Water Quality

Baseline Surveys and EIAs

Marine Solutions has the in-house expertise to design and implement quality baseline surveys and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for a wide variety of projects. Our team’s extensive knowledge of marine ecology and coastal engineering enables us to evaluate anthropogenic impacts on the surrounding environment using a variety of techniques, including characterisation of habitat, biological communities and sediments, and quantification of water quality parameters through space and time. We have a thorough understanding of legislative requirements surrounding coastal construction works in Tasmania and further afield. We have conducted baseline surveys and EIAs for marina redevelopments, jetty constructions, effluent outfalls, underwater pipeline constructions and aquaculture leases.

Selected Past Projects:

  • EIA, shipping operations of Stanley port, Stanley (TasPorts)
  • EIA, public boardwalk proposed development, Battery Point, Hobart (SKM/Hobart City Council)
  • EIA, marine effluent outfall, Ulverstone (CEE)
  • Sediment and biological monitoring plan, George Town sewage outfall (GHD/TasWater)
  • EIA, marine effluent outfall, Blackmans Bay (CEE)
  • Baseline survey/ecological assessment, Domgas pipeline route (DOF Subsea)
  • Baseline survey, PNG LNG pipeline route (Marengo Mining/COFFEY)
  • Baseline marine surveys, sewage treatment plant, Medang, PNG (Marengo Mining/COFFEY)
  • Environmental impact assessment of effluent and wastewater disposal, Coffs Harbour, NSW (Coffs Harbour City Council)

Water Quality Monitoring

Marine Solutions use YSI-Xylem EXO2 and EXO3 multi-parameter water quality sondes for in situ water quality measurements, which include, but are not limited to, temperature, depth, conductivity, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll. We have the means to conduct deployments of the Sonde for continuous data recording over extended time periods, depending on the requirements of the given project. We are also experienced with the deployment and management of Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) and a wide range of other data loggers including Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD) loggers. This includes calibration, field operation, data management and reporting. The sampling, techniques and constraints of water sampling in the southern regions of Tasmania are all well known to Marine Solutions, and we have strong relationships with support networks to ensure samples are handled and stored appropriately and then assessed in a timely manner.

Working closely with the Tasmanian aquaculture industry, Marine Solutions conducts regular water quality monitoring for Shellfish Market Access Program (ShellMAP) in the southern Tasmanian region, and TasWater throughout Tasmania including the Pieman River in the state’s west and the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. We also conducted the environmental assessments for Spring Bay Seafoods, which resulted in them gaining international aquaculture sustainability accreditation through Friend of the Sea. We are one of only a few organisations that has been granted approval to sample treated abalone live-holding discharge water from processors for laboratory testing in the interests of biosecurity (granted as of mid-2013). In addition, Marine Solutions conducts a large amount of water quality monitoring for Sorell, Kingborough and Huon Valley Councils in relation to their effluent outfalls.

Selected Past Projects:

  • Vessel-based water quality monitoring for Shellfish Market Access Program (ShellMAP), often requiring mobilization at short notice.
  • Ambient water quality monitoring of waste water treatment plant discharges throughout Tasmania
  • Monitoring of water quality in the vicinity of aquaculture facility intake systems.
  • In-situ monitoring of water quality parameters at Bridgewater for a three-month period
  • Ongoing water quality monitoring around coastal and offshore regions to develop ambient water quality guidelines for coastal regions
  • Effluent outfall investigations (TasWater)
  • Ecological assessment of public boardwalk development, Battery Point, Hobart (SKM/Hobart City Council)
  • Ecological assessment of port development, Triabunna, Tasmania (Burbury Consulting/Glamorgan Spring Bay Council)
  • Ecological assessment for marina redevelopment, Bellerive, Tasmania (Clarence City Council)
  • Outfall baseline surveys (Worley Parsons)
  • Baseline marine surveys of sewage treatment plant, Medang, PNG (Marengo Mining/COFFEY)
  • Marine ecological assessment for bridge redevelopment, Bridgewater Bridge (GHD)
  • Environmental impact assessments for Macquarie Point sewage outfall and Hobart Rivulet, Derwent River, Hobart (Hobart City Council)
  • Environmental impact assessment of effluent and wastewater disposal, Coffs Harbour, NSW (Coffs Harbour City Council)