Physical properties of Great Barrier Reef lagoon waters near Townsville. I. Effects of Burdekin River floods

Abstract

Floods from land runoff, principally the Burdekin River. created buoyant freshwater plumes along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. From Cape Upstart near the Burdekin River mouth to Innisfail 250 km north. no evidence was found of these plumes directly reaching the Great Barrier Reef. Small buoyant patches, detached from the river plumes, found further offshore might reach the Great Barrier Reef. Classical estuarine circulation in the lagoon. even in flood conditions, and tidal flushing by the ocean do not appear to be significant compared to advective processes.