The land resource surveys project provides co-ordinated information on the nature and condition of soil, vegetation and landscape. Maps, reports and databases provide this information in forms that can be interpreted for agricultural and urban land suitability
Variable
Long-term changes in Mackay-Whitsunday water quality and connectivity between coral reefs and mangrove ecosystems
Declining water quality is implicated in the degradation of near-shore Great Barrier Reef (GBR) ecosystems. The goal of this project is to provide a definitive answer to the question of how GBR water quality has changed since European arrival (pre- 1860). Using novel geochemical proxies in long-lived coral cores and innovative remote sensing techniques, we will develop quantitative histories of water quality and mangrove distribution change. This project will deliver the first integrated assessment of how coastal water quality and associated ecosystems have varied historically, which will be immediately applicable for long-term management of coastal ecosystems lining the GBR.
Acid sulphate soil risk mapping for Central Qld
This project is undertaking acid sulfate soil risk mapping in priority areas from Bowen in the north to Miriamvale in the south.
AIMS River Water Quality Monitoring 2004-2005
This activity is part of the Douglas WQIP project # 5 – Monitoring and Modelling of Sediment and Nutrient Flow Within and From Waters of Douglas Shire.
This project has gathered data from the automatic, manual and community monitoring activities so that it is stored, can be viewed and downloaded from the web.
Monitoring and modeling information will underpin establishment of a decision-support system (DSS) for environmental protection and planning activities in the Douglas Shire. The DSS tool will play a valuable role in environmental and planning decision- making, by assessing land use change on pollutant generation at the stream reach level and providing a tool for priority setting and investment planning at the expert, manager and community user scale to achieve agreed water quality targets. Outcomes: A data management and desktop data delivery system for Douglas Shire has been completed. The system is currently operational and is using CSIRO infrastructure. The interim URL is www.data-tv.csiro.au/DSCDDD/index.aspx The water quality data is visible and available to both internal and external users.
Mackay Whitsundays Healthy Waterways program 2003-2005
The program is led by the Mackay-Whitsunday Natural Resource Management Group, with the goal to ensure Healthy Waterways in the Mackay-Whitsunday region. The program aims to cooperatively deal with threats and opportunities associated with the “health” of rivers and streams within the region. The programs objective is to have rivers and streams in the region that is able to sustain a high diversity of environmental, economic and social activities. The overall program is made up of: Information Collation and Analysis, Industry Management and Practice – Urban / Industrial / Agricultural, Monitoring, Research and Development.
GBRWHA Monitoring Program: Pollutatnt Bioaccumulation Monitoring
Organisms exposed to pollutants often develop subtle cellular differences and may accumulate certain toxicants. The assessment of body burdens of pollutants in key ecosystem indicator organisms can provide a sensitive, early warning of the presence of pollutants. Extensive surveys of inshore Queensland crab pollutant concentrations have demonstrated this type of organism as a useful monitoring vehicle to use to assess changes in pesticide concentrations in nearshore marine biota. This program will be augmented by new methodologies as they become routinely available. Outcomes: Information about current status and long-term (10 year) trends in water quality and marine ecosystem status in the GBRWHA.
Ambient Biological Monitoring and Assessment
This project provides essential natural resource information on the health of our rivers and waterways and assists in making decisions about the sustainable management and use of the State’s water resources. The freshwater biological monitoring and assessment program throughout the State’s rivers and streams is to assess river health, using macroinvertebrates as indicators. The program uses the AUSRIVAS predictive models developed as part of the National River Health Program. The outputs of these models are core indicators of the State of the Environment Reporting and are also recommended for the NAPSWQ and NHT2 Monitoring and Evaluation programs. Data and outputs of this project are regularly used for condition and trend assessment for Water Resource Plans, SoE reporting and other assessment programs. Indices have been developed to separate impacts of flows from non-flow related impacts. This has been successfully applied in the Burnett and Pioneer WRPs.