sufficient concentration to cause effervescence or impart a distinctive taste. Agriculture and irrigation Water quality that is suitable for agricultural activities such as stock watering and irrigation, as well as a range of other uses such as the irrigation of domestic gardens, commercial agriculture, parks and golf courses. Human consumption of aquatic foods (natural populations - commercial and recreational catch) Water quality that is suitable for the safe human consumption of fish and any other aquatic plant, algae or invertebrate. Aquaculture Water quality that is suitable for the production of fish for human consumption via aquaculture. Industrial and commercial use Water quality that is suitable for industrial and commercial use. Water based recreation Water quality that is suitable for primary contact recreation (e.g. swimming, diving, water skiing, caving and spas), secondary contact recreation (e.g. boating and fishing) and for aesthetic enjoyment. Traditional Owners’ and Aboriginal Victorians’ cultural values Water quality that is suitable for traditional owner cultural needs and that will ensure that traditional owner cultural practices can continue. For example, traditional aquaculture, fishing, harvesting, cultivation of freshwater and marine foods, fish, grasses, medicines and filtration of holistic water holes/camps. Cultural and spiritual values Water quality that is suitable for cultural and spiritual needs and that will ensure that cultural, spiritual and ceremonial practices can continue. These include the cultural values held by communities (e.g. water based festivals and celebrations). Navigation and shipping Water quality that is suitable for shipping transport and harbour facilities. Buildings and structures Groundwater quality where introduced contaminants do not cause groundwater quality to become corrosive to buildings, structures, property and materials. Geothermal properties Groundwater quality that will not affect the geothermal capacity of the groundwater. TABLE 2: BENEFICIAL USES FOR GROUNDWATER BENEFICIAL USE SEGMENT (TDS mg/L) A1 (0-600) A2 B (1,201-3,100) C (3,101-5,400) D (5,401-7,100) E (7,101-10,000) F (>10,001) Water dependent ecosystems and species  Potable water supply (desirable) Potable water supply (acceptable)
cultural values Cultural and spiritual values                  Navigation and shipping * *     * TABLE 5: EXCLUSIONS TO BENEFICIAL USES IN SURFACE WATERS Beneficial use Segment Exclusion Water based recreation Aquatic Reserves Within the Aquatic Reserves Segment, water based recreation is not a beneficial use within water supply areas with restricted public access. This consists of the surface waters of - the catchments upstream of the water supply off-takes at Upper Yarra Reservoir, O'Shannassy Weir, Armstrong Creek Weirs (east and west branches), Starvation Creek Weir, Big Flume Weir, Cement Creek (east branch) Weir, Coranderrk Creek Weir, Graceburn Creek Weir, Maroondah Reservoir, Sawpit Creek Weir, Donnelly's Creek Weir, Torrourrong Reservoir, Yan Yean Reservoir, Silvan Reservoir and Greenvale Reservoir (not including catchment upstream of diversion drains); the catchments upstream of O'Shannassy Aqueduct from which waters drain directly into the aqueduct; special water supply catchment areas with restricted public access within National Parks under the management of Barwon Water and Wannon Water. Water based recreation (primary contact) Port Phillip Bay Within the Port Phillip Bay segment, water based recreation (primary contact) is not a beneficial use in surface waters off the Werribee coast bounded from high water at Point Wilson, along the shore to the south west head of the Werribee River entrance, and perpendicular offshore to the 10-metre contour from these two points, bounded alongshore by the 10-metre contour Human consumption of aquatic foods Port Phillip Bay Aquatic Reserves Within the Aquatic Reserves Segment of Port Phillip Bay, human consumption of aquatic foods, is not a beneficial use except in those parts of the segment where the activity is permitted under approved fisheries management plans Human consumption of aquatic foods Port Phillip Bay Within the Port Phillip Bay segment, human consumption of aquatic foods (molluscs only), is not a beneficial use - in surface waters off the Werribee coast bounded from high water at Point Wilson, along the shore to the south west head of the Werribee River entrance, and perpendicular offshore to the 10-metre contour from these two points, bounded alongshore by the 10-metre contour; in the surface waters of Corio Bay lying west of a line drawn between Point Henry and Point Lillias and bounded by high water; in the surface waters of Hobsons Bay below high water, bounded by the
TABLE 1: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INDICATORS AND OBJECTIVES FOR RIVERS AND STREAMS SEGMENT INDICATOR Total (µg/L) Total nitrogen (µg/L) Dissolved oxygen (percent saturation) Turbidity (NTU) Electrical conductivity (µS/cm@ 25°C) pH (pH units) Toxicants Water Toxicants Sediment 75th percentile 75th percentile 25th percentile Maximum 75th percentile 75th percentile 25th percentile 75th percentile % protection Highlands (Largely unmodified) Streams above 1000 m altitude ≤20 ≤150 ≥85 110 ≤3 ≤30 ≥5.9 ≤6.9 95 Low Uplands A (Largely unmodified) Wilsons Promontory, Strzelecki Ranges, and East Gippsland ≤30 ≤520 ≥90 110 ≤10 ≤200 ≥6.6 ≤7.6 95 Low Upper Murray and Kiewa basins ≤30 ≤470 ≥90 110 ≤10 ≤100 ≥6.5 ≤7.5 95 Low The Grampians ≤35 ≤370 ≥80 110 ≤5 ≤200 ≥5.4 ≤7.0 95 Low Upper Thomson, Latrobe, Western Port and Yarra ≤35 ≤900 ≥80 110 ≤15 ≤100 ≥6.4 ≤7.6 95 Low Upper Goulburn (part) and Broken ≤25 ≤550 ≥90 110 ≤10 ≤100 ≥6.4 ≤7.4 95 Low
SEGMENT INDICATOR Total (µg/L) Total nitrogen (µg/L) Dissolved oxygen (percent saturation) Turbidity (NTU) Electrical conductivity (µS/cm@ 25°C) pH (pH units) Toxicants Water Toxicants Sediment 75th percentile 75th percentile 25th percentile Maximum 75th percentile 75th percentile 25th percentile 75th percentile % protection Uplands B (Largely unmodified) Otway Ranges ≤25 ≤650 ≥85 110 ≤10 ≤200 ≥6.5 ≤7.5 95 Low Uplands of southern draining catchments - East Gippsland, Snowy, Tambo and Mitchell ≤25 ≤350 ≥90 110 ≤10 ≤100 ≥6.7 ≤7.7 95 Low Uplands of northern draining catchments - Ovens and Goulburn (part) ≤25 ≤400 ≥85 110 ≤10 ≤50 ≥6.4 ≤7.4 95 Low Central Foothills and Coastal Plains (Slightly to moderately modified) Lowlands of Barwon, Moorabool, Werribee, Maribyrnong, Curdies and Gellibrand Rivers ≤60 ≤1100 ≥70 110 ≤25 ≤2000 ≥6.8 ≤8.0 95 Low Lowlands of Yarra, Western Port, Latrobe, Mitchell, Tambo and Snowy ≤55 ≤1100 ≥75 110 ≤25 ≤250 ≥6.7 ≤7.7 95 Low Uplands of Moorabool, Werribee, Maribyrnong, Campaspe, Loddon Avoca, Wimmera and Hopkins. ≤55 ≤1050 ≥70 110 ≤15 ≤2000 ≥6.8 ≤8.0 95 Low
TABLE 2: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS FOR RIVERS AND STREAMS SEGMENT Season Habitat INDICATORS EPT SIGNAL2 Number of Families AUSRIVAS Band Highlands Summer R 9 6.1 17 N/A E 6 5 14 N/A ER 9 5.2 21 A Uplands A Autumn R 8 5.6 19 A E 6 4.5 17 A ER 10 5.1 26 N/A Spring R 7 5.6 17 A E 5 4.7 17 A ER 10 5.1 25 N/A Uplands B Autumn R 7 5.2 18 A E N/A 3.8 15 A ER 9 4.6 28 N/A Spring R 8 5.5 18 A E 6 4.2 17 A ER 10 4.9 28 N/A Central Foothills and Coastal Plains Autumn R 5 4.5 16 A E N/A 3.4 17 A ER 6 4.0 27 N/A Spring R 5 4.5 16 A E N/A 3.4 20 A ER 7 4.2 27 N/A Urban Autumn R 4 3.9 13 B E 1 3.1 14 B ER 4 3.7 22 N/A Spring R 3 4.2 13 B E 3 3.2 16 B ER 3 3.8 22 B Murray and Western Plains Autumn E N/A 3.3 18 A ER 5 3.9 25 A Spring R N/A 4.4 14 N/A E N/A 3.2 17 A ER 6 3.8 24 N/A TABLE 3: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS FOR WETLANDS
TABLE 4: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL INDICATORS FOR WETLANDS Wetland Type Sub-type INDICATORS pH range Dissolved oxygen range (% saturation) Electrical conductivity (µScm-1) Turbidity (NTU) Total Nitrogen (µg/L) Total Phosphorus (µg/L) Toxicants Water Toxicants Sediment Min – Max Min – Max 75th percentile 75th Percentile 75th Percentile 75th Percentile % protection Riverine Flow-through 6.5—8.5 80—120 1500 5 500 30 95 Low Terminal 6.5—8.5 80—120 N/A 15 1500 100 Floodplain 6.5—8.5 80—120 N/A 15 1500 100 Coastal Dune Eastern 6—7.5 80—120 1500 5 500 30 95 Low Western 6.5—8.5 80—120 1500 5 500 30 Deep inland Fresh 6.5—8.5 80—120 1500 5 500 30 95 Low Saline 6.5—8.5 80—120 N/A 5 500 30 Shallow inland With an outflow 6.5 – 8.5 80 – 120 N/A 15 1500 100 95 Low TABLE 5: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INDICATORS AND OBJECTIVES FOR ESTUARIES SEGMENT INDICATORS pH (pH units) Dissolved oxygen (surface) (% saturation) Dissolved oxygen (bottom) (% saturation) Total Phosphorus (µg/L) Total Nitrogen (µg/L) Turbidity (NTU) Chlorophyll-a (µg/L) Toxicants Water Toxicants Sediment 25th -75th Percentile 25th Percentile - Max 25th Percentile - Max 75th Percentile 75th Percentile 75th Percentile 75th Percentile % protection Estuaries 7.0 - 8.0 80-110 30-110 90 1,000 10 3 95 Low
TABLE 11: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INDICATORS AND OBJECTIVES FOR AQUACULTURE Pathogens Physico-chemical stressors Toxicant levels for the protection of aquaculture species Off-flavour compounds Total Faecal (thermotolerant) coliforms (median from 5 samples) 14 orgs/100mL PA TA OFC TABLE 12: WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE TOXICANT RISK SCORING SYSTEM Line of evidence Indicator or segment Ranking 3 - high risk 2 - medium risk 1 - low risk Chemistry Toxicants Water Concentration > 90% Concentration > 95% but <90% Concentration < 95% Toxicants Sediment Concentration > High Concentration > Low but < High Concentration < Low Toxicants Pore water Concentration > 90% Concentration > 95% but <90% Concentration < 95% Ecotoxicity Sediment and / or water Significant difference (P<0.05) and >50% effect vs control Significant difference (P<0.05) and 20-50% effect vs control No significant difference (P<0.05) and <20% effect vs control Ecology Rivers and streams -AUSRIVAS band C -SIGNAL >0.5 below objectives -AUSRIVAS band B -SIGNAL <0.5 below objectives -AUSRIVAS band A -Meets SIGNAL below objectives Wetlands VLAKES index >0.5 below objectives VLAKES index <0.5 below objectives VLAKES index meets objectives Marine and Estuaries Significant and high effects on abundance and/or diversity Significant and moderate effects on abundance and/or diversity No significant effects on abundance and/or diversity Bioaccumulation Significant difference (P<0.05) and >3x control Significant difference (P<0.05) and <3x control Not significantly different from control Biomarkers Significantly different from control Moderate but significant difference from control Not significantly different from control Other lines of evidence Significantly difference from control Moderate but significant difference from control Not significantly different from control Weight of evidence assessment High risk of significant adverse effects Medium risk of adverse effects Low risk of adverse effects – meets environmental quality objectives for the protection of beneficial uses 6. Water based recreation (1) The protection of the beneficial use of water-based recreation is measured using long-term and short-term environmental quality indicators and objectives.