Science in Water Quality

Water Quality Research

 

Water quality in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has been recognized as being in a state of decline. The rapid expansion of agriculture and urbanization in the GBR catchment is the primary cause of this decline. River discharge carrying land-based pollutants result in both acute and chronic stress on coral reefs and seagrass beds. Chronic stresses associated with increased levels of nutrients and turbidity can affect species susceptible to long-term changes in ambient environmental conditions such as the corals, seagrass and fish species found in the GBR.

Further information and publications from current and past projects in Water Quality managed by RRRC are linked below.

 

NESP 1.3 A validation of coral geochemical records to reconstruct suspended sediment loads to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon Stephen Lewis, JCU
NESP 1.5 Legacy of the Lower Burdekin Water Quality Tender Romy Greiner, JCU
NESP 1.6 Multiple and cumulative impacts on the GBR: assessment of current status and development of improved approaches for management Sven Uthicke, AIMS
NESP 1.7 Reducing sediment sources to the Reef: testing the effectiveness of managing alluvial gully erosion Andrew Brooks, GU
NESP 1.8 Sub-catchment scale monitoring, modelling and extension design to support reef water quality improvement Aaron Davis, JCU
NESP 1.10 Identification, impacts, and prioritization of emerging contaminants present in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait marine environments Frederieke Kroon, AIMS
NESP 2.2 A tradable permit scheme for cost effective reduction of nitrogen runoff in the sugarcane catchments of the Great Barrier Reef Jim Smart, GU
NESP 3.3 Light thresholds for seagrasses of the GBR: a synthesis and guiding document for managing seagrass Catherine Collier, JCU
NESP 3.4 Developing and refining biological indicators for seagrass condition assessments in an integrated monitoring program Catherine Collier, JCU
NESP 3.8 Towards an integrated monitoring program: identifying indicators and existing monitoring programs to cost-effectively evaluate the Long Term Sustainability Plan Prue Addison, AIMS
NESP 3.10 Benchmarking costs of NRM improvements for the GBR John Rolfe, CQU
NESP 2.1.2 Scoping options for low-lying, marginal cane land to reduce DIN in priority wet tropics catchments Nathan Waltham, JCU
NESP 2.1.3 Harnessing the science of social marketing and behaviour change for improved water quality in the GBR: an action research project Lynne Eagle, JCU
NESP 2.1.4 Demonstration and evaluation of gully remediation on downstream water quality and agricultural production in GBR rangelands Rebecca Bartley, CSIRO
NESP 2.1.5 What’s really damaging the Reef? Tracing the origin and fate of the environmentally detrimental sediment Stephen Lewis, JCU
NESP 2.1.6 From exposure to risk: novel experimental approaches to analyse cumulative impacts and determine thresholds in the GBRWHA Sven Uthicke, AIMS
NESP 2.1.7 Engaging with farmers and demonstrating water quality outcomes to create confidence in on-farm decision-making (also known as Project 25) Aaron Davis, JCU
NESP 2.1.8 Improved water quality outcomes from on-farm nitrogen management Mike Bell, UQ
NESP 2.1.9 Risk assessing dredging activities Ross Jones, AIMS
NESP 2.1.10 The application and adaption of mine site rehabilitation approaches to alluvial gully rehabilitation in the Bowen Catchment Andrew Brooks, GU
NESP 2.2.1 Identifying the water quality and ecosystem health threats to the high diversity Torres Strait and far northern GBR from runoff from the Fly River Jane Waterhouse, JCU
NESP 2.2.2 Impacts of mine derived pollution on Torres Strait environments and communities Simon Apte, CSIRO
NESP 2.3.1 Benthic light as ecologically validated GBR wide indicator for water quality: drivers, thresholds and cumulative risks Katharina Fabricius, AIMS
NESP 2.3.2 ‘Human sensors’ for monitoring GBR environmental changes and quality of marine waters through harnessing Big Data analysis Susanne Becken, GU
NESP 2.3.3 Building Indigenous livelihood and comanagement opportunities in the northern GBR-ecosystem services and conservation governance for water quality Marcus Barber, CSIRO
NESP 2.3.4 Working with Traditional Owners and local citizens to better manage GBR estuarine wetlands Norman Duke, JCU
NESP 3.1.2 Improving water quality for the Great Barrier Reef and wetlands by better managing irrigation in the sugarcane farming system Yvette Everingham, JCU & Steve Attard, AgriTech Solutions
NESP 3.1.3 Harnessing the science of social marketing in communication materials development and behaviour change for improved water quality in the GBR: a desktop review (Project 2.1.3 – Stage 2) Lynne Eagle, JCU
NESP 3.1.4 Optimizing the management of riparian zones to improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef Keryn Paul, CSIRO
NESP 3.1.5 Ecotoxicology of pesticides on the Great Barrier Reef for guideline development and risk assessments Andrew Negri, AIMS
NESP 3.1.6 Exploring trading in water quality credits as a cost-effective approach for managing water quality in the Great Barrier Reef Jim Smart, GU
NESP 3.1.7 Reducing sediment loads to the Great Barrier Reef: developing optimal approaches for treating alluvial gully erosion Andrew Brooks, GU
NESP 3.2.1 Deriving ecologically relevant load targets to meet desired ecosystem condition for the Great Barrier Reef: a case study for seagrass meadows in the Burdekin region Catherine Collier, JCU
NESP 3.2.5 Testing and implementation of the water quality metric for the 2017 and 2018 reef report cards Britta Schaffelke, AIMS
NESP 3.3.1 Quantifying the linkages between water quality and the thermal tolerance of GBR coral reefs Line Bay, AIMS
NESP 3.3.2 Science evaluation of coastal wetland systems repair projects across GBR catchments Nathan Waltham, JCU
NESP 4.2 Oceanographic drivers of bleaching in the GBR: from observations to prediction Craig Steinberg, AIMS
NESP 4.8 ‘Project 25’ – farmers, water quality and on-farm decision-making Dr Aaron Davis, JCU
NESP 4.9 Gully characterisation framework to underpin GBR catchment water quality management Andrew Brooks, GU
NESP 4.10 Evaluating the costs and benefits of agricultural land conversion to wetlands Nathan Waltham, JCU
NESP 4.11 Sources, transformations and fate of dissolved organic carbon – implications for the GBR Michele Burford, GU
NESP 4.12 Measuring cost-effectiveness and identifying key barriers and enablers of lasting behavioural change in the cane industry Sharyn Rundle-Thiele, GU
NESP 5.2 From exposure to risk: Novel experimental approaches to analyse cumulative impacts and determine thresholds in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) Sven Uthicke, AIMS
NESP 5.3 Benthic light as ecologically-validated GBR-wide indicator for water quality: Drivers, thresholds and cumulative risks Barbara Robson, AIMS
NESP 5.4 Deriving ecologically relevant targets to meet desired ecosystem condition for the Great Barrier Reef: A case study for seagrass meadows in the Burdekin region Catherine Collier, JCU
NESP 5.8 What’s really damaging the Reef? Tracing the origin and fate of the environmentally detrimental sediment and associated bioavailable nutrients Stephen Lewis, JCU
NESP 5.9 Gully remediation effectiveness Rebecca Bartley, CSIRO
NESP 5.10 Development and application of automated tools for high resolution gully mapping and classification from LiDAR data Prof Andrew Brooks, GU
NESP 5.11 Improved water quality outcomes from on-farm nitrogen management Mike Bell, UQ
NESP 5.12 Scoping land use conversion options for high DIN risk, low-lying sugarcane areas in Burdekin and Mackay Whitsunday regions Nathan Waltham, JCU
NESP 5.13 Coastal wetland systems repair across GBR catchments – values based causal framework validation Nathan Waltham, JCU
NESP 5.14 Identifying the water quality and ecosystem health threats to the Torres Strait from the Fly River runoff Jane Waterhouse & Simon Apte, JCU

 

NERP 4.1 Tracking coastal turbidity over time and demonstrating the effects of river discharge events on regional turbidity in the GBR Katharina Fabricius, AIMS
NERP 4.2 The chronic effects of pesticides and their persistence in tropical waters Andrew Negri, AIMS
NERP 4.3 Ecological Risk Assessment for the GBR Jon Brodie, JCU
NERP 4.4 Hazard assessment for water quality threats to Torres Strait marine waters, ecosystems and public health Jon Brodie, JCU
NERP 5.1 Understanding diversity of the GBR: spatial and temporal dynamics and environmental drivers Glenn De’ath, AIMS
NERP 5.2 Combined water quality and climate effects on corals and other reef organisms Sven Uthicke, AIMS
NERP 5.3 Vulnerability of seagrass habitats in the GBR to changing coastal environments Catherine Collier, JCU
NERP Water Quality Synthesis Report

 

RRRD 004 Advanced drip and optimised furrow irrigation to minimise sediment, nutrient and pesticide losses to the environment through deep drainage and runoff from sugarcane and banana industries of wet tropics in northern Queensland David Midmore & Surya Bhattarai, CQU
RRRD 009 Runoff nitrogen generation rates from pasture legumes – an enhancement to reef catchment modelling Craig Thornton, QLD Dept. Natural Resources and Mines
RRRD 010 Factors affecting adoption of land management practices that have water quality benefits in the GBR catchments: Evaluation scenarios for cane farming Delwar Akbar, CQU
RRRD 011 Capturing historic small catchment study (paddock scale) data to support quantification of management impacts on water quality on the GBR David Freebairn, RPS Australia
RRRD 016 Developing integrated assessment metrics for reporting of water quality in the GBR lagoon Vittorio Brando, CSIRO
RRRD 020 Mineralisation of nitrogen within the sugarcane cropping system following legume fallows and its effect on water quality Bernard Schroeder, BSES
RRRD 024 Quantifying the impacts of rehabilitating degraded lands on soil health, pastures, runoff, erosion, nutrient and sediment movement Trevor Hall, QDAFF
RRRD 027 Getting ground cover right – thresholds and baselines for a healthier reef Terry Beutel, QDAFF
RRRD 030 Pollutant load estimation for GBR catchments: Accounting for the uncertainty in monitoring and modelled data using data assimilation techniques Petra Kuhnert, CSIRO
RRRD 032 Improving grazing management practices to enhance ground cover and reduce sediment loads Scott Wilkinson, CSIRO
RRRD 037 Pesticide dynamics in the GBR catchment and lagoon: management practices in the sugarcane industry Jon Brodie, JCU
RRRD 038 Pesticide dynamics in the GBR catchment and lagoon: management practices (grazing, bananas and grain crops) and risk assessments Stephen Lewis & Jon Brodie, JCU
RRRD 039 Integrated assessment of Best Management Practices cost-effectiveness and decision support for regions and landholders Stuart Whitten, CSIRO
RRRD 049 Minimising off-farm movement of nitrogen and phosphorus in the north Queensland banana industry John Reghenzani, Terrain NRM
RRRD 054 Development of a banana modelling capability to enhance reporting of Reef Rescue outcomes Tony Webster, CSIRO
RRRD 055 Validating the cost/benefits of improved fertiliser practices and quantifying nutrient loads and pathways from irrigated dairy pastures in the Wet Tropics and the Burnett-Mary regions. Ruth Chalk, Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation
RRRD 056 Evaluating and improving A-Class practices to control nutrient losses from sugarcane Peter Thorburn, CSIRO
RRRD 058 A novel biological method of monitoring herbicides Ben Kefford, UTS

 

MTSRF 3.7.1 Marine and estuarine indicators and thresholds of concern Katharina Fabricius, AIMS
MTSRF 3.7.2 Connectivity and risk: tracing materials from the upper catchment to the reef Jon Brodie, JCU
MTSRF 3.7.3 Freshwater indicators and thresholds of concern Richard Pearson, JCU & Angela Arthington, GU
MTSRF 3.7.4 Wetlands and floodplains: connectivity and hydro-ecological function Jim Wallace, CSIRO
MTSRF 3.7.5 & 3.7.6 Socio-economic constraints to and incentives for the adoption of land use and management options for water quality improvement Peter Roebeling, CSIRO
MTSRF 3.7.7 Analysis and synthesis of information for reporting credible estimates of loads for compliance against targets and tracking trends in loads Bronwyn Hatch, CSIRO
MTSRF Water Qualtiy Synthesis Reports