River loads of suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus and herbicides delivered to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon

Kroon, Frederieke J., Kuhnert, Petra M., Henderson, Brent L., Wilkinson, Scott N., Kinsey-Henderson, Anne, Abbot, Brett, Brodie, Jon E., and Turner, Ryan D.R. (2012) River loads of suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus and herbicides delivered to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 65 (4-9). pp. 167-181.

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Abstract

Degradation of coastal ecosystems in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon, Australia, has been linked with increased land-based runoff of suspended solids, nutrients and pesticides since European settlement. This study estimated the increase in river loads for all 35 GBR basins, using the best available estimates of pre-European and current loads derived from catchment modelling and monitoring. The mean-annual load to the GBR lagoon for (i) total suspended solids has increased by 5.5 times to 17,000 ktonnes/year, (ii) total nitrogen by 5.7 times to 80,000 tonnes/year, (iii) total phosphorus by 8.9 times to 16,000 tonnes/year, and (iv) PSII herbicides is 30,000 kg/year. The increases in river loads differ across the 10 pollutants and 35 basins examined, reflecting differences in surface runoff, urbanisation, deforestation, agricultural practices, mining and retention by reservoirs. These estimates will facilitate target setting for water quality and desired ecosystem states, and enable prioritisation of critical sources for management.

Item ID: 20963
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1879-3363
Date Deposited: 14 Mar 2012 04:18
FoR Codes: 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050204 Environmental Impact Assessment @ 50%
05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050209 Natural Resource Management @ 50%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960506 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Fresh, Ground and Surface Water Environments @ 50%
96 ENVIRONMENT > 9609 Land and Water Management > 960905 Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Water Management @ 50%
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