Water quality in the Burnett-Mary region
Natural Decisions is delighted to be partnering with the Burnett-Mary Regional Group and Trop Water to develop the Burnett-Mary Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP).
The Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) is the peak body for natural resource management (NRM) for a region comprising the Burnett and Mary river catchments and the associated sub catchment areas of the Kolan, Elliott, Gregory, Baffle, Burrum and Isis rivers. Funding from the Australian Government Reef Rescue program is supporting the development of the WQIP.
The Burnett-Mary region includes some of Australia’s most significant environmental areas, including of course, the southern portion of the Great Barrier Reef and the Great Sandy Straits, near Fraser Island. The area supports critically important and under-recognised ecosystems in terms of function and contribution to Reef health and key populations of dugongs, turtles, whales and shorebirds.
The components of the WQIP will be:
- A comprehensive risk assessment of connectivity between the marine and terrestrial assets in the Burnett Mary and the GBR Marine Park.
- Coordination of science and other knowledge on urban and rural pollutant sources.
- A bioeconomic modelling framework to assess costs in attaining ecologically relevant water quality targets.
- Benefit:cost analysis using INFFER.
Guidance and oversight will provided by a panel of scientists, government and community representatives with the draft plan due for completion at the end of June 2014.
The Burrum River estuary discharges to the coastal waters of Hervey Bay.
This promises to be a fascinating and rewarding project and we look forward to providing an update on progress as the Plan unfolds.
Posted 24 October 2013 in News
