Pressures affecting Queensland’s aquatic ecosystems
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Key finding
The pressures affecting Queensland's aquatic ecosystems vary depending on local conditions and land management use and practices. Broadly, sediments, nutrients and pesticides are the main catchment pressures on our aquatic ecosystems. Climate change is also a pressure on aquatic ecosystems, particularly the Great Barrier Reef.
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Queensland or water quality report card area:
- Healthy Land and Water South East Queensland report card
- Great Barrier Reef report card
- Fitzroy Basin report card
- Gladstone Harbour report card
- Mackay–Whitsunday report card
- Condamine Catchment report card
- QCatchment Bulloo
- QCatchment Paroo
- QCatchment Warrego
- QCatchment Nebine
- Wet Tropics report card
- QCatchment Lake Eyre
- QCatchment Archer
- QCatchment Coleman
- QCatchment Ducie
- QCatchment Endeavour
- QCatchment Holroyd
- QCatchment Jacky Jacky
- QCatchment Jardine
- QCatchment Jeannie
- QCatchment Lockhart
- QCatchment Normanby
- QCatchment Olive–Pascoe
- QCatchment Stewart
- QCatchment Wenlock
Water quality report card area (select locations to filter information)
Queensland
Pressures on Queensland's waterways vary between regions and are generally linked to catchment land uses.
Overall, the main catchment pressures broadly impacting Queensland rivers are:
- sediment
- nutrients
- chemicals.
Relative importance of these pressures varies between regions. Emerging threats from micro and macro-plastics and litter are under current consideration and are reported on in some of the Great Barrier Reef catchments (Mackay-Whitsunday and Wet Tropics).
Climate change also impacts aquatic ecosystems, particularly the Great Barrier Reef.
Healthy Land and Water South East Queensland report card
The Healthy Land and Water report card helps us understand the pressures affecting ecosystem health in freshwater areas in South East Queensland (SEQ).
Loss of natural riverbank vegetation, cleared for agriculture and urban development, is the primary pressure affecting the health of freshwater creek and river systems in the region.
- Riparian vegetation provides shade for rivers, helping regulate temperature to support habitat for freshwater creatures.
- Riparian vegetation filters nutrients and sediments that pollute waterways and stabilises riverbanks.
Historic and current land management practices have caused substantial erosion in SEQ catchments.
- Erosion leads to sediment or mud entering waterways. This can smother water plants and habitats, and reduce water clarity.
Sediment from urban and rural sources such as construction and agriculture in catchments is a primary threat affecting aquatic ecosystems. The amount of sediment entering waterways depends on the extent of riparian vegetation, agricultural and urban development practices and rainfall.
Nutrients from agriculture and treated sewage effluent also impact waterways. A major program of sewage treatment plant upgrades and stream rehabilitation has significantly reduced the impact of effluent in waterways’ health over the past 15 to 20 years, and agricultural best management practice programs aim to reduce nutrient runoff.
More information:
- Healthy Land and Water South East Queensland Report Card
- Healthy Land and Water South East Queensland
Fitzroy Basin report card
The Fitzroy Basin—the eastern seaboard’s largest catchment—is characterised by a highly variable flow regime, ephemeral streams in its upper reaches, large tidal volumes in the estuary and periods of extensive riverine flooding. High sediment volumes and turbidity result from these characteristics. Seasonal irregularity is a defining feature of the basin, with long dry spells often followed by intense wet season rainfalls. Large flooding can result, discharging sediment, nutrients and chemicals into the sensitive Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
The waterways in the Fitzroy Basin are heavily modified, with 28 dams and weirs across the basin regulating flows. Land use includes grazing, cropping, urban development and mining. Future land use changes with potential impacts on water quality include proposals for more agricultural and mining development, including coal seam gas extraction.
The Fitzroy Basin has a population of about 120,000, most living in the urban centre of Rockhampton.
The Fitzroy Basin is home to several rare and threatened species, and internationally significant wetlands, with the greatest diversity of native freshwater fish in Australia and supporting significant commercial and recreational fisheries.
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Gladstone Harbour report card
Gladstone Harbour is a busy industrialised harbour in a subtropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. Gladstone Harbour and associated waterways are used for a wide range of activities—from agricultural, and urban and industrial development to shipping, fishing and dredging. These activities exert pressure on the harbour ecosystems and species. Examples of pressures that may change the environmental condition of the harbour are the release of toxic material, physical disturbance of habitats such as mangroves or seagrass, and alterations to the coastline.
The population of Gladstone (local government area – at 66,000+ in 2015) is expected to double by 2030. This will add further pressure on harbour-related infrastructure and ecosystems.
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Mackay–Whitsunday report card
The Mackay–Whitsunday Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership report card helps identify the regional pressures affecting waterway health in freshwater, estuarine and marine environments. Pressures in the Mackay-Whitsunday region range from those occurring on an international level such as climate change to reef-wide and localised regional pressures, among them coastal, port and agricultural development, tourism and litter.
Activities in the catchment strongly influence waterway health scores. Mackay–Whitsunday region is a major agricultural area with a significant area of the catchment under cane production, with catchment runoff of pollutants, particularly nutrients and pesticides, presenting a major pressure, notably in the Pioneer and Plane river basins. Rainfall is a key driver of water quality. Loss of wetlands and riparian vegetation is also a key pressure on the region’s basins and estuaries.
The region was heavily impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017. These effects will be reported in the 2017 report card.
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Wet Tropics report card
Significant industries in the Wet Tropics region include tourism, agriculture, ports, aquaculture, fishing, urban and heavy industry. The Wet Tropics region includes 2 unique World Heritage Areas, and these assets contribute to the highly significant tourism industry in the region. The main agricultural sectors are sugarcane, grazing and banana industries which collectively contribute nutrients, sediment and pesticides to agricultural runoff which impacts rivers, estuaries and the marine areas.
Pressures in the Wet Tropics region include the historic loss of wetlands and estuary habitats of riparian, mangrove and saltmarsh areas. These historic losses have led to poor freshwater grades and estuary and hydrology grades in the Wet Tropics report card. Inshore marine grades have been impacted by seagrass decline which is a result of regional climate patterns compounded by cyclones and storm events.
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Condamine Catchment report card
Technical reports for water, land and nature provide contextual information on pressures from which score card grades are drawn for the Condamine catchment.
Significant pressures for water come from:
- irrigated agriculture
- grazing
- coal mining
- coal seam gas production a
- energy generation.
Intensive agriculture is the most significant pressure in the Condamine catchment is intensive agriculture. The catchment has high quality agricultural soils and is one of the most cleared catchments in Queensland, which has led to reduced tree canopy cover, groundcover, reduced habitat and fragmentation of vegetation.
Ground cover plays a pivotal role in retaining biodiversity in cleared areas and in protecting land quality in intensive agricultural areas. However, ground cover is only one of many factors influencing the quality of biodiversity habitats and land quality.
Other factor include weather patterns, regional ecosystem locations, soil types, farming tillage patterns, erosion hot spots, soil conservation structures, elevation and urban development patterns.
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QCatchment Bulloo
Conceptual models are used to determine catchment specific condition indicators based on the relevant pressures in the catchment.
The main threats for Bulloo catchment are:
- introduced aquatic fauna
- deposited sediment
- introduced riparian fauna.
The overall rating for Bulloo in 2012 was ‘slightly disturbed’.
Introduced aquatic fauna such as European carp, goldfish, eastern mosquitofish and red claw crayfish pose the highest potential risk to riverine ecosystems in the Bulloo catchment, but currently represent a ‘low threat’.
Deposited sediment (sediment settling to the bottom and filling waterholes) was identified as a high potential risk to riverine ecosystems in the Bulloo catchment, but only a ‘slight current threat’. Activities such as vegetation clearing and introduced animals in riparian zones (vegetation on the banks of the river) can increase the chances of sediment entering waterholes.
Introduced riparian fauna, such as feral pigs and unfenced cattle, were identified as a ‘moderate risk’ and ‘moderate current threat’ to riverine ecosystems of the Bulloo catchment, as they can cause physical damage to banks and water quality issues.
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QCatchment Paroo
Conceptual models are used to determine catchment specific condition indicators based on the relevant pressures in the catchment.
The main threats for Paroo catchment the threats identified as most relevant are:
- introduced aquatic fauna
- deposited sediment
- introduced riparian fauna.
The overall rating for the Paroo in 2012 was ‘moderately disturbed’.
Introduced aquatic fauna such as European carp, goldfish, eastern mosquitofish and red claw crayfish pose the highest potential risk to riverine ecosystems in the Paroo catchment and currently represent a ‘moderate threat’.
Deposited sediment (sediment settling to the bottom and filling waterholes) was identified as a high potential risk to riverine ecosystems in the Paroo catchment but only represents a ‘slight current threat’.
Activities such as vegetation clearing and introduced animals in riparian zones (vegetation on the banks of the river) can increase the chances of sediment entering waterholes.
Introduced riparian fauna, such as feral pigs and unfenced cattle, were identified as a ‘moderate risk’ and ‘moderate current threat’ to riverine ecosystems of the Paroo catchment, as they can cause physical damage to banks and water quality issues.
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QCatchment Warrego
Conceptual models are used to determine catchment specific condition indicators based on the relevant pressures in the catchment.
Key threats to the Warrego catchment are:
- introduced aquatic fauna
- deposited sediment
- introduced riparian fauna.
The overall rating for the Warrego in 2012 was ‘moderately disturbed’.
Introduced aquatic fauna such as European carp, goldfish, eastern mosquitofish and red claw crayfish pose the highest potential risk to riverine ecosystems in the Warrego catchment but only a ‘slight current threat’.
Deposited sediment (sediment settling to the bottom and filling waterholes) was identified as a ‘high potential risk’ and ‘moderate current threat’ to riverine ecosystems in the Warrego catchment.
Activities such as vegetation clearing and introduced animals in riparian zones (vegetation on the banks of the river) increase the chances of sediment entering waterholes.
Introduced riparian fauna, such as feral pigs and unfenced cattle, were identified as a ‘moderate risk’ and ‘moderate current threat’ to riverine ecosystems of the Warrego catchment as they can cause physical damage to banks and water quality issues.
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QCatchment Nebine
Conceptual models are used to determine catchment specific condition indicators based on the relevant pressures in the catchment.
Key threats identified for Nebine catchment were:
- introduced aquatic fauna
- deposited sediment
- introduced riparian fauna.
Introduced fauna such as European carp, goldfish, eastern mosquitofish and red claw crayfish pose the highest potential risk of the risks considered and a ‘moderate current threat’ to riverine ecosystems in the Nebine catchment.
Deposited sediment (sediment settling to the bottom and filling waterholes) was identified as a ‘high potential risk’ to riverine ecosystems in the Nebine catchment, but a ‘low current threat’.
Activities such as vegetation clearing and introduced animals in riparian zones (vegetation on the banks of the river) can increase the chances of sediment entering waterholes.
Introduced riparian fauna, such as feral pigs and unfenced cattle, were identified as a ‘moderate risk’ but only a represent a ‘slight current threat’ to riverine ecosystems of the Nebine catchment.
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QCatchment Lake Eyre
An ecological risk assessment of threats to waterways in the province identified three threats for further investigation:
- introduced riparian fauna
- introduced aquatic fauna
- introduced riparian weeds.
No overall condition score was provided for the Lake Eyre and Bulloo Province.
Introduced riparian fauna was assessed as a ‘moderate risk’: feral pigs and cattle have access to the riparian zone (vegetation on the banks of the river). Slightly higher risks—in the high end of the ‘moderate’ range—were observed in the Georgina and Diamantina catchments.
- Overall, cattle impact was more severe than pig impact at surveyed sites across the Province.
The province as a whole was ranked at ‘moderate risk’ from introduced aquatic fauna, based on the Georgina and Cooper being at ‘moderate risk’: the Bulloo and Diamantina rivers were at no risk.
Overall risk from introduced riparian weeds was ‘moderate’ varying across the catchment:
- ‘slight’ in the Bulloo catchment
- ‘moderate’ in the Diamantina and Cooper Creek catchments
- ‘high’ in the Georgina catchment.
The highest numbers of targeted weed species were recorded in the Cooper and Georgina catchments.
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QCatchment Archer
Field-collected data was used to determine catchment specific condition indicators based on the relevant pressures in the Archer catchment.
Key threats for Archer catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. feral pigs, unfenced stock)
- introduced riparian flora (e.g. rubbervine, sicklepod)
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating for the Archer in 2012 was ‘moderate’.
The assessment concluded that the main threat to riverine ecology in the Archer River comes from introduced riparian fauna (stock and feral pigs) accessing the riparian zone, river bank and channel.
While introduced riparian flora condition was ranked as ‘minor disturbance’, the threat is severe as only 1 of the 4 assessed sites was free of weeds.
Cane toads or their tadpoles were not sighted at any sites but are known to occur in the catchment. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Coleman
Field-collected data was used to identify key threats to Coleman catchment riverine ecosystems.
Key threats identified for the Coleman catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. feral pigs, unfenced stock)
- introduced aquatic flora
- introduced aquatic fauna
- introduced riparian flora (e.g. rubbervine, sicklepod).
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Coleman was ‘moderate’.
Cattle and feral pigs accessing the riparian zone, bank and channel pose the main threat to riverine ecology in the Coleman catchment.
While riparian weeds were found at low levels of infestation, conditions can change rapidly, hence they were also of concern.
The potential for spread of pest fish species into the region is high, and therefore remains a risk. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Ducie
Field-collected data was used to identify key threats to Ducie catchment’s riverine ecosystems.
Key threats identified for the Ducie catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. feral pigs, unfenced stock)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic flora
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Ducie was ‘moderate’.
The assessment concluded that while the catchment was currently in good condition, the main threat to riverine ecology was feral pigs and cattle accessing the riparian zone.
While the current threat of introduced fish species was assessed as low, the potential for spread of pest fish species and cane toads is high, and therefore remains a moderate risk. Cane toads or their tadpoles were not sighted at any sites but are known to occur in the catchment. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Endeavour
Field-collected data was used to identify key threats to riverine ecosystem components within Endeavour catchment.
Key threats identified for the Endeavour catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic fauna
- introduced aquatic flora.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Endeavour was ‘moderate’.
The assessment concluded a high current threat from introduced riparian flora, with infestations of lantana, rubbervine, and sicklepod, among others.
Despite the low current threat identified for aquatic fauna, introduced aquatic fauna present a high risk. Tilapia have been sampled in the Endeavour previously: confirmation of continued existence would impact on current threat and condition. Cane toads or their tadpoles were not sighted at any sites but are known to occur in the catchment. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
The Eastern Cape York Water Quality Improvement Plan and supporting research reports provide additional information on freshwater, estuarine and marine ecosystem values, condition and trends.
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QCatchment Holroyd
Field-collection data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystems within Holroyd catchment.
Key threats identified for the Holroyd catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. feral pigs, unfenced stock)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Holroyd was ‘moderate’.
Introduced riparian fauna and flora pose the main threats. Impacts from feral pigs and cattle were observed at all sites (hence threats were identified as moderate). The current threat rating for riparian flora was severe: 2 sites have sicklepod. While introduced aquatic fauna were ranked as a low current threat, cane toads were sighted and are known to occur in the catchment. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Jacky Jacky
Field-collected data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystems within Jacky Jacky catchment.
Key threats identified for the Jacky Jacky catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (feral pigs)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Jacky Jacky was ‘moderate’.
Feral pigs accessing the riparian zone, river bank and channel pose the main current threat to riverine ecology in the Jacky Jacky catchment. This assessed threat was higher than initial risk assessments. Other than moderate levels of feral pig damage, excellent scores were recorded in all other field measurements.
While no pest fish species have been found to date, there remains a risk of spread into the catchment from the north (via Torres Strait) and from catchments to the south of Cape York. Cane toads or their tadpoles were not sighted but are known to occur in the catchment. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Jardine
Field-collected data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystem components within Jardine catchment.
Key threats identified for the Jardine catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. feral pigs)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Jardine was ‘moderate’.
Feral pigs pose the main current threat to Jardine catchment riverine ecology with damage evident at all sites.
The absence of priority weed infestations at assessment sites led to a low current threat. Similarly, the lack of any pest fish species in the assessment is associated with a low current threat. While no pest fish species were found, there remains a risk of spread into the catchment from the north (via Torres Strait) and from catchments to the south of Cape York.
Cane toads or their tadpoles were not sighted but are known to occur in the catchment. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Jeannie
Field-collected data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystem components within Jeannie catchment.
Key threats identified for the Jeannie catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. feral pigs)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Jeannie was ‘minor’.
The assessment concluded that from the single site assessed, the main current threat to riverine ecology in the Jeannie catchment was feral pigs accessing the riparian zone, river bank and channel.
While riparian weeds were not recorded at the assessment site, they have been identified as a risk: as tourism expands, there is a greater chance of weed spread via 4WD vehicles.
No pest fish species were found, however spread remains a risk from the north (via Torres Strait) and from catchments to the south of Cape York. Cane toad eggs were found at the site. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Lockhart
Field-collected data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystem components of Lockhart catchment.
Key threats identified for the Lockhart catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. feral pigs)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Lockhart was ‘moderate’.
The assessment concluded that the main current threat to riverine ecology in the Lockhart catchment was introduced riparian fauna (i.e. feral pigs and cattle) accessing the riparian zone, river bank and channel.
While there was no evidence of priority weed species present at the assessment sites, there are known to be weeds (e.g. sicklepod, grader grass, pond apple) in the catchment. No pest fish species were found, however a risk of spread remains from the north (via Torres Strait) and from catchments to the south of Cape York. A cane toad was sighted at 1 site. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the condition scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Normanby
Field-collected data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystem components of Normanby catchment.
Key threats identified for the Normanby catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. cattle, feral pigs)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic flora
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Normanby was ‘moderate’
Introduced riparian flora and fauna pose the highest risk to Normanby catchment riverine ecosystems. Cattle and feral pigs are likely to be having a negative impact on waterholes by destroying habitat, increasing erosion and contributing contaminants to water. The presence of significant and widespread infestations of weeds among monitoring sites (including lantana, rubber vine and sicklepod) indicated a moderate current threat.
Goldfish were identified at one isolated site and the area is a high risk for other introductions, especially tilapia. Cane toads or their tadpoles were identified at most assessment sites. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Olive–Pascoe
Field-collected data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystem components of Olive-Pascoe catchment.
Key threats identified for the Olive-Pascoe catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. cattle, feral pigs)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic fauna.
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Olive-Pascoe was ‘severe’.
Introduced riparian flora pose the main threat to riverine ecology in the Olive-Pascoe catchment. While weeds (including rubbervine and sicklepod) were recorded at low levels of abundance, their widespread presence implies ecosystem condition could change quickly. Tourism is expanding in Cape York, increasing the chance of weed spread via 4WD vehicles.
No pest fish species were found in this or previous surveys, however a risk of spread remains from the north (via Torres Strait) and from catchments to the south of Cape York. Cane toads are known to occur in the catchment. (The presence of cane toads is not reflected in the threat scores because of their extensive presence across Cape York.)
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QCatchment Stewart
Field-collected data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystem components of Stewart catchment.
Key threats identified for the Stewart catchment were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. cattle, feral pigs)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic fauna
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Stewart was ‘minor’.
The assessment concluded that, based on evidence of minor impacts at sites (mainly from pigs), there is expected to be little change in instream flora and fauna community structure. There were no infestations of priority weeds at the monitoring sites, hence a low current threat was recorded for riparian flora.
No pest fish species were identified in this assessment (or in previous surveys), however the threat of spread remains and would have serious consequences to aquatic ecosystems across Cape York. Cane toad adults were sighted in very high numbers at 1 site.
The assessment also provided comments on the risks from suspended and deposited sediments. The QCatchment expert review process identified these as higher risk in the Stewart than Cape York generally.
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QCatchment Wenlock
Field-collected data was used to assess identified key threats to riverine ecosystem components within Wenlock catchment.
Key threats identified were:
- introduced riparian fauna (e.g. cattle, feral pigs)
- introduced riparian flora
- introduced aquatic flora
- introduced aquatic fauna
The overall rating of threats to riverine ecosystems in the Wenlock was ‘severe’.
Riparian weeds represent the main threat to Wenlock riverine ecology, with infestations of rubbervine and sicklepod in evidence.
Aquatic flora was assessed as having low threat (no introduced aquatic flora infestations at sites), however there are anecdotal reports of water hyacinth in this catchment, and water lettuce has been identified in adjoining catchments.
Aquatic fauna was ranked as ‘low current threat’, with no pest fish species identified in this assessment. However, there is potential for spread into the region; exotic and translocated fish could have a devastating impact on the Wenlock, as it is one of the most diverse catchments in Australia in terms of freshwater fish.
Cane toads or their tadpoles were not sighted at any of the sites but are known to occur in the catchment.
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Indicator: Pressures identified in report card area
Pressures identified in various water quality report cards across Queensland.