Report card captures Jasper’s waterways impact
Wet Tropics Waterways
The devastating impacts of Severe Tropical Cyclone Jasper are a key focus of the 10th annual Wet Tropics Waterway Health Report Card, released this week by Wet Tropics Waterways.
More than 18 months after the natural disaster which devastated the Douglas region and its infrastructure, the Wet Tropics Waterways report card now highlights the compounding effects of a major natural disaster on waterway health.
Wet Tropics Waterways chair Simon Costanzo said more than 2m of rain fell across the Daintree, Mossman and Barron catchments after Tropical Cyclone Jasper made landfall near Wujal Wujal in December 2023.
“This prolonged and intense rainfall broke records, triggered landslides and caused widespread flooding,’’ he said.
“This is the first time in the report card’s 10-year history that we’ve been able to capture the widespread environmental impacts of a natural disaster across the entire region.”
In the immediate aftermath of the cyclone, satellite imagery showed significant flood plumes emerging from northern river mouths, while water quality monitoring revealed high loads of dissolved inorganic nitrogen transported by most rivers as pollutants were flushed off the land.
Dr Costanzo noted that, while extreme rainfall is a natural feature of the Wet Tropics, climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of these events.
“It takes time to fully understand the scale and lasting effects of such an event. Floods are part of our region’s natural cycle, and our waterways are constantly evolving, but extreme events like Jasper can dramatically alter ecosystem function,” he said.
“Landslides have inundated rivers with sediment, and inshore reefs and seagrass beds have been smothered. Many species have adapted to very specific microhabitats and when those are lost, populations can be wiped out.”
He said landslides and streambank erosion could continue to degrade water quality, particularly in areas lacking vegetation to stabilise the soil. The spread of invasive species — such as aquatic weeds and pest fish — also poses a growing threat in the aftermath.
Coral communities across the region were severely impacted during 2023–24, with Tropical Cyclone Jasper affecting the north and Tropical Cyclone Kirrily impacting the south.
“Coral is particularly vulnerable to changing conditions,” Dr Costanzo said. “While bleaching is usually associated with marine heatwaves, in this case it was caused by freshwater flooding and reduced salinity.
“At Snapper Island, off the Daintree coast, all coral on the southern reef was lost. In the northern zone, average coral cover plummeted from 51 per cent to just 21 per cent.”
Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation Minister Andrew Powell said the State Government is committed to helping communities improve the health of local waterways.
“I would like to thank everyone involved in these report cards for their dedication to making a difference for all Queenslanders,” Minister Powell said.
“Improving water quality takes a collaborative approach between all levels of government, scientists, industry and the agricultural sector, conservation groups and local communities.
"The Queensland Government is proud to support your ongoing efforts with an investment of $1.25 million annually into five regional waterway report card partnerships.
“This long-term commitment with the support of the federal government will deliver significant improvements for our ecosystem and help secure the future of the Great Barrier Reef.”
The 2025 Wet Tropics Waterway Health Report Card assesses the health of nine river basins from the Daintree to the Herbert in the Ingham region. It is released annually by Wet Tropics Waterways as part of the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan – a joint initiative of the Australian and Queensland governments to protect the Great Barrier Reef’s water quality.
The report card draws on scientific monitoring data from multiple organisations and is reviewed by an independent scientific panel.
Wet Tropics Waterways is a partnership supported by the State and Federal Governments, councils, industry, community groups and other stakeholders, including host organisation Terrain NRM.
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