Baseline water quality of the Gold Coast Broadwater, southern Moreton Bay (Australia)

Ryan J K Dunn; Nicholas J C Doriean; William W Bennett; David T Welsh; Jemma Purandare; Rodger B Tomlinson

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114234

Baseline water quality of the Gold Coast Broadwater, southern Moreton Bay (Australia)

Mar Pollut Bull. 2022 Dec;185(Pt A):114234. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114234. Epub 2022 Oct 17.

Authors

Ryan J K Dunn¹, Nicholas J C Doriean², William W Bennett³, David T Welsh⁴, Jemma Purandare⁵, Rodger B Tomlinson²

Affiliations

¹ Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia; Cities Research Institute, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: r.dunn@griffith.edu.au.
² Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia; Cities Research Institute, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia.
³ Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia; Cities Research Institute, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia; School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia; Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes 5095, South Australia, Australia.
⁵ Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia; Cities Research Institute, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Queensland, Australia; Gold Coast Water and Waste, PO Box 5042, Gold Coast Mail Centre, 9726, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 36257244
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114234

Abstract

This study establishes baseline water quality characteristics for the Gold Coast Broadwater, southern Moreton Bay (Australia) utilising routinely monitored parameters between 2016 and 2021, across 18 sites. Combined site mean concentrations of NO_x-N, NH₃-N and total nitrogen were 11.4 ± 33.4 μg/L, 12.7 ± 27.2 μg/L, and 169 ± 109 μg/L, respectively, whilst PO₄-P and total phosphorous were 7.30 ± 5.10 μg/L and 21.7 ± 14.1 μg/L. Additionally, total suspended solids and turbidity combined site means were 6.6 ± 6.0 mg/L and 3.4 ± 2.9 NTU, respectively. During high rainfall periods nutrient concentrations increased by up to >200-, >150-, 15-, 12- and >12-fold for NO_x-N, NH₃-N, TN, PO₄-P and TP, respectively, compared to quiescent conditions. Furthermore, TSS and NTU values increased by up to 15- and 40-fold during periods of measured rainfall compared to quiescent conditions.

Keywords: Estuarine; Monitoring; Nutrients; Rainfall; Total suspended sediments; Urbanisation; Water quality parameters.

MeSH terms

Bays
Environmental Monitoring
Nitrogen / analysis
Phosphorus / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis
Water Quality*

Substances

Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Water Pollutants, Chemical