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Page last updated on 22-02-2024.
Water Quality
Real-time monitoring in Cleveland Bay
As part of the Channel Upgrade project, the Port of Townsville has deployed a number of marine water monitoring buoys in Cleveland Bay.
Water quality monitoring began in July 2019, with the Port contracting GHD to undertake the works. A real time data monitoring feed was switched on throughout 2021, ahead of capital dredging.
The buoys provide real time data every 10 minutes and are used to monitor the environmental quality across Cleveland Bay.
They provide early warning if water quality markers are changing, and if they are a result of local/regional weather events or influenced by dredging.
This allows for additional actions to be implemented as part of the dredge program if required.
Data collected include parameters which may impact the health of seagrass and corals, including the amount of light reaching the seabed, turbidity and water temperature.
Information from six sites including Strand Shallow, Virago Shoal, Middle Reef, Picnic Bay, Geoffrey Bay and Florence Bay is displayed via the links below.
Monitoring sites
SITE |
LOCATION DETAILS |
DEPTH |
SENSITIVE RECEPTOR/S |
Strand Shallow |
Subtidal area visible from Picnic Bay lifesavers headland on The Strand | 1m | Seagrass |
Virago Shoal |
Detached shallow near-shore reef situated in the channel between Magnetic Island and the coast, 1.6km from Pallarenda Beach | 2.32m | Seagrass, coral |
Middle Reef |
Detached near-shore reef situated in the channel between Magnetic Island and the coast, 6km from Townsville | 4.05m | Coral |
Picnic Bay |
Large shallow detached reef extending from west of Picnic Bay to Cockle Bay on the south side of Magnetic Island. Buoy located south of the Picnic Bay jetty | 3.28m | Coral |
Geoffrey Bay |
A large low-sloping fringing reef platform extending across the bay on the east side of Magnetic Island. Buoy located south-west of the old jetty area | 6.2m | Coral, seagrass |
Florence Bay |
Low-sloping fringing reef on the north-east side of Magnetic Island. Buoy located just off the northern headland | 6.7m | Coral |
