Lake Nuga Nuga: a Levee-dammed Lake in Central Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Lake Nuga Nuga is a levee-dammed lake in the dry sub-humid tropics of the Fitzroy Basin in Central Queensland, Australia, that has expanded significantly since it was first mapped in 1866. 210Pb dating of a sediment core from the lake indicates that the rate of sedimentation has been constant for the past 67 years at 3 mm yr−1 despite widespread clearing and land use intensification in the catchment during that time. Pollen analysis confirms this and shows that there was little change in vegetation during the early settlement period (1863–1962), but the intensification of land use that started in the early 1960s brought about a dramatic change in the vegetation communities. This study demonstrates that while sediment production may be significantly impacted by land-use activities, sediment delivery is primarily controlled by topography.