In 2019 FBA commissioned a review of the previously written Fitzroy Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP:2015) reports ensuring the plan utilises the best available science and data. The update ensures the Fitzroy Region’s project management continues to maximise the public benefits of investment and maximise the reduction of both sediment and nutrient runoff to the Reef.
Given the introduction of the state-wide Water Quality Improvement Plan 2050 and the development of targets for the six reef catchments, it was deemed timely to conduct a review and update. The targets set, consider the land use and pollutant loads from each catchment in the Fitzroy Region include the Styx, Shoalwater, Waterpark Creek, Fitzroy, Boyne and Calliope.
Select each of the links below in the diagram to explore what is in WQIP:2015, how our plan was formed and what it will be used for.
What…
The WQIP:2015—this website—shows how we can improve regional water quality to protect our waterways and ultimately the Great Barrier Reef. WQIP:2015 sets out the priorities for improving water quality, including: describing the coastal and marine ecosystems and species that are at risk from poor water quality; identifying catchment ‘hot spots’ of soil erosion and nutrient run-off that are the source of water quality problems; understanding how land management practices and habitat restoration can reduce the risk of water quality problems; and finding the most cost-effective ways to reduce water quality risks.
WQIP:2015 includes water quality targets that set the standard for improvements that could be achieved in the next five years.
Where…
The Fitzroy Basin covers an area twice the size of Tasmania, about 152,000 km2. We have eight sub-catchments in our region and these include the Lower Fitzroy, Isaac-Connors, Comet, Upper and Lower Dawson, Styx-Herbert, Water Park and Boyne-Calliope sub-catchments. This equates to over 20,000 km of waterways and over 7,000 wetlands. Logistically this is a vast area to cover and FBA has decided to further split this area into what we call “Neighbourhood Catchments” or NCs for short. There are 192 NCs and each is a mini catchment concerning local people who understand and care about the place they live. The boundaries for the NCs can be viewed below with some interactive mapping to explore where you are.
How…
WQIP:2015 was developed through engagement with scientists, consultants, local experts, regional stakeholders and government agencies. It uses the best available science and incorporates the findings of 12 supporting studies that were commissioned as part of the plans development. These studies, along with a summary synthesis document, can be viewed here.
The below conceptual diagram details how the Fitzroy WQIP:2015 was developed, how the scientific evidence was integrated and how it will be used.
Who…
FBA has spent over 12 months undertaking activities that have informed WQIP:2015. Scientists and experts have been involved in collating, analysing and communicating important information to determine what needs to be done to improve water quality. We thank all parties involved in developing the science behind WQIP:2015. A list of the people involved can be found below.
Partner groups, government, industry stakeholders and the community have all been approached at different times to contribute to WQIP:2015. Refer to the table below for details on participants to date.
Why…
The objective of WQIP:2015 is to improve the health of the region’s waterways by identifying and prioritising actions to restore ecosystems and reduce water quality issues. A series of water quality, land and catchment management targets have been set to measure the outcomes of activities implemented under the plan. More information can be found below.
A conceptual diagram of how the Fitzroy WQIP:2015 was developed, how the scientific evidence was integrated and how it will be used is presented below. Click on each of the components for a brief description of what was undertaken, as well as links to both the supporting documents and relevant web pages.
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System Understanding
This component involved reviewing available regional water quality information in each of the major catchments of the Fitzroy Region and collating existing information on environmental values, water quality objectives, and how our hydrological systems work. The current status of freshwater, coastal and marine assets were reviewed, threats identified and a determination of their trend made.
A review of the science underpinning core assumptions and recommended land management practices was also completed.
The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Forestry led a team of scientists to undertake a mixed-methods approach to determine the priority areas in the catchment that sediment could be reduced in the most cost-effective way. This was undertaken across the grazing and farming industries for all 192 NCs in the Fitzroy Region, including coastal catchments. The four key factors considered in this analysis were:
Amount of sediment per hectare that is eroded and delivered to the Reef.
A groundcover factor that considered the impact of rainfall variability.
The effectiveness of current management practices and the likelihood of adoption of new practices.
The cost of delivering actions in each of the 192 NCs on both grazing and farming enterprises.
Consideration of Marine Risk and the Fitzroy Sediment Story
An assessment of the relative marine risk posed by each of the rivers in the Fitzroy Region, including coastal catchments was made. This included gaining a better understanding of the source and fate of sediment in our region, identifying the type of sediment that is having the greatest impact on Reef health and the proportion of eroded anthropogenic sediment that reaches the Reef.
Define Priority Areas and Identify Management Options
Once grazing and farming priority areas were identified and drivers of marine risk and sediment transport were analysed, the integrated results allowed defined priority areas and management options to be identified that improve Reef water quality. These findings were refined through discussion with regional experts and on-ground field staff who are familiar with the local landscape and some of the key issues affecting soil health.
Led by FBA with involvement from expert consultants, research scientists and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) staff, this component reviewed the values, threats and capacity of key wetlands in the region. A variety of criteria were considered such as social, recreation and indigenous values, ecosystem services, habitat extent, species richness and diversity, presence of invasive species and water quality. Priority areas to either maintain or restore ecosystem function were identified.
Led by FBA with involvement from expert consultants, this component assessed the region’s fish barriers. Over 10,000 potential fish barriers were identified and the top 46 barriers that are likely to have the greatest impact on habitat extent, native fish abundance and diversity, and connectivity to the Reef were prioritised.
Define Priority Areas and Identify Management Options
The wetland and fishway prioritisations were integrated to identify environmental priority areas that provide the greatest ecosystem services. Analysis of drivers was undertaken and management options identified to improve Reed water quality.
The findings of the review undertaken and the tools developed through both the agriculture and environmental prioritisation processes should be used together to identify final project locations and specific projects.
Different priorities will require different considerations of the above resources and should be used in conjunction with existing tools such as forage reports, veg-machine outputs, property-scale maps and site visits. Projects should seek to achieve multiple outcomes whenever possible. For example, controlling cattle access to a wetland can help restore the ecological function of the wetland, provide a refugee in times of drought for native animals and also achieve sediment savings to the Reef if management actions are implemented appropriately.
The priority management actions identified in WQIP:2015 will be delivered through informing existing programs such as the Australian Government’s Reef Programme and Reef Trust Phase I. Future funding sources are likely to include future Reef Trust phases, the Australian Government's National Landcare Programme and the Queensland Government's Natural Resource Management Investment Program.
Monitoring of progress against targets will be undertaken by reporting management practices to the Queensland Government's Paddock to Reef program. These results will then be modelled and an estimation of the reduction in sediment/nutrient/pesticide loads will be calculated. Likewise, the Reef Report Card also tracks changes in extent of riparian vegetation and net loss/gain of regional wetlands. As the Fitzroy WQIP:2015 is a web-based document, progress against targets will be updated annually and an evaluation of effectiveness undertaken.
The Fitzroy WQIP:2015 is a three- to five-year document and should be comprehensively reviewed before 2020.
Interim reviews should be undertaken as new data becomes available (e.g. new modelled outputs of sediment delivery rates and sources). WQIP:2015 has been designed so it can incorporate new data into the prioritisation tools relatively easily.
Substantial engagement of stakeholders, the community and government has continued over the past 12 months to ensure the strategic direction of WQIP:2015 was focussed and prioritisation of future activities informed with the best science available. Refer to the table to see some of those participants. Further engagement and communication of WQIP:2015 is planned for the next few months and you can have your say by using this feedback form.
List of Acknowledgements
Ron Baker – James Cook University (author Systems Repair)
Roger Jaensch – Jaensch Ornithology & Conservation (author Wetlands)
Tim Marsden – Australasian Fish Passage Services (author Fish Barriers)
Paul Groves – Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (Information/author Blue Maps, Wetlands, Eco-Calculator)
Donna Audas – Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (Information Wetlands)
Mike Ronan – Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (Information wetlands)
Megan Star – Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (author agricultural prioritisation)
Jane Waterhouse C2O Consulting (author Synthesis)
Jon Brodie – James Cook University: TropWATER (author Targets)
Stephen Lewis – James Cook University (author Sediment)
Johanna Johnson – C2O Consulting (author Status and values)
Nicole Flint – Central Queensland University (lead author Ports)
John Gunn – Earth Sustainable Enterprises (author Urban WQIP)
Daniele Cagnazzi – Southern Cross University (Information)
Marcus Sheaves – James Cook University (Systems Repair report)
Andrew O’Neill (reviewed urban component)
Brad Dalrymple (reviewed urban component)
Science Panel
Professor Stuart Bunn – Director, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University
Associate Professor Eva Abal – Program Director UQ Water Initiative at the University of Queensland; Chief Scientific Officer, Great Barrier Reef Foundation; Chief Scientist, International Water Centre, Project Manager, South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership
Dr Sue Vink – Principal Research Fellow, Sustainable Minerals Institute at the University of Queensland
Dr Britta Schafelke – Research Program Leader, A Healthy and Sustainable Great Barrier Reef at the Australian Institute of Marine Science
Associate Professor Helen Stratton – Executive Manager, Smart Water Research Centre on the Griffith University Gold Coast Campus and Deputy Director, Australian Rivers Institute
Dr John Platten – Principal Scientist, Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management, in Central Queensland
Dr Roger Shaw – an independent consultant who chairs the Independent Science Panel for the Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan and is a member of the Independent Expert Panel for Reef 2050 Plan
Neighbourhood Catchments
WQIP:2015 covers the freshwater, coastal and marine areas of the Fitzroy natural resource management (NRM) region. WQIP:2015 has been used to determine activities to be prioritised for the next five years. At the end of that period, progress against targets will be assessed and the plan revised.
WQIP:2015 guides investment and actions to improve water quality and waterway health. It will be used by governments to guide their decisions about investment priorities. WQIP:2015 is not a statutory plan, so it does not have the authority to enforce actions. Its value is that it brings together and analyses a wide range of information to identify regional priorities.
Investment to implement WQIP:2015 will come from a variety of sources. The Australian Government has funded the plan’s development and both the Australian and Queensland governments are expected to be the major investors in the plan’s implementation. Their investment decisions will be informed by the priorities identified in this plan.
Other organisations, such as local governments, catchment and agricultural industry groups are expected to play a role in facilitating WQIP:2015’s implementation. Many local groups and individuals also contribute time and effort as voluntary contributions to help improve waterway health.
FBA will lead the delivery of WQIP:2015 through its natural resource management programs, supported by Australian and Queensland government investment. FBA will work with regional partners across government, industry, community and conservation groups, including:
