Resource Condition Summary
The Belyando Basin is very large (~ 35,378 sq. km.) and covers
around 26% of the BWQIP region. Common to most of the BQWIP basins,
land use is dominated by grazing on natural pastures1.
Less than 5% of the land area is set aside for conservation and
minimal use, and production forestry. The condition of riparian
habitat throughout the basin has undergone a major decline over the
last 30 years, principally due to floodplain clearing, and is
mostly assessed to be very poor (D)2. Very little
is known about the ecology and condition of aquatic habitats in the
Belyando Basin, but numerous, persistent and highly turbid water
bodies are reported to be widespread3.
Hillslope erosion is identified by models as the major source of
sediment and particulate nutrients affecting water quality within
the Belyando Basin, while gully erosion is also identified as a
significant contributor4. The rate of soil erosion for
the Basin overall is predicted to be comparatively low and well
below the BWQIP region average. There are only relatively small
differences in the rate of soil erosion between subcatchments,
possibly due to a combination of low relief and rainfall. The Upper
Belyando River subcatchment is predicted to have the highest rate
of soil erosion within the basin and to contribute the most
suspended sediment to the end-of-basin load, while the Sandy and
Fox Creek subcatchments are predicted to have the lowest rates of
soil erosion. Field surveys of grazing land identify the largest
portion of land area to be in fair (B) condition, while good (A)
and poor (C) condition grazing land is also common5,6.
However, analyses of ground cover from satellite
imagery7,8 identify extensive areas of highly vulnerable
and marginal 'D' condition land, particularly in the Upper Belyando
River, Carmichael River, Native Companion Creek and Mistake Creek
subcatchments.
Water quality in the Belyando Basin is predicted by models to have
moderately elevated suspended sediment concentrations and loads at
the end-of-basin during wet season flow events4. Modelled and
monitored sediment concentrations and loads are generally
consistent; both identify the Upper Belyando River subcatchment as
the major source of sediments and nutrients9,10. Very
fine suspended sediment from the Belyando Basin is thought to pose
a particular risk to water quality because this finer material,
with low settling potential, is more likely to reach to coast and
travel further in the marine environment.
Draft Water Quality Targets
The following water quality Resource Condition Target was
developed based on Best Management Practice Guidelines for Water
Quality Improvement, extensive modelling of a range of management
scenarios, preparation of a discussion paper12 and then,
finally, a series of workshops. These preparatory activities were
undertaken in collaboration with landholders (graziers and cane
farmers), industry representatives, Government, the scientific
community and NQ Dry Tropics staff.
- By 2058, attain a minimum 40% reduction in mean annual sediment
load from the Belyando River Basin (measured at Mt. Douglas/Gregory
Developmental Road) from current (2008) - i.e. a reduction from
approximately 758 kt/yr in 2008 to 455 kt/yr by 2058).
Footnotes: see References
