Catchment targets

Water quality targets have been set for the catchments that drain to the Great Barrier Reef. The targets consider land use and pollutant loads from each catchment.

Priorities for water quality improvement have also been identified based on the highest exposure of coastal or marine ecosystems from catchment sourced pollutants.

The highest priority areas for reducing fine sediment, dissolved inorganic nitrogen and pesticide loads are:

  • fine sediment and particulate nutrients: Burdekin, Herbert, Fitzroy and Mary catchments
  • dissolved inorganic nitrogen: Herbert, Haughton, Mulgrave-Russell, Johnstone, Tully and Plane catchments
  • pesticides: Plane, Pioneer and Haughton catchments.

The catchment profiles provide information about each area including size and rainfall, land use, targets, the priorities for water quality improvement and sources of pollutants.