2024 heatwave impacts seagrass

Following the Feb 2023 heatwave, that coincided with very low tides, volunteers have been monitoring the partial recovery of the seagrass (Zostera), along the western side of Torrens Island.

While the seagrass escaped a lengthy 2024 summer heatwave, there was a four day heatwave in March (8th to 11th) that coincided with low tides in the middle of the day e.g. 0.12m around 12.25pm on Saturday 9th.

With some trepidation Steve Papp, Chris Gates and Catherine McMahon (previously with ECF and now Friends of Port River) went to Torrens Island on Sunday 24th March to check our 3 Lipsons Reach sites and our two sites north and south of TI Quarantine Station. We found that all sites had been adversely affected but that some seagrass still persists.

There was no obvious seagrass at Lipsons South, however there was some low cut seagrass north of our marker posts at Lipsons Central plus some obvious seagrass in the distance there and some seagrass at Lipsons North. There was no obvious seagrass south of the Quarantine Station (except below water) and the seagrass just north of the jetty has been hard hit while some seagrass lives on opposite Engie’s power station.

Steve Papp at Lipsons south monitoring site 29.11.23

Steve at Lipsons South 24.3.24

Promising recovery, Lipsons central site 29 November, 2023

Lipsons Central 24.3.24

Seagrass at Lipsons north 31.1.24

Seagrass at Lipsons North 24.3.24

Baby mangroves and seagrass, Lipsons North 31.1. 24

Baby mangroves and seagrass, Lipsons North 24.3.24

No obvious seagrass south of TI QS jetty 24.3.24

Seagrass opposite the Engie power station 24.3.24