2016-02-02 P&O Committee - Item 3 - Attachment 3 - Noosa River Environmental Values and Water Quality Objectives

Noosa River environmental values and water quality objectives




Water type: groupings of waters with similar characteristics, as shown in the accompanying plan. The water
types covered by this document are based on mapping and definitional rules for water types established in
the QWQG and, where available, other site-specific documents. Water types can include coastal marine
waters (open coastal, enclosed coastal), estuarine waters (lower, middle and upper estuaries), tidal canals,
constructed estuaries, marinas and boat harbours, freshwaters (lowland, upland, lakes/reservoirs), wetlands
and ground waters. WQOs applying to different water types are outlined in this document. More detail on
water types is provided in section 1.4.


1.2.2 Main parts of this document

The main components of this document are:

•   Plan WQ1401 – showing the spatial extent and boundaries of water types covered by this document;
•   Section 1 – introduction and guidance on how to use the document;
•   Section 2 (Table 1) – environmental values (EVs) applying to waters covered by this document;
•   Section 3 (Tables 2–13) – water quality objectives (WQOs) applying to different EVs:
      Tables 2 to 3 provide WQOs to protect the aquatic ecosystem EV, and closely link to the water
         types shown on Plan WQ1401;
      Tables 4 to 13 provide WQOs to protect human use EVs;
•   Section 4 – ways to improve water quality: containing a list of relevant documents, provided for
    information purposes only; and
•   Section 5 – a dictionary of other terms relevant to EVs and WQOs.

1.2.3 Use of this document
Section 2 (Table 1) lists the identified EVs for protection for particular waters. The aquatic ecosystem EV is a
default applying to all waters. Reference to section 3 (Tables 2–3) provides the corresponding WQOs to
protect the aquatic ecosystem EV. Where relevant, different WQOs are specified to protect the aquatic
ecosystem EV in different water types (refer to the tables and the accompanying plan). For the human use
EVs specified for a water in Table 1, Tables 4 onwards provide the corresponding WQOs to support these
EVs.

Where reference to Table 1 indicates more than one EV applies to a given water, the adoption of the most
stringent WQO for the identified EVs applies to each water quality indicator in order to protect all identified
EVs. Further detail on selection of most stringent WQOs is provided in section 3.

This document also refers to a number of guidelines, codes and other reference sources on water quality. In
particular, the Queensland water quality guidelines (QWQG) prepared by DERM provide a technical basis for
the water quality objectives contained in this document. The QWQG also provide more detailed information
on water types, water quality indicators, derivation of local water quality guidelines, application during flood
events, monitoring, predicting and assessing compliance.

1.3 Information about mapped areas and boundaries
The boundaries in the accompanying plan WQ1401 are indicative only. The water types and management
intent (level of protection) depicted in the accompanying plan are stored in electronic form as part of the
South East Queensland Environmental Values Schedule 1 Database July 2010 and held at the offices of
DERM at 41 George Street Brisbane. Database regions are based on the regions established in the
Queensland water quality guidelines. For further information on accessing the accompanying plan and
database, please contact the Department by email at [email protected]