Background
Since European settlement in North Queensland, the land
catchment areas adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage
Area (GBRWHA) have undergone extensive modification. Changes in
land use have led to significant increases in sediment and nutrient
loads running off the land into the rivers and waters entering the
GBR lagoon. Runoff containing sediment, nutrients and pesticides
from agriculture is the most important water quality threat to the
health of inshore ecosystems of the GBRWHA.
In response to these threats The Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan) was
developed as a joint initiative of the Queensland and Australian
Governments. Reef Plan identifies actions, mechanisms and
partnerships to build on existing Government policies and industry
and community initiatives to assist in halting and reversing the
decline in the quality of water entering the GBR lagoon.
The Burdekin Dry Tropics Coastal Catchments Initiative
(Burdekin CCI) Program
The Coastal Catchments Initiative (CCI) is an Australian
Government program seeking to deliver significant, targeted
reductions in the discharge of pollutants to agreed hotspots as one
of the strategies for implementing the Reef Plan. The Great Barrier
Reef (GBR) is considered such a hot spot. The Burdekin CCI is
committed to delivering this program for the Burdekin,
Haughton and other catchments.
The Burdekin River system is a major source of sediment and
pollutant loads to the GBR. With >93% of the land use comprising
of grazing, sugar cane and horticulture, these industries make
significant contributions to the total contaminants load.
The Burdekin CCI’s goal is “to protect
the values, uses and health of Burdekin water bodies through the
development of sustainable land management practices that reduce
agricultural pollutants from grazing and sugar
lands.”
This shall be achieved by facilitating the development and
subsequent implementation of a Water Quality Improvement Plan
(WQIP).
It is anticipated that the WQIP will be accredited by the
Australian and Queensland Governments, thereby forming an agreed
approach to achieving pollutant reductions under Reef Plan and
relevant state legislation.
The WQIP will be integrated into the BDT NRM Plan and Regional
Investment Strategy