The Fitzroy:
Water quality in the Fitzroy River is heavily influenced by land use activities in the catchment and:
The Fitzroy Partnership for River Health has identified several pressures affecting waterways in the broader Fitzroy Basin. Many of these pressures would apply to the Fitzroy River estuary and freshwater sub-catchments of the Fitzroy River.
The identified pressures include:
The risk rating for these is not assessed as part of report card monitoring.
The region is a mineral-rich area. Mining and extraction activities can lead to increased levels of certain toxicants in waterways if not managed effectively. Miners are required to manage fine sediment and toxicant emissions as part of their license conditions.
The regional Receiving Environment Monitoring Plan (REMP), created in 2022, assesses the cumulative impacts of mining activities on freshwater ecosystems in the Fitzroy Basin. Regional REMP monitoring assessment results were reported for the first time as part of the 2023b Fitzroy Partnership for River Health report card.
Wastewater treatment in the Fitzroy River has improved since the last State of the Environment report after the major upgrade of the North Rockhampton Sewage Treatment Plant.
Wastewater treatment plant upgrades are subject to ‘no net decline’ provisions relating to the reef protection regulations. These activities can’t expand unless nutrient and sediment loads are kept to current levels.
Cropping and grazing in this region are now regulated activities and subject to ‘no net decline’ provisions relating to the reef protect regulations. These activities can’t expand unless nutrient and sediment loads are kept to current levels.
The combination of low rainfall and poor grazing practices can lead to low levels of ground cover, which can result in increased sediment run-off during high rainfall events.
While ground cover is not assessed as part of the Fitzroy Partnership for River Health report card, it is assessed as part of the Paddock to Reef Program, with results presented in the Reef Water Quality Report Card. There are several programs supporting farmers to adopt best management grazing practices to address this pressure.
If not managed effectively, water extraction in ephemeral stream areas can lead to permanent waterholes drying up or increased and concerning salinity.
Water extraction is a licensed activity regulated by the Queensland Government.
In the Fitzroy basin, numerous dams and numerous weirs regulate water flow. Dams and weirs modify riverine habitat to lacustrine (lake) habitat and result in flow regimes different to what the plant and animals of the region adapted to.
Dams and weirs, along with poorly designed causeways, can also act as barriers to fish and turtle spawning migration unless fitted with bio-passage devices.
Since the last State of the Environment report, the Rookwood Weir was built in the lower Fitzroy River. This dam has increased the extent of impounded habitat by 60km.
The dam has been fitted with a contemporary design bio-passage structure to facilitate fish and turtle spawning migration. Fish community health is now an indicator of freshwater ecosystem health reported in the Fitzroy Partnership for River Health report card.
The report card named in the Queensland State of the Environment report refers to the year of report card release, which may differ from the year given in the report card title or the year data group shown on regional report card partnership websites. Only the data for regional report cards released before 30 June 2024 is included.
| Reef Report Card - Pressures for Fitzroy | 2022 Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall Pressures on freshwater wetland condition | D |
| Pest introduction | D |
| Habitat modification | D |
| Water regime change | C |
| Pollutant input | C |
Grading scale: A = Very Good, B = Good, C = Moderate, D = Poor, E = Very Poor