Hydrological effects of floodgate management on coastal floodplain agriculture

superuser — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:54:47 +0000

This project has examined the processes causing poor drainage water quality from acid sulfate soil backswamps, quantified the water quality improvements resulting from floodgate opening strategies, quantified the effectiveness of acid groundwater retention strategies, and examined the salinity risks to sugar cane from opening floodgates.

Project Objectives:

1. To identify and quantify the effects of changes to floodgate and land management practices on groundwater and surface water drainage processes (quantity and quality), soil water chemistry, fish habitat quality, and the agricultural productivity of land adjacent to tidal drains/streams and in low-lying acid backswamps.

IDs and People

LWA Project Code:

DAN13

Host Organisation:

Land and Water Australia

Researchers:

Scott Johnston

Dr Peter Slavich

Subjects

Subjects:

Rivers and Wetlands

Keywords:

hydrological

floodgate

Management

coastal

Floodplain

Agriculture

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Kantri is for Laif

superuser — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:50:58 +0000

This report is the output of the LWA, NAILSMA and Tropical Savannas CRC project, A Strategy for the Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge and the Development of Indigenous Livelihoods on the Remote north Australian Indigenous Estate.

IDs and People

Program:

Social and Institutional Research Program

Program Theme:

Social and Institutional Research

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

TRC3

Host Organisation:

Land and Water Australia

Subjects

Subjects:

Conservation

Indigenous

Keywords:

Indigenous

knowledge

Natural resource

Management

land

sea

intellectual

property

protection

database

Technology

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Informing future irrigation and water management at the Ord River, Western Australia

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:54:01 +0000

This project will synthesis opportunities afforded and resources required to pursue accreditation as a HELP basin through lessons learned from other Australian HELP basins, including the Murrumbidgee and Lower Burdekin. Results will be presented to stakeholders in the Ord Catchment to determine local interest in pursuing accreditation.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

Research Project

Research Scale:

Catchment

LWA Project Code:

BRO005191

Researchers:

Anna Price

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Keywords:

Future

irrigation

Water

Management

Ord

River

Western

informing

Project Information

Outcomes:

Accreditation proposal for the Ord Catchment to join the UNESCO-IHP HELP initiative if the Ord Catchment Community, through this project, deems that accreditation will help deliver significant benefits.
Defined opportunities for funding and collaboration including increased understanding of the key mechanisms and drivers for funding and successful collaboration for the Ord Catchment.
A brief on benefits and support requirements for UNESCO-IHP HELP accreditation that can be made available to other catchments and the program itself.
Key knowledge gained fed back to the key stakeholders interviewed as part of the scoping phase as well as other catchments where deemed beneficial.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Background

Project Background:

In many parts of Australia there are extensive gaps between community aspirations and scientific research, particularly in regional and remote areas that are geographically separated from decision making centres. These areas often have large natural resource bases that offer substantial development opportunities, particularly in agriculture and irrigation, but limited capacity to plan and manage the optimal sustainable utilisation and development of these resources. None more evident than the abundant water resources that exist in parts of northern Australia in comparison to the current and increasing water scarcity in many other parts.

The Ord Catchment is particularly pertinent because the water resources that have been harvested are only partially utilised with existing plans to expand irrigation in the area. This situation is unusual in Australia and the opportunities to learn how to better manage existing water use and incorporate updated knowledge into planning for expansion of irrigation are unmatched anywhere else in Australia.

Aims:

The aims of these interviews is to investigate and quantify:

the funding opportunities achieved through accreditation
opportunities for local, national and international collaboration, created through accreditation
assistance in developing research direction and opportunities to bridge the gap between water law and policy experts, water resource managers and water scientists and facilitate the free flow of the latest information
accreditation management requirements.

From this visit a summary brief will be prepared. This will form the basis for the brief to be discussed with key stakeholders in the Ord Catchment and will define:

potential benefits to Catchments in becoming accredited with the UNESCO-IHP HELP program
identify particularly pertinent benefits to the Ord Catchment through its remote location and unique resource base
key avenues to successfully using the UNESCO-IHP HELP network to generate funding and collaboration.

This document will be circulated for review by the key individuals involved in the UNESCO-HELP program and those involved in the initial interviews.

Resources

External Links:

Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy Website

All in Management

Hydrological effects of floodgate management on coastal floodplain agriculture

Kantri is for Laif

Informing future irrigation and water management at the Ord River, Western Australia