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River Landscapes Projects

Algal availability of phosphorus discharged from different catchment sources

Algal Management Strategies, Nutrient Management Strategies and Catchment Management Plans frequently have as a major focus the reduction of phosphorus loads to surface waters. The expressed intention of the nutrient control is to reduce the frequency and intensity of algal blooms, particularly blooms of toxic cyanobacteria. In many instances a direct link between the magnitude of algal blooms and phosphorus loads has not been demonstrated. However, there is appreciable information in the scientific (more)...

Alternative Stable States: a potential paradigm for managing salinised ecosystems

This project has tested the applicability of the concept of alternative stable states (clear water dominated by macrophytes versus turbid water dominated by phytoplankton) to a range of saline and colored systems encompassed by inland rivers and wetlands in south-western Australia.

Better Fertiliser Decisions

The aims of the project were to provide regionally specific and scientifically validated fertiliser production responses for various seasonal, climatic and soil conditions identify landscape, soils and fertiliser management practices that impact on the environment to integrate the production and environmental information for key fertiliser stakeholders. Dairy Australia was the project manager for this project, with Ken Peverill and (more)...

Catchment assessment techniques to help determine priorities in river restoration

The intent is for the assessment techniques described to provide an improved rational basis for setting stream rehabilitation priorities. Focus catchments were chosen that had issues aligned with those in the project objectives. Two existing assessment techniques; SedNet (Prosser et al., 2001) and RARC (Jansen et al., 2004a), were selected to be developed for regional scale priority setting, based on the project team’s expertise with these techniques. These techniques (more)...

Catchment Nutrients and Sediment budgets: identification of knowledge gaps

This project aimed to: To compile a database on nutrients (N, P and possibly C) and sediment movement for the following rivers: the Murrumbidgee River (NSW), the Brisbane River (Qld), the Latrobe River (West Gippsland, Vic), and the Johnstone River (Qld). To develop a nitrogen, phosphorus, (carbon where possible) and sediment budget for each of the selected catchments using a combination of empirical and modelled data. The modelled data will be (more)...

Determining transition thresholds between alternative ecological states in saline waterbodies

This PhD study by Lien Sim used experimental and observational data from seven saline wetlands in the wheatbelt of south west WA in order to identify some of the potential mechanisms for the transition between a salt tolerant submerged macrophyte dominated regime and a benthic microbial community dominated regime. The applicability of existing conceptual models for ecological regime shifts were then tested against these data.

Development of a Catchment Contaminant Cycle for Stakeholder Use

The aims of this project were: To develop a catchment modelling framework to integrate and link component models developed by various researchers, including those contributing to other projects under the Contaminants Program. To conduct initial stakeholder workshops in two regions to articulate broad focus of the project and solicit input viz-a-viz modelling needs. To Conduct technical workshops with modelling specialists (including other (more)...

Identifying sources of sediment in river basins to help develop revegetation priorities

Scott Wilkinson and Chris Kennedy from CSIRO Land & Water developed a modelling tool to assess spatial patterns in the sediment sources and sediment transport at the river basin regional scale. SedNet has enabled Catchment Management Authorities to target areas for riparian restoration, measures to reduce bank erosion or general catchment management activities to reduce soil erosion in order to address the source of erosion and (more)...

Improving the management of wetlands on the Murrumbidgee River floodplain

The condition of floodplain wetlands is a function of internal and external forces and functions. Wetlands vary longitudinally down a floodplain following principals enshrined in the River Continuum Concept whereby the nature and concentration of solutes and sediments change with distance from source. This observation pertains directly to the main river channels but influences the wetland mostly in times of flood as,during low flow,connection between the river and the wetland may be severed. (more)...

Instream and riparian zone nitrogen dynamics

This project investigated broad patterns of nitrogen cycling in freshwater streams and their associated riparian zones, with an emphasis on the potential for riparian vegetation to buffer nitrogen inputs to surface waters. The focus of past studies has typically been on either the riparian zone or stream, but not both. This project took a unique perspective in examining both ecosystem components, and doing so in multiple sites across three distinct biogeographic regions: southeast Queensland ( (more)...