Element 1: Water Quality Improvement Plan
CCI supports the development and implementation of Water Quality Improvement Plans (WQIP) in accordance with the 
Australian Government Framework for Marine and Estuarine Water Quality Protection 50KB
The Framework is based on the National Water Quality Management Strategy and the National Principles for the Provision of Water for Ecosystems, both approved by Australian Government/State Ministerial Councils.
Creek to Coral is developing a Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) for the Townsville and Thuringowa sub-catchments through its various project components.
The aim of the WQIP is to reduce the amount of nutrients and sediments reaching the marine receiving waters of the Great Barrier Reef in the long term.
The
Creek to Coral WQIP:
- Identifies the key threats to water quality;
- Sets targets;
- Identifies measures to meet those targets and;
- Recommends adaptive management strategies.
The WQIP is delineating catchments, sub-catchments and minor drainage systems adjacent to the receiving water bodies as well as identifying locations of discharge points that are likely to contribute to water pollution.
Environmental values will be determined for waterways, estuaries and receiving water bodies along with water quality issues and water quality objectives. Subsequent assessment of actions to achieve water quality objectives will be based on various parameters, including, social, economic and environmental factors.
The WQIP is an effective integrative, science-based, process to address water quality issues.
Water Quality Improvement Plan tasks
- Develop the GIS layers and maps required for the WQIP
Including:
- Receiving water bodies that will be the subject of the WQIP;
- Estuarine reaches of major waterways;
- Catchments and sub-catchments;
- Minor drainage systems adjacent to the receiving water bodies and the location of their discharge points;
- The locations of major constructed discharge points;
- The location of near shore facilities that are likely to contribute to pollutant loads.
See GIS and mapping
- Identify the pressures on and state of the waterways
Including:
- Critical source activities (land use and industries) and associated pollutants:
- Key pollutants and impacts for waterways, estuaries and the receiving water bodies;
- Riparian and wetland condition assessment
- Current water quality in the waterways, estuaries and the receiving water bodies.
- Determine environmental values, water quality issues and water quality objectives for the waterways, estuaries and the receiving water bodies through consultation with key stakeholders and the community
- Determine water quality and flow requirements for target setting
Including:
- Estimates of total maximum pollutant loads to achieve and maintain water quality objectives;
- Draft environmental flow objectives for the main estuarine segments of the receiving water body catchment;
- Estimates of constituent point and diffuse source allocations of the total maximum pollutant loads, including marine activities, atmospheric deposition and internal loadings.
- Estimate water quality improvement targets through monitoring and modelling processes
- Identify and analyse management options
Including:
- Specific locations where investment in improved riparian and wetland conditions may deliver cost-effective reductions in pollutants;
- Management measures and control actions, which may be implemented to achieve and maintain the WQIP targets;
- Management measures and control actions that may be implemented to achieve identified river flow objectives for estuaries;
- How the impacts of future growth and climate change will be accounted for in proposed management measures and control actions.
Management actions and projects will be selected for their cost-effectiveness and sustainability in the second stage of CCI-WQIP implementation
- Prepare operational components
Including:
- How the WQIP will be integrated with local government planning processes and the Burdekin Dry Tropics Regional NRM Plan and Investment Strategy;
- Estimates of timelines and costs for WQIP implementation;
- A Water Quality Modelling Strategy for the receiving water body and its estuaries;
- A Water Quality Monitoring Strategy for the receiving water bodies and its estuaries;
- An Adaptive Management Strategy, to be effective during the period of the WQIP.
- Develop an implementation plan incorporating:
- The process for public reporting on implementation of the WQIP;
- Opportunities for offset or market-based approaches to contribute to achieving water quality and river flow objectives/regimes;
- How Queensland’s statutory and institutional arrangements relating to the protection of water quality in the receiving water body, its estuaries and beaches, might be used to implement the WQIP;
- Options for revising regulatory, institutional or program arrangements;
- The process and timing for reviewing and renewing the WQIP.
Final Product: A Water Quality Improvement Plan for the Townsville Thuringowa sub catchment
