Reef exposure to river-borne contaminants: a spatial model

M. Maughan; J. Brodie

doi:10.1071/MF08328

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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Reef exposure to river-borne contaminants: a spatial model

M. Maughan ^A ^B ^C and J. Brodie ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Department of Environment and Resource Management, Northern Region, PO Box 5391, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia.

^B Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.

^C Corresponding author. Email: mirjam.maughan@derm.qld.gov.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 60(11) 1132-1140 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF08328
Submitted: 1 December 2008 Accepted: 12 August 2009 Published: 17 November 2009

Abstract

Rivers flowing into the Great Barrier Reef carry contaminants such as suspended sediments, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, total phosphorus and pesticides. To measure the extent and direction of the contaminants after they enter the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, a model was created using river volume, flooding variability, contaminant load, distance and direction as inputs. A GIS was used to calculate and visualise the exposure of the contaminants to the reefs for the current day, as well as modelling scenarios for pre-European arrival loads, and land management using realistic targets set by a regional Natural Resource Management board for water quality improvement planning purposes. The results show that a reduction in the dissolved inorganic nitrogen load exiting the Tully and Murray Rivers reduces the exposure of reefs close to the basin, but that reefs further east of the basin are significantly influenced by other rivers, highlighting that management for water quality improvement in neighbouring basins is also required.

Additional keywords: dissolved inorganic nitrogen, GIS, herbicides, suspended sediments, total phosphorus.

Acknowledgements

Thanks go to Terrain NRM, Black Ross Basin WQIP, Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM, Mackay Whitsunday NRM Group, Burnet Mary NRM and the Fitzroy Basin Association for the research funding. Thanks also go to Will Higham for organising this project and to the Reef Partnership for facilitating the project.

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