Waltham, N.J., and Iles, J.A. (2021) Southern Mackay Ambient Marine Water Quality Monitoring Program: Annual report 2020-2021. Report. TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

Ambient Water quality showed:The water column profile is well mixed for dissolved oxygen, temperature, electrical conductivity and pH. There is a seasonal pattern for water temperature, with highest temperatures recorded during the summer months, while winter months had much cooler conditions. This is expected in the region. Dissolved oxygen levels were also within the expected range, as was pH and electrical conductivity during this reporting period.

• Particulate nitrogen and phosphorus were elevated above guideline values during summer months

• Chlorophyll-a concentrations were highest in summer months and coincided with when nutrient concentrations are also high.

In general turbidity values measured at Aquila Island were higher during spring tides, and lower during neap tides. Turbidity also increased during periods of heightened wave activity. PAR levels are primarily driven by tidal cycles with fortnightly increases in PAR coinciding with neap tides and lower tidal flows. Larger episodic events which lead to extended periods of low light conditions are driven by a combination of strong winds leading to increases in wave height and resuspension of particles, and rainfall events resulting from storms leading to increased catchment flows, and an input of suspended solids. This summary seems to follow patterns in the previous reporting period (2019-2020).

Atrazine was the only herbicide that was detected during the reporting period using passive samplers.

Item ID:	80724
Item Type:	Report (Report)
Keywords:	Southern Mackay, water quality
Copyright Information:	© James Cook University, 2021
Funders:	Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership
Date Deposited:	17 Oct 2023 02:16
FoR Codes:	41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4199 Other environmental sciences > 419999 Other environmental sciences not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1899 Other environmental management > 189999 Other environmental management not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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