Controlled Variables

The variables that i kept the same when collecting, and completing my investigation included:

• Where the samples came from - Gunnamatta Bay
• The time the samples were taken - between 5 and 6pm
• The amount of times each sample was tested - Twice
• The amount of water demineralised water (where required) added
• How long the pH probe was left to read of the pH of the samples - 1 minute
• How long the soil samples were kept in the oven during moisture, organic content testing
• The teperature of the oven during moisture and organic content testing
• The size of beakers and filters used kept the same for each individual test
  

Plan for this week

This week I definately plan to finish my first lot of samples.

• On monday I have ordered the turbidity tube and silver nitrate for the water.
• On tuesday, i will test the presence of phosphates in water and test the moisture content of my soil to leave overnight (Obviously I wont be able to test all my samples in the incubator at once so this may take two days)
• On wednesday, I will test the organic content of the soil
• On thursday, I will finalise my results for each eperiment
• On Saturday, I will get my next lot of samples

Sydney 7 Day Forecast
Sunday -Showers Min: 13°C Max: 19°CUV: Low
Monday -Possible shower Min: 13°C Max: 19°CUV: Moderate
Tuesday -Possible shower Min: 10°C Max: 19°CUV: Moderate
Wednesday -Increasing sunshine Min: 11°C Max: 19°CUV: Moderate
Thursday -Mostly sunnyMin: 10°C Max: 20°CUV: Moderate
Friday -Cloud increasingMin: 10°C Max: 21°CUV: Moderate
Saturday -Mostly cloudy Min: 10°C Max: 21°CUV: moderate

http://weather.smh.com.au/local.jsp?lt=aploc&lc=624

Salt levels of soil and water AFTER rainfall

I have developed a key which determines to amount of salt present in the soil/water

KEY
1 drop = Extremly salty (turns milky instantly)
2 drops = Very salty (turns milky after 2 drops)
3 drops = Salty (turns milky after 3 drops)
4 drops = Mildly Salty (turns milky after 4 drops)
5 drops = Low Salt (turns milky slowly needs 5 drops)

TEST 1 -Water Samples A-H.

Sample A = 1 drop
Sample B = 1 drop
Sample C = 1 drop
Sample D = 2 drops
Sample E = 1 drop
Sample F = 1 drop
Sample G = 2 drops
Sample H = 1 drop
AVERAGE 1.25

Test 2- Water Samples A-H

Sample A = 2 drops
Sample B = 1 drop
Sample C = 2 drops
Sample D = 1 drop
Sample E = 2 drops
Sample F = 2 drops
Sample G = 2 drops
Sample H = 1 drop
AVERAGE 1.625

These results conclude that the salt content in the water is relatively high, however, this is to be expected as it is seawater and therefore contains a much higher content of salt than fresh water would have.

Salt levels for soil samples A-H.

Sample A = 3 drops
Sample B = 2 drops
Sample C = 3 drops
Sample D = 3 drops
Sample E = 2 drops
Sample F = 2 drops
Sample G = 3 drops
Sample H = 3 drops
AVERAGE 2.62

Test 2 -Salt levels for soil samples

Sample A = 2 drops
Sample B = 2 drops
Sample C = 3 drops
Sample D = 2 drops
Sample E = 2 drops
Sample F = 2 drops
Sample G = 3 drops
Sample H = 2 drops
AVERAGE 2.25

I really was not sure what to expect during this test. I did expect it to contain a little bit more salt as this data was collected after rainfall, however, still remains at an average between 2.62 and 2.25 drops and very salty

Equipment Needed

The following are lists of equipment needed in order to carry out each experiment and the collection of the samples.

Collecting Samples:
8 zip lock bags - all the same size
8 two litre water bottles
1 small spade/shovel

pH test for water samples:
8 small sized beakers
8 water samples taken from Gunnamatta Bay
1 pH probe
1 data logger
1 bottle demineralised water

pH test for soil
8 small sized beakers
8 soil samples from Gunnamatta Bay
1 bottle of demineralised water
1 data logger
1 pH probe

Presence of salt (sodium chloride)for water:
8 small sized beakers
1 bottle silver nitrate
8 water samples from Gunnamatta Bay
Gloves

Presence of salt (sodium chloride) for soil:
8 small sized beakers
8 small sized funnels
8 pieces filter paper
1 bottle silver nitrate
1 spoon
8 soil samples from Gunnamatta Bay


Moisture Content of soil:
1 oven
8 evaporating dishes
1 spoon
8 soil samples from Gunnamatta Bay


Organic content of soil
1 oven
8 evaporating dishes
8 soil samples from Gunnamatta Bay
1 spoon

Texture and colour of Soil:
8 soil samples from Gunnamatta Bay

Possible parent rock of sand:
8 soil samples from Gunnamatta Bay

Turbidity of water:
1 turbidity tube
8 water samples from Gunnamatta Bay

Evidence of pollution:
Photographs from Gunnamatta Bay
Research of the suburb of Gunnamatta Bay

Tests that need to be conducted

From the samples i collected at Gunnamatta Bay, the following tests hav to be conducted in order to collect the necessary data:
Moisture Content
pH
Presence of salt (sodium chloride)
Organic content
Texture & colour
Possible parent rock
Turbidity
Evidence of pollution
These tests are to be carried out on the water and soil samples that i collected from Gunnamatta Bay where they applied i.e. only water can be tested for turbidity

Open ended investigation Plan

I just realised I saved this as a draft when i first started and forgot to post it. Woops

Throughout this investigation, I will procede to do this in steps which are as follows:

• Choose a suitable area for my research - Gunnamatta Bay
• Do some rough research on the area to gain a bit of background information.
• Collect a current map of the area along with pictures to help illustrate what i intend to do.
• Choose the areas in which to take samples from in order to complete my testing.
• Mark these areas on a photograph/map.
• Go to Gunnamatta Bay and collect the necessary samples from the areas indicated.
• Take the samples into school.
• Completes risk assessment and hand to Ms B or Ms Kalt to signand start testing.
• Scan a copy of risk assessment into blog.
• Compile an equipment list to give to philip in order to start testing.
• Carry out the different tests over a number of different days
• For soil: pH, presence of salt, moisture and organic content, texture and colourband parent rock.
• For water samples: turbidity, pH, presence of salt and evidence of pollution.
• Record results of these tests into blog.
• Complete the final part of the assignment, the Scientific reports.

Regions of the Bay subject to pollute the area

Resources

Below is a list of people i have called today:

• Sutherland Shire council 97100333
• Sydney Water 132092 - General enquiry
• NSW Government- Student resources 0247744431

The sutherland shire council refered me to the annual shire report which has some relevant information on the shire itself, however no information specifically on Gunnamatta Bay. This information is in a few of the previous posts.

Sydney water referred me to the NSW Government website (www.sca.nsw.gov.au), however, they only research the major drinking water dam and therefore could not help me. On the other hand, the woman told me to go on google earth, look at at the rivers or pipelines that run off into the bay. This will help me get a general idea as to what runs off into the bay. As the bay in surrounded by an urban area, things such as

• phosphates and nitrates from fertilisers
• oil and heavy metals
• grease

Gunnamatta Bay has a high exposure to these materials and therefore effect the water quality and life at the Bay and cause the bay to have a high turbidity which is an experiment soonto be tested.

We shall soon find out... stay tuned =]

Life in the shire

State of Biodiversity
1. Terrestrial biodiversity

By maintaining biodiversity, support is given to ecosystems that have a positive effect on air quality, water quality, food production, soil formation, breakdown and absorption of pollutants and climate stability. Protection of an ecosystem helps areas to rehabilitate after destructive environmental events such as fires, flooding and strong winds. Sutherland Shire supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna in its National Parks, parklands, reserves and residential properties.

Vegetation communities

In the Sutherland Shire the diversity of flora and fauna is contained and supported in a number of key vegetation communities. These communities include:
• Estuarine Complex
• Rainforests
• Tall Open (Shale) Forest
• Shale/Sandstone Transition Complex
• Sydney Sandstone Gully Forest
• Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland
• Sydney Sandstone Heathland
• Sand Dune Communities
• Freshwater Wetlands.

Wildlife corridors
Wildlife corridors allow the uninhibited movement of animals from one area to another, and include large tracts of bushland and wetland areas along creeks and rivers. These corridors are vital in maintaining genetically healthy and viable populations as well as providing escape and colonisation routes in the event of fire, flood and other disasters. In the Sutherland Shire Council area, important wildlife corridors include the Woronora Valley, Dents Creek, Ewey Creek, Carvers Creek and Still Creek. The wildlife corridors play an integral part in the Greenweb strategy of Sutherland Shire Council.

Endangered communities
In the Sutherland Shire there are a number of “Endangered Communities” these are:
• Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest
• Shale-Sandstone Transition Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion
• Kurnell Dune Forest
• Bangalay Sand Forest
• NSW Littoral Rainforest (replaces Sutherland Shire Littoral Rainforest)
• River-Flat Eucalypt Forest on Coastal Floodplains(replaces Sydney Coastal River-Flat Forest)
• Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains (replaces Sydney Coastal Estuary Swamp Forest Complex)
• Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest
• NSW Coastal Saltmarsh
• Sydney Freshwater Wetlands
• Southern Sydney Sheltered Forest on Transitional Sandstone Soils
• Themeda Grassland on Sea Cliffs and Coastal Headlands, and
• Taren Point Shorebird Community.
No new Endangered Communities were declared for the Sutherland Shire during 2006/07.

2. Aquatic biodiversity
The Sutherland Shire consists of a variety of aquatic habitats that include freshwater creeks, estuarine and coastal environments. These environments support a range of diverse ecosystems. Mangrove forests, saltmarsh and sea grasses in particular play a vital role as nursery grounds, shelter and sources of food for aquatic and marine animals. They also help to protect and stabilise sediments in our foreshore areas.

Coastal ecosystems
Coastal ecosystems occur above the low tide mark but are still subject to varying degrees of tidal
influence and include saltmarsh and mangrove communities. Sutherland Shire contains 90% of all remaining saltmarsh areas in Sydney and 50% of all mangrove areas.

http://www.sutherland.nsw.gov.au/ssc/rwpattach.nsf/viewasattachmentPersonal/20062007_SOE_Report_web.pdf/$file/20062007_SOE_Report_web.pdf (THIS IS THE SAME WEBSITE FOR THE PREVIOUS POST)

some policies of the sutherland shire council

I believe this has great relevance to Gunnamatta Bay as it is one of the main areas where environmental scientist carry out these policies.
After completing the test I am carrying out, it will determine whether these policies are acting as a benficial aspect to the Bay.

Environmental policy

Greenhouse Policy
Sutherland Shire Council was one of the first to fully implement the Greenhouse Policy for local government developed by the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils. The Environmental Science & Policy Unit was project manager for implementation of this policy at the council level and has been responsible for follow-up auditing of the success of the implementation of the policy.

Biodiversity Strategy for the Sutherland Shire
One of the key principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) is the conservation of Biodiversity. This strategy aims to guide council in the effective management and conservation of its biodiversity by: identifying the issues associated with biodiversity management; identifying actions for biodiversity management; assigning priority to these actions; identifying responsibility for implementation. This strategy integrates with strategies at a regional, state, and federal level to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach to this important area.

Integrated Transport Policy
Motor vehicles are a major source of air pollution in the Sydney region. Increased use of public transport, bicycling, and walking are seen as potential solutions to this ever increasing problem. The Integrated Transport Strategy for the Sutherland Shire aims to facilitate reductions in vehicle dependence, through planning and educational initiatives, including provision of bus/rail interchange facilities, bicycle plans, and pedestrian priority areas. This strategy integrates with other regional and state strategies.

Clean Waters Policy and Clean Waters Management Plan
Water quality has been identified as the number one concern of Shire residents. The Clean Waters Policy sets out what council's objectives are for the management of water, while the Management Plan outlines the actions necessary to achieve these objectives. Initiatives realised under the Management Plan to date include the installation of over 20 water quality control devices, including artificial wetlands, gross pollutant traps and continuous deflection devices, education programs, drainage pit stencilling, and an extensive water quality monitoring program (Strategic Water Monitoring Program) which encompasses 37 subcatchments throughout the Shire.

Contaminated Land Policy and Guidelines
While the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP) have released guidelines for the management of contaminated land, many councils are still struggling with their application in daily business, resulting in delays and postponement of remediation. To overcome this, Sutherland Shire Council has developed a Contaminated Land Policy, to facilitate the management of contaminated land in the Sutherland Shire. This policy results in increased certainty in the management of such sites, resulting in reduced environmental impacts from such sites.

Some background info of the shire

The Sutherland Shire is situated on the south-eastern rim of the Sydney basin. Its natural attributes of beaches, waterways, bushland and proximity to the Sydney CBD and sub-regional centres is a major contributing factor to the Shire’s character and attractiveness.
With 370km2 in area, its size and location provides a diversity of landforms that include rugged sea cliffs, sandy beaches, dunes and estuarine and riparian systems. It is in the Shire that Gunnamatta Bay lies and is a very popular destination for families.

Topography and soils
The geology of the Shire is predominantly sedimentary in origin. The Woronora Plateau, which covers most of the Shire, is a dissected sandstone plateau with shale lenses interspersed.
Major soil types of the Shire are within the Hawkesbury Sandstone and Wianamatta Shale groups. Other soil types include a mosaic of sands from the Wollongong, Kurnell and muddy sediments of the Mangrove Creek soil landscapes, the Hawkesbury, Lucas Heights and Faulconbridge soils, with isolated pockets of Blacktown and Gymea. Within the Royal National Park, there are Bundeena, Yarrawarrah, Hawkesbury
and Watagan soil landscapes.
Of the various soil types in the Sutherland shire acid sulfate soils have the greatest influence on land use activity along the coastal fringes. The major concern about acid sulfate soils is their potential to produce sulfuric acid that can:
• corrode and weaken concrete, iron, steel and certain aluminium alloys
• affect biodiversity and ecological integrity by degrading habitat, soil and water quality, killing or
disease of fish and other aquatic organisms
• dissolve certain essential elements from the soil–turning it toxic so plants will die
• kill fish and aquatic life, including plants with long term effect of reduced hatching and growth rates

http://www.sutherland.nsw.gov.au/ssc/rwpattach.nsf/viewasattachmentPersonal/20062007_SOE_Report_web.pdf/$file/20062007_SOE_Report_web.pdf

Problems that may arise

The following is a list of problems that may occur and ways in which to overcome them:

Problem: Not having enough of a given sample in order to carry out the tests or repition of the tests.
Solution: Collect more samples from the same area around the same time as the first was taken.

Problem: Not remembering the equipment needed to carry out a test.
Solution: Ask Ms.B, Ms. Kalt or Philip.

Problem: Spilling chemicals e.g. silver nitrate.
Solution: Follow safety precautions that were outlined in the risk assessment.

Problem: The oven at school beinf fully booked, therefore not being able to complaete test at school
Solution: Take samples home and complete in home oven without the fan on.

Problem: Not having enough time during lunch in which to complete the necessary test. Solution: Either go in the next morning or check with Ms.B to see wether i can go during my study periods

Problem: Not remembering how to complete a test.
Solution: Ask Ms.B or Ms. Kalt for help.

Problem: Equipment not working properly e.g. data logger and pH probe.
Solution: Ask either Ms B or Ms Kalt or Philip for help as to how to use the equipment properly, however, if it still not working, it is probably broken and the only solution is to order another one or use someone elses who is finished with it

Test for salts

Today I tested for salts in soil during my study period and the lesson. It took a while to get the hang of extracting the clear liquid from the soil but I did it.

I am writing the report with both water and soil combined. So seeing as I have not yet tested my water samples, I have not yet posted any reports on my findings.
So far I have tested the the Ph and salt content of my soil. Tomorrow I will be testing the PH of the water.

So far I have not encountered any problems with the experiment.

Hazard Sheet

Some history on the bay

History
Matthew Flinders and George Bass explored and mapped the coastline and Port Hacking estuary in 1796 and the southernmost point of Cronulla is named Bass and Flinders Point, in their honour. Thomas Holt (1811-88) owned most of the land that stretched from Sutherland to Cronulla in the 1860s.
The area around the bay was subdivided in 1895 and land was offered for sale at 10 pounds per acre. In 1899, the government named the area Gunnamatta, which means sandy hills. On the 26th February 1908 it was officially changed to Cronulla and Gunnamatta was used for the name of the bay, on the western side.
Cronulla is derived from kurranulla, meaning ‘‘place of the pink seashells’’ in the dialect of the area's Aboriginal inhabitants, the Dharawal people. The beaches were named by Surveyor Robert Dixon who surveyed here in 1827-28 and by 1840, the main beach was still known as Karranulla.History
Matthew Flinders and George Bass explored and mapped the coastline and Port Hacking estuary in 1796 and the southernmost point of Cronulla is named Bass and Flinders Point, in their honour. Thomas Holt (1811-88) owned most of the land that stretched from Sutherland to Cronulla in the 1860s.
The area around the bay was subdivided in 1895 and land was offered for sale at 10 pounds per acre. In 1899, the government named the area Gunnamatta, which means sandy hills. On the 26th February 1908 it was officially changed to Cronulla and Gunnamatta was used for the name of the bay, on the western side.
Cronulla is derived from kurranulla, meaning ‘‘place of the pink seashells’’ in the dialect of the area's Aboriginal inhabitants, the Dharawal people. The beaches were named by Surveyor Robert Dixon who surveyed here in 1827-28 and by 1840, the main beach was still known as Karranulla.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunnamatta_Bay#History

The testing has commenced

Today I tested the PH of all my soil samples.
The results concluded that the acidity of the soil throughout the beach is relatively the same which was calculated to an average of PH 5.5
On monday, I plan to test the salinity of the soil samples and the PH of the water during the lesson we ave to work on the project.

To achieve accurate results for this experiment, I will collect another lot of samples after rainfall which means I will be collecting two lots of samples before rainfall.


I am currently finding it difficult to research some background information about Gunnamatta Bay, however, I will be calling the Sutherland Shire Council to try and attain some information and history of the beach.

Collection of the samples continued...

Today i collected the rest of my samples.
Fortunately, it was still raining as I got the rest of my samples so my results should not be different from the first three samples.

My Collection Points

Collecting the samples

Today i went to Gunnamatta Bay after school to collect the samples I required.
There was an advantage and a disadvantage to this collection.

It was raining, meaning I was able to collect sample affected by rain. However, due to day light savings, I only had an hour between the time I got home to the time it got dark at 6pm. Due to this, I was only able to collect samples from three different areas of the beach. I am worried that this may affect my results when I got back tomorrow to collect the rest of them.

For now, I will start testing the samples I have got tomorrow at lunch.

Gunnamatta Bay