Quantifying water quality of effluent at Crocodylus Park, Berrimah

Abstract

Crocodile farming is an important activity to utilise crocodiles sustainably. Presently, there is few regulation to control effluent discharge from crocodile farming operation. However, it is necessary to undertake adequate effluent management, to be responsible to the concern for environmental contamination. A monitoring was undertaken to understand the quality of effluent from crocodile farming operations at Crocodylus Park. It was also undertaken to determine factors influencing the quality of the effluent. The monitoring activity did not proceed as expected, regardless of the carefully designed project. One of reasons of this was the time limit. However, from collected physical, nutrient, and biological data, it was found that the effluent from Crocodylus Park is phosphorus rich, although the nitrogen level is not significantly high, compared with standards. From biological data, the effluent is considered as generally eutrophic. Unbalance between dissolved oxygen and biological oxygen demand seemed to affect the nutrient cycle at the sampling sites in the Park. This unbalance was observed in DamB. Based on these results, continuing monitoring, undertaking frequent water exchange, modification of the structure of aeration ponds, water treatment by alkalinity control, and undertaking further research was recommended to improve water quality of effluent at Crocodylus Park.

Date of Award	Jun 1998
Original language	English
Supervisor	Jim Luong-Van (Supervisor)