Queensland Floods Put Barrier Reef At Risk

Marine life in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef could be at risk from the effects of intense flooding across Queensland, environmental officials stressed in a 10 January statement.

The flood waters are carrying toxic material into the Reef, and turtles and corals alike could suffer as a result.

“Toxic pollution from flooded farms and towns along the Queensland coast will have a disastrous impact on the Great Barrier Reefs corals and will likely have a significant impact on dugongs, turtles and other marine life”, the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) stated.

Queensland Floods: Australia

The Queensland floods are now considered Australia’s worst for half a century, and they cover an area equal to the land mass of Germany and France together.

Fossil fuel exports have been a particular casualty, but now the Queensland Floods’ environmental consequences have come into focus, too.

The Great Barrier Reef is managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and it, too, has highlighted the impact on corals of the Queensland floods. "It's fair to say the floods are not good news for the coral reef”, Andrew Skeats, representing the authority, told news agency Reuters.

Barrier Reef Flood Risks

One effect of the floods is likely to be bleached coral reef. This takes place when toxic substances and elevated temperatures combine to kill-off corals, and all that remains is a white-coloured skeleton. Further Barrier Reef flood risks exist, too.

“In addition to the terrible costs to farmers and communities in Queensland, we will also see a major and extremely harmful decline in water quality on the Great Barrier Reef”, Nick Heath of WWF said in a press release.

While the Great Barrier Reef isn’t expected to suffer permanent damage, expert predictions give it around a century to return to its state before the floods, depending on how much damage the coral can take. According to Skeats, weather will be an influential factor from here on in as, so far, the floods have touched selective parts of the Reef.

Fishing, recreation and tourism associated with the Great Barrier Reef is worth over $5m dollars to Australia’s annual income.