Local monitoring, global impact: Shining at the SETAC conference
WATER QUALITY SAMPLING AND MONITORING
TropWATER and NQ Dry Tropics travelled extensively throughout the BBB catchment to collect samples, deliver training, share analysis feedback, and discuss the latest science on water quality.
The LDC Community Water Quality Monitoring Group and TropWATER scientists reviewed water sampling results at a dinner function held in Collinsville in September 2024. Pictured from left, Leanne Groocock, Zoe Bainbridge( TropWATER), Carol Cosentino, Carry Reid, Tristan Gibson( NQ Dry Tropics), Jaeda Lenoy( NQ Dry Tropics) and Stephen Lewis( TropWATER).
GBRF backed 5 wet seasons of water monitoring
300 + water samples in 6 wet seasons
190 + samples collected by local landholders with GBRF support
The lowest sediment concentration captured during the program was 3 mg / L at Broken River and the highest was 11,000 mg / L( or 11g / L) detected at two Little Bowen River sites( end-of-basin and middle; otherwise known as Amberkolly and Exmoor).
Since the group started water sampling in 2018 – 2019, estimates from the monitoring data found the Little Bowen River and Rosella Creek sub-catchments contributed 41 per cent( 739,000 tonnes / year) of the total annual average fine sediment load exported by the Bowen River. In contrast, the Broken River only contributed 1 per cent( 18,000 tonnes / year) to this load. This information can help focus future investment.
Local monitoring, global impact: Shining at the SETAC conference
The Landholders Driving Change( LDC) Community Water Quality Monitoring Group was showcased at the 2023 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry( SETAC) Conference, held in Townsville.
TropWATER’ s Dr Stephen Lewis and NQ Dry Tropics’ Marc McConnell, pictured, highlighted how community involvement in water quality monitoring helped validate catchment sediment models.
The locally collected data was used to ground-truth these models, improving their accuracy and helping to identify priority areas for sediment reduction. This collaboration boosts confidence in catchment management decisions and supports more effective investment in on-ground actions.
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