Media
Media releases
Latest releases
Media archives
Email
subscription
Marine Blueprints
Media enquires
Waypoint newsletter
|
You are at -
Home |
Media releases
________________________________________________________________________
AIMS Media
release
|
Floods
muddy
waters
off
the
Great
Barrier
Reef
March
19,
2007
For
the
first
time
in
several
years,
large
fresh
water
flood
plumes
carrying
sediment,
nutrients,
other
pollutants
and
debris
from
the
mainland
have
travelled
to the
outer
reefs
of the
Great
Barrier
Reef
threatening
vulnerable
corals.
Recently
released
satellite
images
show a
band
of
flood
waters
up to
25 km
wide
extending
along
the
coast
between
Princess
Charlotte
Bay
and
the
Whitsundays.
In a
number
of
passages
through
the
reef,
streams
of
plume
water
extend
into
the
Coral
Sea.
AIMS
oceanographers
on the
research
vessels
RV
Cape
Ferguson
and RV
Lady
Basten
sampled
coastal
waters
between
Mackay
and
Cape
York,
collecting
water
samples
at
over
100
sites
along
the
length
of the
flood
plume.
The
researchers
measured
water
currents,
salinity,
turbidity,
light,
nutrients,
chlorophyll,
plankton
and
suspended
sediment
levels.
AIMS
instruments
in six
major
rivers
simultaneously
measured
sediment
output
during
the
flood.
|
Water
quality
expert
Dr
Miles
Furnas
from
the
Australian
Institute
of
Marine
Science
(AIMS),
said
the
size
and
timing
of
this
particular
flood
plume
has
allowed
scientists
to
capture
a
unique
suite
of
data
that
will
improve
understanding
of
coastal
runoff
in
the
Great
Barrier
Reef.
"By
understanding
the
specific
composition
of
flood
waters
in
the
Great
Barrier
Reef
lagoon,
we
will
be
better
able
to
assess
the
potential
impact
of
the
floods
on
corals
and
other
marine
organisms."
Although
most
of
the
data
has
yet
to
be
analysed,
scientists
have
already
observed
changes
on
the
reef.
AIMS
coral
biologist
Dr
Katharina
Fabricius
said
that
sediment
laden
flood
waters
completely
blocked
sunlight
to
some
shallow
reefs
allowing
only
1%
of
light
to
reach
corals
at
depths
of
10
m.
"A
two
cm
layer
of
mud
was
deposited
in
the
sediment
traps
within
10
days,
indicating
a
substantial
amount
of
mud
was
also
deposited
around
corals
in
areas
where
sediment
tends
to
accumulate"
said
Dr
Fabricius.
"At
Dunk
Island,
where
sediment
laden
flood
waters
blocked
the
sunlight,
divers
needed
night
diving
equipment
even
at
midday
to
service
the
sediment
traps
on
the
reefs.
"Flood
plumes
can
have
a
number
of
effects
on
coral
reefs.
Large
scale
flooding
can
carry
land-based
pollutants
such
as
insecticides,
fertilisers
and
herbicides
out
to
the
reef.
Fresh
water
can
kill
corals
at
shallow
depths
where
mixing
is
low,
and
sediment
in
the
water
blocks
light
which
the
coral
needs
to
survive."
|
Satellite image processed by Matt Slivkoff. An AIMS/Curtin Univ post-grad student funded by CRC Reef to Rainforest program. Data from the MODIS Aqua satellite made available by NASA)
The Burdekin River plume – AIMS measuring seawater ‘colour’.
Photo: AIMS
|
In
some
locations,
approximately
10% of
corals
have
bleached
in
shallow
waters,
indicating
that
the
runoff
is
causing
stress
to
reefs.
AIMS
scientists
also
observed
sunken
logs
and
terrestrial
debris
breaking
up
fragile
corals
in
wave-exposed
sections
of the
reefs.
Although
flood
plumes
are
natural
events,
AIMS
water
quality
team
leader
Dr
Britta
Schaffelke
predicts
that
climate
change
could
worsen
their
impact.
Expected
increases
in
cyclone
intensity
could
increase
the
size
and
frequency
of
flood
events
and
thus
the
quantity
of
land-based
runoff
and
pollutants
making
it to
the
reef.
"Coral
reefs
weakened
by
increasing
sea
temperature
and
pollution
will
be
more
susceptible
to
stress
from
flood
plumes.
Our
team
is
collecting
long
term
data
to
better
understand
the
long-term
impacts
of
river
runoff
on
reefs.
This
information
will
be
used
to
help
develop
mitigation
measures
and
advise
coastal
managers
on the
best
practices
for
minimising
the
impacts
of
runoff."
"Many
of our
water
quality
programs
benefit
from
community
involvement.
We
have
everyone
from
farmers
to
tourist
operators
helping
to
collect
and
analyse
water
samples.
It is
rewarding
to see
the
local
community
concerned
about
the
material
ending
up on
our
reefs"
said
Dr
David
Haynes,
Manager
Water
Quality
Research
and
Monitoring
Coordination
at the
Great
Barrier
Reef
Marine
Park
Authority
(GBRMPA).
This
work
was
funded
in
part
by the
Reef
Water
Quality
Protection
Plan
Marine
Monitoring
Program,
a
collaborative
venture
between
AIMS,
the
Great
Barrier
Reef
Marine
Park
Authority
(funded
by the
Natural
Heritage
Trust),
and
the
Reef
and
Rainforest
Research
Centre
(RRRC)
funded
by the
Department
of
Environment
and
Water
(DEW).
Media
contacts:
Dr
Britta
Schaffelke,
Project
Manager
Water
Quality
in the
GBR
Telephone:
07
4753
4382
Mobile:
0427
029
464
Email:
b.schaffelke@aims.gov.au
Prof
Russell
Reichelt,
Managing
Director
RRRC
Mobile:
0419784120
Email:
Russell.reichelt@rrrc.org.au
Wendy
Ellery,
AIMS
Media
Liaison
Telephone:
07
4753
4409
Mobile:
0418
729
265
Email:
w.ellery@aims.gov.au
|
|
|
