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Archives for April 2017

Carbon, the problem and the solution

Jaime · Apr 12, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Farmers are at the coalface when it comes to climate variability and carbon and successful business strategies identify threats and apply problem solving to drive opportunity. Could carbon be both the problem and a solution? The research is confirming carbon held in soil is the key to fertility and water holding capacity. It also provides a buffer in times of variability of climate change.

The destruction from recent Tropical Cyclone Debbie exemplifies predictions of increased significant weather events and increased severity of events. Preparation to handle such events has been underway for some time. The Mackay Whitsunday Isaac Climate Sustainability Plan 2016-2020 was a highly collaborative partnership with CISRO, James Cook University and Reef Catchments, thanks to funding through the National Landcare Program. The Plan identifies some of the main risks associated with projected climatic conditions such as predicted temperatures, rainfall and freshwater availability. As well as regional actions, which cover strengthening ecosystem health and biodiversity, community education, risk management and economic sustainability.

The plan also explores the opportunities for farmers to tackle this global problem through local solutions. Not just though increasing their soil carbon asset but strengthening local markets and economies, biodiversity, crop diversification and potential bio-based industries.

Development of adaption resources can be strengthened through farmers’ localised observations of the effects of climate variability, given their ongoing relationship with the land. Leaders using best management practice and pushing the boundaries of our current knowledge provide a guide for the other adopters of new farming practices.

Improved farming practices are an unintended consequence of meeting the challenge of climate uncertainty. Reef Catchments is supporting farmers in this time of change through Landcare initiatives in our region.

Catchment loads monitoring

Jaime · Apr 3, 2017 · Leave a Comment

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Catchments Loads Monitoring Program, monitors the annual loads of pollutants (sediments, pesticides and nutrients) generated from terrestrial runoff in the GBR catchments. The monitoring is undertaken at 26 sites across 14 drainage basins. The data is then used to model annual loads across the 35 drainage basins which is used in the development of the annual Paddock to Reef report cards which measure and report on progress toward targets.

In the Mackay Whitsunday region there has been an increase in the number of sites being monitored in 2016/17. Previous monitoring has been undertaken on the O’Connell and Pioneer Rivers and on Sandy Creek. In 2016/17 this has been increased with three new sites including a new site on the Proserpine River, an additional site on the O’Connell River and a (to be established site) on Plane Creek.

Currently all six sites are monitored with ambient sampling being taken on a weekly basis. The ambient sampling is used to identify the range and concentrations of pollutants within the rivers and creeks on a day-to-day basis. Of these sites, five currently have automated samplers set up with the sixth site to be set up later this year. The automated samplers enable continuous sampling during high flow events providing samples along the hydrograph (rate of flow vs time of event) and are stored until collected.

From all of the collected samples the concentrations are determined, with the volume of water flowing in the river used to determine the load (either Tonnes or kg’s depending on pollutant) of each of the pollutants.

Each year the monitoring program releases a report detailing the results from each of the sites monitored.

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