Management Concern: Moderate    

Adequacy of Information: Moderate

Summary extracts from Outlook Report 2009

• The impacts of dredging and construction of port facilities - such as seabed disturbance, transport or re-suspension of contaminants, alteration of sediment movement and changes in coastal processes - can be significant, but are localised.
• Exposure of the Great Barrier Reef to terrestrial sediments has increased, especially in inshore areas.
  

What do we know?

Relevant pages from Outlook Online include:

• Dredging at the Port of Hay Point 
• Great Barrier Reef exposure model: total suspended solids
• Coral record of increased sediment discharge to the Great Barrier Reef since European settlement
• Sediments 
• Sources of sediment and nutrient exports to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
• Inshore reef health - nutrient, sediment and pesticide loads
• Water quality in the Great Barrier Reef - guidelines and current status
• Development intensification and water quality pressures on the Great Barrier Reef ecosystems

Existing policies and management actions

• Dredging and Spoil Disposal Policy [525KB]
  
• Environmental Impact Management Policy [900KB]
• Memorandum of Understanding between GBRMPA and Queensland Ports [1.34MB]
  
• Water Quality Guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (2009)
  
• Regional Water Quality Improvement Plans
  
• Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program
  
• Improving water quality
• Coastal ecosystem protection

Future management requirements

• Future management requirements in this area are being guided by ongoing assessment of emerging research outcomes and issues identified by the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2009.

Defined research questions

• There are currently no defined research questions for this topic. Research questions will be developed, giving priority to interactions/issues that are of most concern to management.

Related information

• Current Research and Monitoring