MINISTER VISITS KEY LINK IN REEF PROTECTION NETWORK

Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace today inspected one of the key links in the Bligh Government’s efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Speaking after a visit to the Clare stream gauging station on the Burdekin River, one of the Bligh Government’s stream monitoring stations which supports the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan, Mr Wallace said the Reef Plan brought together people and projects to help improve the quality of water entering the reef.

“Many of our investments are a key part of delivering on the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan,” Mr Wallace said.

“Queensland Government scientists have installed complex monitoring equipment at numerous collection stations along 1500 kilometres of Queensland coastal catchments in the past three years.

“Thirty-two active collection stations have been installed to measure sediment and nutrients washing from the land into coastal waters, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

“It will help our researchers to better predict how much sediment and pollutants are travelling from our catchments into the Great Barrier Reef.”

Monitoring stations accurately record sediment, nutrient and chemical levels in rivers and creeks.

“To date, over 200 samples have been collected from rivers in the Burdekin catchment,” he said.

“The information from the network will be used to prepare catchment models, which determine trends and can work out how increasing ground cover or revegetating waterways improves water quality.”

The Reef Water Quality Protection Plan is a 10 year project between the Commonwealth and State Governments to improve water quality in Great Barrier Reef catchments.

Media contact: Minister Wallace’s office, 3896 3688.