Under increasing climate change a multitude of environmental stressors are hindering the ability of reefs to accrete calcium carbonate and, therefore, keep up with sea level rise and maintain reef function. A comprehensive technique to quantify rates of net calcium carbonate production is the census-based carbonate budget. Most carbonate budgets have been applied in clear-water settings resulting in a limited understanding of how turbid reefs are responding to our rapidly changing environment. Turbid reefs have long been considered as marginal reefs with reduced reef stability, yet there is growing evidence to suggest that these reefs may have increased resilience to rising sea surface temperatures. Here, we applied census-based carbonate framework and sediment budgets across two island reefs exposed to episodes of high turbidity within the Pilbara, Western Australia. We compliment measured rates of carbonate accretion and removal with environmental data (typically lacking in carbonate budgets) to gather a greater understanding of carbonate production potential under fluctuating environmental conditions. This research offers the first of its kind for vulnerable turbid reefs of Western Australia, and provides valuable insight into how environmental factors influence carbonate production and removal, and the interpretation of carbonate budgets.