Nutrient Release from Sediments of the Torbay Drainage System, South-western Australia

In April 2005, Geoscience Australia (GA) conducted a field survey of the waterbodies of the Torbay catchment drainage system. The Torbay Catchment Group and the Western Australian Department of Environment commissioned this study in order to address critical knowledge gaps in their understanding of the major components of the nutrient budget. In particular, the role of benthic nutrient fluxes, their magnitude, and total benthic nutrient supply to the water column for phytoplankton growth.

The waterbodies studied were Torbay inlet, Lake Powell, Marbellup Brook and Lake Manarup.

The key findings of this study were:
1. the sediments are a major source of nutrients to the water column of all waterbodies; and
2. denitrification, nitrogen fixation and benthic photosynthesis are critical processes influencing overall water quality.