Working together to improve water quality

Photo: Bryony Barnett

Improving the quality of water running from our rivers to the Great Barrier Reef is an effort that requires a collaborative approach between governments, scientists, land-owners and the community.

The Reef Water Quality Protection Plan and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality are joint State and Commonwealth Government responses to the water quality issue. Regional Natural Resource Management bodies are now writing plans for each bioregion, to meet the targets set by the National plans. Projects that help meet the targets set in these regional plans will be eligible for funding from the Natural Heritage Trust.

The Catchment to Reef Program is developing the necessary tools to enable land managers to measure, monitor and meet water quality targets relevant to all these plans and projects.

Plans and Partners

The Reef Water Quality Protection Plan is a joint initiative of The Queensland and Commonwealth governments. It sets long-term goals to reduce pollutants entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. The plan also prioritises the rehabilitation and conservation of wetlands and riverbank vegetation that filters waterborne pollutants.

National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) is a joint initiative of the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. The Burdekin, Fitzroy and Burnett catchments have been identified as priority regions adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) was established by the Commonwealth Government in 1997 to support projects helping to restore and conserve Australia’s natural resources and environment. In 2001, the Commonwealth Government committed a further $350 million to the NHT (often referred to as NHT2). For catchments outside the NAP priority catchments, these funds will be delivered through Coastcare, Landcare, Bushcare and Rivercare programs through accredited NRM plans.

Natural Resource Management (NRM) bodies have been established under the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, and the Natural Heritage Trust. Each NRM body is developing a regional plan that will set water quality targets for regional areas and develop catchment-specific priorities for action. Once these plans have been accredited by both Commonwealth and State governments, funding for projects that address the targets set in the plans will be available through the NRM bodies.

CSIRO’s Water for a Healthy Country Program is working with land users to make best use of water resources and enable sustainable development of the catchment. Innovative agricultural systems will deliver increased profit and better environmental outcomes for rivers, wetlands and estuaries.

CRC Reef is a knowledge-based partnership of coral reef ecosystem researchers, managers and industry. Our Catchment ot Reef researchers are developing advanced technologies for monitoring water quality in the Great Barrier Reef, and investigating new tools  to assess the health of inshore ecosystems.

Rainforest CRC is a research and education partnership for Australia's rainforests, and is co-ordinating research on river health and water quality monitoring. Rainforest CRC Catchment to Reef researchers are investigating the filtering role of riverbank vegetation, indicators of river health, improving water quality monitoring techniques, and ways to rehabilitate rivers.