Historical context and causes of water quality decline in the Whitsunday region

2019
CSIRO and AIMS
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Supporting documents

Interim Report: Historical context and causes of water quality decline in the Whitsunday region. (PDF - 2.79 MB) - 2018
Interim Report: Historical context and causes of water quality decline in the Whitsunday region. (DOCX - 5.02 MB) - 2018

Observation System Simulation Experiment for the Mackay-Whitsunday region: application of the eReefs marine biogeochemical model (PDF - 1.19 MB) - 2018
Observation System Simulation Experiment for the Mackay-Whitsunday region: application of the eReefs marine biogeochemical model (DOCX - 17.42 MB) - 2018

Historical records of terrestrial sediment & flood plumes inputs to the Whitsunday Island region from coral skeletons: 1861-2017 (PDF - 2.7 MB) - 2019
Historical records of terrestrial sediment & flood plumes inputs to the Whitsunday Island region from coral skeletons: 1861-2017 (DOCX - 4.56 MB) - 2019

About this report

The Department of the Environment and Energy commissioned the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) to provide a greater understanding of the factors affecting water quality in the Whitsunday region.

The study examined:

  • Mineralogical geochemistry and luminescence analysis of coral cores which provided a historical context for the impact of river plumes on corals at seven reef sites in the region;
  • Trends in remote-sensing retrievals which provided a more detailed, but shorter historical record;
  • the eReefs coupled physical-biological model which provided insights from the last eight years into the processes affecting water quality and sediment transport throughout the Whitsunday Islands.

The findings of this study will provide greater understanding of the priority management responses required to sustain the very significant commercial Great Barrier Reef tourism opportunities through actions that build the resilience of the Reef.