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Lower Burdekin Catchment StoryThe catchment stories use real maps that can be interrogated, zoomed in and moved to explore the area in more detail. They take users through multiple maps, images and videos to provide engaging, in-depth information. Quick facts
Quick linksTranscriptLower Burdekin Catchment StoryThis map journal is part of a series prepared for the catchments of Queensland. Understanding landscape connections in the Lower Burdekin areaTo effectively manage a catchment it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of how the catchment works. This map journal was informed by the ‘walking the landscape’* process together with multiple reports about the value and functioning of the Lower Burdekin area and expert input. It focuses on how water moves through the Lower Burdekin area, in the context of the broader social and economic settings. The map journal was prepared by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science in collaboration with local partners. Main image. The lower Burdekin River near Dalbeg - provided by Andrew Brooks. *The ‘walking the landscape’ process involves local stakeholders systematically working through a catchment in a facilitated workshop, to incorporate diverse knowledge on the landscape (Department of Environment and Heritage Protection 2012) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. How to view this map journalThis map journal is best viewed in Google Chrome or Firefox, not Explorer.
Main image. The Lower Burdekin River - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Map journal for the Lower Burdekin areaThis map journal focuses on how water moves through the Lower Burdekin area, in the context of the broader social and economic settings. The Lower Burdekin area includes the Haughton, Barratta and Lower Burdekin sub-basins. The Haughton and Barratta sub-basins are part of the Haughton basin. The Lower Burdekin sub-basin is part of the adjacent Burdekin basin. Irrigation is a critical component of the Lower Burdekin area, including the Burdekin Falls Dam (Lake Dalrymple), the BRIA* (Burdekin River Irrigation Area) and the Delta (Lower Burdekin Water) irrigation schemes. These schemes have a substantial impact on how water moves in the landscape. Main image. Horseshoe Lagoon - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. *The Queensland Irrigation Areas dataset contains polygons describing the boundaries of Gazetted Irrigation Areas in Queensland. The areas were regulated by the Department of Environment and Resource Management and operated by SunWater. The boundaries ceased to exist under law on 20th September 2000. The dataset may have been updated by SunWater since then and in future will be updated as required by SunWater. The terms 'catchment' and 'sub-basin' are sometimes used interchangeably. In this map journal the term 'sub-basin' has been used to describe the Haughton, Barratta and Lower Burdekin sub-basins and the term 'basin' has been used to describe the wider Haughton and Burdekin basins. Basin and sub-basin boundaries are defined by Department of Natural Resource and Mines Basin Sub Area 100K mapping, which depicts a subdivision of the major drainage basins in Queensland. Catchment overviewThe Lower Burdekin area is located in the dry tropics of Queensland, to the south of Townsville (click to play animation of Lower Burdekin area). It is within the NQ Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management (NRM) area. The Burdekin region is the second largest area draining to the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. It includes the Burdekin, Black, Ross, Haughton and Don basins. The Burdekin region covers approximately 130,000 square kilometres, which equates to approximately 31% of the total GBR catchment area. The Lower Burdekin area covers approximately 14,528 square kilometres. Major waterwaysThe major waterways of the Lower Burdekin area are the Burdekin (click to see animation) and Haughton (click to see animation) rivers and Barratta Creek (click to see animation), along with the Bogie River (click to see animation) and many smaller waterways. All waterways meet on a broad floodplain and flow to the World Heritage-listed GBR, either directly or via Bowling Green Bay or Upstart Bay. The Lower Burdekin area receives water from the Upper Burdekin, Suttor and the Bowen sub-basins (click to play animation of Burdekin basin). Water from the Upper Burdekin and Suttor sub-basins moves through Lake Dalrymple via the Burdekin Falls Dam, whereas water from the Bowen sub-basin flows directly into the Burdekin River near Dalbeg. The broader Burdekin basin is bound by the Herbert, Black, Ross, Haughton, Don, O’Connell, Pioneer and Fitzroy basins to the east, and the Gilbert, Flinders and Cooper basins to the west. The area is mostly within the Burdekin Shire Council area but is also included within the Townsville City, Charters Towers Regional and Whitsunday Regional council areas. *The Queensland Irrigation Areas dataset contains polygons describing the boundaries of Gazetted Irrigation Areas in Queensland. The areas were regulated by the Department of Environment and Resource Management and operated by SunWater. The boundaries ceased to exist under law on 20th September 2000. The dataset may have been updated by SunWater since then and in future will be updated as required by SunWater. Main image. The Haughton River - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Values of the catchmentThe Lower Burdekin area contains a wealth of natural, cultural and economic values. The area includes large areas of important land uses* such as grazing on native pastures**, irrigated sugar cane, and residential and associated services. Approximately 18,000 people live in the Lower Burdekin area, mostly in the towns of Ayr and Home Hill but also in the smaller centres such as Clare and Giru. There are conservation and natural areas across the catchment, including protected areas and nature refuges.*** The catchment also includes part of the Bowling Green Bay Ramsar site and several declared fish habitat areas (FHAs) and DIWA-listed wetlands (Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia). The receiving waters also include declared dugong protection areas (Cape Upstart, Bowling Green Bay and the adjoining Cleveland Bay) and the GBR lagoon which is World Heritage-listed and a marine park. Main image. Cane farming in the Haughton sub-basin - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. *Land use is provided by the Queensland Land Use Mapping Program (QLUMP), which maps and assesses land use patterns and changes across the state, according to the Australian Land Use and Management Classification. QLUMP is part of the Australian Collaborative Land Use and Management Program (ACLUMP), coordinated by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences. ACLUMP promotes nationally consistent land use information. Government, the private sector, research agencies and community groups use the QLUMP datasets for natural resource assessment, monitoring and planning (see links at the end of this map journal for further information regarding Australian Land Use and Management Classification). **Grazing is mapped as ‘grazing on native pastures’ when there is a substantial native species component, despite extensive active modification or replacement of native vegetation. If there is greater than 50 per cent native pastures then the area is classified as ‘grazing on native pastures’. If there are no native species, the area is classified as ‘grazing on modified pastures (see links at the end of this map journal for further information regarding land use management classification). Values of the catchment—economicLand use is mostly grazing on native pastures and irrigated sugar cane, together with much smaller areas of other cropping, horticulture (mostly irrigated tree fruits), forestry (production native forests), residential (urban and rural), services, transport and communication, aquaculture and mining. This range of different land use types combine to make up the land use of the Lower Burdekin area. Algal ponds at Alva Bay aquaculture facility - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. The Burdekin region is the largest sugar producing area in Australia, with sugar cane production occurring around 80,000 hectares.* Linear infrastructure such as roads and tracks, railways and pipelines are an important component of the economy. Estuarine areas support commercial and recreational fisheries (fish, and crustaceans like prawns and crabs). Tourism is also important to the local economy, particularly around Bowling Green Bay and Mount Elliot. Irrigation on Lower Burdekin turf farm - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Main image. Cattle farming in the Haughton sub-basin - provided by the Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. *Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 (NQ Dry Tropics 2016) – see links at the end of this map journal for further information. Hydrology and water movementWater flows across the landscape, into waterways and channels, with some of this water eventually reaching the GBR lagoon. Water that does not flow to the lagoon either sinks into the ground, where it supports a variety of terrestrial and groundwater dependent ecosystems, contributes to overland flow, or is used for other purposes such as farming. Wetland and groundwater dependent melaleuca ecosystem - provided by Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. Sugar cane farming has substantially modified surface water and groundwater systems in the Lower Burdekin area, as discussed on the Physical features and Cane farming slides, and further on the Irrigation schemes slide. Physical featuresThe Lower Burdekin area features a complex range of geology and topography. The hills, floodplains and depressions in the landscape contribute to the diversity of plants and animals that live within the catchment. The rocks and soils help to shape the land and there are strong connections that exist with how water flows across the landscape and into creeks and groundwater. Main image. Corrick Plains and Mount Elliott - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Geology and topography—upper elevationsThe upper parts of the Lower Burdekin area are underlain by mostly granite, together with other hard geologies (arenites and mafites, felsites and mixed sedimentary rock) and other minor geologies. Water runs quickly off the hard geologies. Runoff from these geologies and the upstream contributing catchments has high concentrations of colloidal material (sediment particles smaller than clay) and is very turbid. Colloidal material typically takes a long time to settle out of suspension and therefore much of this material reaches the coastal plain and creates a problem in the irrigation system, freshwater systems and the inshore GBR lagoon. Many different rock types combine to make up the geology of the Lower Burdekin area. Main image. Mount Elliot - provided by Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. Geology and topography—lower elevationsThere are very large areas of alluvium across the lower elevations, together with colluvium and other unconsolidated sediments. Most of these lower elevations are part of a very flat floodplain and estuary, with large parts of the floodplain used for irrigated sugar cane farming. These unconsolidated sediments vary in term of water infiltration from the very porous soils (mainly sand) of the lower Burdekin Delta and the largely clay and low transmissive soils of the Barratta and Haughton floodplain. The more porous soils enable high amounts of water infiltration and recharge of groundwater. Groundwater is close to, or at, ground level in many parts of the floodplain. Across the coastal plain, boundaries between the Lower Burdekin, Haughton and Baratta sub-basins are largely arbitrary. The area is almost completely inundated during flood events and some parts are very frequently connected. The continuity of the coastal plain is due to the dominance of the Burdekin River as the geomorphic driver that has formed the alluvial landforms that stretch from the current mouth of the Haughton River to south of the current Burdekin River mouth. The Burdekin River currently flows north-east, past Mount Kelly at the ‘Rocks’ and into Upstart Bay, however it appears to have changed course several times. During the Holocene, it likely flowed to the north, past the current Clare township, and into Bowling Green Bay between the current Haughton River and Barratta Creek.* This is based on a large palaeo-channel (Pleistocene) extending 160 kilometres into the GBR**, the cuspate delta of Bowling Green Bay, and Haughton River deposits over the Barratta delta.* Cuspate deltas form when the predominant winds and waves are approximately perpendicular to the water flowing out of a river. The winds and waves, together with longshore drift, spreads the sediment coming out of a river in a triangular shape that extends from the shoreline. In the Townsville region, the dominant winds are from the east (south-easterly in the morning and north-easterly in the afternoon) and the longshore drift is towards the north. The Burdekin River sediments (mostly sand derived from granite in the upper catchment) are being deposited mostly to the north to form the prograding spit of Cape Bowling Green but also to the south. Alva Beach showing the sand bank extending to the spit of Bowling Green Cape - provided by the Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. There are extensive wetlands across the lower catchment, including estuarine wetland (mangroves and saltmarshes) and the Ramsar-listed Bowling Green Bay along the coast, lacustrine wetlands or lakes such as Lake Dalrymple, large freshwater systems of swamps and billabongs known as palustrine wetlands, extensive riverine wetlands along waterways and ‘contains wetlands’ areas.*** See links at the end of this map journal for further information on the following references. *The geomorphology of the Burdekin delta, North Queensland (Hopley 1970). Dashed yellow line shows general direction of water flow only, not specific paleochannel location. **The solid black line indicates the path of the palaeochannel based on Fielding et al (2003), with grey lines indicating tributary and other channels intersected. The dashed lines indicate the channel course interpreted by other studies provided in Fielding et al (2003). Taken from Anatomy of the buried Burdekin River channel across the Great Barrier Reef shelf: how does a major river operate on a tropical mixed siliciclastic/carbonate margin during sea level lowstand (Fielding et al. 2003) . ***Areas mapped as ’contains wetlands’ typically include many small wetlands, which are too small to map individually. RainfallThe Dry Tropics region usually experiences annual wet and dry seasons, with most of the annual rainfall typically falling between November and March. The average annual rainfall across the Lower Burdekin area ranges from approximately 550 to 3,200 millimetres, with higher rainfall occurring over parts of the Haughton Sub-basin in association with Mount Elliot.
The hydrological seasonality associated with these wet and dry season flow conditions are critical to the ecological character, function and associated values of aquatic ecosystems. While these patterns provide the overarching driving for the system, on floodplains, the altered flow regimes associated with functioning of the dam and irrigation system are the significant drivers of impacts such as reduced water quality, weed infestation and barriers to fish passage. The lower Burdekin River following a major rain event in March 2018 - provided by the Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. Main image. Hymenachne weed at Horseshoe Lagoon - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Science Queensland Government. Surface water flowWater movement in the Lower Burdekin area has been substantially altered by the Burdekin Falls Dam and irrigation for cane farming, as discussed on the Irrigation schemes tab. Burdekin Falls Dam - provided by SunWater. The Lower Burdekin sub-basin above the Burdekin Falls Dam has mostly natural seasonal flow, which is impounded within Lake Dalrymple. Flow below the dam is regulated to near-perennial flow and reduced flood flows. Lowland hydrology is modified by weirs, levees and bunds, seasonal sand dams*, and pump stations associated with the BRIA and Lower Burdekin Water irrigation schemes. The upper Barratta sub-basin has mostly natural seasonal flows including flood flows. Lowland hydrology is altered by supplemented flows driven by elevated groundwater, irrigation ‘tailwater’** and infrastructure discharges associated with the BHWSS and water board operations. Floodplain hydrology is also altered by shallow groundwater, land leveling, constructed drainage networks, alteration of preferential flood flow paths, circumvention and or filling of natural detention areas and coastal bunding. The upper to mid Haughton sub-basin has mostly natural seasonal flows including flood flows. Lowland hydrology is affected by leveed flood outbreaks on the main river channel, on- and off-steam floodplain storages (such as Horseshoe and Pink Lily lagoons), supplemented flows, tailwater discharges and elevated groundwater levels associated with the BHWSS, two weirs on main river channel (Val Bird and Giru), floodplain leveling and drainage, and coastal development. Tributary to the Haughton River - provided by the Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. The Bowen sub-basin also has a major impact on the hydrology and water movement of the Lower Burdekin below the dam. Large volumes of water flow out of the Bowen River into the Burdekin River following heavy rainfall over the Bowen sub-basin. Below the dam, large volumes of water also flow into the Burdekin River from the Bogie River and several tributaries draining steep and hard granite slopes, following heavy rainfall. Main image. The mouth of Barratta Creek - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. *Showing examples of sand dams evident at the time of this imagery. **Tailwater refers to surface water runoff following crop irrigation, that is, the irrigation not taken up by the crops. Infrastructure and water flowIrrigation infrastructure influences water flow across the Lower Burdekin area as discussed on the Irrigation schemes tab. Buildings and important infrastructure such as roads, railways and creek crossings create barriers and low permeability surfaces that redirect water through single points or culverts, leading to channeling of water. This increases the rate of flow and the potential for erosion. Road crossing - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Small parts of the catchment have been developed and there are many low permeability surfaces in these areas. There are also barriers to some flow events, however most are over-topped in low to moderate flow events. The Burdekin Falls Dam is only over-topped following large rainfall over the catchment, however there is near-perennial flow from the dam. Most of these barrier to flow are not fitted with fishways, and also provide barriers to fish passage during baseflow conditions, with movement during flood conditions only. Main image. Railway and road infrastructure - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Surface water characteristics
Water quality issues across the wider Burdekin region are associated with:
Sediment plume following flooding in the Burdekin River - provided by DOE (2011).** The Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) 2016 for the Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management (NRM) region ‘supports and guides decision making and investment around protection of the GBR and the local ecosystems as they relate to water quality and to which its resilience is intimately linked.’* It updates and builds on the 2009 Burdekin WQIP and the Black Ross WQIP (2010), and supports the Great Barrier Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef Plan 2050). The Queensland Government’s Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022*** seeks to improve the water quality flowing from GBR catchments, including the Burdekin basin. The plan aligns with the Australian and Queensland governments’ Great Barrier Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef Plan 2050), and is based on the best available independent scientific advice as provided by the 2017 Scientific Consensus Statement.^ The Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Modelling Program estimates average annual loads of key pollutants (sediment, nutrients and pesticides) for each of the 35 catchments draining to the GBR as part of the Paddock to Reef program. It assesses progress towards the Reef Plan 2050 water quality targets.^^ Results are made available through an annual Great Barrier Reef Report Card,^^^ and a technical report has been prepared for the Burdekin region.^^^ In response to water quality issues, the Australian and Queensland governments have funded a number of initiatives, such as grants, extension and regulations to enable adoption of farm management practices that reduce the risk of nutrient and herbicide losses. The Smartcane BMP program is an industry-led program outlining practices deemed to be above and below industry standards. Growers can self-assess their practices against industry standards and identify actions for improvement. Main image. Water quality monitoring site - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. See links at the end of this map journal for further information on these references. *Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 (NQ Dry Tropics 2016). **DOE (2011) DAF TO PROVIDE ***Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022 (Queensland Government 2018). ^2017 Scientific Consensus Statement, Land Use Impacts on Great Barrier Reef Water Quality and Ecosystem Condition (Queensland Government 2017). ^^Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Modelling Program (Queensland Government 2016). ^^^Great Barrier Reef Report Card 2016, Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Queensland Government 2017). ^^^^Modelling Reductions of Pollutant Loads due to Improved Management Practices in the Great Barrier Reef Catchments, Burdekin NRM region, Technical Report, Volume 4 (Dougall 2014). Groundwater systemsThe groundwater system of the Lower Burdekin area are complex and much work has been undertaken, and continues to be undertaken, to gain an understanding of these systems. Cane farming has substantially modified these systems, as discussed on the Cane farming and Irrigation schemes slides.
Representation of the lower Burdekin water balance components, showing how the main components interact - provided by McMahon et al. (2012).* The Lower Burdekin groundwater systems includes the Delta and BRIA. The Delta is the largest unconfined groundwater system of its type in Australia, and there is also a deeper aquifer under the BRIA. Surface and groundwater systems are connected across the floodplain, with contaminants in surface water entering groundwater and vice versa. Conceptual cross-section of the Delta - taken from McMahon et al. (2000).**
Conceptual cross-section of the BRIA groundwater system near Giru - taken from Hunter (2012).*** These groundwater systems are recharged by:
In the Delta, sand dams and recharge pits are also used to facilitate groundwater recharge. These pits are strategically located over coarse sands, with water diverted from the river percolating through the sand into the aquifer. Some pit areas can recharge up to 20 megalitres per day.^^ Water is also pumped from the Burdekin River into a distribution network of artificial and natural channels to replenish the groundwater. Small crustaceans (stygofauna) are known to live in the groundwater systems of the Lower Burdekin area. A 2012 study recorded syncarids from two families (Bathynellidae and Parabathynellidae), together with copepods.^^^ Conceptualisation of Paddock to Reef key processes and their collective role in describing potential groundwater flows of nutrients and herbicides to the GBR lagoon - taken from Hunter (2012).*** Main image. Cane drain with recycle pit upstream of culvert and associated pumping infrastructure - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. See links at the end of this map journal for further information on the following references. *Development of a hydrological modelling toolkit to support sustainable development of the Lower Burdekin groundwater system, Conseptualisation of the Lower Burdekin Aquifer (McMahon et al. 2012). **Schematic geological cross-sections of the Burdekin River Delta for the pre-existing North (NBWB) and South Burdekin Water Boards (SBWB), showing distribution of sediments and approximate position of the seawater interface (5000μS/cm boundary). Taken from Hydrological conceptualisation of the Burdekin River delta (McMahon et al. 2000). ***Nutrients and herbicides in groundwater flows to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon Processes, fluxes and links to on-farm management (Hunter 2012). ^Groundwater discharge from the Burdekin floodplain aquifer North Queensland (Cook et al. 2004). ^^The Burdekin River (Burdekin Shire Council undated). ^^^Hydroecology of the lower Burdekin River alluvial aquifer and associated groundwater dependent ecosystems (Perna et al. 2012). Rising groundwater levelsGroundwater levels change in response to the balance between the rate of recharge (input) into and discharge (output) from an aquifer. Groundwater levels typically rise when the rate of recharge exceeds the rate of discharge. In the Lower Burdekin area, most recharge is from rainfall and leaching from irrigation (paddocks), together with seepage from channels and waterways, and most abstraction is for irrigation. The balance between the two changes over time.*
Overview of the lower Burdekin water model showing linkages between the vadose (unsaturated) zone, groundwater flow and solute transport together with key inputs (blue) and outputs (green) - provided by McMahon et al. (2012).* Over the last 20 years, increased deep drainage into the underlying aquifer has resulting in a rise in groundwater levels. Deep drainage is the process of surface water percolating through the soil to the aquifer. Irrigation is acknowledged as a major factor increasing deep drainage, however other factors have also contributed, including land use change and seepage from irrigation infrastructure.** As groundwater levels rise, the rising water saturates the soil and mobilises salts. This can bring about water logging and increased salinisation of the root zone, which can lead to reductions in, or complete loss of, productivity. Water logging can also reduce the capacity of the soil to absorb additional water during wet conditions, which increases the risk of contaminant reaching coastal waters through runoff. Nutrients and pesticides also move to receiving waters through the groundwater in association with deep drainage.** Rising groundwater levels are particularly problematic in parts of the Haughton and Barratta sub-basins. See links at the end of this map journal for further information on the following references *Development of a hydrological modelling toolkit to support sustainable development in the Lower Burdekin groundwater system: Conceptualisation of the Lower Burdekin aquifer (McMahon et al. 2012). **Lower Burdekin Groundwater Strategy Project Discussion Paper August 2017 (DNRM 2017). Natural valuesA landscape is bound by the connections between soil types, topography, rainfall and water movement. In turn all these elements coming together affect what vegetation grows in a particular place, and these physical features and the vegetation growing in a location combine to determine what animals will inhabit that area. Main image. Estuarine crocodile - provided by Mark Ziembicki. VegetationWater that falls as rain, or moves over the land as runoff, is slowed by vegetation, which then allows it to filter down into the soil and sub-soil. Slowing the flow of surface water helps to retain it longer on the land which in turn allows it to filter down through the soil and bedrock to recharge groundwater aquifers. Native herb nardoo hangs on to life during the drying phase of a wetland - provided by NQ Dry Tropics. Water moving slowly across the surface of the land also reduces the potential for erosion to occur and reduces the associated issues with water quality and sedimentation further downstream. Reducing the speed of runoff also plays a role in protecting banks and parts of the landscape prone to gully and rill erosion. Historically, eucalypt woodlands and forests grew across most of the area, together with melaleuca woodlands, tussock grasslands and forblands (low-growing vegetation), rainforests and scrubs and mangroves and saltmarshes. There were also small areas of other vegetation types such as coastal communities including heaths. The area supports blue gums, melaleucas and pandanus, which are terrestrial groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDE), rare rainforest plants, and relic wet tropics rainforest of Mount Elliot.These different vegetation types combine to make up the preclearing vegetation of the Lower Burdekin area.* There are extensive wetlands across the area (as discussed on the Wetlands tab). Main image. Riparian vegetation - provided by Mark Ziembicki. *Broad Vegetation Groups derived from Regional Ecosystems (REs), which are vegetation communities in a bioregion that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil. Vegetation ClearingLarge parts of the Lower Burdekin area have been cleared* for a range of mostly rural land uses, particularly cane farming. Eucalypt vegetation remain across most of the upper parts and mangroves and saltmarshes still line most of the coast. Small areas of regrowth** have occurred since initial clearing. Explore the Swipe Map using either of the options below.*** Interactive Swipe App where you can zoom into cleared areas and use the swipe bar (ESRI version) Interactive Swipe App where you can use the swipe bar. Use the white slide bar at the bottom of the map for a comparison (HTML version) Vegetation clearing and associated activities change the shape of the landscape and can modify surface and groundwater flow patterns. Melalueca tree adjacent to wetland and surrounded by weeds such as hymenachne and para grass - provided by NQ Dry Tropics. Main image. Mosaic of vegetation types and clearing - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries ©Queensland Government. *The 2011 remnant vegetation mapping was undertaken at a map scale of 1:100,000 and 1:50,000 in part (including the Wet Tropics and Southeastern Queensland) and based on the Landsat imagery for 2011. It does not show all clearing, particularly relatively thin linear infrastructure. **Smaller areas of regrowth are not shown in this mapping. This dataset was prepared to support certain category C additions to the Regulated Vegetation Management Map under the Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016. This dataset is described as: The 2013 areas of non-remnant native woody vegetation that have not been cleared between 1988 and 2014 that are homogenous for at least 0.5 hectare and occur in clumps of at least 2 hectares in coastal regions and 5 hectares elsewhere. ***Depending on your internet browser, you may experience issues with one or the other. Please note this application takes time to load. FaunaThe catchment provides important habitat a wide range of fauna and many of conservation significance. Sharp-tailed sandpiper - provided by Len Ezzy. Lowland wetlands support waterbird roosting, feeding and breeding areas and are important for both abundance and species diversity. These wetlands support species of conservation significance such as curlew sandpiper, great knot, western Alaskan bar-tailed godwit, eastern curlew and beach stone-curlew. Freshwater systems support a diverse fish community, freshwater crocodiles (non-native to the area) and several frog species. Endemic species on Mount Elliot include the leaf tailed gecko, limbless snake-tooth skink, saxicoline sunskink, Mount Elliot spiny crayfish, Mount Elliot nursery frog and jungle perch. Springs provide key refugia for fishes and other species, and black-throated finches* are found in associated with permanent waterholes. Comb-crested jacana with chicks - provided by Mark Ziembicki. Estuarine systems provide important feeding areas for the estuarine crocodile, and support marine turtles, dolphins, dugongs and fisheries species such as barramundi and mud crab. Juvenile barred grunter - provided by NQ Dry Tropics. Freshwater and estuarine systems are connected and provided important habitat for a range of migratory fishes**, that need to move for breeding, food and other resources. The Lower Burdekin area also supports several protected mammals, marsupials and birds including koalas, greater gliders and finches (black-throated and crimson). Male crimson finch - provided by Len Ezzy. Wallaby near Wongaloo wetland - provided by the Department of Environment and Science ©Queensland Government. Main image. Black-winged stilts - provided by Len Ezzy. *Provided by NQ Dry Tropics. **Provided by NQ Dry Tropics in partnership with Kalamia Mill, Lower Burdekin Landcare, Lower Burdekin Water, Burdekin Shire Council, Burdekin Fish Restocking Association and Hands on Wildife. Special feature—beach stone-curlewThe beach stone-curlew is listed as Vulnerable in Queensland and it is ranked as a high priority under the Back on Track species prioritisation framework.* This species is found on open, undisturbed beaches and estuarine intertidal sand and mud flats, preferring beaches with estuaries or mangroves nearby, which are common along the coast of the Lower Burdekin area. In Queensland, beach stone-curlews are uncommon on beaches in the south of the state but numbers gradually increase northward.* Beach stone-curlews are largely sedentary, with young birds not moving very far from the parental territory. Beach stone-curlews are usually solitary or in pairs, although occasionally small groups of up to five birds can be observed.* The activity of beach stone-curlews is largely dictated by tides. At high tide, they can be found roosting in the shade of trees or at fringes of mangroves. At low tide they move out onto the exposed intertidal mudflats, sandflats, sandbanks and sandpits to feed on crabs and other marine invertebrates.* During the night, breeding beach stone-curlews use a harsh, wailing territorial call which is higher pitched and harsher than that of the bush stone-curlew.* Main image. Beach stone-curlew - provided by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service ©Queensland Government. *Vulnerable animals, Beach stone-curlew (DES 2018) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. Protected areasProtected areas include the large Bowling Green Bay National Park and adjoining Bowling Green Bay and Wongaloo conservation parks, together with nature refuges*, wetlands listed on the Directory of Important Wetlands of Australia (DIWA), the Ramsar-listed Bowling Green Bay and parts of declared Fish Habitat Areas (FHAs), Dugong Protection Areas and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) World Heritage Area (WHA) and marine park. Cotton pygmy geese - provided by Len Ezzy. The largest DIWA-listed wetland is the Burdekin-Townsville Coastal Aggregation, which include Wongaloo wetlands. The Burdekin-Townsville Coastal Aggregation supports protected species such as the endangered bare rumped sheathtail bat, together with the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, dugong, green and loggerhead turtles, estuarine crocodile and birds such as little terns, beach stone-curlews, square-tailed kite, cotton pygmy-geese, black-necked stork, sooty oyster catcher and eastern curlew. Burdekin Shire Council, in collaboration with landholders, Lower Burdekin Water and NQ Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management (NRM) group, maintain a number of waterways under Riparian Management Agreements. All parties contribute to the maintenance of the waterways (aquatic weed management) with Council overseeing the work. The declared Burdekin FHA includes particularly diverse habitats in good condition near Ayr. Habitat values include extensive and diverse mangrove forests (about 20 species dominated by Rhizophora, Avicennia, Ceriops and Xylocarpus) extensive saltpans and dense seagrass meadows. Commercial, recreational and Indigenous species include fishes, sharks, prawns (banana and tiger) and mud crabs. Netting is restricted in Dugong Protection Areas to protect dugongs. Zone A (Cape Upstart and Cleveland Bay) has more stringent controls over netting practices than Zone B (Bowling Green Bay). Protected areas provide important habitat for a variety of flora and fauna. Australian spotted crake - provided by Len Ezzy. Main image. Looking towards the Haughton River mouth, part of Bowling Green Bay Ramsar site - provided by the Department of Environment and Science ©Queensland Government. *Protected areas of Queensland are those set aside for the conservation of natural and cultural values or for production of resources, including timber and quarry material. The mapped nature refuges are areas gazetted through a voluntary conservation agreement between the state government and private land owners. WetlandsThere are extensive wetlands across the Lower Burdekin area, including part of the Ramsar-listed Bowling Green Bay. Estuarine wetlands support mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrasses and a range of protected fauna. Freshwater wetlands include large floodplain wetlands and part of Lake Dalrymple. Main image. Serpentine Lagoon - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Wetland typesThe Lower Burdekin area supports extensive estuarine and freshwater wetlands. Freshwater systems include large lowland palustrine and lacustrine wetlands, part of Lake Dalrymple (lacustrine), extensive riverine wetlands, andlarge areas of ‘contains wetlands’.
There are also many groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) across the Lower Burdekin Area, including lagoons, springs and terrestrial communities.
Ceriops-dominated mangrove forest - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Main image. Lilies and sedges of floodplain wetland - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. Floodplain lagoons
There are large areas of freshwater wetland on the Lower Burdekin flooplain, including Horseshoe and Pink Lilly lagoons on the Haughton River, and Sheepstation and Red Lily lagoons on Barratta Creek.
Conceptual model showing different types of wetlands across the lower Burdekin floodplain in dry (top) and wet (bottom) seasons - provided by Perna et al (2012).* These freshwater wetlands include grass, sedges and herb swamps and tree swamps, which provide habitat for birds, frogs, fishes and invertebrates. The freshwater systems adjoin large estuarine wetlands, which provide habitat for estuarine species such as mangroves and saltmarshes, seagrasses, turtles, crocodiles, fishes and crabs. Parts of these large wetland complexes are included within the Bowling Green Bay Ramsar site, national and conservation parks, nature refuges and DIWA wetlands, and adjoin declared FHAs, Dugong Protection Areas and the GBR WHA and marine park. These wetlands provide dry season refuge and habitat connectivity for fishes including recreational and commercial fisheries species such as barramundi, mangrove jack, prawns and mud crabs. They also provide an important filter for suspended sediment, nutrients and pesticides moving down the catchment towards Bowling Green Bay, Upstart Bay and the GBR lagoon. These wetlands also have the potential to capture nutrients and other potential contaminants such as pesticides. TropWATER scientists surveying floodplain wetland for fish with electrofisher - provided by Stephen Zozaya. Main image. Red-necked stints on Wongaloo wetland, part of the DIWA-listed Burdekin-Townsville Coastal Aggregation - provided by Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. *Hydroecology of the lower Burdekin River alluvial aquifer and associated groundater dependent ecosystems (Perna et al 2012) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. Bowling Green Bay Ramsar site
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (more commonly referred to as the Ramsar Convention) was adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. The convention aims to halt the worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve remaining wetlands through wise use and management. The Ramsar Convention encourages the designation of sites containing representative, rare or unique wetlands, or wetlands that are important for conserving biological diversity.*
Waterbirds of the Lower Burdekin area - provided by Mark Ziembicki. Queensland has five Ramsar sites: Currawinya Lakes, Shoalwater and Corio Bays, Great Sandy Strait, Moreton Bay and Bowling Green Bay. Bowling Green Bay and Moreton Bay were listed as Ramsar sites on 22 October 1993. Bowling Green Bay is a Ramsar site because of the diversity and extent of wetland types and the wildlife it supports.* Mangroves and saltmarshes stretch across large parts of the site. These mangrove forests are vital to the region’s coastline, particularly during cyclone activity, because they help control coastal erosion and protect the land from strong winds, tidal surges and heavy rainfall.* There are some areas of seagrass in the intertidal and subtidal areas of Bowling Green and Cleveland bays. They provide food for animals, including dugongs, marine turtles and dolphins. Seagrass meadows also help absorb nutrients and sediments, stabilise the estuarine banks, provide protection from wave impacts and accumulate high levels of carbon.* The site supports several threatened species including such as green, loggerhead, hawksbill and flatback turtles, dugongs, estuarine crocodiles and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, together with diverse and abundant fish and crustacean populations. Many species depend on the area at critical stages of their life cycles.* Bowling Green Bay supports rich and abundant birdlife, including seasonally more than 20,000 waterbirds. It provides vital habitat for a range of species, including some of the largest colonies of fish-feeding birds in eastern Queensland. At least 224 species of birds have been recorded at the site, with almost half of them breeding there. Many migratory birds rest and feed here during their annual migration, including large numbers of red-necked stints. It is also an important feeding ground for Brolgas and Magpie Geese, which gather in large numbers and feed on bulkuru sedge. More than half the migratory bird species listed in the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) visit the wetlands of Bowling Green Bay.* Main image. Wetlands of the Bowling Green Bay Ramsar site - provided by Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. *Bowling Green Bay—a wetland of international importance (Queensland Wetland Program 2013) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. Wongaloo wetlandsThe Wongaloo Swamps Aggregation is a nationally important wetland listed on the Directory of Important Wetlands Australia (DIWA), as part of the Burdekin-Townsville Coastal Aggregation. The Wongaloo wetlands are mostly estuarine with large areas of mangrove, saltmarsh and claypan. There are also extensive coastal and sub-coastal floodplain and non-floodplain tree swamps (Melaleuca spp. and Eucalypus spp.) and coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, herb swamp. Brolgas on floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp provided by Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. The wetlands support many protected birds including the endangered black-throated finch, red knot, curlew sandpiper, great knot, eastern curlew and lesser sand plover together with the vulnerable Western Alaskan bar-tailed godwit, greater sand plover and beach stone-curlew (as currently listed under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992). The DIWA provides a knowledge base for unique and very distinct wetlands.* The first edition was published in 1993 as a collaborative effort between the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. A total of 517 wetlands were assessed as 'nationally important' and included in the directory. More contemporary data now exists for many of these wetlands, which incorporates the DIWA. Main image. Magpie geese on Wongaloo wetlands - provided by Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. *A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia: Third edition (Environment Australia, 2001) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. Cane farmingSugar cane farming has been central to the development of the Lower Burdekin area and is integral to the local economy. It has resulted in significant hydrological changes with flow-on effects to natural systems and the flora and fauna they support. The first small paddock of sugar cane was grown on the floodplain in 1875, and the Burdekin region is currently the largest sugar producing area in Australia. Main image. Harvesting cane near Mount Elliott - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. StatisticsSugar cane is a tall perennial true grass of the genus Saccharum. It is native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia and was introduced to Australia in 1788 by the First Fleet. The Burdekin region is the largest sugar producing area in Australia, with sugar cane production occurring on around 80,000 hectares.* In 2016, approximately 69,000 hectares of sugar cane was harvested, with 8.7 million tonnes of cane crushed and around 1.2 million tonnes of raw sugar produced at mills.** Sugar cane produced in the Burdekin region equated to $420 million in of sugar exports in 2014.*** There are four sugar mills in the wider Burdekin region: Invicta, Kalamia, Pioneer and Inkerman. Looking across the Burdekin River at the Inkerman sugar mill - provided by the Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. Main image. Overhead cane irrigation - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. See links at the end of this map journal for further information on the following references. *Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 (NQ Dry Tropics 2016). **Canegrowers Annual Report (Canegrowers 2017). ***Statistics (Australian Sugar Milling Council 2017). HistoryThe first farming on the Lower Burdekin floodplain was sheep grazing in the 1870s. The first small paddock of sugar cane was grown in 1875, between Plantation Creek and the Burdekin River, with the first sugar mill established in 1881 and first sugar produced in 1883. The 9,000 hectare sugar plantation supplying the mill, was the largest in Australia with a workforce of 250. Plantation Creek - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. An estimated 62,500 islanders (Kanakas) were brought to Queensland between 1863 and 1904 to work on the cane farms. The Chinese were also important in developing the early cane fields with many also establishing other businesses.
As the industry expanded, immigrants from Italy and other European countries were attracted to the area by employment opportunities, primarily cane cutting. These people worked long and hard, earning enough to buy their own small farm and so the growing of sugar cane became small, family-operated farms. Today many sugar cane growers in the Lower Burdekin are descendants of these early cane cutters. By 1882, hundreds of acres of land had been cleared, cultivated and fenced. In the early days, land was cleared with axe, mattock, shovel and gelignite, however tractors were used after World War 1. The introduction of mechanised cane planting enabled 150 tonnes per acre of cane to be planted, however 13 tonnes of cane were required to produce one tonne of sugar and the milling process was hampered by a lack of chemists. The first mechanical cutter was trialed in the Lower Burdekin in 1910. It showed promise however lack of funds prevented investment in development until World War 2 when labour shortages meant that more effort was expended on developing mechanised cane cutting. In 1945 a Toft mechanical cane cutting and loading machine was demonstrated in the Lower Burdekin, which cut six tonnes per hour, however it was not until the mid-1960s that mechanical cane harvesters became common place.* Main image. Harvesting - provided by CANEGROWERS. *Black Snow and Liquid Gold (Kerr 1994) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. PeopleThe major sources of employment in the Lower Burdekin area are sugar cane production and sugar milling. CANEGROWERS Australia is the peak industry body representing sugar cane growers, providing industry leadership, representation to government and a range of services to growers. CANEGROWERS Australia and their local CANEGROWER districts deliver the Smartcane Best Management Practice (BMP) program. The major member organisations include CANEGROWERS Burdekin Ltd, Invicta Cane Growers Organisation Ltd, Pioneer Cane Growers Organisation Ltd and Kalamia Cane Growers Association Ltd. Australian Cane Farmers Association is a voluntary membership organisation providing financial, insurance and information services to members.The major member organisations are Invicta Cane Growers Organisation Ltd, Pioneer Cane Growers Organisation Ltd and Kalamia Cane Growers Association Ltd. Locally, growers are supported by the industry-owned Burdekin Productivity Services (BPS), which provide planting material, research and grower advice on a range of issues including varieties, pests and disease, harvesting, nutrient use efficiency, irrigation management and best practice. Sugar Research Australia manages and commissions a portfolio of research, development and extension projects, conducts research and provides information and tools. The Government has a dedicated coastal farming systems team that works directly with growers in the reef catchment running trials and developing innovative solutions to issues that growers raiseThere are also private advisors, government extension officers and natural resource management organisations delivering trials, information, grants and advisory services to growers in the lower Burdekin (e.g. NQ Dry Tropics, BBIFMAC). Main image. Hooded sprayer - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. WaterWater has not been a limiting factor to cane growing in the Lower Burdekin area. In the 1800s, times of low rainfall did not impact sugar cane farming as cane roots could tap the shallow groundwater supply. Crops were also supplemented with irrigation water from the numerous floodplain lagoons. A series of octopus spears were also sunk from wells to tap into shallow groundwater. By the mid-1890s, over 2,000 hectares of the lower Burdekin floodplain was irrigated using both surface and groundwater sources.* By the 1950s, reduced replenishment of groundwater by annual flood events highlighted the limitations in shallow aquifer water supplies for extensive irrigated cropping. During 1965-6, the North and South Burdekin Water Boards were formed in response to the need to artificially replenish aquifers via pumping from the Burdekin River.** In 1980, the Queensland Government established the Burdekin River Irrigation Project, the largest land and water scheme undertaken in the state.*** In 1987, the Burdekin Falls Dam was constructed to supply constant irrigation for new and existing farms, and to support the establishment of the BRIA. The BRIA farm sales were between 1988 and 1989.A network of artificial and natural drainage channels distributes water from the dam through the BRIA. In the Delta, groundwater for irrigation is supplemented by discharge from the dam. Sand dams and pits are constructed and maintained by the water boards to recharge the aquifer. Artificial and natural drainage channels are used to move the irrigation water. Water usage and distribution is discussed further on the Irrigation schemes tab. Main image. Recycling pit for irrigation water on cane farm - provided by Evan Shannon. See links at the end of this map journal for further information on the following references. *Black Snow and Liquid Gold (Kerr 1994). ** Coastal Ecosystems Management – Case Study: Water Management (GBRMPA 2013). Special feature—Wetland restorationCane farming and irrigation has influenced the extent and condition of wetlands across the Lower Burdekin Area. For example, wetlands have been cleared for farming and the release of water from the Burdekin Falls Dam for irrigation has shifted ephemeral systems to near-permanent systems. There are however several wetland restoration aprojects underway across the Lower Burdekin Area, including in the Lower Burdekin sub-basin* and Barratta sub-basin**. *Provided by TropWATER. Sugar productionIn the lower Burdekin area, sugar cane is generally planted in autumn to winter. Land preparation involves tillage, levelling and mounding. Good fallow management and land preparation can greatly reduce weeds, resulting in less reliance on PSII herbicides and increased yield. Controlled traffic (where all machinery passes down permanent ‘lanes’) and strategic tillage can significantly reduce costs and improve soil health. Cane farm furrows - provided by provided by Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government. Setts of cane are planted with fertiliser, with this ‘plant cane’ harvested around 12 to 18 months later. The ‘first ratoon’ crop then grows from the buds remaining on the underground portions of the stalk. A ratoon is a new shoot or sprout springing from the base of the cane after harvesting. The ratoons are harvested approximately every 12 months and there are usually four ratoons before the crop is ploughed or sprayed out and fallowed with grass, weeds, green manure (e.g. cowpea, soybean) or commercial crops (e.g. mung bean, soybean). The approximate timing for key cane production activities with exact timing will depend on the weather - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries The Burdekin uses widespread burning of cane prior to harvest. For several reasons including cane trash in furrows impeding the flow of irrigation water; sugar mills cannot economically transport and crush the biomass produced from the green crop; and harvesting costs would increase due to increased fuel and time to cut a thicker crop. Harvested cane is taken to one of four mills in the region, where it is weighed prior to crushing. Growers are paid based on cane weight and quality (i.e. sugar content). A process of crushing and maceration removes the sugar, leaving bagasse which is used as fuel in boilers to produce steam for mill operation. Ash from the boilers is often mixed with filter mud to create ‘mill mud’, a soil ameliorant high in potassium and phosphorous. Dunder is a rich biological waste product from the ethanol fermentation process, which is also used as a soil ameliorant.* Raw sugar is sent by truck to Townsville and shipped to domestic and international refineries. Main image. Cane fire - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. *A Cleaner Greener Fuel (Wilmar undated) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. Economic and socialBiotechnology has enabled the continual increase in sugar cane yields and district production to approximately 69,000 hectares of sugar cane harvested in 2016.* This includes the introduction of artificial fertilisers containing nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in the 1960s; various herbicides and insecticides to control weeds and pests; and genetically modified sugar cane varieties.** Herbicide application on a BRIA cane farm - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. The shift from subsistence agriculture in the 1800s to that of commercial sugar cane production has supported social infrastructure such as health care, education and essential services in the community. Furthermore, the history and development of the sugar industry is of significant cultural importance and pride to many in the community, thereby providing residents with a sense of place. *Canegrowers Annual Report (Canegrowers 2017) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. **Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 (NQDT 2016) - see links at the end of this map journal for further information. OpportunitiesMills generate renewable energy by burning bagasse, which is used as fuel to produce steam for mill operation, with excess energy exported to the power grid. Pioneer Sugar Mill is the largest biomass generator in Australia and bagasse is stockpiled and used to produce energy outside of the crushing season.* Molasses, a by-product of raw sugar production, is used to produce ethanol fuel.** Currently ethanol is produced in Sarina. Growers in the Burdekin Region are also diversifying into other crops such as rice, cotton, pulses, sunflowers and horticultural crops, often in rotation with sugar cane.*** The expanding horticultural sector produces a variety of out-of-season winter fruits and vegetables such as capsicums, eggplant, rockmelons, squash, pumpkins, watermelons and sweet corn being grown in the Burdekin Region, together with mangoes.^ There are significant production and environmental benefits in breaking the cane monoculture and it also allows growers to diversify their income stream.*** ^^
Main image. Zucchini farming near Giru - provided by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. See links at the end of this map journal for further information on the following references. *Cogeneration (Wilmar 2014). **A Cleaner Greener Fuel (Wilmar n.d.). ***Complementary crops in the sugarcane industry (DAF 2011). ^Burdekin Haughton (SunWater 2017). ^^Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 (NQ Dry Tropics 2016).
Irrigation schemesThe Lower Burdekin cane farming industry is reliant upon an extensive irrigation system. Most of the water is sourced from the Burdekin Falls Dam and groundwater, with distribution using complicated systems of dams, weirs, balancing storages, water recycling pits, pump stations, channels, waterways, lagoons and groundwater recharge pits. Main image. Recycling pit for irrigation water - provided by Evan Shannon. OverviewThe Lower Burdekin area is a conjunctive water use scheme with water sourced from both surface and groundwater. The Delta uses mainly groundwater and the BRIA uses mainly surface water under the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme (BHWSS). Conceptual model showing water resource development associated with the BHWSS and BRIA (left) and Delta and Lower Burdekin Water (right) - provided by Perna et al (2012).* The lower Burdekin and lower Haughton rivers allocate large amounts of water for irrigated agriculture from the Burdekin Falls Dam through the BHWSS, with a current allocation of 150,000 megalitres per year.** Water supply is currently managed by:
Flood or furrow irrigation is the most common system used in the Lower Burdekin area, and across many parts of the world. It involves pumping water into the furrows (shallow channels) between the rows of cane, where water can be taken up by the cane’s root system. This distribution system results in the loss of large volumes of tailwater to waterways and wetlands, which is often high in nutrients and pesticides and can impact freshwater and coastal ecosystems.
Furrow irrigation - provided by CANEGROWERS. Main image. Water coming down the furrows between the cane - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. See links at the end of this map journal for further information on the following references. *Hydroecology of the lower Burdekin River alluvial aquifer and associated groundwater dependent ecosystems (Perna et al 2012). **Burdekin Basin, Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme Operations Manual, May 2017 (Department of Natural Resources and Mines 2017). ***Burdekin Haughton (SunWater 2017). Water usage in the DeltaThe Delta is a conjunctive water use scheme with water sourced from groundwater and surface water. A large groundwater system underlies the Delta, and has supported farming in this area for more than 100 years through extractive pumping. Groundwater irrigation has been supplemented by discharge from the Burdekin Falls Dam since it was constructed in 1987.* Water from the dam is released through Clare Weir to the Lower Burdekin Water operational area to supplement this groundwater supply.**
Conceptual diagram showing the conjunctive water use (Burdekin Shire Council undated).*** In the Delta, pumping stations are used to source water from the Burdekin River for distribution via constructed and natural drainage networks, which also artificially recharge shallow alluvial aquifers. Recharge pits are also strategically located over coarse sands to recharge aquifers. Water usage and infrastructure in the Delta is managed by Lower Burdekin Water. Overview of the Delta - provided by Burdekin Shire Council. Main image. Recycling pit - provided by Evan Shannon. See links at the end of this nap journal for further information on the following references. *Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 (NQ Dry Tropics 2016). **Burdekin Haughton (SunWater 2017). ***The Burdekin River (Burdekin Shire Council undated). Water usage in the BRIA
The BRIA relies on mostly surface water for cane farm irrigation. Cane farming in the BRIA was established at Clare in the early 1950s with water initially supplied by Gorge and Blue Valley weirs. Supply was supplemented with water from Eungella Dam west of Mackay in the 1970s and the Burdekin Falls Dam in the 1980s.^ Increased water availability following construction of the Burdekin Falls Dam led to a major expansion of cane farming into the BRIA, with supplemental water supplied via a complex system of natural and artificial drainage channels, together with weirs and seasonal sand dams to create ponds for pumping.* SunWater is responsible for water supply in the BRIA under the BHWSS, including maintaining the open, earth-lined channels and drainage infrastructure. Water supply is metered and landholders are charged a fee based on consumption. Overview of the BRIA - provided by the Burdekin Shire Council. Overview of the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme.** See links at the end of this map journal for further information on the following references. *Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 (NQ Dry Tropics 2016). **The Burdekin River (Burdekin Shire Council undated). Distribution systemThe Lower Burdekin sub-basin distribution system includes:
Water being released from the Burdekin Falls Dam - provided by SunWater. The distribution systems for most pumping stations in the Lower Burdekin sub-basin lie outside of that sub-basin in the Barratta and Haughton sub-basins. However there are constructed supply channels associated with Dalbeg and Millaroo pumping station on the Lower Burdekin River. Water typically moves out of the Burdekin River, through the cane farm and either into the groundwater systems or back to the Burdekin River via storages, wetlands and natural channels. Channels have been developed on both sides of the lower Burdekin River and each section is served by major pump stations located on Clare Weir. The pump stations divert water into main channels on each bank of the river and then to customers by a system of distribution channels. The Tom Fenwick Pump Station services the Haughton and Barratta main channels. On the other side of the river, the Elliot pump station and main channel services the Leichhardt Downs area. The Barratta sub-basin has two distinct irrigation systems: The BHWSS and Lower Burdekin Water.
The distributary system in the Haughton sub-basin is associated with the BRIA and includes:
There are several flow paths in the Haughton sub-basin. Water can be pumped out of the Burdekin River through the Tom Fenwick pump station and through the Haughton Balancing Storage where it either infiltrates groundwater or is pumped to farms and ultimately into wetlands such as Horseshoe Lagoon and to coastal water through smaller waterways. Water can also be pumped directly from the Haughton River through Healy's Lagoon pump station or Ironbark Creek through Reed Beds pump station. Main image. Earthen drain - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government Burdekin Falls DamThe Burdekin Falls Dam is the largest dam in Queensland, holding 1,860,000 megalitres at full capacity which equates to four times the capacity of Sydney Harbour.* It captures water from the Upper Burdekin and Suttor sub-basins and impounds Lake Dalrymple, which covers an area of 22,400 hectares and ponds water 50 kilometres up the Burdekin River.** Overflow from the Burdekin Falls Dam - provided by SunWater. Dam construction commenced in 1984 and was completed in 1987, with the lake filling during the 1988 wet season. Several earth and rockfill saddle dams were constructed to prevent dam water escaping through the low areas around the lake during flood events. The left bank saddle dam is 1,150 metres long, and required 960,000 cubic metres of rockfill material. The Mount Graham saddle dam is 3,500 metres long and required 900,000 cubic metres of earth and rockfill material.** The dam wall over-tops following heavy rainfall over the catchment (including but not limited to 2007, 2011, 2018), and there is near-perennial base flow associated with releases for irrigation. The dam also supports the urban and industrial needs of Townsvillevia the Haughton Balancing Storage and pipeline to the Ross River Dam.** Recreational activities are permitted around and on the lake, including boating, picnicking, BBQing, camping and fishing (with a permit).* Lake Dalrymple at sunset - provided by SunWater. Main image. The Burdekin Falls Dam over-topping - provided by SunWater. See links at the end of this map journal for further information for further information on the following references. *Burdekin Falls Dam Visitor Information (SunWater 2017). **Burdekin Haughton (SunWater 2017). Post-dam water qualityThe Burdekin Falls Dam has significantly changed downstream flows and water quality, particularly outside of wet season flooding. The Burdekin Falls Dam overtopping, with pelicans feeding in the shallows - provided SunWater. The dam traps up to 65 per cent of coarse sediments that would otherwise pass through to the coastal floodplain and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon, however fine particulates (clay colloids) rarely settle and turbidity is an ongoing challenge for the receiving environment. The near-constant release and reticulation of water that is more turbid than under ‘natural’ conditions (i.e. pre-dam non-flood) has transformed a natural short-term ecological ‘stress’ (i.e. turbid flood flows) into a long-term ecological ‘strain’ (i.e. turbid base flows). High turbidity is also a challenge for local water boards; it increases infrastructure maintenance and can reduce aquifer recharge rates and capacity.* Nutrient and pesticide levels are elevated in many lower waterways and wetlands, in associated with irrigation runoff and seepage from sugar cane paddocks. Elevated nutrient and pesticide levels have also been recorded in groundwater.* High nutrient levels, together with artificial water regimes, increase the aquatic plant growth. Aquatic plant growth has increased across much of the floodplain, including dense typha reed beds and aquatic weeds such as para grass, hymenachne, salvinia and water hyacinth. Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels can be low in flood flows downstream of irrigation system distributary streams with dense aquatic plants (typically weeds), which can lead to fish kills. Dense aquatic vegetation can reduce DO levels in waterways by several mechanisms including creating a physical barrier to gas exchange, breakdown of dead plant material and overnight respiration. These waterways can also have reduced habitat quality for flora and fauna, and more exotic species (e.g. tilapia, mosquitofish and cane toads). Dense typha stands can also act as a major barrier to fish such as barramundi. The Barratta Creek estuary is also 'freshening', which is shifting community composition and stressing estuarine vegetation (mangroves and saltmarsh). Historically, periodic breakouts of the main river channel into floodplain systems were integral to flushing and re-setting aquatic habitat conditions in these off-river systems. In the Barratta sub-basin, clear water re-establish a few days after the turbid flood flows and these flows would encourage migratory fish such as barramundi to move upstream from coastal breeding and nursery areas. There are still some areas of extensive floodplain wetland (e.g. Horseshoe Lagoon area), which provide important ecological services, as discussed on the Wetlands tab.* Main image. Dense bed of the weed hymenachne near Horseshoe Lagoon - provided by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Government. *Burdekin Region Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 (NQ Dry Tropics 2016) and references contained within - see links at the end of this map journal for further information.
AcknowledgmentsDeveloped by the Queensland Wetlands Program in the Department of Environment and Science in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Burdekin Water Futures and the following local partners:
Other contributors: This resource should be cited as: Walking the Landscape – Lower Burdekin Catchment Story v1.0 (2018), presentation, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland. Images provided by CANEGROWERS, Department of Fisheries and Agriculture, Queensland Parks and Wildlife, Evan Shannon, Mark Ziembicki, Stephen Zozaya. The Queensland Wetlands Program supports projects and activities that result in long-term benefits to the sustainable management, wise use and protection of wetlands in Queensland. The tools developed by the Program help wetlands landholders, managers and decision makers in government and industry. Contact wetlands♲des.qld.gov.au or visit https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au Disclaimer Data source, links and extra informationSoftware UsedArcGIS for Desktop | ArcGIS Online | Story Map Journal| Story Map Series| Some of the information used to put together this Map Journal can be viewed on the Queensland Globe. Queensland Globe allows you to view and explore Queensland spatial data and imagery. You can also download a cadastral SmartMap or purchase and download a current titles search. More information about the layers used can be found here: Source Data Table Flooding InformationOther ReferencesAustralian Sugar Milling Council (2017) Statistics [webpage] accessed 6 September 2018 Burdekin Shire Council (undated) The Burdekin River, Burdekin Shire Council, Ayr Canegrowers (2017) Canegrowers Annual Report, Canegrowers, Australia
City of Gold Coast (2021) About water catchments. [webpage] Accessed 25 August 2021 Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (2018) Complementary crops in the sugarcane industry [webpage] Accessed 6 September 2018 Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (2010) Australian Land Use Management Classification [webpage] Accessed 6 September 2018 Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2017) Burdekin Basin, Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme Operations Manual, May 2017, Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2017) Lower Burdekin Groundwater Strategy Discussion Paper August 2017, Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Queensland Hopley, D. (1970) The Geomorphology of the Burdekin Delta, North Queensland, Department of Geography, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville Hunter, H. (2012) Nutrients and herbicides in groundwater flows to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon Processes, fluxes and links to on-farm management, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Queensland Kerr, J. (1994) Black Snow and Liquid Gold, Council of the Shire of Burdekin, Ayr
Queensland Government (2016) Declared Fish Habitat Area Plans [webpage] Accessed 6 September 2018 Queensland Government (2016) Key Resource Areas in Queensland [webpage] Accessed 6 September 2018SunWater (2017) Burdekin Falls Dam Visitor Information, SunWater, Queensland SunWater (2017) Burdekin Haughton [webpage] Accessed 6 September 2018 Wilmar (2018) Cogeneration, Wilmar Sugar Mills, Australia Wilmar (undated) A Cleaner Greener Fuel [webpage] Accessed 6 September 2018 Last updated: 25 August 2021 This page should be cited as: Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2021) Lower Burdekin Catchment Story, WetlandInfo website, accessed 20 December 2024. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/ecology/processes-systems/water/catchment-stories/transcript-lower-burdekin.html |
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