Runoff water quality from dryland cropping on Vertisols in Central Queensland, Australia
The effects of agricultural practices on runoff water quality are a major concern worldwide, particularly where there is the potential to cause harm to aquatic ecosystems receiving the runoff. Cropping land has been identified as a major source of pollutants in the Fitzroy Basin, the largest catchment discharging into the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. However, knowledge of pollutant generation rates in runoff from the dryland cropping (grains) industry's best management practices (BMPs) on Vertisol soils is limited, partly due to the scarce distribution of these soils worldwide.