Redland City Council will consider allocating additional funding in the 2026–2027 Budget to trial a new plan aimed at improving vegetation management and water quality across key artificial lakes and dams.
The proposal, set to be considered as part of upcoming budget deliberations, targets ongoing issues such as odour, algae blooms and fish deaths in constructed urban waterbodies.
Mayor Jos Mitchell said the initiative reflected the growing challenge of maintaining more than 250 artificial waterbodies across council-owned or managed land.
“There are more than 250 artificial waterbodies located on Council owned or managed land,” the Mayor said.
“Management of these is undertaken by several teams across Council to address issues that arise due to stagnant water and excessive nutrient loading caused by warm temperatures, water runoff and prolonged dry periods.
“Activities include the treatment of declared water weeds and other vegetation, revegetation of banks to reduce silt and erosion and twice-yearly water quality monitoring at up to 15 locations.
“Council also undertakes ibis roost counts and removes eggs and nests, and organises a litter pick up four times each year.”
Despite these measures, council officers have recommended a more coordinated and targeted approach, particularly for larger and more heavily used sites.
The proposed trial would focus on eight locations, comprising 17 waterbodies, identified as having high community value and requiring more intensive management.
The Mayor said the new program aimed to improve both environmental outcomes and public amenity.
“Officers have identified eight sites consisting of 17 waterbodies where they propose to trial an increased management program to support amenity for the community, manage water quality and to preserve or increase conservation and habitat values.
“This will include more frequent inspections, water quality testing, litter pick ups, and fish and weed removal and the installation and management of probiotic blocks to treat elevated bacterial levels that can cause algae blooms.
“At this week’s General Meeting of Council, Councillors voted to consider allocating additional funding towards this increased management program as part of its deliberations for the 2026–2027 Budget.”
Sites identified for the proposed increased management program, subject to budget approval, include locations at Mount Cotton, Capalaba, Wellington Point, Victoria Point and Thornlands.
They include waterbodies at Capalaba Regional Park, Sovereign Waters Lake at Wellington Point, Crystal Waters in Thornlands and the Egret colony wetlands at Victoria Point, among others.
