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Tully Water Quality Improvement Plan

Members of the Cardwell Shire Floodplain Program after a boat tour of the Tully River.

During the 2006–07 year, the Cardwell Shire Floodplain Programme (CSFP) and Terrain NRM worked on a draft Tully Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP), covering the Tully and Murray River basins and neighbouring coastal areas from Mission Beach to Cardwell. Developed under Reef Plan, the main aim of the Tully WQIP is to reduce sediment, nutrient and pesticide loads in the water entering the GBR.

CSFP Chairman Bill Shannon said that developing the draft plan was a team effort between local industry, Traditional Owners, community groups, the Cardwell Shire Council, state and federal governments, and scientists.

“The Tully WQIP is the result of a community effort — finding local solutions to local problems — and it’s based on the best available science,” Mr Shannon said.

The science

The Tully WQIP has been underpinned by a major scientific research effort that has provided up-to-date facts about water quality issues in the region, as well as uncovering some innovative new solutions.

Over the last two years, more than 30 scientists have been involved in over 20 different research projects in the Tully-Murray region. The CSIRO, James Cook University, and various state and federal government agencies have also been involved in the research project.

The research teams worked under the guidance of the CSFP’s steering committee, in cooperation with local stakeholders. The research programme was divided into three parts:

Social, cultural and economic values of local waterways were identified by consulting with the local community. A series of interviews, surveys and workshops were run to find out how people use local waterways and the Reef, and what they value about them. Based on this information, local water quality objectives were identified to protect these values.
To assess current water quality, scientists analysed water-samples collected around the catchment and the Reef, combined the results with computer modelling to calculate total sediment and nutrient loads in the river systems, and compared sediment, nutrient and herbicide concentrations and loads to draft water quality targets.
investigated and tested a variety of current and possible future management practices to improve water quality.

The plan

The overall aim of the Tully WQIP is to achieve a significant reduction in pollutant loads to the GBR lagoon by 2013. To achieve this, the plan will include management actions that landholders, governments, council, and community groups can undertake.

To choose the most suitable actions, a detailed analysis was carried out, weighing up the costs and benefits to landholders, the effect on the overall economy of the region, and the difference each possible action could make to water quality.

From this, the Steering Committee and scientists chose a range of actions that made sense both economically and environmentally. A few of the high-priority actions proposed in the plan are:

Six Easy Steps for sugarcane: The Six Easy Steps process, developed by BSES Ltd, can be tailored for theTully-Murray region and with full adoption a 23 per cent reduction in nitrate loads could be delivered at the end-of-river. Other fertiliser management strategies such as N-replacement and nitrogen fixation will also be investigated.
Fertiliser rates for horticulture: In horticulture, efforts can be geared towards expanding current nutrient management programmes and establishing soil-specific recommendations for nutrient application in bananas (similar to the BSES Six Easy Steps process).
Improved best management practices for herbicide application: All agricultural and forestry industries can support uptake of recommended practices for herbicides and Chemcert® accreditation, as well as exploring alternative options of herbicide management.
Promote zero tillage for sugarcane, and zonal tillage for bananas: Increasing uptake of zero tillage in sugarcane and zonal tillage in bananas can reduce sediment delivery, although effects on yield and gross margin need to be investigated.
Revegetate stream-banks and restore wetlands: Restoring and replanting vegetation on stream banks and wetlands in identified priority ‘hotspots’ can reduce sediment and nutrient losses.
Water quality monitoring: Progress in implementing the Tully WQIP will be assessed through monitoring the uptake of recommended practices, as well as plot-scale, catchment-scale and Reef water quality monitoring.

The draft plan will outline effective and economical ways to work with landholders to improve water quality in local creeks, rivers and wetlands, and out to the GBR.

Find out more about Water Quality Improvement Plans

Last reviewed 03 March 2008

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