Information
Plot Scale Runoff of Nutrient and Sediment Under Varying Management Regimes on a Banana and Cane Farm in the Wet Tropics, Queensland – Cane Farm 0204
Purpose
This study measured the range of nutrients and suspended solid concentrations that exist in plot scale drainage during rain events in the wet season within two distinct river catchments in Queensland.
Method
A crump weir was installed at the drainage points at each site. Depths and discharge were measured to the nearest 0.0001 point (or cumec) and were recorded every two minutes. Reporting data has been limited to 15 minute intervals.
Key Findings
The concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and TSS from a cane farm are higher compared with those expected for a tropical stream or river, but are typical of runoff from intensive agricultural land use activities.
The general differences noted in nutrients and sediment concentrations, particularly the reduction in NOx are difficult to assign directly to modifications application, because of climatic conditions and are likely to have been an influence.
Location
The two farms are located within the Tully-Murray River Region. The watershed for the study region of this farm was 13.67 hectares, which drain a number of cane blocks (4F-5.5ha, 5B- 2.97ha and 5C- 5.2ha).
Project administration
Site identifier code: N/A
Principal investigator: Faithful J, Brodie J, Hooper A, Leahy P, Henry G, Finlayson W, Green D
Principal data manager: N/A
Principal organizations: Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, James Cook University; Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water
Data custodian: Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water
Key co-operators: N/A
Data access policy: Research has been published but base data is not archived
Planned pathway for data: completed study, no evidence of formal database records.
Data warehousing: for ongoing studies N/A
Planned data upload frequency: for ongoing studies N/A