Reef snapshot: summer 2022-23
To understand, manage and protect the Reef, we need good information on its health and key partnerships with those who study and use it.
The Reef snapshot: summer 2022-23 provides a concise, easy-to-understand summary of how the Reef has fared over the past summer, what this means for coral and the actions being taken to help coral health.
The snapshot is a joint initiative of the Australian government’s lead management and science agencies for the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and CSIRO.
The snapshot is based on the latest available science and information at the time of writing.
It sets the scene for more comprehensive reports later in the year, such as the mid-year Long-term Monitoring Program reports by the Australian Institute of Marine Science and Marine Monitoring Program reports by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
The snapshot provides a summary of Reef health monitoring conducted each year.
Click on the image to download the Reef Snapshot: summer 2022-23.
- Key findings:
- La Niña conditions persisted throughout the summer and monsoon conditions kept water temperatures at or slightly above average.
- Some rivers in the catchment reached major flood levels, with flood plumes reaching offshore reefs in the northern region and the Whitsunday Islands in the central region.
- Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle (Category 3) did not cross the Reef, however it tracked close to the Reef and generated large swells, with potential damage to some exposed reef edges.
