Curtis Island, Calliope River and Boyne River Basins Environmental Values and Water Quality Objectives
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Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 Curtis Island, Calliope River and Boyne River Basins Environmental Values and Water Quality Objectives Basins 131, 132 and 133, including all waters of Gladstone Harbour, the Narrows, Curtis Island, Calliope and Boyne River basins, and adjacent coastal waters Prepared by: Environmental Policy and Planning Division, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection © State of Queensland, 2014 The Queensland Government supports and encourages the dissemination and exchange of its information. The copyright in this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY) licence. Under this licence you are free, without having to seek our permission, to use this publication in accordance with the licence terms. You must keep intact the copyright notice and attribute the State of Queensland as the source of the publication. For more information on this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en If you need to access this document in a language other than English, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 and ask them to telephone Library Services on +61 7 3170 5470. This publication can be made available in an alternative format (e.g. large print or audiotape) on request for people with vision impairment; phone +61 7 3170 5470 or email [email protected]. November 2014 Main parts of this document and what they contain Introduction Scope of waters covered (section 1) Key terms/how to use document Links to water quality plans (maps) Mapping/water type information Further contact details Amendment provisions (links to plans/maps) Environmental values Source of EVs for this document Table of EVs by waterway (EVs—section 2) o aquatic ecosystem o human use Any applicable management goals to support EVs Water quality objectives How to establish WQOs to protect (WQOs—section 3) all selected EVs WQOs in this document, for o aquatic ecosystem EV o human use EVs Ways to improve water quality List of reports containing (section 4) management actions relevant to the waterways in this area Dictionary Definitions of key terms including an (section 5) explanation table of all environmental values Accompanying water quality Accompanying maps that show plans (maps) water types, levels of protection and other information contained in this document i Contents Main parts of this document and what they contain ................................................................................................ i List of tables ............................................................................................................................................................ ii 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose .............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Waters to which this document applies ......................................................................................... 1 1.3 Guidance on using this document .................................................................................................. 3 1.4 Information about mapped areas and boundaries ........................................................................ 5 1.5 Water types and basis for boundaries ............................................................................................ 6 1.6 Matters for amendment .................................................................................................................... 7 2 Environmental values ......................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Environmental values ....................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Management goals to support environmental values ................................................................... 9 3 Water quality objectives to protect environmental values ............................................................................ 28 3.1 Water quality objectives to protect aquatic ecosystems ............................................................ 29 3.2 Water quality objectives for human use environmental values ................................................. 60 4 Ways to improve water quality ......................................................................................................................... 74 5 Dictionary ........................................................................................................................................................... 75 List of tables Table 1A Environmental values for Gladstone Harbour and adjacent coastal waters, mainland estuaries, the Narrows and Fitzroy Delta ................................................................................................................... 12 BOYNE RIVER BASIN ............................................................................................................................................... 15 Table 1B Environmental values for Boyne River Basin ........................................................................................ 16 CALLIOPE RIVER BASIN ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Table 1C Environmental values for Calliope River Basin ..................................................................................... 20 CURTIS ISLAND BASIN ............................................................................................................................................ 23 Table 1D Environmental values for Curtis Island Basin ....................................................................................... 24 Table 2A Gladstone Harbour, the Narrows, adjacent coastal waters and estuaries: Water quality objectives to protect aquatic ecosystem environmental value under baseflow conditions (peak discharge 3 < 100 m /sec) ......................................................................................................................................... 31 ii Table 2B Gladstone Harbour and the Narrows: time thresholds for use of baseflow WQOs (relative to flows – also see Table 2D: Event flow WQOs)............................................................................................. 36 Table 2C Gladstone Harbour, the Narrows and adjacent estuaries: Water quality objectives for toxicants .. 38 Table 2D Gladstone Harbour and Boat Creek: Event flow water quality objectives to protect aquatic ecosystem environmental value ......................................................................................................... 39 Table 2E Boyne River Basin: Water quality objectives to protect aquatic ecosystem environmental value under baseflow conditions .................................................................................................................. 41 Table 2F Calliope River Basin: Water quality objectives to protect aquatic ecosystem environmental value under baseflow conditions .................................................................................................................. 44 Table 2G Curtis Island Basin, Facing Island and coastal waters (outside Gladstone Harbour): Water quality objectives to protect aquatic ecosystem environmental value under baseflow conditions ........ 48 Table 3 Water quality objectives to protect human use environmental values ................................................. 60 Table 4 Drinking water EV: Priority water quality objectives for drinking water supply in the vicinity of off- takes, including groundwater, before treatment ............................................................................... 63 Table 5 Aquaculture EV: Water quality objectives for tropical aquaculture ...................................................... 65 Table 6 Aquaculture EV: Water quality objectives for optimal growth of particular species in fresh water .. 66 Table 7 Aquaculture EV: Water quality objectives for optimal growth of particular marine species .............. 67 Table 8 Irrigation EV: Water quality objectives for thermotolerant (faecal) coliforms in irrigation waters used for food and non-food crops1 .................................................................................................... 68 Table 9 Irrigation EV: Water quality objectives for heavy metals and metalloids in agricultural irrigation water1—long-term trigger value (LTV), short-term trigger value (STV) and soil cumulative contamination loading limit (CCL) ...................................................................................................... 69 Table 10 Stock watering EV: Water quality objectives for tolerances of livestock to total dissolved solids (salinity) in drinking water1 ................................................................................................................. 70 Table 11 Stock watering EV: Water quality objectives (low risk trigger values) for heavy metals and metalloids in livestock drinking water ............................................................................................... 71 Table 12 Recreational waters: Alert levels and corresponding actions for