Bellingen Riverwatch

Macro Muster 5 Data

What waterbugs did Bellingen Riverwatch citizen scientists find in our rivers and what do they mean?

Written by Nakia Belmer and Adrian Dickson, Department of Planning and Environment, NSW Government and Sam Daykin, OzGREEN, with contributions by Judy Davies, Monash University.

What we did…

BR volunteers and partners worked together to sample waterbugs (macroinvertebrates) at five sites across the Bellinger River catchment, which includes the Never Never river and together comprise a very unique river system, located on the mid-north coast of NSW. The Waterbug Blitz method for sampling was used to guide the sampling, identification and analysis of results.

What we found

Our Macro Muster 5 data tells us that these rivers are in very good health.

Sites B2, R1, B4, K1 and NN1 results were in the highest band. Site B3.1 was in the second highest band.

  • 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 also.

Macro Muster 5 Data Infographic

We have created an infographic to communicate the data from Muster 2.

Subscribe to our newsletter to access this, and our library of free resources.

How does this Muster data compare with other Musters?

B2

Cool Creek

See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.

B2’s Muster 5 results suggest good water quality and habitat continues to persist at this site.

Site B2 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 27. The SIGNALT score of 5.67 is slightly lower than that of the 3 rd Muster (6.32). Although this is lower, it is above the upper score range of 4.9 and indicates this site has a very healthy waterbug community.

  • The SIGNALT score of 5.67 is slightly lower than that of the 3 rd Muster (6.32). Although this is lower, it is above the upper score range of 4.9 and indicates this site has a very healthy waterbug community.

  • The site recorded a high abundance of known sensitive

    taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera and an EPT Richness of 10.

    These results suggest good water quality and habitat continues to persist at this site.

  • 5 caddisfly taxa

    4 mayfly taxa

    1 stonefly taxa

    2 dragonfly taxa

    1 toe biter taxa

    2 dragonfly taxa

    5 beetle taxa

  • Order: Ephemeroptera, Family(s): Baetidae

    Order: Trichoptera, Family(s): Helicophidae and Conoesucidae

    Order: Hemiptera: Corixidae

    Order: Coleoptera, Family: Elmidae

Order: Mayfly

Family: Baetidae

Image by Shane Ruming, DPE.

B3.1

Tysons Bridge

Site B3.1 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 33.

See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.

  • The SIGNALT

    score of 4.70 is a decrease from the 1 st , 2 nd and 4 the Macro Mu ters (6.4, 6.0 and 5.53).

    This may suggest a decline in the community condition but the increase in taxa richness for

    spring 2023 is the cause for the decline in the SIGNALT score, which is the average of the

    SIGNAL grades for the community (i.e., having more taxa recoded has a strong influence on the average).

  • The Bellinger River site B3.1 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 33, a considerable increase from the first Waterbug Blitz event when this site recorded a taxa richness of 10. The site recorded 7 taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera which suggests good water quality has persisted at the site.
    The site recorded fewer caddisfly taxa than recent surveys whilst still recording very sensitive taxa such as the stonefly from the family Eustheniidae (which has a SIGNALT grade of 10!).

  • 3 caddisfly taxa

    2 stonefly taxa

    2 mayfly taxa

    7 beetle taxa

    4 dragonfly taxa

    2 damselfly taxa

  • Order: Ephemeroptera, Family: Leptophlebidae

    Order: Hemipter, Family Corixidae

  • The SIGNALT score of 4.70 is a decrease from the 1 st , 2 nd and 4 th Waterbug Blitz events (6.4, 6.0 and 5.53). This may suggest a decline in the community condition but the increase in taxa richness for spring 2023 is the cause for the decline in the SIGNALT score, which is the average of the SIGNAL grades for the community (i.e., having more taxa recoded has a strong influence on the average). The site recorded fewer caddisfly taxa than recent surveys whilst still recording very sensitive taxa such as the stonefly from the family Eustheniidae (which has a SIGNALT grade of 10!). The presence of this very sensitive stonefly, in combination with the high taxa richness suggests a very healthy waterbug community and the decrease in SIGNALT score is likely not a true indicator of the site’s overall river health, but rather an indication of improved sample collection and identification by the citizen scientists.

The SIGNALT score of 4.70 is a decrease from previous events, likely due to an increase in taxa richness impacting the average score. A stonefly from the family Eustheniidae (which has a SIGNALT grade of 10!). was recorded .

Order: Mayfly

Family: Leptophlebidae

Image by Shane Ruming, DPE

B4

Hobarts Bridge

See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.

Site B4 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 31 and recorded a healthy SIGNALT score of 5.13

This is a good result as this site is located lower in the catchment where more land use stress occurs. The invasive snail (family Physidae) was also recorded at this site.

  • The site recorded a healthy SIGNALT score of 5.13 which is an increase from the first Muster (SIGNALT 4.9).

  • The site recorded a very high abundance of known sensitive taxa from the orders

    Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera and EPT Richness at the site was 8. These

    results suggest good water quality and habitats continue to persist at this site.

  • 5 caddisfly taxa

    3 mayfly taxa

    3 dragonfly taxa

    3 damselfly taxa

    4 beetle taxa

  • Order: Ephemeroptera, Family: Leptophilebiidae, Baetidae and Caenidae

    Order: Coleoptera, Family: Helicophidae and Calocidae

    Order: Gastropoda, Family Physidae

  • The invasive snail (family Physidae) was recorded at this site.

Order: Caddisfly

Family: Helicophidae and Calocidae

Image by Shane Ruming, DPE

See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.

Tuckers Nob

NN1

  • respectively. The SIGNALT score has increased since the first Muster from 5.4 in June 2021 to 6.04. This suggests that this site still has a healthy waterbug community present.

  • The site recorded a very high abundance of known sensitive taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera which resulted in an EPT Richness of 9. These results suggest good water quality and habitats continue to persist at this site.

  • 6 caddisfly taxa

    3 mayfly taxa

    3 dragonfly taxa

  • Order: Trichoptera, Family: Helicophidae and Calocidae

    Order: Ephemeroptera, Family: Leptophlebiidae

This is similar to the first four Macro Musters. The SIGNALT score has increased since the first Muster from 5.4 in June 2021 to 6.04. This indicates a very healthy waterbug community persists at this site

Site NN1 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 23.

Order: Mayfly

Family: Leptophlebiidae

Image by Shane Ruming, DPE

R1

Rosewood River

See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.

Site R1 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 33. This is an increase from the first four Macro Musters. The SIGNALT score has increased since the first Macro Muster from 5.9 in June 2021 to 6.12. This indicates a very healthy waterbug community persists at this site

R1’s Muster 5 results indicate a very healthy waterbug community persists at this site

  • The SIGNALT score has increased since the first Macro Muster from 5.9 in June 2021 to 6.12. This suggests that this site still has a healthy waterbug community present.

  • The site recorded a very high abundance of known sensitive taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera which resulted in an EPT Richness of 14.

  • 10 caddisfly taxa

    1 stonefly taxa

    3 mayfly taxa

    1 dragonfly taxa

    1 Damselfly taxa

    6 beetle taxa

  • Order: Ephemeroptera, Family: Leptophlebiidae

    Order: Trichoptera, Family(s): Atriplectidae, Helicophidae and Calocidae

    Order: Coleoptera, Family: Elmidae

Order: Mayfly

Family: Leptophlebiidae

Image by Shane Ruming, DPE

See site location on Bellingen Riverwatch Macro Map.

Kalang River

K1

The SIGNALT score of 5.34 indicates this site has a healthy waterbug community and is an increase from both previous Musters

  • The SIGNALT score of 5.34 indicates this site has a healthy waterbug community and is an increase from both previous Macro Musters (4.5 and 5.27 respectively).

  • The site recorded a relatively high abundance of known sensitive taxa from the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera and an EPT Richness of 10. The site also recorded the stonefly taxa Eustheniidae (SIGNALT grade 10) which suggests very good water quality and habitats continue to persist at this site.

  • 6 caddisfly taxa

    1 stonefly taxa

    3 mayfly taxa

    3 dragonfly taxa

    4 damselfly taxa

    2 toe biter taxa

    7 beetle taxa

  • Order: Ephemeroptera, Family(s): Leptophlebiidae

    Order: Decopoda, Family Atyidae

    Order: Trichoptera, Family(s): Helicophidae and Atriplectidae

Site K1 recorded a diverse waterbug community with a Taxa Richness of 38, this is an increase from both previous Muster samples which recorded 19 and 30 taxa

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

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  • Anna Juodvalkis

    Partnerships Manager

    anna@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