All in Water (General)

Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions in the Fractured Rock Areas

mgabelle — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:18:50 +0000

An improved understanding of groundwater and surface water interactions in the Wilyabrup and Smiths Brook catchments of Western Australia has resulted from a research project funded by the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

Research Project

Researchers:

Fionnuala Hannon

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Keywords:

Catchments

Wilyabrup

Smiths Brook

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Location

State & NRM Region:

Western Australia

Locations:

Wilyabrup

Smiths Brook catchments

Investigations into Oxygation

mgabelle — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:46:46 +0000

Oxygation of fig and pineapple crops was the interest of Central Queensland University student Michael Law, whose project built on investigations into the technique as a means of generating healthier interactions between water, soil and plant physiology.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

PhD Student

Host Organisation:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Researchers:

Mick Law

Subjects

Subjects:

Soils

Water (General)

Keywords:

Pineapple

figs

oxygation

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Location

Locations:

Central Queensland

Remote sensing data and crop water measurements

mgabelle — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:30:41 +0000

Investigation of the relationships between remote sensing data recorded in satellite imagery and a comprehensive set of crop water measurements (taken in a vineyard and an almond orchard) was the project chosen by Flinders University of SA student Claire Williams.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

PhD Student

Host Organisation:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Researchers:

Claire Williams

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Mapping and Modelling

Water (General)

Keywords:

Remote Sensing

Satellite Imagery

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Changing patterns of salt distribution in irrigated soils

mgabelle — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 23:47:47 +0000

The compilation of a clearer picture of the changing patterns of salt distribution in irrigated soil by Flinders University of SA student Megan Sebben under the supervision of the head of the South Australian Research and Development Institute’s Water Resources and Irrigated Crops Unit, Jim Cox.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

PhD Student

Host Organisation:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Researchers:

Megan Sebben

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Irrigation

Keywords:

salt

irrigated soils

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Location

State & NRM Region:

South Australia

Protection of Rivers, River Reaches, and Estuaries of High Conservation Value

superuser — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:21:56 +0000

The objectives of this project whose principle investigator was Professor Richard Kingsford were to develop broad, Australia-wide support for:

A coordinated and national approach to protecting and managing rivers, river reaches and estuaries.
A sharing of management and protection strategies and concepts so all States and Territories can learn from each other as they implement various protection measures and invest in protective management actions.

IDs and People

Program:

River Landscapes

Program Theme:

National Rivers Consortium

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

NNP3

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Rivers and Wetlands

Keywords:

River protection

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Algal availability of phosphorus discharged from different catchment sources

superuser — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:01:56 +0000

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 literature reporting on eutrophication that indicates phosphorus supply is likely to exert a major control on the intensity of algal blooms (Hecky and Kilham 1988). Certainly continued reduction in supply, if possible, will eventually restrict algal growth (Sas 1989).

IDs and People

Program:

River Landscapes

Program Theme:

National Eutrophication Management

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

LWMD17

Researchers:

Dr Rod Oliver

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Rivers and Wetlands

Keywords:

phosphorus

algal blooms

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Sources and delivery of suspended sediment and phosphorus to Australian rivers

superuser — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:39:49 +0000

“Combining tracers and landscape modelling to predict sediment and phosphorus from different landuses and erosion processes”

Sedimentation in streams and rivers draining agricultural land has resulted in severe environmental degradation. Eutrophication is a major associated issue, and the persistent occurrence of algal blooms has been linked with excess available P. The total amount of P in these systems has been shown to be dominated by the sediment bound load derived from erosion of diffuse sources, although fertiliser P has also been implicated. In this NEMP sponsored project we determine the relative contributions of both sediment and sediment bound P from these different landuses and erosion sources in two contrasting catchments.

IDs and People

Program:

River Landscapes

Program Theme:

National Rivers Consortium

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

ANU 9

Researchers:

CE Martin

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Rivers and Wetlands

Keywords:

phosphorus

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Catchment assessment techniques to help determine priorities in river restoration

superuser — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:00:43 +0000

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 were developed using data from the focus catchments.

IDs and People

Program:

River Landscapes

Program Theme:

National Rivers Consortium

LWA Project Code:

CLW44

Host Organisation:

Land and Water Australia

Researchers:

Scott Wilkinson

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Rivers and Wetlands

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Background

Aims:

Through the following steps, develop and apply catchment assessment techniques to help regional catchment agencies to determine priorities for rehabilitating riverine water quality, habitat sedimentation and riparian condition:

Identify 3 or 4 focus catchments where the above three stream problems are issues for management agencies and where management agencies are keen to apply catchment assessment techniques to assist their river restoration and management plans
Determine the data available to assess those management issues, working closely with agencies and communities
Adapt and further develop catchment assessment techniques to data available at the regional scale and the management issues using current knowledge and test them against independent field observations
Undertake the assessments to identify where in the catchment (rivers or reaches) rehabilitation actions are most likely to result in significant improvement in the management issues. These actions may include erosion and pollutant control, flow management and riparian restoration. Identify the magnitude of improvement
In each focus region, demonstrate the use of the techniques for identifying rehabilitation priorities, given a specified management vision and investment scenario
Evaluate the benefits of the techniques in achieving river rehabilitation goals. Examine the effectiveness of planning of past rehabilitation projects, and how using the catchment assessment techniques developed might assist such projects 7. Prepare protocols for wider use of the techniques by agencies, catchment authorities and community groups (eg Rivercare). Explore how agencies can best routinely use the methods, through avenues such as technical consultants

More information

Download the following reports from the CSIRO website.

Addressing Indigenous Cultural Values in Water Allocation Planning

superuser — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:28:37 +0000

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 examined international sociological approaches to environmental flow assessment and water management and developed a framework for addressing Australian Indigenous interests

IDs and People

Program:

Social and Institutional Research Program

Tropical Rivers Research and Development

Program Theme:

Indigenous Natural Resources Management

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

CSE26

Subjects

Subjects:

Indigenous

Water (General)

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

SIGNAL scoring system for river bio-assessment by community groups

superuser — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:39:22 +0000

SIGNAL stands for ‘Stream Invertebrate Grade Number – Average Level.’ It is a simple scoring system for macro-invertebrate (‘water bug’) samples from Australian rivers.

A SIGNAL score gives an indication of water quality in the river from which the sample was collected. Rivers with high SIGNAL scores are likely to have low levels of salinity, turbidity and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. They are also likely to be high in dissolved oxygen.

When considered together with macro-invertebrate richness (the number of types of macro-invertebrates), SIGNAL can provide indications of the types of pollution and other physical and chemical factors that are affecting the macro-invertebrate community.

IDs and People

Program:

River Landscapes

Program Theme:

National Rivers Consortium

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

NDW32

Researchers:

Bruce Chessman

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Rivers and Wetlands

Keywords:

Waterbugs

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Review of Principles and Tools for the Protection of Rivers

superuser — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:23:32 +0000

The aim of this review is to identify the principles associated with the protection of riverine ecological values, as well as the methods used for the assessment of these values and some of the key instruments that could be used to protect them (i.e. protection tools). Such an approach complements existing tools associated with river restoration. This report is aimed at anyone who is interested in the protection of rivers. This includes planners and policy makers, river managers, community groups and individuals. It provides a background for such users into the current thinking on river protection and a guide to obtaining further information. It is not intended as a prescriptive document and hence does not, for example, provide an exhaustive list of legislation from all States.

IDs and People

Program:

River Landscapes

Program Theme:

National Rivers Consortium

LWA Project Code:

QEH2

Researchers:

John Bennett

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Rivers and Wetlands

Keywords:

River protection

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

The impact of introduced trout on aquatic ecosystems

superuser — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:07:02 +0000

A study of brown trout interactions with stream ecosystem was conducted in Tasmanian streams. Direct and indirect interactions with macroinvertebrates and epilithic algae were studied. Two approaches were taken – a field survey comparing similar streams containing trout or now fish, and a mesocosm study evaluating the potential for trophic cascades under varying levels of shade.

IDs and People

Program:

River Landscapes

Program Theme:

National Rivers Consortium

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

UTA9

Researchers:

Dr Leon Barmuta

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Rivers and Wetlands

Keywords:

Brown Trout

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Australian water entitlements

superuser — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:01:29 +0000

With the Australian Government acquiring and holding water entitlements, this project examined water entitlements in areas of interest and assessed their suitability for acquisition to achieve environmental outcomes, for the department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

IDs and People

Program:

Environmental Water Allocation

Program Theme:

Environmental Water Allocation

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

WMK008137

Host Organisation:

Land and Water Australia

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Knowledge needs for the Environmental Water Allocation R&D Program

superuser — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:15:00 +0000

The Environmental Water Allocation Program engages with water managers and regional communities to build upon knowledge required for managing our rivers and waterways in a healthy state. This foundation project gram examined knowledge needs for the Program.

IDs and People

Program:

Environmental Water Allocation

Program Theme:

Environmental water allocation in poorly understood aquatic ecosystems across Australia

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

SKP16

Host Organisation:

Land and Water Australia

Researchers:

Sinclair Knight Merz

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Keywords:

knowledge

Needs

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Developing institutional arrangements of Indigenous participation in the National Water Initiative

superuser — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:10:14 +0000

This LWA funded project developed a research program for the Indigenous Water Policy Group to cover identified information gaps and key issues. The themes included: identification of Indigenous water rights; interactions between water markets and the customary sector; examination of international experience, frameworks and models; Indigenous economic position in water use and markets; representation on environmental bodies; communication; and scrutiny of water services, maintenance and delivery. The project was based on the observation that while the National Water Initiative offers some economic opportunity for Indigenous communities, the NWI provisions are discretionary.

IDs and People

Program:

Social and Institutional Research Program

Program Theme:

Social and Institutional Research

Research Type:

Research Project

LWA Project Code:

0071001

Host Organisation:

Land and Water Australia

Subjects

Subjects:

Indigenous

Water (General)

Keywords:

Policy

Water

Economic

Indigenous

group

Current Activities

Status:

Complete