Tropical Water Quality Hub - Approved Projects

1.1

Establishing the future National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Crown-of-thorns Starfish (CoTS) research framework: ecologically‑based approach to the management of CoTS at multiple scales 

CSIRO

$100,000

1.2

Developing an approach to evaluate the effectiveness of investments in riparian management in Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchments

CSIRO

$99,972

1.3

A validation of coral geochemical records to reconstruct suspended sediment loads to the GBR lagoon

James Cook University

$22,500

1.5

Legacy of the Lower Burdekin Water Quality Tender

James Cook University

$39,795

1.6

Multiple and cumulative impacts on the GBR: assessment of current status and development of approaches for management 

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$99,944

1.7

Reducing sediment sources to the reef: testing the effectiveness of managing alluvial gully erosion

Griffith University

$100,000

1.8

Sub-catchment scale monitoring, modelling and extension design to support reef water quality improvement

James Cook University

$100,000

1.9

The establishment of a future NESP dredging research investment framework

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$25,000

1.10

Identification, impacts, and prioritization of emerging contaminants present in the GBR and Torres Strait marine environments 

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$100,000

2.1

Assessing cumulative impacts of climatic disturbances on inshore GBR coral reefs, identifying key refuges and testing the viability of manipulative reef restoration 

James Cook University

$84,995

2.1.1

Integrated Pest Management of Crown-of-thorns Starfish

CSIRO

$604,722

2.1.2

Scoping options for low-lying, marginal cane land to reduce DIN in priority wet tropics catchments 

James Cook University

$93,961

2.1.3

Harnessing the science of social marketing and behaviour change for improved water quality in the GBR: an action research project 

James Cook University

$450,963

2.1.4

Demonstration and evaluation of gully remediation on downstream water quality and agricultural production in GBR rangelands

CSIRO

$600,000

2.1.5

What’s really damaging the Reef? Tracing the origin and fate of the environmentally detrimental sediment 

James Cook University

$600,000

2.1.6

From exposure to risk: novel experimental approaches to analyse cumulative impacts and determine thresholds in the GBR World Heritage Area

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$410,165

2.1.7

Engaging with farmers and demonstrating water quality outcomes to create confidence in on-farm decision-making 

James Cook University

$600,000

2.1.8

Improved water quality outcomes from on-farm nitrogen management 

University of Queensland

$659,730

2.1.9

Risk assessing dredging activities

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$515,806

2.1.10

The application and adaptation of mine site rehabilitation approaches to alluvial gully rehabilitation in the Bowen Catchment

Griffith University

$100,000

2.2

A tradable permit scheme for cost effective reduction of nitrogen runoff in sugarcane catchments of the GBR

Griffith University

$99,721

2.2.1

Identifying the water quality and ecosystem health threats to the high diversity Torres Strait and Far Northern GBR from runoff from the Fly River 

James Cook University

$360,000

2.2.2

Impacts of mine-derived pollution on Torres Strait environments and communities

CSIRO

$290,000

2.2.3

Early warning systems to minimise the risk of Box Jellyfish stings by empowering stakeholders 

CSIRO

$250,000

2.3.1

Benthic light as ecologically validated GBR-wide indicator for water quality: drivers, thresholds and cumulative risks

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$499,471

2.3.2

‘Human sensors’ for monitoring Great Barrier Reef environmental changes and quality of marine waters through harnessing Big Data analysis 

Griffith University

$227,145

2.3.3

Building Indigenous livelihood and co-management opportunities in the northern GBR—ecosystem services and conservation governance for water quality

CSIRO

$250,000

2.3.4

Working with Traditional Owners and local citizens to better manage GBR estuarine wetlands 

James Cook University

$450,000

2.3.5

eAtlas - Data management for environmental research 

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$450,000

3.1

Seagrass mapping synthesis – A resource for marine park and coastal management

James Cook University

$36,000

3.1.1

Implementation of the CoTS research strategy: regional strategies

CSIRO

$682,542

3.1.2

Improving water quality for the GBR and wetlands by better managing irrigation in the sugarcane farming system

James Cook University

$458,103

3.1.3

Harnessing the science of social marketing in communication materials development and behaviour change for improved water quality in the GBR: a desktop review (2.1.3 – Stage 2)

James Cook University

$19,000

3.1.4

Optimising the management of riparian zones to improve the health of the GBR 

CSIRO

$167,109

3.1.5

Ecotoxicology of pesticides on the Great Barrier Reef for guideline development and risk assessments

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$602,839

3.1.6

Exploring trading in water quality credits as a cost-effective approach for managing water quality in the GBR

Griffith University

$316,837

3.1.7

Reducing sediment loads to the GBR: developing optimal approaches for treating alluvial gully erosion

Griffith University

$600,000

3.1.8

Innovative economic levers: a system for underwriting risk of practice change in cane-farming

CSIRO

$400,000

3.2

Improving historical estimates of abundance and distribution of dugongs and large green turtles in western and central Torres Strait 

James Cook University

$97,674

3.2.1

Deriving ecologically relevant load targets to meet desired ecosystem condition for the GBR: a case study for seagrass meadows in the Burdekin region

James Cook University

$497,765

3.2.2

The Integrated Monitoring System 2050 Human Dimensions Project: cost-effective indicators and metrics for key GBR World Heritage Area human dimensions

James Cook University

$150,000

3.2.3

Monitoring aesthetic value of the GBR by using artificial intelligence to score photos and videos 

Griffith University

$91,715

3.2.4

Defining, assessing and monitoring GBR aesthetics

CSIRO

$94,508

3.2.5

Testing and implementation of the water quality metric for the 2017 and 2018 reef report cards

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$140,000

3.3

Light thresholds for seagrasses of the GBR: a synthesis and guiding document for managing seagrass 

James Cook University

$29,755

3.3.1

Quantifying the linkages between water quality and the thermal tolerance of GBR coral reefs 

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$590,264

3.3.2

Science evaluation of coastal wetland systems repair projects across GBR catchments 

James Cook University

$536,932

3.3.3

Defining the values of the ecological systems that influence the GBR and lie outside the marine park and world heritage area boundaries 

James Cook University

$256,030

3.4

Developing and refining biological indicators for seagrass condition assessments in an integrated monitoring program 

James Cook University

$68,584

3.5

Assessment of key dugong and turtle seagrass resources in the northern Torres Strait 

James Cook University

$99,696

3.6

Establishing a research framework for future NESP investment into better understanding of the presence of Box-Jellyfishes (Irukandji) and risks in the GBR

James Cook University

$30,000

3.7

Monitoring the effects of zoning on coral reefs and their associated fish communities in the GBR Marine Park

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$100,000

3.8

Towards an integrated monitoring program: identifying indicators and existing monitoring programs to cost-effectively evaluate the Long Term Sustainability Plan

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$99,003

3.9

Indigenous capacity building and increased participation in management of Queensland sea Country

CSIRO;
NAILSMA

$100,000

3.10

Benchmarking costs of natural resource management improvements for the GBR 

Central Queensland University

$29,487

3.11

Monitoring and adaptively reducing system-wide governance risks facing the GBR

James Cook University

$44,740

3.12

Development of an offset financial contribution calculator for Reef Trust 

University of Queensland

$80,595

3.13

eAtlas 2015 - NESP data management, Torres Strait natural resource management plan delivery platform and Torres Strait reef mapping

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$98,040

4.1

Crown-of-thorns Starfish: surveillance and life history

CSIRO

$497,500

4.2

Oceanographic drivers of bleaching in the GBR: from observations to prediction

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$537,852

4.3

Best practice coral restoration for the GBR

James Cook University

$607,000

4.4

The traits of corals that survived recent bleaching events

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$582,218

4.5

Guidance system for resilience-based management of the GBR

University of Queensland

$638,037

4.6

Recommendations for maintaining functioning of the GBR

University of Queensland

$293,235

4.7

Indigenous coral reef tourism

Central Queensland University

$100,000

4.8

‘Project 25’ – farmers, water quality and on-farm decision-making

James Cook University

$586,344

4.9

Gully characterisation framework to underpin GBR catchment water quality management 

Griffith University

$53,429

4.10

Evaluating the costs and benefits of agricultural land conversion to wetlands

James Cook University

$482,947

4.11

Sources, transformations, fate of dissolved organic carbon, implications for GBR

Griffith University

$26,470

4.12

Measuring cost-effectiveness and identifying key barriers and enablers of lasting behavioural change in the cane industry

Griffith University

$404,985

5.1

Matching the CoTS Integrated Pest Management to the scale of the new control program

CSIRO

$491,458

5.2

From exposure to risk: novel experimental approaches to analyse cumulative impacts and determine thresholds in the GBR World Heritage Area

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$120,000

5.3

Benthic light as ecologically-validated GBR-wide indicator for water quality: drivers, thresholds and cumulative risks

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$125,289

5.4

Deriving ecologically relevant targets to meet desired ecosystem condition for the GBR: a case study for seagrass meadows in the Burdekin region

James Cook University

$200,886

5.5

Measuring aesthetic and experience values using big data approaches

Griffith University

$221,837

5.6

Designing the Aesthetics Long Term Monitoring Program

CSIRO

$149,743

5.7

Assessment and communication of the spatial variability in bleaching severity throughout the GBR following back-to-back bleaching events in 2016-17 

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$65,000

5.8

What’s really damaging the reef? Tracing the origin and fate of the environmentally detrimental sediment and associated bioavailable nutrients

James Cook University

$682,746

5.9

Gully remediation effectiveness

CSIRO

$471,872

5.10

Development and application of automated tools for high resolution gully mapping and classification from Light Detection And Ranging data

Griffith University

$357,297

5.11

Improved water quality outcomes from on-farm nitrogen management

University of Queensland

$402,433

5.12

Scoping land use conversion options for high dissolved inorganic nitrogen risk, low-lying sugarcane areas in Burdekin and Mackay Whitsunday regions

James Cook University

$185,850

5.13

Coastal wetland systems repair across GBR catchments – values based causal framework validation

James Cook University

$146,000

5.14

Identifying the water quality and ecosystem health threats to the Torres Strait from the Fly River runoff

James Cook University

$444,288

5.15

eAtlas extension: Data management for environmental research

Australian Institute of Marine Science

$217,000

6.1

Innovations in CoTS control on the GBR

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

$150,000

6.2

Restoring ecosystems from catchment to reef

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

$250,000

6.3

Reducing nitrogen runoff without reducing productivity

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

$199,939

6.4

Reducing end-of-catchment fine sediment loads and ecosystem impacts

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

$150,000

6.5

Improving coral condition through better-informed resilience-based management

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

$200,000

6.6

Influencing agriculture practice behaviour change and trust frameworks

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

$150,000

6.7

Learnings from applied environmental research programs: elements for success

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

$80,000

7.1

Continuity proposal for 'Project 25' - farmers, water quality and on-farm decision-making

James Cook University

$50,000

7.2

Assessing the benefits of using existing drainage infrastructure to meet reef water quality targets

James Cook University

$50,000

7.3

Extension and awareness of 'Project 25' outcomes to industry and natural resource sectors for improved water quality outcomes

James Cook University

$50,000

7.4

Technical nitrogen use workshop: For farming leaders, industry and government

James Cook University

$42,000

7.5

Putting the science into GBR citizen science

James Cook University

$50,000

7.6

Extension and awareness of NESP TWQ Hub wetland restoration and management impact

James Cook University

$47,600

Cross-hub

Assessing the Gulf of Carpentaria mangrove dieback

James Cook University

$200,000

Cross-hub

Integrated environmental assessment to inform environmental decisions

University of Melbourne

$39,593