1. Environmentalconditions
COMMUNITY FACTSHEET
Water Quality Monitoring Programme
Since February 2010 water quality data has been
collected to establish a baseline for the project
monitoring programme. Over 190,000 records of
water quality data have been collected to date.
Water quality monitoring is carried out by
Vision Environment, University of Technology
Sydney and Marine Ecology Group – at 16
continuous sites and 16 manual sites.
Who does the water quality testing?
GPC does not conduct its own water quality
sampling or analysis. An external company,
Vision Environment, (contracted to the project,
independent of GPC and of all other regulatory
bodies) carries out the data collection. This local
company has extensive research and scientific
expertise of many years in the Gladstone area and
use worlds’ best research and methodology. GPC
use this independent data to carry out the project
ensuring minimal impact on the environment.
There are 52 Commonwealth Government and
143 Coordinator General conditions covering
all aspects of the project.
The environmental conditions include an
Environmental Impact Statement, water quality
monitoring, seagrass monitoring, a flora and
fauna management plan, air and noise limits,
dredge management plan, and offsets for marine
habitat and coastal biodiversity.
Who is involved in the environmental
monitoring program?
Over 20 external organisations, including
4 Australian universities have been involved in
the preparation, planning, implementation and
assessment of the environmental programme.
Is there any independent oversight?
Independent panels of dredging specialists
and environmental scientists work alongside
the project, routinely analysing water quality,
seagrass, dredging operations, and marine
ecosystem health.
The Dredge Technical Reference Panel (DTRP) and
the Ecosystem Research and Monitoring Program
(ERMP) Advisory Panel provide independent advice
and guidance to the dredging project.
CSIRO Metals Report
CSIRO water quality scientist Dr Simon Apte and
colleagues carried out work for a report on Metals
Concentrations in the Waters and Sediments of
Port Curtis, Queensland. CSIRO found there were
no detectable elevations of metal concentrations
at sites where dredging is being conducted and all
concentrations of dissolved metals were below
ANZECC/ARMCANZ guideline values.
CSIRO stated in their report Gladstone
is a relatively clean industrial harbour
compared to other Australian and
international working ports.
westernbasinportdevelopment.com.au
GLADSTONE
CURTIS
ISLAND
FACING
ISLAND
Heron Island
North West Island
Masthead Island
Masthead Island
(appox 56.5km
from Gladstone)
North Reef IslandGreat Keppel
Island
Seventeen Seve
Agnes Water
Tannum Sands
N
CURTISCHANNEL
KEPPEL
BAY
GLADSTONE
HARBOUR
0 5 10
Scale (km)
16 Continuous water sampling sites
16 Manual water sampling sites
GLADSTONE
CURTIS
ISLAND
FACING
ISLAND
One Tree Island
Heron Island
North West Island
Masthead Island
Masthead Island
(appox 56.5km
from Gladstone)
North Reef Islandt Keppel
sland
Seventeen Seventy
Agnes Water
Tannum Sands
N
CURTISCHANNEL
PEL
AY
GLADSTONE
HARBOUR
0 5 10
Scale (km)
16 Continuous water sampling sites
16 Manual water sampling sites
6 Seagrass light monitoring sites
2. COMMUNITY FACTSHEET
Seabed soil tests
Before the dredging began the entire Western
Basin seabed was tested to determine the kind of
soil for each area. This was done by collecting over
1000 samples of sediment and boreholes down
to 25 metres deep. The samples were analysed
to determine the chemical composition of the
seabed as well as for the composition of the soils
so the right methods and equipment are used
during dredging. The borehole samples were also
tested for Potential Acid Sulphate Soils (PASS).
Metals Tests
Over 10 years of surveys have been undertaken to
determine the metal levels in Gladstone harbour.
17 different metals in sediment and dissolved
metals in water are tested on a monthly basis
and additional samples are taken if extra data
is required. The majority of metals levels in
Gladstone have remained within the Australian
guidelines for marine water quality.
What is PASS and how is it removed?
PASS is soil that has the potential to release
acid sulphates if oxidized by being exposed to air
for more than 24 hours. In practical terms this
means when these soils are dredged they must
be kept wet and disposed of under water so those
sulphates cannot oxydise.
Elutriate Testing
Prior to dredging samples were taken throughout
the harbour to test the likelihood of metals and
other chemicals changing under dredging-like
conditions. Elutriate testing was carried out,
disturbing sediment samples in water, simulating
the treatment of these materials during dredging.
The results of all these tests showed chemical
composition of the seabed and water does not
contain toxic chemicals or metals at levels that
could be harmful to fish health or water quality
when dredged. High levels of metals or toxins are
not present in the seabed or in the water.
borehole test sites in the western basin
P:GISProjects202708_GPCWB_SDA_048.mxd06/10/201116:18
Coordinate system: GDA_1994_MGA_Zone_56
Mapby:by:PIC
Figure X.X: Sample Locations within the
Western Basin Sea Disposal Applica
°
Source:
Aerial: Bing Maps, 2
GeoCoastal Group,
Marine Sediment Inv
Investigations of Pro
China Bay and Pipe
Gladstone. Prepared
January 2009.
Raw Data xls provid
– Sediment samples
2010
Australia Pacific LNG
Worley Parsons Oct
Queensland Curtis L
Queensland Sedime
Jetty Optimisation P
Geocoastal operatio
provided by Queens
samples taken betw
2009.
Qld Curtis LNG Proj
Marine Structures –
Factual Report. Prep
Bechtel Australia Pty
06/10/20Date:
Job No: 217460-2-1
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October 20
QC LNG Je
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Fisherman
1991 – 1994
Curtis Coast Study Resource Report
(Environmental Scan)
1998 – 2005
Contaminate pathways in Port Curtis – a
CRC study in metals & dissolved metals in
Gladstone harbour by CSIRO, University of
Queensland and CQ University
2002 – Present
Annual and now monthly
Seagrass Monitoring
2001 – Present
Port Curtis Integrated Monitoring Program
GPC contribute $750,000 each year
PCIMP Ecosystem Health Report Card
– water monitoring
– seagrass monitoring
– no sewerage effluent into
Gladstone harbour
2007 – 2010
Detailed testing of harbour environs for
Western Basin Dredging Project and LNG
projects marine studies and Envrionmental
Impact Studies
3DecadesofGladstoneHarbourHealthChecks
westernbasinportdevelopment.com.au
