There is a responsibility that comes with these excellent river health results. With the huge loss of biodiversity happening across the globe, it is important now more than ever that we also focus on protecting Earth's very healthy ecosystems, such as this one. Not only for the diverse species that rely on these rivers now, but for the generations to come.

Caring for the environment doesn't only look like improving areas of poor health. It is imperative to protect healthy waterways, internationally, nationally and locally.

Even small changes to a catchment can have large downstream impacts from the loss of stream biodiversity, reduced riparian vegetation condition, decreased human amenity not just within the freshwater environment but also the estuarine environments, harbours and bays. The damage at times can be so extensive that remediation is effectively irreversible (Vietz et al. 2014).

"There are opportunities to protect Australia’s most important aquatic areas so that future generations do not have to pay the high costs of rehabilitation (e.g. as has happened for the River Murray)"

- Kingsford et al., 2005

“In terms of stream health it is usually more effective to protect (preserve) reaches of stream that remain in good condition, than to spend huge amounts of money trying to rehabilitate reaches that are already damaged. Similarly, it is usually more efficient to stop a stream deteriorating than to try to fix it later.”

- Rutherfurd, 1999

We also know that "climate change is likely to gradually add to existing stressors, particularly water availability pressures and the impacts of altered river flows” from increased flooding regimes (SOE, 2021). High rainfalls resulting in stream flooding can be a major source of disturbance that impacts aquatic ecosystems. Predicted increases in global flood risk due to land use change, climate change and water cycle intensification will likely only increase the frequency and severity of these impacts (Talbot et al 2018).

These high rainfall events and subsequent stream flooding can increase the velocity of streams which can have many impacts on aquatic invertebrates both directly and indirectly through changes to habitat and or water quality. This can include stream bed scouring which can remove organisms or force them to seek refuge among substrates or in the drift. Numerous studies have shown that floods reduce aquatic invertebrate abundances and diversity, although the threshold flows at which this occurs is not well studied. However, the recovery of aquatic invertebrates from most flood events is relatively rapid and can persist even in very flood-prone streams (Death 2008). Due to these many changing climatic influences protecting these places during these times of increasing climate change is particularly important.

It is vitally important that everyone who lives in or visits this area continues to take actions to care for and protect these incredibly valuable ecosystems. To be a part of the generation that cares for and helps to keep these rivers pristine for the future is a real privilege and our partners believe the Bellingen Shire community and the people that visit this area are perfectly placed to take this on.

An important aspect of protecting pristine rivers includes "long-term collection and collation of ecological data for objective assessment of condition and to assess changes over time” (Kingsford et al., 2005). We thank our volunteers for their dedicated work in collecting water quality and macroinvertebrate monitoring data, and our partners, for their work in supporting volunteers, and collating and communicating our data.

It is important to create a 20m good quality riparian zone along all rivers in both catchments (with the exception for where structural works are required). This involves weeding and revegetating river banks. Bellingen Riverwatch supports our partners' ongoing riparian restoration works wherever possible, and undertakes BR riparian restoration workshops. In 2023, we will be commencing work at the B6 site (Gordonville Crossing). Visit www.ozgreen.org.au to register your interest to become a volunteer at future river working bees. For more information, see:

• Estuary Revegetation Guide

• River System Landholder Booklet

• Freshwater Revegetation Guide

The Steering Committee recommends that funding be sought for further investigation into: 1) The origins of high phosphorus at Upper Bellinger sites (B1, B2, B2.1, B3, B3.1); 2) The potential sources of elevated levels of phosphate and turbidity and lower levels of dissolved oxygen at B7.1 (Caratti Creek).; and 3)The cause of these continuing poor water quality results at S1 (Spicketts Creek).