Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements: Environmental Recovery Program Riverine Recovery Program: Stage 1 Reconnaissance

Significant rainfall and flooding over multiple events across the 2021-2022 severe weather season resulted in substantial environmental impacts to catchments, including gully erosion, streambank retreat and sedimentation. The runoff also generated increased pollutant loads to the coast including the southern reaches of the environmentally sensitive Great Barrier Reef lagoon, Great Sandy Strait, Moreton Bay and Gulf of Carpentaria. Environmental recovery actions are required across the affected area to improve the condition of catchments. These actions will stabilise riparian zones and streambanks, lead to short and longer term improvements in water quality, and enhance the resilience of Queensland waterways to future disaster events.

The objective of the Riverine Recovery Program is to provide funding assistance under the DRFA to (1) identify environmental impacts from the events and (2) rehabilitate and restore riverine, wetland and riparian environments affected by the event.

The reconnaissance works completed in 2022 identified the environmental impacts of the 2021-22 severe weather season in the activated areas of Cape York. The Stage 2 Environmental Impacts and Proposed Works Report produced by the project has identified and prioritise impacted riparian sites. This will provide the opportunity for impacted sites to be restored through Stage 2.