Water Science & Technology Vol 21 No 2 pp 53–58 © IWA Publishing 1989

Water Quality in Residential Tidal Canals

A. J. Moss

Monitoring of water quality in residential tidal canals in Queensland has been carried out since 1974. Some recent data from four separate canal systems and their source waters is presented. Source water quality was generally good and this high quality was maintained in surface waters throughout these systems. Stratification of the water column in poorly flushed canal branches led to periodic deterioration in bottom water quality but this never resulted in significant management problems. Based on the Queensland data and on data from other Australian and overseas canal systems, conclusions are drawn about significant factors affecting canal water quality. These include flushing rates, source quality, polluting inputs, freshwater inflows and depth. Finally, possible objectives for canal water quality are discussed.

Keywords: Residential tidal canals; canal estates; water quality; water pollution; dissolved oxygen; nutrients; chlorophyll a.

Full article (PDF Format)