertebrates. ALT identifications result in data sets of mixed taxonomic levels, some at genus or species, and others at higher levels.
SIGNAL is an acronym for Stream Invertebrate Grade Number Average Level and is a scoring system for waterbugs that helps interpret the raw data. It is based on the sensitivity or tolerance of different waterbugs to pollutants and habitat degradation. Each waterbug has its own grade from 1 (very tolerant) to 10 (very sensitive). The average of these individual waterbug grades is calculated to give each waterbug site a SIGNAL score which can infer the water and habitat quality and help to assess the health of a waterway. The calculation of this score can be weighted by the abundance of each waterbug taxa within a sample or can be unweighted, using only the grade of the taxa.
This method applied through the Waterbug Blitz is currently being tested to see if the ALT levels retain enough taxonomic information to be used with a re-calculated SIGNAL score, which is termed SIGNALT, and is the indicator of waterbug community sensitivity communicated in this report.
It is anticipated that the ALT method will provide a quick, simple approach to waterbug identification and analysis that is a practical alternative for citizen scientists who want to assess stream health. Though it should be noted that the application of this method is still being tested. As such the results communicated in this report should be considered a preliminary only and assessed in the context of the monthly water quality results and the ongoing monitoring that Bellingen Riverwatch hope to continue into the future.
To assist understanding of the SIGNALT results the score categories in the image below are provided.
EPT% is the percentage of EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera or Mayflies, Stoneflies and Caddisflies) found within each sample.
See sites and results on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map
Macro Muster 7 Data Infographic
We have created an infographic to communicate the data from Muster 7. See our library of free resources here.
How does this Muster data compare
with other Musters?
B2
Cool Creek
See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.
B2’s Muster 7 results for the Bellinger River site B2 are consistently recorded as very good.
Site B2 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 20. The SIGNALT score of 5.5 is similiar to that of the 5th Muster (5.67). The site also recorded a high abundance of known sensitive taxa indicating this site has a healthy waterbug community.
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The SIGNALT score was 5.5 which is similar to the 5th Macro Muster (5.67). These results suggest good water quality and habitats continue to persist and the site still has a healthy Waterbug community present.
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The site recorded a high abundance of known sensitive taxa.
The site recorded an EPT richness of 8, which indicates a high abundance of known sensitive taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera.
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20 taxa in total
4 caddisfly taxa
3 mayfly taxa
2stonefly taxa
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Order: Plecoptera, Family: Eustheniidae
Order: Ephemeroptera, Family: Leptophlebiidae and Genus: Mirawarra
Order: Trichoptera, Family(s): Helicophidae and Calocidae and
Conoesucidae
Order: Mayfly
Family: Leptophlebiidae
Image by Shane Ruming, DPE.
B3.1
Tysons Bridge
See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.
Results for the Bellinger River site B3.1 are consistently recorded as good and very good.
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The site recorded a SIGNALT score of
4.24 which is slightly lower than the 5th Macro Muster in spring 2023
(4.70) -
The site recorded a high abundance of known sensitive taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera and EPT richness score was 8.
Although the SIGNALT score is lower than some
previous samples, many known sensitive taxa were collected. The mayfly
family Leptophlebiidae and the caddisfly families Calamoceratidae,
Helicophidae and Calocidae and Helicopsychidae were collected
(SIGNALT grades 9, 7, 10 and 8) respectively. -
6 caddisfly taxa
2 mayfly taxa
2 dragonfly taxa
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Order: Ephemeroptera, Family: Baetidae and Leptophlebidae
Order: Trichoptera: Helicophidae and Calocidae and Leptoceridae
The Bellinger River site B3.1 recorded a diverse Waterbug community with a taxa richness of 21 which is an increase from the 6th Muster in autumn 2024
Order: Mayfly
Family: Leptophlebidae
Image by Shane Ruming, DPE
B4
Hobarts Bridge
See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.
The Bellinger River site B4 continued to record a diverse Waterbug community with a taxa richness of 19. The site recorded a SIGNALT score of 4.89, which is the lowest SIGNALT score for the site, but similar to previously recorded SIGNALT score of 5.13 in spring 2023.
results for the bellinger river site b4 are consistently recorded as good and very good
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The site recorded a
SIGNALT score of 4.89, which is the lowest SIGNALT score for the site,
but similar to previously recorded SIGNALT score of 5.13 in spring 2023. -
The site recorded a lower abundance of sensitive taxa from the
orders Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera then previous samples, which resulted in an EPT richness of 4.The known sensitive taxa
Leptophlebiidae (SIGNALT grade 9) and Helicophidae and Calocidae
(SIGNALT grade 10) were collected at the site along with the dragonfly
taxa Telephlebiidae (SIGNALT grade 10). These results suggest good
water quality and habitats continue to persist and a healthy Waterbug
community was present at this site -
3 caddisfly taxa
1 mayfly taxa
3 dragonfly taxa
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Order: Odonata, Family: Telephlebiidae
Order: Ephemeroptera, Family(s): Leptophlebiidae and Baetidae
Order: Trichoptera, Family(s): Helicophidae and Calocidae and Hydrobiosidae
Order: Odonata
Family: Telephlebiidae
Image by Shane Ruming, DPE
See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.
Tuckers Nob
NN1
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The SIGNALT score
for this round was 4.67 which is the lowest SIGNALT score recorded for this site -
The site recorded lower abundance of known sensitive taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera than previous years (EPT taxa 5).
The collection of less EPT taxa is likely driving the lower SIGNALT score as the EPT taxa collected are sensitive taxa which would suggest that good water quality and habitats are persisting at this site.
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2 caddisfly taxa
3 mayfly taxa
2 dragonfly taxa
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Order: Odonata, Family: Telephlebiidae
Order: Ephemeroptera, Family: Leptophlebiidae
The Never Never River site NN1 recorded a diverse Waterbug community with a taxa richness of 18. This is similar to the six previous Macro Muster events which recorded taxa richness between 19 and 26.
Site NN1 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 18 and a SIGNALT score of 4.67
Order: Odonata
Family: Telephlebiidae
Image by Shane Ruming, DPE
R1
Rosewood River
See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.
R1’s Muster 6 results indicate a healthy waterbug community persists at this site.
Site R1 recorded a Taxa Richness of 15 and a SIGNALT score of 4.86. Although the SIGNALT score is lower than some previous Macro Muster events, the taxa that were collected are known sensitive taxa such as Leptophlebiidae, Helicophidae and Calocidae and Helicopsychidae. Such taxa being collected certainly suggest that the site has good water quality and habitats persisting at this site.
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The SIGNALT score was recorded as 4.86 which is near identical to the first Macro Muster (SIGNALT score 4.9).
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The site recorded a very high abundance of known sensitive taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera which resulted in an EPT richness of 6.
The site also recorded the dragonfly taxa Telephlebiidae which has an
individual SIGNALT grade of 10. -
5 caddisfly taxa
1 mayfly taxa
1 dragonfly taxa
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Order: Odonata, Family: Telephlebiidae
Order: Ephemeroptera, Family: Leptophlebiidae
Order: Trichoptera: Helicophidae and Calocidae and Helicopsychidae
Order: Mayfly
Family: Leptophlebiidae
Image by Shane Ruming, DPE
See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.
Kalang River
K1
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Although the SIGNALT score is the lowest recorded for this site
there were still individual taxa present from the sensitive orders of
Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera, including both the mayfly family
Leptophlebiidae (SIGNALT grade 9) and the caddisfly family
Helicophidae and Calocidae (SIGNALT grade 10). -
The site recorded an
EPT taxa of 4 taxa, similar to the previous sample. These results suggest good water quality and habitats continue to persist at this site and a healthy Waterbug community remains present. -
2 caddisfly taxa
2 mayfly taxa
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Order: Ephemeroptera, Family(s): Leptophlebiidae
Order: Trichoptera, Family(s): Helicophidae and Calocidae
The Kalang River site K1 recorded an increase in taxa richness from the previous Macro Muster with 13 taxa recorded. The SIGNALT score at the site was 4.08 which is the lowest recorded at this site.
the diversity of taxa collected at this site has increased.
Order: Mayfly
Family: Leptophlebiidae
Image by Shane Ruming, DPE
It is everyone’s responsibility to maintain and improve our rivers.
We report on our data to help influence policy and decision making, and educate the community, now and into the future.
Note - Our raw data is shared with with the NSW Government Saving our Species recovery program for the BRST and is additionally available at both the Waterwatch portal and the DPIE SEED portal.
Raw Data
Our raw data can be found at the links below :
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Amy Denshire
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amy@ozgreen.org.au
02 5615 8108
Bellingen Riverwatch Data Portal Partners
This data portal was delivered through the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s Flood Recovery Program for Water Quality Monitoring, in partnership with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and supported by the Riparian Stabilisation Package. The Riparian Stabilisation Package is co-funded by the Australian and NSW Governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
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Amy Denshire
Bellingen Riverwatch Program Manager
amy@ozgreen.org.au