Stage 3: Catchments and Freshwater
The focus of Stage 3 was designed to be much broader than Stage 2, incorporating the rivers leading to the estuaries and wider regional catchment issues. Thus the non-point source or diffuse sources of sediments, nutrients and toxicants will be investigated.
This staged approach allowed the development of effective teams of scientists as well as linkages between the public involvement, the Water Quality Strategy and scientific investigations. The initiation of Stage 3 of the Strategy marked the expansion of the study area to include:
- freshwater streams of the Moreton Bay catchment (with some additional work on tidal waters)
- fresh and tidal waters in the northern sub-region (Noosa, Maroochy and Mooloolah)
- the southern sub-region (Logan, Albert and Gold Coast) of South East Queensland
The introduced focussed on the freshwater reaches called for the development of a South East Queensland-wide freshwater Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program to complement the estuarine Program developed in Stage 2. In addition, northern sub-regional tasks explored locally relevant monitoring tools for incorporation into an expanded estuarine monitoring program.
Development of the freshwater monitoring program was supplemented by a regional approach to studies of sediment and nutrient sources and the processes delivering these to receiving water bodies, in particular, Moreton Bay.
Contextualisation of sediment and nutrient sources was achieved through a broad-scale evaluation of their loads and ultimately the development of a nutrient budget. Stakeholders can further determine how changes to catchment management practices affect these loads through the use of the Environmental Management Support System.
Lyngbya
In response to persistent Lyngbya blooms, dedicated tasks were established by the Lyngbya Steering Committee addressing the roles of light, water quality, sediments, land sources and biota in development and maintenance of Lyngbya blooms. While these Lyngbya studies were completed, various Lyngbya studies continue beyond the completion of Stage 3 tasks.
More information on Stage 3 can be found in the book, “Moreton Bay Study, a Scientific Basis for the Healthy Waterways Campaign”. To order a copy of this book please contact Healthy Waterways on (07) 3403 4206.
Stage 3 task architecture, showing the integration and linkages of tasks aimed at providing input into the development of the SEQ Regional Water Quality Management Strategy.
Stage 3 task reports