Flood Plumes in the Great Barrier Reef:

Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Composition and Distribution

Michelle Devlin  Jane Waterhouse Jeremy Taylor  and Jon Brodie 

CONTENTS [Adobe Acrobat Format 103.69KB]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [Adobe Acrobat Format 93.70KB]

SUMMARY [Adobe Acrobat Format 131.31KB]

INTRODUCTION [Adobe Acrobat Format 1742.74KB]

• The Great Barrier Reef – An Ecological System
• The GBR Catchment 
• The Great Barrier Reef Lagoon 
• Why are Rivers and Flood Events Important?
• Extent of River Plumes in the Great Barrier Reef 
• Changes in the Great Barrier Reef Catchment
• Potential Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef from Changes in
  Water Quality Associated with Flood Plumes
• The Present Study 

HISTORY OF RESEARCH AND MONITORING OF CYCLONES AND
FLOOD PLUMES IN THE GREAT BARRIER REEF [Adobe Acrobat Format 119.21KB]

METHODOLOGY [Adobe Acrobat Format 174.33KB]

• Flood Plume Monitoring Program 
• Aerial Mapping and Distribution of Flood Plumes 
• Long term Patterns of Cyclones and Rainfall 
• Water Sampling
• Analytical Methods

RESULTS [Adobe Acrobat Format 3505.03KB]

• Movement and Physical Characteristics of Flood Plumes
• January 1991 – Cyclone Joy 
• February 1994 – Cyclone Sadie 
• February 1995 – Cyclone Violet 
• March 1996 – Cyclone Ethel 
• March 1997 – Cyclone Justin 
• December 1997/January 1998 – Cyclones Sid and Katrina 
• February 1999 – Cyclone Rona 
• Plumes, Hydrological Conditions and Distribution of Plume Waters
• Plumes and Water Quality Processes
• Spatial Dynamics of Materials in Plumes
• Vertical Distribution
• Spatial Distribution of Water Quality Parameters in Flood Plumes

DISCUSSION [Adobe Acrobat Format 3669.06KB]

• Spatial Characteristics of Flood Plumes
  • Influences on the Spatial Distribution of Plumes
  • Steering of Plumes
  • Empirical Model of Plume Movement and Characteristics
  • Plume Coverage and Reefs 
• Water Quality and Plumes 
  • River Dynamics, First Flush and Changes in River Concentrations 
  • Sediment and Nutrient Concentrations Measured in Plume Waters
  • Mixing Processes Occurring in the Plumes 
• Implications of Changed Land-use for River and Plume Waters 
  Implications of Changed Land-use in the Catchment for GBR Ecosystems
• Further Research 
• Management Implications 

GLOSSARY [Adobe Acrobat Format 121.50KB ]

REFERENCES [Adobe Acrobat Format 128.20KB]

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