Science & Nature

What we’re finding

Field notes, water science, species observations and restoration stories from Perry Lakes Reserve — written by the scientists and volunteers doing the work.

Photo: Ian Stewart

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More from the field

4 posts

  • How are we going for rain this year?

    The plot above shows the cumulative rainfall for Perth for all years since 1880. 2025 is currently one of the lowest, and history tells us it is likely to stay that way.

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  • Troubled Waters: What’s Happening at West and East Lakes?

    If you’ve taken a stroll around West Lake recently, you may have noticed the water level creeping lower by the day. And if you’ve ventured over to East Lake, you’ll know it’s barely a lake at all right now — just a shallow puddle lingering from an occasional rain shower. So, what’s going on? We’re…

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  • The threat of excess phosphorus in our lakes

    Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for all living things. However, the soils and wetlands of the southwest are naturally low in P, and native plants have evolved to thrive in these conditions. When phosphorus levels rise too high, freshwater bodies like Perry Lakes become vulnerable to toxic blue-green algal blooms. These blooms, caused by…

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  • Perry Lakes Water Levels – 2 February 2025

    The plot shows how the water levels have changed since late July, with the red and blue markers indicating when the pumps were running. A fault in the pump control system was rectified on 16 January. West Lake rose quickly for two days, but the rapid rise was not sustained. A reduction in the pumping…

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    Water quality trend update — 20 January 2026

    Our citizen scientists have been tracking water quality across East and West Lake since mid-2025. Here’s what six months of monthly monitoring is showing us.

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  • The threat of excess phosphorus in our lakes

    When phosphorus levels rise too high, freshwater bodies like Perry Lakes become vulnerable to toxic blue-green algal blooms.

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  • Water quality update — July 2025

    The main threat to water quality at Perry Lakes is toxic algae. Here’s where things stand as of July 2025.

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  • Perry Lakes: highest water levels in 50 years

    Both East and West Lakes are thriving, with water levels now the highest they’ve been since the 1970s.

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  • Azolla at West Lake

    West Lake is becoming increasingly covered by the floating water fern Azolla pinnata — and it’s growing fast.

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