HawkesburyWatch

To explore the latest data click on the sites on the map or use the menu list on the left.

  Water Quality  

  Rainfall  

  Water Level  

  Ocean Tide  

What is HawkesburyWatch?

HawkesburyWatch is a MHL Flood and Coastal Intelligence Tool (MHLFIT) that provides near real-time monitoring of rainfall, water level and water quality for the Hawkesbury estuary. Hornsby Shire Council has been monitoring the Lower Hawkesbury estuary using remotely deployed water quality stations since 2004. This management system has been developed by MHL for Hornsby Shire Council to inform land use planning decisions, catchment and estuary health condition and matters of public safety. The information provided in this web-portal is updated in near real-time. Unique to this dataset is the ability to provide near real time data to inform community on daily swimming conditions and presence of toxic algae blooms. In addition, the overall information allows operational and strategic decisions to be made by natural resource managers and relevant stakeholders that manage the Lower Hawkesbury estuary.

No other estuary in NSW has the spatial and temporal resolution of water quality data that exists for the Lower Hawkesbury estuary. This was recognised in 2018 by the NSW Government when the program was awarded the Green Globe Awards for the Public Sector Leadership.

The detailed data collected under the Hawkesbury Watch program has proven highly valuable to Sydney Water who are sponsoring the 2020/21 maintenance program.

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