Optimising Water Quality and Impact Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Programs

MTSRF Synthesis Report

Compiled by Jane Waterhouse

C₂O Consulting, Townsville

ISBN 978-1-21359-57-6
Published November 2010

About This Report

This report provides an overview of the key findings of research conducted through the Australian Government's Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) relevant to water quality monitoring and evaluation in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). It outlines the key constraints to water quality monitoring and evaluation in the GBR, advances in target setting methods and applications, and describes progress of monitoring and evaluation techniques to support the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan and Reef Rescue performance assessment in terms of indicator development and implementation. Information is also drawn from the Catchment to Reef Joint Research Program, funded as part of the CRC Reef Research Centre and the Rainforest CRC as precursors to the MTSRF, from 2002 to 2005, which aimed to develop appropriate monitoring methods for water quality and ecosystem health in aquatic ecosystems in the Wet Tropics and GBR World Heritage Area. Its goal was to provide a sound scientific basis for the development of monitoring tools, protocols and guidelines appropriate to the Wet Tropics. Many of the results presented in this report originated from this research, and have been further developed over the last four years through the MTSRF in conjunction with the Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program for water quality and ecosystem health monitoring in the GBR. While the research findings are also applicable elsewhere, particularly in tropical reef ecosystems, many of the more general outcomes have broader applications in environmental monitoring and evaluation programs.

A key achievement of the MTSRF has been the strong cooperation and collaboration between research institutions in project development and implementation. Many of the findings presented in this report were derived from large collaborative projects with funding from several sources in addition to the MTSRF, and the research institutions have also contributed significant in-kind resources. Supporting information derived from sources beyond the MTSRF is included in this report where necessary to provide context or to complete the discussion. Publications specifically generated under the MTSRF are identified in the reference list.

This report is one product in a series of information products that summarise MTSRF research findings relevant to managing water quality in the GBR.