What’s a WQIP and what can they achieve? Diane Tarte Chair, Mackay-Whitsunday Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership National Waterways Report Card Network March 2018 Workshop

The origin of WQIPs - Water Quality Improvement Plans First WQIPs done in early 2000s Developed under the Framework for Marine and Estuarine Water Quality Protection Included in National Water Quality Management Strategy First funded by Dept of Environment under Coasts and Clean Seas Initiative Now with Dept of Agriculture & Water Resources http://www.agriculture.gov.au/water/quality/wqips

Their purpose Deliver significant reductions in discharge of pollutants to water quality hotspots through: Identification of environmental values of water Determination of water quality objectives and load targets for pollutants of concern Development of environmental flow objectives and environmental water provisions Implementation of catchment based management actions - control of point and diffuse sources; use of market-based instruments and adaptive management Application of predictive models and ambient monitoring programs.

Key elements Environmental values and water quality objectives Water quality ambient and event monitoring Predictive modelling & decision support systems Agricultural best management practice Point source (wastewater and industrial) best practice Water sensitive urban design Ramsar wetland ecological character description Acid sulfate soil mapping Market-based instruments http://www.agriculture.gov.au/water/quality/wqips/projects

Where do we have WQIPs and Report Cards?

Achievements Effective approach to establish links between catchment sourced discharges and impacts on estuaries and inshore marine areas. Robust methodology to determine required reduction in land based sources of pollution to sustain estuaries and marine areas. Utilising ambient water quality monitoring data to inform management decisions. Establishment of management action targets Inclusion of social and economic values Involvement of key regional stakeholders

Challenges Effective implementation of WQIPs. How are they being used by different levels of government, NRMs, industry, researchers, ?? Regular review and updating of WQIPs. How many have done 2nd generation WQIPS? Sufficient information on effectiveness of management practices to validate bio-physical, scenario and costings models

What’s next What’s the policy driver(s) now the program is with DAWR? Will State and/or Local government fund WQIPs? Explicitly linking WQIPs and report cards Research needs?