![\"Brisb1](\"http:\/\/nesptropical.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Brisb1-848x500.jpg\")
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Key knowledge gaps for future research investment about the effects of dredging have been better targeted after the publication of the final report from a project led by Dr Britta Schaffelke at the Australian Institute of Marine Science.<\/p>\n
Dredging is a core element of the debate around sustainable port and industry development and the Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>\n
Dredging is critical to the development of ports but severe ecological impacts are predicted wherever the dredge spoil \u2013 thousands of tons of possibly toxic mud – is eventually dumped. The massive cost and logistical challenge of transporting those thousands of tons of spoil to a remote disposal site makes land disposal an unattractive option for ports.<\/p>\n
The project team started with a list of 21 research themes on dredging impacts, which were distilled into two high-priority themes and one secondary-priority theme.<\/p>\n
Priority 1a focuses on developing critical ecological tolerance thresholds for the impacts of suspended sediments including their effect on light levels.<\/p>\n
Priority 1b aims to better quantify sediment transport pathways (rivers, creeks, etc).<\/p>\n
Finally, Priority 2 will investigate the impact risks of disposing of dredge spoil on land and in reclamation areas.<\/p>\n
The full report<\/a> is available online.<\/p>\n More info on this project can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Key knowledge gaps for future research investment about the effects of dredging have been better targeted after the publication of the final report from a project led by Dr Britta … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2161,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2179","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tBack to the May 2016 e-Newsletter contents<\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"