Darwin Harbour Water Quality Protection Plan

The Water Quality Protection Plan for Darwin Harbour (WQPP), funded by the Australian Government, takes a practical, action-focused approach to sustainable development.

The aim of the WQPP is to ensure that water quality objectives (local guidelines) are maintained and that community's values for waterways (Beneficial Uses) are protected.

Go to the Northern Territory Government website to read more about beneficial uses.

The WQPP identifies management actions being undertaken by government, industry and community stakeholders that are focused on monitoring, assessing and/or managing nutrient and sediment inputs to Darwin Harbour waterways.

Water quality protection is viewed as one element of a broader coordinated approach to Darwin Harbour management, monitoring and research, which includes other activities such as aquatic pest surveillance, mapping of seafloor habitats, and fish, dolphin and seagrass monitoring. This coordinated approach, with contributions from a range of government, industry and community stakeholders, is helping to ensure that Darwin Harbour's multiple values and uses can be maintained into the future.

Publications

Darwin Harbour Water Quality Protection Plan PDF (4.9 MB)

Butler, E.C.V., Streten-Joyce, C., Tsang, J.J., Williams, D.K., Alongi, D.M., Furnas, M.J. and McKinnon, A.D. (2013) A procedure for evaluating the nutrient assimilative capacity of Darwin Harbour. Report for Aquatic Health Unit, NT Department of Land Resource Management. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Darwin PDF (1.0 MB). (41 pp. plus appendices)
This report provides advice on the knowledge required to evaluate the nutrient loading capacity for the harbour as a whole and is specific parts of the harbour.

Greiner, R., Stanley, O., Speering, G., 2012. The potential role of market-based instruments in safeguarding the water quality in Darwin Harbour. Report to the Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport. Charles Darwin University: Darwin. PDF (265.9 KB)
This report presents investigation and research that was undertaken to inform the development of the Water Quality Protection Plan.

Water Quality Objectives for the Darwin Harbour Region - Background Document PDF (1.4 MB)

Water Quality Objectives describe the water quality needed to protect beneficial uses and values. They act as benchmarks to help guide water quality planning and management. Water Quality Objectives have been declared under the Water Act for the Darwin Harbour region.

Water Quality Objectives for Darwin Harbour – Summary document PDF (1.1 MB)

Phase 1 Report on Water Quality Protection Plan

This report describes development of a Water Quality Protection Plan for the Darwin Harbour Region.

• WQPP Report Full Version PDF (4.6 MB)
• Cover, Section 1 PDF (1.3 MB)
• Section 2 PDF (2.2 MB)
• Section 3 to 5 PDF (1.6 MB)
• Section 6 to end PDF (1.2 MB)

Pollutant Loads PDF (2.5 MB)

The report above presents loads of pollutants during the wet season entering Darwin Harbour, and some of the potential loads for development scenarios.

The report is: Skinner, L., S. Townsend, and J. Fortune, (2009). The impact of urban land use on total pollutant loads entering Darwin Harbour, Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport, Report 06/2008D, Darwin.