reef water quality protection plan, bob speirs
TRANSCRIPT
The Great Barrier Reef• World heritage area
• 2300 km along the Queensland coast
• 2900 reefs plus seagrass meadows, mangroves and other habitats
Threats
Shipping Climate change
Coastaldevelopment
Point source pollution
Plus …
Diffuse source pollution from agriculture
• Big catchment (½ million km2)
• Highly variable climate
• Flood events.
• 2008 Updated Scientific Consensus Statement on Reef water Quality
• Indicates ongoing nutrient, sediment & pesticide impacts mainly from agriculture
• Most coral loss due to dissolved inorganic nitrogen mainly from cane fertiliser
• New threat from GHG emissions: ocean warming and acidification
Background
Reef Water Quality Protection Plan• Joint initiative of the Queensland and
Australian Governments
• Focuses on diffuse source pollution
• Provides the policy framework and a funding commitment.
Reef Plan goals and targets• Landholders adopt improved land management practices• Catchment targets:
o No net loss of wetlandso Riparian extent and condition improvedo Groundcover maintained.
• Water quality load reduction targetsNo detrimental impact on Great Barrier Reef health and resilience.
50% reduction in the total nutrient and
pesticide load at the end of catchments by
2013.
Achieve a minimum of 50% dry season
groundcover in the Dry Tropics grazing lands
20% reduction in sediment load at the end of
catchments by 2020.
80% of landholders (sugarcane, horticulture, dairy,
cotton and grains) adopted improved soil, nutrient and
chemical practices (cropping)
Condition and extent of riparian areas will
have improved
No net loss or degradation of natural
wetlands
ManagementPractices
PollutantLoads
Riparian /Wetlands
Reef Plan Targets
Paddock to Reef ProgramObjectives:
To measure and report on progress towards the Reef Plan goals and targets
Use multiple lines of evidence
Highly collaborative! Need to measure change in the short
term.
Reporting - DPC
GBRMPADERM
IndustryRBs
CSIRODEEDIDERM
Lines of Evidence
Simulations
Plot
Paddock
Sub- basin
Basin
Practice Effectiveness
Adoption of Practices
Land Use
BareGroundIndex
Water Quality Reductions (Catchment monitoring and modelling)
Ecosystem Outcomes(Marine monitoring program)
‘Paddock to Reef’ approachMultiple lines of evidence and integration
• Practice adoption monitoring• Mapping and remote sensing
– Wetland extent– Riparian cover– Groundcover.
• Monitoring and modelling– Paddock water quality– Sub catchment and end of the catchment water quality– Great Barrier Reef water quality and ecosystem health.
ReefMonitoring & Modelling
Cropping
Grazing
Bananas Cane
Horticulture
Measuring pollutant export rates from different farming
practices – flume experiments
Plot scale - Rainfall simulation
Mean Groundcover 1988-2006
Groundcover estimated state-wide each year using Landsat at 25m resolution where FPC is less than 20%–High Cover–Low Cover–FPC > 20%
Michael Schmidt
Peter Scarth
Kerry Speller
Ground Cover Index
Measuring sediment export from different grazing land pasture
conditions
Predict results for different:– Climatic regions– Soils– Land uses (grazing, cropping)– Management practices (ABCD)
Soil water store
Rainfall
Drainage
Runoff
Plantgrowth
SedimentNutrients
Transpiration
Evaporation
Management Effectiveness Information
for Paddock-based Models
Catchment modellingForecast and manage stream water quantity, quality & the effects of catchments on streams
End of catchment monitoring
Components monitored under the Marine Monitoring Program
Inshore lagoon water quality
Marine Biological monitoring (Coral and seagrass)
Flood Monitoring
GBR Marine Monitoring
Program Sites
National Queensland Reef
Water Quality Guidelines Integrating knowledge of WQ impacts on Reef Health
(currently under revision) (updated 2009) (released 2009)
www.reefplan.qld.gov.au
Acknowledgements• Queensland Government agencies • Australian Government agencies• Regional NRM bodies• Industry groups• Research and development organisations
• University of Maryland• CSIRO• AIMS / JCU / UQ.
… AND MANY MORE …