Project LeaderDavid Freebairn |
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GO STraight TO THE Publications From This Project
This project will synthesise data from historic soil management and catchment experiments to produce tables and relationships to compliment water quality modelling in Reef Rescue R&D portfolio.
Field studies of management impacts on erosion and water quality are crucial in informing science, policy and particularly farmers, yet there is a paucity of data from paddock scale studies. There has been significant research over the last 3 decades describing impacts of management on erosion and water quality, with approximately 130 historic studies identified that can support the quantification of water quality leaving farms. Poor publication and data management and lack of synthesis have resulted in the results from these studies largely being ignored. Recent experience has shown that these data can provide valuable points of truth and build credibility in model estimates of water quality signatures. In some cases the original "data collectors" are available to add context and data sets.
While each study by itself is incomplete, when put together with related data and estimates of hydrologic processes, this data increases confidence in models as surrogates for field studies. Better informed models can then be used with more confidence to provide estimates of water quality for a wide range of land uses, soil types and locations. In short, there is a mine of information that requires capture, synthesis and presentation to a wider audience.
PROGRESS UPDATES for this project are summarised here
The data is relevant to all of the GBR catchments. All six regional NRM groups were represented on the project Reference Group.
As a set of products:
The Research Outcomes Report for RRRD011 is available for download via the Final Report page. This report should be cited as:
Freebairn, D.M. and Cutajar, J.L. (2013). Capturing paddock scale hydrology and water quality experiences relevant to the Great Barrier Reef (Project RRRD011). Report to the Reef Rescue Research and Development Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns (76pp).
Several presentations given at Reef Rescue R&D forums have summarised the project results; visit the Events page.
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