Results from the latest Tamar estuary water report card show water quality throughout the river system is improving.
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The report released today by NRM North is the result of work completed as part of the Tamar Estuary and Esk Rivers program.
Program manager Dr Jo Fearman said the results were promising.
In other news:
"I'm really pleased with the improvements in water quality throughout the estuary," she said.
"We see that particularly in the lower estuary it has the best water quality that we've measure ... since we started recording."
For the purposed of the TEER program the estuary is split into five zones.
Zones 2 through 5, which cover the stretch of river from Legana to Greens Beach, all scored between a B- and an A+.
These zones all scored a higher grade than on the last report card in 2018.
Zone 1, Legana to Launceston, however scored a D, up from an F, which shows more work needs to be done.
Water quality had improved due to a reduction in nutrients and metals and increases in the levels of dissolved oxygen.
While there was a reduction nutrients remain present within the upper estuary.
Dr Fearman said work was being done to improve water quality in Zone 1.
"We know that our partner organisations are undertaking extensive work to reduce nutrients in the catchment and in treatment plants," she said.
NRM North chief executive officer Rosanna Coombes said work had been done to fix problems with sewerage and storm water flowing into the river.
"In the urban area the fixes have already been put in place and that has cost us under $1 million," she said.
She said it was important the whole community was involved in the project.
"NRM North is ... working very closely with farmers in the region and also with councils to get results from action," she said.
"We have been able to get so far is that we're currently protecting 640 hectares of riparian areas.
"It's excluding 12,000 head of cattle, 140,000 head of sheep and we have affluent improvement in the dairy industry across the board."
Environment Minister Roger Jaensch said the government was committed to funding the TEER program into the future.
He said improving water quality was important for life across the North.
Northern Midlands Mayor Mary Knowles said the council was also committed to the project long term.
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