A Central Queensland University School of Management PhD student has received a $15,000 State Government grant to research economic impacts of declining water quality on the Great Barrier Reef.

Prabha Prayaga was one of two CQU students to receive the funding from the Growing the Smart State PhD funding program, administered by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, to pursue their research interests.

Ms Prayaga’s research will identify and estimate the economic effects of declining water quality on the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef, so that the value of making improvements can be assessed.

Under the guidance of Associate Professor John Rolfe, Ms Prayaga will estimate the costs of changing land management actions to reduce water quality problems; model impacts of improvements in water quality on recreation; and estimate a value of these improvements.

She has created links with and is being mentored by Dr Sally Driml, Director Economics Branch, Policy Division, Environmental Protection Agency.

“I am grateful to Dr Rolfe for his guidance and encouragement and like to thank Dr Driml for her help and support in obtaining this grant. I am looking forward to working with her,” Ms Prayaga said.

CQU’s other successful grant recipient was Kartik Venkatraman. Mr Venkatraman was awarded $5000 over one year.

His project is "Evaluating the performance of 21 native species in restricting water percolation through the refuse in an ET/phytocapping trial on a landfill site".

The aim of the project is to explore a potential alternative landfill capping system using native tree species to reduce leachate generation and methane emission.

The project is being done in conjunction with the Rockhampton City Council at the Lakes Creek landfill site.

Photo: Prabha Prayaga is about to launch a research project into the economic impacts of declining water quality on the Great Barrier Reef.