2016-02-02 P&O Committee - Item 3 - Attachment 4 - Mary River Environmental Values and Water Quality Objectives

            Mary River environmental values and water quality objectives




            1.2 Guidance on using this document
            1.2.1 Key terms

            Key terms used in this document are explained below. Additional detail is provided in the dictionary at the
            end of the document:

            ADWG: means the Australian drinking water guidelines (2004), prepared by the National Health and Medical
            Research Council (NHMRC) in collaboration with the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council
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            (NRMMC) .

            AWQG: means the Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality (October
            2000), prepared by the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) and
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            the Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand (ARMCANZ) .

            Environmental Values (EVs) for water: means the EVs specified in Table 1 of this document for the
            corresponding water.

            EVs for water are the qualities of water that make it suitable for supporting aquatic ecosystems and human
            water uses. These EVs need to be protected from the effects of habitat alteration, waste releases,
            contaminated runoff and changed flows to ensure healthy aquatic ecosystems and waterways that are safe
            for community use. Particular waters may have different EVs. The range of EVs and the waters they can
            potentially apply to are listed below, and further details are provided in the dictionary (refer Section 5).

            List of EVs and applicable waters

                Environmental Value (EV)                                                     Potentially applicable to:
                                                                                             Tidal waters    Fresh (non-tidal)
                                                                                                             waters

                Protection of aquatic ecosystems (Aquatic ecosystem EV)

                Protection or enhancement of aquatic ecosystem values, under four                  
                  

                possible levels of ecosystem conditions:
                •    High ecological value (effectively unmodified) waters;
                •    Slightly disturbed waters;
                •    Moderately disturbed waters; and
                •    Highly disturbed waters.

                [suitability for seagrass and wildlife habitat have also been specifically
                identified for some waters as a component of this EV]

                EVs other than aquatic ecosystem EV (called human use EVs)

                Suitability for human consumers of wild or stocked fish, shellfish or              
                  

                crustaceans [suitability for oystering has also been specifically
                identified for some waters]

                Suitability for primary contact recreation (eg swimming)                           
                  


                Suitability for secondary contact recreation (eg boating)                          
                  


                Suitability for visual (no contact) recreation                                     
                  



            3
             The Australian drinking water guidelines (2004) can be downloaded from the following website:
            http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/eh19syn.htm
            4
             The AWQG (2000) can be downloaded from the following website:
            http://www.mincos.gov.au/publications/australian_and_new_zealand_guidelines_for_fresh_and_marine_water_quality


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Document Set ID: 20002123
Version: 1, Version Date: 21/12/2015