Arlington Park Drain, Underwood

AWC have recently been engaged by Jaragun – a north QLD indigenous land management group – to complete the detailed design and commissioning of a 10ha constructed wetland to treat agricultural runoff in Babinda.

Nutrient discharge from the Babinda Community Drainage Scheme threatens the GBR and other high value conservation areas of the Russell catchment.  Sugar cane farming is a major contributor, with PSII herbicide loads totalling 2,060 kg/y in the offshore area adjacent to the Mulgrave-Russell basin. The Project is a whole of catchment approach, including strategic placement of upstream sediment traps for gross, coarse and fine sediments (10 to >5000 m) and downstream construction of a wetland for coarse, fine and colloidal sediments (0.45 to 125 m).

AWC will complete hydrologic and water quality modelling, a whole of site rehabilitation strategy and design documentation as well as supervision of construction works.