Established in 2018, the Healthy Waters Partnership for the Dry Tropics is at the forefront of reporting on the health of Townsville’s waterways. Comprised of over 20 Partners from business, industry, research, community, and all levels of government, the Partnership plays a vital role in ensuring the long- term sustainability of our region’s creeks, rivers, and coastal waterways.
By reporting on water quality, fish, litter pressure, habitat health, and hydrology, the Partnership combines and analyses a range of environmental data from Partner organisations to provide an independent assessment of the region’s aquatic ecosystems.
The findings are published in the annual Townsville Dry Tropics Waterways Report Card, which grades the overall health of each basin from ‘Very good (A)’ to ‘Very poor (E)’ and serves as an essential tool for informing local water management practices and educating the wider community about the importance of waterway health.
Healthy Waters Partnership’s Executive Officer, Kara-Mae Coulter-Atkins, explains that their work is all about ensuring that Townsville’s waterways are preserved for generations to come.
“By providing the Government, industry, and the wider community with a clear, independent picture of the health of our waterways, it encourages and empowers everyone to champion waterway health in our region,” Kara-Mae explains.
“The Report Card provides a snapshot overview of multiple parameters assessing the current health of our environment in a single, easy-to-read format.
It is designed to assist key organisations to make informed management decisions and collaborate on projects to improve waterway health at a fine scale regional level. Equally it encourages the wider community to be more conscious of how their actions might affect our waterways and calls for the community to be stewards by getting involved in clean-ups or citizen science projects.”
The Bohle Basin was highlighted as an area requiring improvement in the latest few Report Cards, resulting in a focus of management activities from Partners who have since been titled the “Champions of the Bohle”.
Despite only covering 10% of the Townsville region, the Bohle Basin is home to roughly 50% of Townsville’s population! The Partnership is calling for the community to be a part of the collective action and learn ‘how to help our waters’ today.
Looking ahead, the Healthy Waters Partnership for the Dry Tropics aspires to expand its efforts beyond Townsville and into the broader Burdekin region, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the health of waterways across the entirety of the Dry Tropics region.
To learn more about the work of the Healthy Waters Partnership, the Champions of the Bohle, or read their latest Townsville Dry Tropics Waterways Report Card, visit their website.
Those interested in contributing to the protection of our local waterways can also become member Partners, sign up for the Partnership’s newsletter, or follow them on social media to learn more about upcoming community involvement opportunities.
