Sampling flood plumes in the Great Barrier Reef

Flood plume sampling is carried out as part of the Marine Monitoring Program during the north Queensland wet season (Dec – May) and is focused on sampling the plumes from established monitoring locations from the Cape York region, Tully, Russell-Mulgrave, Burdekin, Proserpine-O’Connell and Pioneer Rivers. Plume water quality is measured through a combination of in situ water quality measurements taken at peak and post flow conditions and remote sensing analysis. Sample collection is typically focused on near-shore sites and river mouths and includes analysis of temperature, salinity, total suspended sediment, chlorophyll-a, nutrients (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus species and silica), coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and pesticides.