A waterbug survey was carried out in September 2024 by Hunter Local Land Services and the Waterbug Company to assess the water quality in Wollombi Brook, Watagan Creek, Congewai Creek, Narone Creek and Stockyard Creek.

The comprehensive survey involved taking samples at 29 sites and identifying and recording results in the Waterbug App. The app generates a score for each site that allows us to compare the condition of creeks across the catchment.

Why waterbugs?

Waterbugs are a useful indicator of the ecological health of freshwater habitats. Freshwater macroinvertebrates, commonly referred to as waterbugs, are a diverse group of animals ranging from worms and leeches to crustaceans and insects. The presence or absence of different waterbugs combined with abundance is a method of establishing if the water quality is poor, fair or good. Some are more tolerant to pollution than others, while sensitive bugs will only be found in creeks in good condition.