Executive Summary
Page 7
Coast & Estuaries
The Coastal and marine environment is a significant and unique feature of the
Council area. The coastal region can be roughly divided into two areas, the
Port Adelaide River coastline (Barker Inlet and Port Estuary) and the sandy
beach coastline.
The Coast & Estuaries environment supports diverse and complex ecosystems
that include a wide array of marine flora and fauna species.
The Coast and Estuaries chapter discusses the following environmental
priorities:
•
The development of management plans for The Barker Inlet St Kilda
Aquatic Reserve, the Torrens Island Conservation Reserve, Port Gawler
Conservation Park and St Kilda/Chapman Creek Aquatic Reserve.
•
The need for the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to address heavy
metals, toxics and contaminants associated with discharge to the Port
Adelaide River, as the next stage of the EPA’s Port Waterways Water
Quality Improvement Plan.
•
The ongoing decline and degradation of seagrass, mangroves and
saltmarsh of the Port Adelaide River and Barker Inlet due to pollution and
unmanaged coastal development.
•
Ongoing monitoring of
Caulerpa taxifolia
in the Port Adelaide River and
broad-scale surveys of the Barker Inlet system, given the continued
discovery of plants at outbreak sites.
•
Further investigations into the long term impacts of thermal (heated water)
discharge and dredging on fauna and flora of the Port Adelaide River.
•
The management of coastal urbanisation and development within river
catchments which have resulted in the reduction in health of near-shore
marine systems, particularly seagrass communities which have declined
sharply as a result of stormwater and waste water outfalls
•
The management of development including major transport infrastructure
in close proximity to the coast which potentially can damage the natural
dune and sand movement systems or mangrove and wetland habitats.
•
The need for research into the potential ecological impacts of climate
change in coastal areas, including allowance for the accession (inland
movement) of mangrove ecosystems.
