The Normanby Catchment Water Quality Management Plan is written in accordance 
with the Australian Government’s Framework for Marine and Estuarine Water Quality 
Protection (the Framework) (DEWHA 2002) and has been funded by the Australian Government Reef Rescue program. This Plan has been produced to identify water quality impacts and to prioritise actions required to maintain or improve water quality in the Normanby catchment and receiving waters. Recent research by CYMAG Environmental (Howley 2010) and Griffith University (Brooks et al. 2013, Shellberg and Brooks 2013)- and consultations with land management agencies, Traditional Owners and other landholders- have identified specific land uses that have significantly altered water quality within the Normanby catchment. There are currently major changes in land use proposed for the catchment, such as coal mining and expanding agriculture and irrigation, which have the potential to further degrade the landscape and water quality if not properly managed.