Science and Modelling
A Water Quality Protection Plan (WQPP) for Darwin Harbour is being developed
by the NT Government with support of the Australian Government. The WQPP will identify and address key water quality risks to the values of
Darwin Harbour and its catchment. It will ensure that rigorous and independent science underpins the future management of Darwin Harbour and
its catchment, and that there is sound scientific information to support management activities.
Key elements of the WQPP are:
- Determining what the community values about Darwin Harbour, including environmental and cultural aspects.
This process involves asking the community about the things they value about Darwin Harbour. How important is it that we are able to use
the Harbour for food gathering, for recreation or as a port for our businesses?
- After identifying how we value the Harbour, a number of Beneficial Uses are declared. These beneficial
uses summarise and define what the community values about Darwin Harbour.
- Water quality objectives translate the beneficial uses into a set of water quality parameters required to preserve
the Harbour values. The identification of ideal water quality parameter values allows for the protection of Darwin Harbour by providing quantifiable
objectives which can be monitored and remedial actions undertaken if objectives are not being met.
- The development of decision support tools to assist us in protecting Darwin Harbour. Decision support tools will
include a receiving water quality model for the Harbour, which will allow us to determine sustainable loads and to set achievable environmental targets
for waterway management. Decision support tools will ensure that the community values for Darwin Habour are preserved. Decision support tools are also
useful to evaluate the effectiveness of the actions which are being carried out to improve water quality.
- The Darwin Harbour WSUD Strategy also forms a component of the WQPP.
