Supporting water resource planning
The department and scheme license holders undertake monitoring and assessment to support water quality and water resource planning activities and sustainable water management. Each Water Resource Plan (WRP) and Resource operations Plan (ROP) contains details of the monitoring requirements in each catchment for compliance monitoring, impact monitoring and performance monitoring.
Monitoring
Compliance and impact monitoring
Scheme license holder monitoring
Scheme license holders are required to demonstrate their compliance with the flow management and infrastructure operating rules in the Resource Operation Plan (ROP). They are required to collect and report the necessary data to the department to the standards described in the Water Monitoring Data Collection Standard (PDF)* and the Water Monitoring Data Reporting Standard (PDF)*.
Scheme license holders are also required to assess and manage the risk of environmental harm that may result from the operation of their activities. Scheme license holders regularly report to the department on the results of their monitoring, with a summary reported in the Minister's Water Resource Plan Annual Reports.
Data collection and reporting standards
To ensure consistent data collection and management to an agreed minimum standard, monitoring is conducted according to the following standards:
The Water Monitoring Data Collection Standard (PDF)* which defines the minimum accuracy to which a sample or measurement should be taken.
The Water Monitoring Data Reporting Standard (PDF)* which defines how a water scheme operator transfers monitoring data to the department as part of a monitoring program.
Aquatic methods
The data collection standard refers to the following aquatic monitoring methods:
- Aquatic Habitat Assessment for Resource Operation Plan Monitoring (PDF)*
- Monitoring Standard for Blue-green Algae (PDF)*
Departmental Monitoring
The streamflow undertaken by the department can be used to support compliance and impact assessments. Please refer to water quantity and quality monitoring networks for details.
Performance monitoring
Environmental Flows Assessment Program (EFAP)
The Environmental Flows Assessment Program (EFAP) is a statewide monitoring and assessment program to assess the effectiveness of each Water Resource Plan (WRP) in providing for their stated ecological outcomes. Ecological assets such as key flow dependent species and biological functions are monitored as indicators of the broader aquatic ecosystem.
Other monitoring
For a list of other aquatic monitoring programs, including estuarine and marine related data collection, please see the Queensland Waterways Monitoring Portal.
Reporting
Minister's report
Progress on the implementation of each Water Resource Plan and the results of monitoring conducted in each catchment are reported annually in the WRP Annual Report.
Other
In addition, annual summary reports of the monitoring activities under the EFAP, SEAP and Surfacewater Ambient Water Quality Network can be downloaded on their respective webpages.
* Requires Adobe Reader
Last updated 27 April 2012
