Water Nitrate — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

0.009 mg/L

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

For the enclosed coastal waters of Cleveland Bay, which receive runoff from Townsville and parts of Magnetic Island, this objective is <9 µg/L NOx.

Metric Definition:

Oxidised Nitrogen (NOx), which is the sum of nitrate (NO3) and nitrite (NO2)

Benchmark Definition:

WQO for Moderately Disturbed Enclosed Coastal Waters (Cleveland Bay).

Justification:

Exceedance indicates regulatory non-compliance and degradation.

Sources (1)

Preview of Establishing Environmental Values, Water Quality Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives for Fitzroy Basin Waters - Fitzroy Partnership for River Health, accessed August 2, 2025,

Establishing Environmental Values, Water Quality Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives for Fitzroy Basin Waters - Fitzroy Partnership for River Health, accessed August 2, 2025, Journal

Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 Ross River Basin and ..., accessed August 2, 2025

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Supporting Sources (53)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

'Getting worse': unsafe water plagues remote reside... | National Indigenous Times, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

'Getting worse': unsafe water plagues remote reside... | National Indigenous Times, accessed August 2, 2025,

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(PDF) Water Quality Degradation of Coastal Waterways in the Wet Tropics, Australia, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate 6the Queensland Wet Tropics, Australia, accessed July 21, 2025

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1.5. Trends in nutrient concentrations - IMOS Ocean Report, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

1.5. Trends in nutrient concentrations - IMOS Ocean Report, accessed August 2, 2025,

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2018 ANZ Water Quality Guidelines - Hydrobiology, accessed August 2, 2025,

Direct Evidence Regulatory Framework

2018 ANZ Water Quality Guidelines - Hydrobiology, accessed August 2, 2025

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A GUIDE TO THE APPLICATION OF THE ANZECC ... - ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025,

Direct Evidence Methodology Source GreyLiterature

Namoi River Water Quality Objectives explained - NSW Government

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Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, accessed August 2, 2025,

Direct Evidence Regulatory Framework

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia

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Commitment to Sustainability & Eco-Tourism | Daydream, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Commitment to Sustainability & Eco-Tourism | Daydream, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Developing a reef water quality management plan — case study, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Altered water flows and quality | Wet Tropics Management Authority, accessed July 27, 2025

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Development of basin-specific ecologically relevant water quality targets for the Great Barrier Reef, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Queensland Reef Water Quality Program | Environment, land and water, accessed August 3, 2025

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Preview of Effectiveness of Water-Sensitive Urban Design Techniques on Stormwater Quantity Management at a Residential Allotment Scale - MDPI, accessed August 2, 2025,

Effectiveness of Water-Sensitive Urban Design Techniques on Stormwater Quantity Management at a Residential Allotment Scale - MDPI, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Effectiveness of Water-Sensitive Urban Design Techniques on Stormwater Quantity Management at a Residential Allotment Scale - MDPI, accessed August 11, 2025

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Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 Ross River Basin and ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 Ross River Basin and ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

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Preview of Eutrophication and macroalgal blooms in temperate and tropical coastal waters: nutrient enrichment experiments with Ulva spp - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed August 2, 2025,

Eutrophication and macroalgal blooms in temperate and tropical coastal waters: nutrient enrichment experiments with Ulva spp - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Eutrophication and macroalgal blooms in temperate and tropical coastal waters: nutrient enrichment experiments with Ulva spp - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Preview of Evidence of Large-Scale Chronic Eutrophication in the Great Barrier Reef: Quantification of Chlorophyll a Thresholds for Sustaining Coral Reef Communities - PubMed Central, accessed August 1, 2025

Evidence of Large-Scale Chronic Eutrophication in the Great Barrier Reef: Quantification of Chlorophyll a Thresholds for Sustaining Coral Reef Communities - PubMed Central, accessed August 1, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Sediments and nutrients in north Queensland tropical streams: changes with agricultural development and pristine condition status, accessed July 18, 2025

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Preview of Full article: The trajectory of water sensitive urban design: integrating water management with urban planning and design - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 2, 2025,

Full article: The trajectory of water sensitive urban design: integrating water management with urban planning and design - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Full article: The trajectory of water sensitive urban design: integrating water management with urban planning and design - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Water Quality Guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park., accessed August 2, 2025

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Hayman Marina - InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Hayman Marina - InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Industry | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

R&D Priorities – Australia's estuaries, embayments and nearshore marine environments, accessed July 24, 2025,

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Inshore water quality | Reef Authority, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

5 October 2011 Water quality testing shows little change in Gladstone Harbor The State Government has today released a report r, accessed August 1, 2025,

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Preview of Leading Practice Sewage Treatment Plant Environmental Management Review - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 2, 2025,

Leading Practice Sewage Treatment Plant Environmental Management Review - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Leading Practice Sewage Treatment Plant Environmental Management Review - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 2, 2025

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Lord Howe Island Marine Park News Water Quality Research Collaboration, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Diving deeper into nutrient pathways to help protect Lord Howe Island's marine haven, accessed August 4, 2025

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Mackay Whitsunday Water Quality Improvement Plan 2014-2021 - Reef Catchments, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Mackay Whitsunday Water Quality Improvement Plan 2014-2021 - Reef Catchments, accessed August 2, 2025

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Mackay-Whitsunday Water Quality Program - Great Barrier Reef Foundation, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Mackay-Whitsunday Water Quality Program - Great Barrier Reef Foundation, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Management implications for Lord Howe Island Groundwater Quality - USC Research Bank, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Torres Strait Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA's) - North West Atlas, accessed August 4, 2025

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Marine zones | Healthy Waters Partnership for the Dry Tropics ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Marine zones | Healthy Waters Partnership for the Dry Tropics ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

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MEDIA RELEASE - Hamilton Island, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

MEDIA RELEASE - Hamilton Island, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Nitrate in freshwater and marine water - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Memorandum - Nitrate guideline values in ANZECC 2000

View Source

Nitrate toxicity guidelines for the National Objectives Framework - NIWA, accessed August 8, 2025

Cross Reference Direct Evidence Government

Nitrate toxicity guidelines for the National Objectives Framework - NIWA

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Nitrite cycling in the primary nitrite maxima of the eastern tropical North Pacific - BG, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Nitrite cycling in the primary nitrite maxima of the eastern tropical North Pacific - BG, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Nitrogen cycling in coastal marine ecosystems | FEMS Microbiology Reviews | Oxford Academic, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Nitrogen cycling in coastal marine ecosystems | FEMS Microbiology Reviews | Oxford Academic, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Government

Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - CSIRO

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Nutrient conversion in the marine environment - Coastal Wiki, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Evidence of Large-Scale Chronic Eutrophication in the Great Barrier Reef: Quantification of Chlorophyll a Thresholds for Sustaining Coral Reef Communities - PubMed Central, accessed August 2, 2025

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Nutrients | AIMS - The Australian Institute of Marine Science, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Nutrients | AIMS - The Australian Institute of Marine Science, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Proserpine catchment water quality targets, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Proserpine catchment water quality targets, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Preview of Proserpine River, Whitsunday Island and O'Connell River Basins Environmental Values and Water Quality Objectives - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 2, 2025,

Proserpine River, Whitsunday Island and O'Connell River Basins Environmental Values and Water Quality Objectives - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Bioregional Assessment of the Clarence-Moreton bioregion, which includes the Richmond River basin

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Queensland - Wikipedia, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Queensland - Wikipedia, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Report Card Explainer - Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Report Card Explainer - Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan, accessed August 2, 2025,

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River water quality: nitrogen | Stats NZ, accessed August 8, 2025

Contextual Support Government

River water quality: nitrogen | Stats NZ, accessed August 8, 2025

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Science in Water Quality - Reef & Rainforest Research Centre, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Science in Water Quality - Reef & Rainforest Research Centre, accessed July 22, 2025,

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STATE OF ENVIRONMENT REPORT CARD 2021 - Torres Strait Regional Authority, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

TSRA Groundwater Monitoring: Final Report 2022, accessed August 3, 2025

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Stormwater Management - City of Norfolk, NE, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Stormwater Management - City of Norfolk, NE, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Townsville basins - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence

Environmental Protection (Water and Wetland Biodiversity) Policy 2019 - Schedule 1 (referencing WQOs for Black River Basin)

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TSRA Groundwater Monitoring: Final Report 2022, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Identifying water quality and ecosystem health threats to the Torres Strait from runoff arising from mine-derived pollution of the Fly River - NESP TWQ, accessed August 3, 2025

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Volume and load of sewage treatment plants | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Volume and load of sewage treatment plants | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Water Quality – how healthy is the sea in Torres Strait, and what are the risks? - eAtlas, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Monitoring progress | Protecting the Great Barrier Reef, accessed August 4, 2025

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Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 1, 2025,

Direct Evidence Regulatory Framework Government

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000)

View Source

Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Seasonal changes in water quality and macrophytes and the ...

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Water quality guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef - eAtlas, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence

Water Quality Guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park., accessed August 1, 2025,

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Water Quality Guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park., accessed August 3, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Determining Tipping Points and Responses of Macroinvertebrate Traits to Abiotic Factors in Support of River Management - PubMed Central

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Water quality in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - OECD, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Water quality in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - OECD, accessed August 2, 2025,

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WATER QUALITY IN THE KAVHA CATCHMENT - Norfolk Island ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Development of regional water quality and catchment guidelines for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems - NSW Environment Protection Authority, accessed July 27, 2025

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Water Sensitive Urban Design - Townsville City Council, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Human society and wellbeing | Australia state of the environment 2021

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Preview of Water Sensitive Urban Design for the Coastal Dry Tropics (Townsville): Design Objectives for Stormwater Management, accessed August 2, 2025,

Water Sensitive Urban Design for the Coastal Dry Tropics (Townsville): Design Objectives for Stormwater Management, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Water Sensitive Urban Design for the Coastal Dry Tropics (Townsville): Design Objectives for Stormwater Management, accessed August 2, 2025,

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Preview of What are the measured impacts of nutrients on Great Barrier Reef ecosystems, what are the mechanism(s) for those impacts and where is there evidence of this occurring in the Great Barrier Reef? [Q4.2] - 2022 Scientific Consensus Statement, accessed August 2, 2025,

What are the measured impacts of nutrients on Great Barrier Reef ecosystems, what are the mechanism(s) for those impacts and where is there evidence of this occurring in the Great Barrier Reef? [Q4.2] - 2022 Scientific Consensus Statement, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Land Use Urban & Developed Use
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type RegulatoryTrigger

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 28 May 2026

Notes

Upper Detrimental Threshold: 9 µg/L. This represents a functional, resilient ecosystem, but one that shows some signs of human impact.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMI-URB-WNI family.