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Tropical Rivers Research and Development Publications

A remote sensing approach for mapping and classifying riparian gully erosion in Tropical Australia

Recent aerial and ground reconnaissance through the Gulf of Carpentaria has identified riparian gully erosion as one of the dominant contemporary sediment sources to many of the large rivers draining into the Gulf of Carpentaria. Similar processes have also been identified in the Savannah regions of the NT and WA, particularly the Victoria and Ord Rivers. It has also been suggested that broad scale gully erosion of this type and associated local (more)...

Addressing Indigenous Cultural Values in Water Allocation Planning

Water allocation processes across tropical Australia are struggling with the question of how to acknowledge and protect Aboriginal values and interests in water-dependent ecosystems. Indigenous interests in environmental flows research and water resource policy have tended to be neglected, consequently Aboriginal people have rarely participated equitably in water management decision-making. This project was conceived as a pilot with the intention of engaging Aboriginal traditional owners and resource (more)...

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An Assessment of the Social and Economic Values of Australia's Tropical Rivers

Scoping Report

Covering an area of more than 1.3 million square kilometres, the tropical rivers region of Australia includes 55 river basins and extends across all catchments from the west side of Cape York to the Kimberley, through Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It includes some of Australia’s largest river systems, which are, by area’ the Flinders, Roper, Victoria and Fitzroy Rivers and, by volume, the Nicholson and Mitchell Rivers. This report presents results of a scoping study of (more)...

Assessing the potential for algal blooms in clear water phase tropical rivers

Algal blooms commonly occur in rivers across southern Australia and worldwide. Blooms and their associated biota cause taste and odour problems that are a constant source of complaints to water authorities.

Australia's Northern Rivers

Better information for beter management

A fact sheet produced by NAILSMA (Northern Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance) and LWA about the management of Austrlaia’s northern water-ways.

Australia's Tropical Rivers: Program Plan and Prospectus 2005 - 2010

The Board of Land & Water Australia has identified Australia’s unique tropical rivers and associated catchments and estuaries as a priority area for a major investment over five years from July 2005.

The goal of the program is to under

Development and trial of a methodology for total water resource assessment in tropical Australia

This report is the outcome of a pilot study to determine whether a proposed method of total water resource assessment is viable using the limited available data in catchments of tropical northern Australia. It seeks to formulate this proposed method and then test whether it can provide an integrated assessment of the surface water and groundwater resources available in two pilot river basins in the Northern Territory.

Development of a riparian condition assessment protocol for Northern Gulf Rivers using remote sensing and ground survey

The focus of the analysis shifted towards establishing a baseline from which future changes can be measured, and towards developing a remote sensing based approach for measuring structural riparian vegetation changes through time

Ecosystem processes in tropical rivers

conceptual models and future R&D

As part of the developmental phase of the new LWA Tropical Rivers Program this project was instigated to undertake a reconnaissance of all rivers draining into the Gulf of Carpentaria (GoC) (i.e. the Carpentaria Drainage Division), as well as collecting baseline data and undertaking regional stakeholder consultation.

Fishes of the King Edward and Carson Rivers

with their Belaa and Ngarinyin names

The results of this study have revealed that the number of freshwater fishes (species diversity) of the King Edward River is higher than has previously been recorded for a Western Australian river. Twenty-six freshwater fish species were recorded, which is three species higher than the much larger Fitzroy River in the southern Kimberley. The study also resulted in a number of range extensions, including Butler’s Grunter and Silver Cobbler to the west, and the Slender Gudgeon to the north and east. (more)...

Freshwater Flow Requirements of Estuarine Fisheries: Data Review and Research Needs

The estuaries of Australia’s tropical rivers support commercial fisheries for finfish and shellfish valued at over $220 million per annum. There are also significant tourism-related and local recreational and indigenous fisheries for icon species such as barramundi and mud crabs. Development of water resources in Australia’s Tropical Rivers region is being planned, with development options being considered for the Flinders, Mitchell, McArthur, Roper, Daly and Victoria catchments. Greater knowledge (more)...

Gulf of Carpentaria field validation

As part of the developmental phase of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) Program this project was instigated to undertake a reconnaissance of all rivers draining into the Gulf of Carpentaria, as well as collecting baseline data and undertaking regional stakeholder consultation.

Indigenous Interests in Tropical Rivers: Research & Management Issues

A Scoping study for Land & Water Australia's Tropical Rivers Program

This report outlines a number of priority areas of research interest arising from the literature reviewed and the interviews of representatives or nominees from Indigenous organisations. They fall under two major themes: The need for a sound understanding of the current condition of river and wetland environments and their contemporary role in meeting the subsistence and spiritual needs of Indigenous communities. Increased pressure on resources, places, and sites is felt by many groups (more)...

Indigenous Interests in Tropical Rivers: Research & Management Issues

of the Scoping Study for Land & Water Australia’s Tropical Rivers Program

The report was requested by Land and Water Australia (LWA) as a scoping study to provide information for their new Tropical Rivers Program.

Indigenous Participation in Water Resource Managment:

The Anmatyerr Kwatj Project

The project has 4 research themes: Recording cultural values of water and processes to communicate these in approved and effective ways. Skills development of coresearchers for future work in Water Resource Management, including the ability to maintain NRM related activities and research that supports long-term livelihoods. Mapping the governance structures for Water Resource Management and developing institutional arrangements (more)...

Influence of the Camballin Barrage on fish communities in the Fitzroy River, Western Australia

The Barrage on the Fitzroy River presents a considerable barrier to fish migrations in this ecologically, culturally and socially important system. Disruptions in the migrations of at least a number of important species are occurring.

Recognising and protecting Indigenous values in water resource management

a report from a workshop held at CSIRO in Darwin, NT, 5-6 April 2006

A two-day workshop on Indigenous cultural values and water resource management was held at CSIRO in Darwin, NT in April 2006, with the aim of exploring what Indigenous managers of water resources in northern Australia could learn from other regions where water has been developed.