QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
Last Name
First Name
Country
Day
Time
Theatre
Abal
Eva
Australia
Tuesday
1430
Auditorium
Abu Bakar
Azizi
Malaysia
Monday
1100
P10
Adkins
Peter
Australia
Tuesday
1630
P8
Ahmed
Imtiaz
Sri Lanka
Wednesday
1400
P8
Allen
Stephen
Australia
Tuesday
1130
Auditorium
Alletson
Tom
Australia
Monday
1130
P9
Amparo
Jennifer Marie S
Australia
Wednesday
1030
Auditorium
Amparo
Jennifer Marie S
Australia
Wednesday
1220
Auditorium
Arthington
Angela
Australia
Monday
1520
P10
Bachmann
Mark
Australia
Wednesday
1400
P9
Bansuan
Abdula
Philippines
Monday
1550
P11
Barnett
Cynthia
Tuesday
1300
P11
Bhaduri
Anik
Germany/A
ustralia
Tuesday
1030
P10
Birtles
Phillip
Australia
Wednesday
1520
P9
Bond
Nick
Australia
Monday
1500
P10
Boyd
Tamara
Australia
Monday
1550
P10
Brandeis
Amos
Israel
Tuesday
1130
P9
Brandeis
Amos
Israel
Tuesday
1630
P9
Paper Title
Special Session: Protecting
the Great Barrier Reef
through its rivers
Development of Eco-Heart
Indicator for water quality
status and riverine
community awareness
Multiple benefits of a
constructed stormwater
treatment wetland
Keynote Presentation: People
of Many Rivers: Tales from
the riverbanks
Special Session: Best practice
for engaging indigenous
people in water management
and planning: The AWI
Experience
Riverbank erosion
stabilisation, ecosystem
service enhancement and
infrastructure protection. Can
you always get what you
want?
Social learning IRBM
Speed talk: Systems thinking
as a tool in managing conflict,
cooperation and collective
action in Integrated River
Basin Management
Keynote Presentation:
Contributions of e-flows
science to river conservation
and restoration
Restoration of upper Wannon
River floodplain wetlands in
the southern Grampian,
Victoria
Speed talk: IRF's challenges
and strategies of aggregating
actors in Addalam River
catchment
Literature Keynote: RAIN - A
history for stormy times
International Forum:
Sustainable Water Future
Program
The value of waterway health
to the residential community
in two urban Sydney
catchments
A framework for rapid
appraisal of environmental
flow requirements amid
emerging development
pressures
Speed talk: Valuing social
benefits of Victorian
waterway management environmental works and
watering
Special Session: Restoring by
Sharing - The IRF Twinning
Workshop
Keynote Presentation: River
restoration in the Middle
East: No politics - just sewage
Program Focus
Integrated River Basin
Management
Sustainable development
of rivers
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Integrated River Basin
Management
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Linking people, rivers and
business
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Brooks
Matthew
Australia
Wednesday
1440
P10
Bunn
Stuart
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P10
Burford
Michele
Australia
Monday
1420
P10
Burrows
Damien
Australia
Monday
1120
P11
Carmody
Emma
Australia
Wednesday
1400
Auditorium
Cavanagh
Kaye
Australia
Wednesday
1400
Auditorium
Chapman
Colin
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P9
Chartres
Colin
Australia
Monday
1630
P8
Chipofya
Victor
Malawi
Tuesday
1520
P10
Cleary
Anne
Australia
Wednesday
1110
Auditorium
Clunie
Pam
Australia
Wednesday
1520
P10
Cunningham
Dan
Australia
Monday
1210
P9
Daniell
Katherine
Australia
Tuesday
1400
Auditorium
Dark
Lara
Australia
Monday
1550
P8
Dearnley
Carrie
Australia
Tuesday
1630
Auditorium
Dennison
Bill
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P8
Dickson
Rhondda
Australia
Monday
1100
Auditorium
Dielenberg
Jaana
Australia
Wednesday
1130
Auditorium
Dissanayake
Lalitha
Sri Lanka
Wednesday
1420
P9
Dixit
Doolan
Ajaya
Jane
Nepal
Australia
Monday
Monday
1440
1630
P8
P8
Using the geofabric in
decision support for
wetlands, modelling and
accessing water observations
data
International Forum:
Sustainable Water Future
Program
The importance of
environmental flows for
coastal fisheries
Managing aquatic values in
the Burdekin irrigation area lessons for future Northern
development
Special Session: Promoting
leadership - Multiple paths
leading in one direction
Special Session: Promoting
leadership - Multiple paths
leading in one direction
Special Session: Waste to
Resource as a way of
improving the river
environment
Special Session: The
Australian Water Partnership:
What is it, strategic directions
and outcomes?
Issues and challenges of
wastewater treatment and
their impacts on river
systems in Malawi
Understanding links between
waterway management and
community health
Finbox - the demonstration
reach toolbox for waterways
managers
Restoring the banks of the
Cooks River - concrete
channel to natural waterway
Keynote Presentation:
Integration through
engagement: building bridges
between people and their
cultures
Speed talk: Operational
Sediment Basins: More than
just water quality devices
Bridging the silos of land-use
planning and floodplain
management
International Forum:
Waterway Health Report
Cards
International Forum: Large
River Basins Forum
Communicating for success in
environmental programs
Urban stream corridors:
environmental status and
restoration strategies, case of
three tributaries in Upper
Mahaweli River, Sri Lanka
Keynote Presentation:
Scattered blues: Recovering
resilience of stressed water
ecosystem
Special Session: The
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Linking people, rivers and
business
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Adapting to Change
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Integrated River Basin
Management
Adapting to Change
Integrated River Basin
Management
Adapting to Change
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Doolan
Jane
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P10
Dreverman
David
Australia
Wednesday
1450
P8
Driver
Alastair
UK
Monday
1100
P9
Driver
Alastair
UK
Tuesday
1030
P8
Driver
Alastair
UK
Tuesday
1130
P9
Dutta
Sunil
Australia
Wednesday
1420
P10
Evans
Claire
Australia
Tuesday
1130
Auditorium
Farrow
Tyler
UK/Africa
Tuesday
1030
P8
Farrow
Tyler
UK/Africa
Wednesday
1030
P11
Finlayson
Max
Australia
Tuesday
930
P11
Finlayson
Max
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P8
Flint
Nicole
Australia
Monday
1710
P10
Foresman
Tim
Wednesday
1150
Auditorium
Gawith
Andrew
Australia
New
Zealand
Tuesday
1440
P11
Gawne
Ben
Australia
Monday
1400
P10
Gell
Gell
Peter
Peter
Australia
Australia
Tuesday
Tuesday
1030
1650
P8
P8
Gippel
Christopher
Australia/C
hina
Monday
1440
P10
Glennie
Paul
Australia
Monday
1120
P8
Goto
Katsuhiro
Japan
Tuesday
1400
P9
Grafton
Quentin
Australia
Wednesday
1500
Auditorium
Australian Water Partnership:
What is it, strategic directions
and outcomes?
Keynote Presentation: The
imperative of demonstrating
progress
Winning the war against
salinity in the Murray-Darling
river system
Keynote Presentation:
Multiple benefits of river
restoration
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
Special Session: Restoring by
Sharing - The IRF Twinning
Workshop
National water accounts
Special Session: Best practice
for engaging indigenous
people in water management
and planning: The AWI
Experience
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
International Forum: Asia
Pacific Water Stewardship
Forum
Keynote Presentation: State
of global wetlands and
implications for the
Sustainable Development
Goals
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
Efficient environmental
monitoring of a large and
variable Australian river basin
Keynote Presentation: Citizen
science and digital earth
technology for river
resuscitation
Dumb growth damages rivers
The Murray-Darling Basin
Environmental Water and
Knowledge research project
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
Wetland services
Development and
implementation of
environmental flow policy to
protect livelihoods and
ecosystem health in Lao PDR
under the situation of rapid
hydropower development
Transboundary river basins
assessment
Special Session: River
restoration in Asia
Risk and opportunities
assessment for decision
making for healthy rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Adapting to Change
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Adapting to Change
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Adapting to Change
Linking people, rivers and
business
Adapting to Change
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Sustainable development
of rivers
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Sustainable development
of rivers
Adapting to Change
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Integrated River Basin
Management
Grazkiewicz
Zuzanna
Australia
Wednesday
1520
P10
Guthrie
Susan
New
Zealand
Tuesday
1110
Auditorium
Hafeez
Mohsin
Australia
Wednesday
1400
P10
Harris
Virginia
Australia
Wednesday
1210
P9
Hasanati
Surani
Indonesia
Tuesday
1500
P10
He
Daming
China
Monday
1650
Auditorium
Hearne
Declan
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P11
Hemming
Steven
Australia
Monday
1710
Auditorium
Henry
Nyssa
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P8
Higgins
Roger
Australia
Monday
1400
P11
Hillman
Rod
Australia
Monday
1200
P11
Hinson
Sandy
Australia
Wednesday
1400
Auditorium
Hodges
Sean
New
Zealand
Wednesday
1520
P10
Hornich
Rudolph
Austria
Wednesday
1150
P9
Horwitz
Pierre
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P8
Inguane
Ronaldo
Mozambiqu
e
Wednesday
1100
P10
Ivezich
Misko
Australia
Monday
1530
P8
Jang
Suk-Kwan
Korea
Tuesday
1400
P9
Jiang
Xiaohui
China
Monday
1220
P8
A state model of river
ecosystem health for
evaluating riparian
vegetation restoration
options
Moving beyond ownership,
the benefits of applying
indigenous values
An overview of the Bureau's
operational AWRA river
model for sustainable
development of river systems
across Australia
Corridors of opportunity:
embedding waterways into
the social fabric of
Melbourne
River school program:
education and empowering
river bank children in Code
River, Yogyakarta Special
Region
Facilitation transboundary
rivers towards sustainability
in Asian Mainland
International Forum: Asia
Pacific Water Stewardship
Forum
Ngarrindjeri speaking as
country: innovations in
indigenous engagement in
water
International Forum:
Waterway Health Report
Cards
Keynote Presentation:
Catchments, Mines and
Communities - an integrated
catchment management
imperative for mining
Keynote Presentation:
Ecotourism - If it's not your
business it should be!
Special Session: Promoting
leadership - Multiple paths
leading in one direction
Land, air, water Aotearoa: A
world first in national water
reporting
Urban river restoration and
flood risk management in
Styria/Austria
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
Decentralized water
resources management in
Mozambique: challenges of
implementation at the river
basin level
Mary River - Understanding
processes and values to
inform planning and
restoration
Special Session: River
restoration in Asia
Analysis and evaluation of
the Heihe River water
diversion plan scheme
adaptability
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Integrated River Basin
Management
Adapting to Change
Linking people, rivers and
business
Linking people, rivers and
business
Integrated River Basin
Management
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Adapting to Change
Sustainable development
of rivers
Adapting to Change
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Adapting to Change
Johnston
Robyn
Myanmar/S
ri Lanka
Juarez
Andrea
Philippines
Monday
1510
P8
Kelsey
Heath
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P8
Kemp
Brian
Canada
Monday
1150
P9
Koch
Greg
Tuesday
1030
P11
Kumar
Anu
USA
Australia/In
dia
Monday
1120
P10
Lauder
Michelle
Australia
Tuesday
1630
P11
Lawson
James
Australia
Monday
1220
P10
Leslie
Marcus
Australia
Tuesday
1130
Auditorium
Wednesday
1510
P8
Liao
Kuei-Hsien
Hong Kong
Wednesday
1500
P9
Limaye
Shrikant
India
Tuesday
1540
P11
Linnegar
Matt
Australia
Tuesday
1200
P11
LipsettMoore
Geoff
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P8
Lovett
Siwan
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P8
Lowis
Bill
Australia
Monday
1140
P10
Maennicke
Oliver
Australia
Tuesday
1120
P11
Magudu
Kholosa
South Africa
Monday
1550
P8
Malthus
Tim
Australia
Wednesday
1220
Auditorium
Markham
Andy
Australia
Monday
1650
P11
Markham
Andy
Australia
Tuesday
1720
P9
McIntyre
Neil
Australia
Monday
1510
P11
McLeod
Tony
Australia
Monday
1100
Auditorium
Myanmar Healthy Rivers
Initiative - Thalwin and
Ayeyarwady Rivers
Risk-benefit assessment for
Integrated Flood
Management: supporting
sustainable livelihoods in
Candaba, Philippines
International Forum:
Waterway Health Report
Cards
Adaptive management
strategies - making it work
Keynote Presentation:
Collective Action on the
Yangtze
Safe water for the future
through Indo-Oz Network
Northern Australia water
infrastructure
Speed talk: Heterogenous
flows foster heterogeneous
assemblages
Special Session: Best practice
for engaging indigenous
prople in water management
and planning: The AWI
Experience
The potential to increase
riverine ecosystem services in
high-density Asian cities
River Basin Management:
Actions at field level are
necessary
Keynote Presentation:
Leaders making healthy rivers
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
The mighty Burdekin River catchment to the sea
Assessing water risk and
corporate water stewardship
Speed talk: The role of
naturally functioning
ecosystems in improving instream water quality in urban
areas
Speed talk: Earth observation
based technologies to assist
algal management in rivers
and lakes
Environmental Values in the
Finniss River downstream of
the Former Rum Jungle
Mines
Speed talk: The Nerang River
- Can improvements in both
water security and
environmental outcomes be
achieved?
Capacity for mining impacts
on rivers
International Forum: Large
River Basins Forum
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Linking people, rivers and
business
Sustainable development
of rivers
Linking people, rivers and
business
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Linking people, rivers and
business
Linking people, rivers and
business
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Sustainable development
of rivers
Linking people, rivers and
business
Adapting to Change
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Linking people, rivers and
business
Integrated River Basin
Management
McLeod
Tony
Tuesday
1540
P10
Mahala
Australia
Australia/U
K
McLinidn
Monday
1650
P10
Milla
Rob
Australia
Tuesday
1140
P11
Mixap
Bounthavivanh
Laos
Wednesday
day
1220
P10
Moggridge
Bradley
Australia
Tuesday
1130
Auditorium
Moggridge
Bradley
Australia
Tuesday
1130
Auditorium
Moran
Chris
Australia
Monday
1530
P11
Morison
Peter
Australia
Monday
1140
P11
Moulden
Bill
Australia
Wednesday
1520
Auditorium
Mowat
Jessica
Australia
Wednesday
1530
P8
Mylrea
Cathy
Australia
Monday
1420
P8
Norman
Chris
Australia
Wednesday
1140
P10
O'Brien
Matthew
Australia
Monday
1630
P10
Pahl-Wostl
Claudia
Germany
Tuesday
1030
P10
Parker
Anna
Australia
Tuesday
1400
P11
Perrons
Robert
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P9
Perry
Darren
Australia
Tuesday
1050
Auditorium
Pescott
Michael
Australia
Tuesday
1100
P11
Peters
Greg
Australia
Tuesday
1650
Auditorium
Pexton
Hannah
Australia
Tuesday
1710
P8
Dealing with climate change
in the 2012 Basin Plan and
into the future
Environmental Flows: A
realistic goal for Africa?
Grower focussed extension to
deliver water quality and
profitability outcomes
Speed talk: Achieving water
and energy nexus: Who and
how to persuade
Special Session: Best practice
for engaging indigenous
prople in water management
and planning: The AWI
Experience
Special Session: Best practice
for engaging indigenous
people in water management
and planning: The AWI
Experience
Global mining
Understanding the public
value of Melbourne's
waterways
Trading water delivers social
and environmental outcomes
at reduced economic cost
Speed talk: Achieving
wetland restoration through
community participation and
effective planning at council
reserves
Recovering from the 2013
floods, Burnett and Kolan
Rivers
It's more than adding water The Tri-State Southern Connected Basin Alliance
Umbrella Environmental
Assets: establishing
environmental water
requirements in the MurrayDarling Basin
International Forum:
Sustainable Water Future
Program
Embedding native fish
recovery within a vibrant
irrigation district
Special Session: Waste to
Resource as a way of
improving the river
environment
Seeking Water Justice:
Aboriginal economic
entitlements and basin
management
Applying a values-based
stewardship model to river
management
Holistic framework for
management of rivers,
estuaries and wetlands at the
regional level
Journey of Melbourne's
stormwater quality wetlands
- a positive but cautionary
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Linking people, rivers and
business
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Linking people, rivers and
business
Integrated River Basin
Management
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Linking people, rivers and
business
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Integrated River Basin
Management
Adapting to Change
Pinon
Caroline
Philippines
Wednesday
1220
Auditorium
Pittock
Jamie
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P11
Podger
Geoff
Australia
Wednesday
1500
P10
Price
Krey
Australia
Monday
1430
P11
Price
Cassie
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P8
Ramos
Reynaldo
Philippines
Tuesday
1700
P9
Raymond
Scott
Australia
Tuesday
1720
P9
Reid
Jacque
Australia
Monday
1220
P10
Richmond
Sarah
Australia
Wednesday
1520
P10
Ridge
RiosVillamizar
Kathy
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P8
Eduardo Antonio
Brazil
Monday
1400
Auditorium
RiosVillamizar
Eduardo Antonio
Brazil
Monday
1630
Auditorium
Rollason
Russell
Australia
Monday
1630
P8
Rollason
Russell
Australia
Tuesday
1400
P10
Schoeman
Jess
Australia
Wednesday
1220
P10
Schrimer
Jacki
Australia
Wednesday
1050
Auditorium
Seng
Sophak
Cambodia
Tuesday
1500
P11
Shah
Thark Bahadur
Nepal
Monday
1550
P11
Sharpe
Richard
Australia
Wednesday
1530
P8
Shrestha
Arun B.
Nepal
Monday
1100
P8
tale
Speed talk: Systems thinking
as a tool in managing conflict,
cooperation and collective
action in Integrated River
Basin Management
International Forum: Asia
Pacific Water Stewardship
Forum
Best practice implementation
of river basin models to
support Integrated Basin
Management
Evaluation of modelling
approaches to assess longterm impacts of valley floor
mining
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
Rehabilitation the Pasig River
and its tributaries: Strategies
and challenges
Speed talk: The cumulative
benefits of multiple river
restoration strategies
enhance Murray cod
Speed talk: An economic
analysis of riparian
vegetation restoration in
South East Queensland
Open river
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
International Forum: Large
River Basins Forum
New insights into the
limnological classification of
major Amazonian rivers:
subsidies for water resources
management
Special Session: The
Australian Water Partnership:
What is it, strategic directions
and outcomes?
Water for life: Setting
priorities
Speed talk: Governing for
sustainability in a changing
environment: lessons from
the Lachlan River
Perceptions of environmental
watering in the MurrayDarling Basin
The challenges for irrigated
farmers sharing limited water
resources from Monkul Borey
River, Cambodia
Speed talk: Karnali River
bank, more activity for
income
Speed talk: Managing river
bank erosion - a strategy for
the South Pine River
Will climate change impact
the water availability in the
Hindu Kush Himalaya?
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Sustainable development
of rivers
Linking people, rivers and
business
Adapting to Change
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Adapting to Change
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Adapting to Change
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Linking people, rivers and
business
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Simon
Michael
Australia/M
ekong
Wednesday
1120
P10
Simonov
Evgeny
China
Monday
1710
P11
Siziba
Nqobizitha
Nigeria
Wednesday
1130
P9
Smith
Mark Stafford
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P10
Smith
Philip
Australia
Tuesday
1710
Auditorium
Smith
Tanzi
Australia
Wednesday
1400
Auditorium
Soal
Elizabeth
New
Zealand
Tuesday
1420
P11
Soal
Elizabeth
New
Zealand
Wednesday
1030
P11
Southgate
Paula
New
Zealand
Wednesday
1200
P10
Speed
Robert
Australia
Wednesday
1440
P9
Spencer
Michael
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P11
Stewardson
Michael
Australia
Monday
1100
P11
Sullivan
Caroline
Australia
Tuesday
830
P11
Sundstorm
Johnny
USA
Tuesday
1130
P9
Susarla
Lavanya
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P9
Townsend
Toze
Phil
Simon
Australia
Australia
Tuesday
Wednesday
1710
1430
P11
P8
Trang
Huynh
Australia
Monday
1450
P11
Treweeke
Rory
Australia
Monday
1100
Auditorium
Truong
Hong Tien
Vietnam
Monday
1400
Auditorium
Truong
Hong Tien
Vietnam
Tuesday
1420
P10
Tsuchiya
Nobuyuki
Japan
Tuesday
1400
P9
Udy
James
Australia
Tuesday
1650
P11
Inclusive water governance hearing women and
downstream Mekong
communities
Can transboundary basins
shared with China and Russia
withstand Mongolia's mining
boom?
Macroinvertebrate traits - or
taxonomic-based approach
for evaluating the effects of
urban wastewater
International Forum:
Sustainable Water Future
Program
The Bremer River Fund - an
alternative partnership
mechanism for the delivery
of waterway improvement
Special Session: Promoting
leadership - Multiple paths
leading in one direction
Resolving over-allocation in a
small catchment - the
Maerewhenua story
International Forum: Asia
Pacific Water Stewardship
Forum
The Mighty Waikato River:
The new co-governance
approach to managing a
national resource
A strategic approach to basinscale river restoration in
China
International Forum: Asia
Pacific Water Stewardship
Forum
Variation in the capacity of
river networks to deliver
ecosystem services
Healthy economies - healthy
rivers?
Special Session: Restoring by
Sharing - The IRF Twinning
Workshop
Special Session: Waste to
Resource as a way of
improving the river
environment
Community input on the role
of water in local economies
Water quality scorecards
Monitoring bioavailability of
metals and metalloids in river
water receiving mine water
discharge
International Forum: Large
River Basins Forum
International Forum: Large
River Basins Forum
Essential ingredients of the
Integrated River Basin
Management and how it
applies to the Mekong River
Basin
Special Session: River
restoration in Asia
Reporting on the livelihood
benefits of South East
Sustainable development
of rivers
Linking people, rivers and
business
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Linking people, rivers and
business
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Linking people, rivers and
business
Linking people, rivers and
business
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Linking people, rivers and
business
Adapting to Change
Linking people, rivers and
business
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Linking people, rivers and
business
Udy
James
Australia
Wednesday
1030
P8
Vogel
Vorosmarty
Stacey
Charles
Australia
USA
Tuesday
Tuesday
1520
900
P11
P11
Vorosmarty
Charles
USA
Tuesday
P10
Wada
Akira
Japan
Tuesday
1030
140
0
Walker
Scott
Monday
1400
P8
Wallbrink
Peter
Australia
Australia/As
ia
Tuesday
1440
P10
Walpole
Sandra
Wednesday
1050
Auditorium
Wardle
Bernie
Australia
Australia/La
os
Monday
1630
P11
WateneRawiri
Erina
New
Zealand
Tuesday
1030
Auditorium
WateneRawiri
Erina
New
Zealand
Tuesday
1130
Auditorium
Wearing
Cameron
Australia
Monday
1200
P10
Weber
Tony
Australia
Tuesday
1630
P10
Weller
Philip
Australia
Tuesday
1530
P9
Wells
Adrian
Australia
Tuesday
1030
P8
Williams
Erica
New
Zealand
Tuesday
1030
Auditorium
Williams
Erica
New
Zealand
Tuesday
1130
Auditorium
Woods
Rene
Australia
Tuesday
1130
Auditorium
Xaiyasarn
Ketsana
Laos
Monday
1140
P8
Yao
Wenyi
China
Monday
1220
P8
Yoo
Ji-Young
Korea
Tuesday
1400
P9
P9
Queensland's Waterways
International Forum:
Waterway Health Report
Cards
Carbon neutral cotton farms valuing riparian
environments
A sustainable water future
International Forum:
Sustainable Water Future
Program
Special Session: River
restoration in Asia
Improved system for flood
warning
SDIP and South Asia
Perceptions of environmental
watering in the MurrayDarling Basin
Environmental Stewardship
on the NamMo River, Laos
Indigenous co-management
of freshwater fisheries
resources in Aotearoa, New
Zealand
Special Session: Best practice
for engaging indigenous
prople in water management
and planning: The AWI
Experience
Shaping the future
development of SEQ rivers
for sustainable drinking water
supply
Special Session: Seconds to
seasons - predicting the many
FACES of water movement in
the Brisbane River Basin
Keynote Presentation: The
European experience in
restoring rivers, providing
water services and ensuring
multiple uses and valies: The
case of the Danube River
International Forum: Wetland
Futures: Economies and
social justice
Indigenous co-management
of freshwater fisheries
resources in Aotearoa, New
Zealand
Special Session: Best practice
for engaging indigenous
people in water management
and planning: The AWI
Experience
Special Session: Best practice
for engaging indigenous
people in water management
and planning: The AWI
Experience
Impact of climate change on
river discharge in Nam Sane
River Basin in Lao PDR
Analysis of runoff and
sediment regimes changes in
the Yellow River
Special Session: River
restoration in Asia
Adapting to Change
Linking people, rivers and
business
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Adapting to Change
Sustainable development
of rivers
Integrated River Basin
Management
Linking people, rivers and
business
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Sustainable development
of rivers
Sustainable development
of rivers
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Adapting to Change
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Integrated River Basin
Management
Adapting to Change
Adapting to Change
Restoring rivers and their
multiple values
Young
Phil
Australia
Monday
1200
P8
Design outcomes of the land
use policies of City Plan 2014
Adapting to Change
CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS
DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-HEART INDICATOR FOR WATER QUALITY STATUS AND RIVERINE
COMMUNITY AWARENESS
Azizi Abu Bakar
University of Malaya
Concurrent Speakers
A comprehensive as well as effective analysis is required to convey water quality status of surface
source water. Thus, communication gaps among scientist, policy makers and riverine community
hopefully could be narrowed. We tested six essential water quality parameters listed in the
Department of Environment-Water Quality Index classification into a single-shape indicator and
easy-to-comprehend form termed as Eco-Heart Indicator (EHI). Apart from that, the identified water
quality readings at Selangor River also tested for the development of EHI in order to substantiate the
effectiveness of the indicator. Ideal readings on each parameter ensemble a heart shape as a single
score, which represent a healthy water quality status. Result in other shapes reflecting divergent of
certain parameters against its optimum level. This EHI is intuitively close to public understanding
compared to the prevalent index, which is complex. Moreover, EHI could be an effective tool for
public as well as experts to communicate on surface source water quality status.
MULTIPLE BENEFITS OF A CONSTRUCTED STORMWATER TREATMENT WETLAND
Peter Adkins
Swan River Trust
Concurrent Speakers
The Wharf Street Wetland and Civic Parklands were constructed in late 2008 through a $2.3 million
partnership between the local council, state government agencies and sub-regional group. The
project is designed to improve local water quality, enhance native animal habitat and to improve
amenity of an under-utilised parkland site adjacent to the Canning River in suburban Perth, Western
Australia.
The project consists of a one hectare surface and subsurface flow constructed wetland contained
within a four hectare parkland site. Aside from the wetland, other key elements of the project
include:
•
restoration of a 365m section of degraded Canning River foreshore including installation of a
canoe launching area and river viewing platform to guide public access to the river;
•
revegetation of the site with approximately 100,000 locally native plants of 66 different
species to improve local biodiversity and link the site to the adjacent Canning River Regional
Park; and
•
creation of a network of pathways with facilities including a gazebo, barbeque, seating, bins
and significant expanses of grassland to encourage recreation activities.
Since construction, the wetland has been rigorously monitored to determine its effectiveness in
improving water quality. Data from grab and event sampling shows the wetland is functioning as
designed reducing the pollutants entering the Canning River since its construction.
Monitoring data will be presented, as will an overview of the other benefits of the system. The
wetland and surrounding parkland provide an excellent demonstration site for practitioners to see
what has worked well and what has not to encourage the uptake of this approach to water sensitive
urban design.
RIVERBANK EROSION STABILISATION, ECOSYSTEM SERVICE ENHANCEMENT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION. CAN YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT?
Tom Alletson
Tweed Shire Council
Concurrent Speakers
The Tweed River Catchment extends from World Heritage Listed rainforests in the border ranges to
the tidal wetlands of its estuarine reach. The river delivers varied and valuable ecosystem services
which fundamentally underpin the economy and liveability of the Tweed Shire. This presentation
focuses on the relationship between river bank erosion, public infrastructure and ecosystem
services, and highlights some techniques and challenges in managing erosion risk and implementing
sustainable approaches to bank stabilisation.
Tweed River bank erosion threatens critical public infrastructure in two key areas - water supply and
transport. These impacts are currently severe, and will worsen under the predicted impact of
climate change. Managing bank erosion requires a balance between protection of ecosystem
services and the protection of assets. River bank erosion stabilisation can be to the benefit, or
detriment of ecosystem services.
This presentation provides two case studies:
(1) A successful example of Council tackling upper catchment river bank erosion and its impact on
potable water source quality, utilising a sustainable funding source, in a manner that acknowledges
and promotes the value and public benefit of the river ecosystem services being provided.
(2) The impact of estuary river bank erosion on road infrastructure. Mapping and assessment of
erosion risk has highlighted that road protection costs may amount to $9,000,000 over ten years.
Application of rock armour, the traditional approaches to erosion stabilisation, could dramatically
impact upon the highly regarded ecosystem services provided by the river. Current best practice
bio-engineering approaches to river bank stabilisation are being mandated for road protection
works, but may not be able to be applied in many areas.
Bank erosion and its potential to disrupt infrastructure will be a critical issue in many rivers in
Australia over the ensuing decades. It will be crucial for ecosystem services to be considered when
responding to erosion, both in the allocation of resource to projects and in the design of solutions.
Finding sustainable solutions to address the impacts of river bank erosion is a significant challenge,
finding sustainable funding mechanisms to deal with the scale of the issue even more so.
SOCIAL LEARNING IN INTEGRATED RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES
Jennifer Marie S. Amparo
ANU late
Concurrent Speakers
Social learning is an important approach in an integrated natural resource management like the
integrated river basin management that deals with multiple stakeholders, diverse use and values on
the river, uncertainty and changes. There are a number of factors that promotes or hinder social
learning. These factors include: the role of stakeholder involvement, politics and institutions,
platforms for interaction, motivation and skills of leaders and facilitators, openness and
transparency, representativeness, framing of issues and resources. Aside from identifying factors
affecting social learning, it is also important to understand the facilitation of collaborative processes
and how it promotes social learning.
This paper presents the experiences of two integrated river basin management in a developing
country like the Philippines – Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River System Water Quality
Management Area in Bulacan, Philippines and the Calumpang River Basin, Batangas, Philippines. The
water quality in both river systems have been declining due to organic and toxic hazardous wastes
indiscriminately dumped by livestock and agricultural farms and industries located along the river
systems. The initial impetus to integrate efforts to rehabilitate the river system in the two case sites
came from the local governments of the area and was later on supported by regional and
international organizations primarily through technical assistance and facilitating the integration
process. The paper will highlight the key lessons and challenges on facilitating collaborative
processes by both internal and external institutions, formalizing and institutionalizing social learning
in IRBM. These include: collaborative framing, resources, mainstreaming social learning platforms in
existing IRBM and local development plans, transdisciplinarity, and political support.
RESTORATION OF UPPER WANNON RIVER FLOODPLAIN WETLANDS IN THE SOUTHERN
GRAMPIANS, VICTORIA
Mark Bachmann
Concurrent Speakers
The project encompasses a series of four floodplain wetlands of the upper Wannon River, near
Dunkeld in the southern Grampians region of south west Victoria. These wetlands (Walker,
Gooseneck, Brady and Duck Pond Swamps) straddle private and public land near the southern
boundary of the Grampians National Park.
In the 1950s, artificial channels were constructed to drain these wetlands with the goal of increasing
agricultural productivity, as they were privately owned and farmed (grazed) at that time. Like many
catchment activities in that era, downstream and local impacts weren’t sufficiently taken into
account at the time - but times have changed.
Land purchases by the Victorian Government in the 1980s led to a large portion of these wetlands
becoming public land contiguous with the Grampians NP, and the remaining private landholders
who own the balance of the wetland area have actively supported these wetlands being
permanently re-instated for many years. Despite this support, restoration works were delayed by a
number of local socio-political factors, plus uncertainty over (a) responsibility for the works and (b)
the appropriate methods for achieving restoration.
To address these concerns, a series of restoration trials were successfully implemented in 2013 and
2014 by Nature Glenelg Trust, in the form of temporary geo-fabric sandbag weirs built with broad
community support. A subsequent grant from the Victorian Government enabled the project to
rapidly progress to permanent reinstatement of the hydrological regime of three wetlands, through
the backfilling of artificial drains in 2015, while a restoration trial continues at the fourth.
The presentation will explain how the project addressed the social aspects of wetland restoration,
provide a highly visual overview of the practical aspects of the wetland restoration trials and
permanent works, and summarise the ecological monitoring that is in place to measure project
success.
THE VALUE OF WATERWAY HEALTH TO THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY IN TWO URBAN SYDNEY
CATCHMENTS
Phillip Birtles
Concurrent Speakers
The desire to create and maintain liveable urban environments is a focal point of urban policy in
Australia. Natural environments within the city are being increasingly considered as providers of
community wellbeing and have been encapsulated in concepts such as the Water Sensitive Cities
paradigm.
In Sydney, the management of waterways is a focus for governments and land management
organisations for the protection, maintenance and improvement of river and creek health. Millions
of dollars are spent each year on activities ranging from litter collection, re-vegetation, stormwater
pollution arrestment and conversion of concrete lined drains to more natural creek and foreshore
forms.
Despite this, there is lack of robust research to understand the value of improved waterway health
to the residential community. Within this context, the potential for alternate city outcomes are
hampered due to lack of robust evidence and tools to justify new approaches (Nation Water
Commission 2011).
In this presentation, we describe an innovative project that uses three non-market valuation
techniques to estimate people’s preferences for improvements in waterway health in two of
Sydney’s urban catchments. The project is divided into the following studies:
1.
Hedonic Property Valuation model study
2.
Random Utility Travel Cost Study
3.
Stated Preference Study
The project will continue till 2018, however, the initial results of the Hedonic study are detailed in
this presentation.
A FRAMEWORK FOR RAPID APPRAISAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW REQUIREMENTS AMID
EMERGING DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES
Nick Bond
Griffith University
Concurrent Speakers
Environmental flows are increasingly being recognized as an essential element of water planning,
but in many countries methodologies for determining environmental flow needs are in their infancy.
Within Latin America rapid expansion of agriculture and mining is placing increased stress on water
resources, and poses a growing threat not just to aquatic ecosystems but also the livelihoods of
many communities that depend on rivers. The often-rapid pace of development coupled with limited
resources necessitates quick and transferable methods that can be used to quantify environmental
flow needs in a transparent and repeatable fashion. Here we outline the application of such an
approach to the Rio Ocoña, a large coastal river in southern Peru subject to a proposed hydroelectric
dam and power generation facility. The Rio Ocoña supports one of the few remaining populations of
the Peruvian river shrimp and supports an important local fishery. We conducted a field assessment
of the river, including meetings with local communities to identify their values and knowledge of the
river. We synthesised this information with existing hydrologic and published ecological data, and
used this to develop conceptual models linking hydrologic variability with dominant biophysical
processes. This information was then used to develop preliminary recommendations regarding the
environmental flow requirements of the river, especially those aspects of the flow (and associated
ecological dependencies) most at risk from development. While further field assessments,
hydrologic and hydraulic modelling are required to fully specify a detailed environmental flow
regime for the Río Ocoña, our approach demonstrates a quick and transparent method for
identifying environmental flow regimes capable of preventing irreversible ecological impacts arising
from rapid development.
USING THE GEOFABRIC IN DECISION SUPPORT FOR THE PROTECTION OF WETLANDS
Matthew Brooks
Geofabric Project Manager
Concurrent Speakers
The Australian Hydrological Geospatial Fabric (Geofabric) is a digital database of surface and
groundwater features providing a spatial framework for water information in Australia. Designed for
use with geographic information system (GIS) software, the Geofabric product suite registers the
spatial relationships between important hydrologic features such as rivers, water bodies, wetlands,
monitoring points and catchments. In this presentation we’ll demonstrate how Geofabric products
are used to perform geospatial analysis of the flow of water throughout the nation, focussing on
surface water connectivity to wetlands, with case studies from state and commonwealth
environmental agencies.
Case studies :
1.
Australian Government Department of Environment has utilised the Geofabric to derive
upstream catchment areas for wetlands of international importance listed under the Ramsar
convention. These derived Ramsar wetland upstream catchments have been incorporated into the
Protected Matters Search Tool, providing improved guidance to stakeholders to determine whether
Ramsar wetlands, either occur in or may be potentially impacted downstream of their area of
interest. Ramsar wetlands are protected as matters of national environmental significance under the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
2.
QLD Department of Environment and Heritage Protection use the Geofabric to assign fine
scale assessment units (spatial units), group catchment boundaries hierarchically, and to assess the
contribution of catchments in the maintenance of wetlands with important ecosystem values as
criteria in their Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Methodology (AquaBAMM). The
Geofabric is also used more broadly to determine the upstream and downstream catchments from
particular points to determine point source contamination, land use impacts, and catchment
condition.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS FOR COASTAL FISHERIES
Michele Burford
Griffith University
Concurrent Speakers
Flood events typically enhance primary productivity in estuaries via the increased nutrient inputs
from land runoff. A number of studies have shown that flooding in estuaries links with fisheries catch
for a range of species, including banana prawns, barramundi and mud crabs. In northern Australia
many of the rivers have flow regimes which have had little or no human modification. However,
proposed water extraction and regulation of rivers for agricultural purposes has the potential to
negatively impact on fisheries and associated ecosystems. Our study examined the potential effects
of changes in freshwater regime on fisheries production in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern
Australia. This area has an important banana and tiger prawn fishery.A combination of field data and
modelling approaches was used to identify why flows are important for fisheries catch. Additionally
the effect of changes in the volume of flow on fisheries production was predicted. The results have
implications for future water management strategies and managing tradeoffs between coastal
fisheries and agriculture, and determining the potential implications of climate change in flow
regimes.
MANAGING AQUATIC VALUES IN THE BURDEKIN IRRIGATION AREA – LESSONS FOR FUTURE
NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT
Damien Burrows
TropWATER / James Cook University
Concurrent Speakers
There is much public discussion about further irrigation development in northern Australia including
rhetoric about learning from lessons in other landscapes such as the Murray-Darling basin. However,
there are several major irrigation developments in northern Australia from which to draw such
lessons. A prime example is the floodplain of the Burdekin River, which supports the largest
irrigated development in northern Australia. It is also a significant contributor of runoff to the Great
Barrier Reef and adjoins an extensive Ramsar-listed wetland complex, so has been studied more
than most other tropical catchments and thus offers many examples relevant to further irrigation
development in the north. Many of the environmental issues currently being addressed were not
predicted during pre-development studies. Among these is that the Burdekin Falls Dam which
supplies the irrigation area, has been persistently turbid since it was completed in 1987, thus
similarly affecting all downstream receiving waterbodies. Despite some planning advances, such the
retention of extensive riparian buffers within development zones, aquatic condition has declined
markedly, reflecting the need for active management in maintaining these ecosystems. Ironically,
the healthiest streams are among the most hydrologically modified, demonstrating that adherence
to maintaining natural flow regimes may not be the most useful approach in heavily modified
systems and that with the ability to control water distribution comes the opportunity to improve
environmental outcomes. Over the last 15 years, a coalition of local stakeholders have worked, with
some success, to restore some of the values of the floodplain habitats. These efforts have focused
on reducing farm contaminant run-off, system-wide control of aquatic weeds and restoration of fish
passage and wetland connectivity. This presentation will review some of the key aquatic
management issues in this area, how they are being addressed, and the lessons these offer to other
potential developments in northern Australia.
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND THEIR IMPACT ON RIVER SYSTEMS
IN MALAWI
Victor Chipofya
Malawi
Concurrent Speakers
This paper reviews issues and challenges of wastewater treatment systems and their impact on river
systems in Malawi. The paper particularly focuses on the three major plants in the city of Blantyre. It
evaluates the design of the three wastewater treatment systems in the context of the ED-WAVE
tool. The paper further looks at the existing policy and regulatory framework on water resources
management in the country and how these instruments relate to the operation of the wastewater
treatment systems. The paper establishes that the design of the three wastewater treatments plants
under review confirms the practical use of case-based design and case-based reasoning principles in
the ED-WAVE tool. After encountering a new situation, already collected decision scenarios (cases)
are invoked and modified in order to arrive at a particular design alternative. What is necessary is to
appropriately modify the case arrived at through the Case Study Manager in the tool in order to
come up with a design appropriate to the local situation taking into account technical, socioeconomic and environmental aspects. The paper further establishes that the requirement to treat
wastewater in the country is underscored by the existing regulatory framework, institutional
arrangements and policy guidelines. In addition, formalized national effluent standards exist. The
paper compares pollutant levels in effluent from the three plants to Government of Malawi
standards and World Hearth Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Data on physicochemical characteristics
of the effluent was collected through a desk study. The study established that Biochemical Oxygen
Demand (BOD5) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) levels in effluent from the three major wastewater
treatment works in the city are in most cases above the recommended Malawi standards and WHO
guidelines. Levels of trace and heavy metal contaminants are all lower than the recommended
standards except for Cadmium, in the dry season effluent at Limbe wastewater treatment works. In
view of the pollution threat posed by the high levels of BOD5 from the three works, the paper
recommends that the assimilative capacity of the receiving watercourses be ascertained to
determine impact of the organic and solids loading in the final effluent upon the aquatic flora and
fauna.
UNDERSTANDING LINKS BETWEEN WATERWAY MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Anne Cleary
Griffith University
Concurrent Speakers
Interaction with nature can improve health and wellbeing, prevent disease and help people recover
from illnesses. Waterways in particular have been shown to have restorative potential (Brymer et al.,
2010, White et al., 2013). Conversely, some argue that a disconnection from nature may be
contributing to poor psychological health as well as environmentally destructive behaviour (Kellert,
1997; Conn, 1998). Given that depression is predicted to be the leading contributor to overall
disease burden by 2030 (WHO, 2011), a closer look at the links between mental health and
connectedness to nature is warranted.
Having nature in close proximity, or just knowing it exists is important to people regardless of
whether or not they are regular ‘users’ of it (Maller, 2006, Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989, Cordell et al,
1998). Restoring damaged human-nature relationships and encouraging connectedness could have
co-benefits of fostering environmental stewardship as well as combating the growing mental health
issue (Nesbit and Zelenski, 2013). Comprehensive investigations of the mental health and wellbeing
benefits of contact with nature and waterways in particular, are limited. In addition there has been
little research into how the deterioration of waterways affects human health and wellbeing and
whether this is linked to the prevalence of poor mental health in modern society (Maller, 2006).
South East Queensland has many high value waterways but they are under threat with many already
classified as being in poor condition (EHMP, 2014). Traditionally, management of waterways has had
a narrow focus on water quality indicators and outcomes. Both the nature and extent of health
benefits derived from waterways are poorly characterised and rarely reported on. Understanding
these benefits and how to optimise them through management interventions will greatly assist
waterway managers and benefit the community.
As a first step in this study a systematic review of the literature on mental health outcomes linked to
waterway interaction within a sub-tropical climate has been carried out. The results of this review
will be presented along with recommendations on where research and resources should be
targeted.
RESTORING THE BANKS OF THE COOKS RIVER – CONCRETE CHANNEL TO NATURAL WATERWAY.
Dan Cunningham
Sydney Water
Concurrent Speakers
Sydney Water have restored 1.1km of concrete riverbank along the Cooks River, Sydney Australia, to
a more natural state. This has substantially improved the ecological and aesthetic values of the
waterway as well as the social amenity of surrounding residential areas.
Seven kilometres of the highly urbanised Cooks River were concrete lined in the 1940s in an effort to
alleviate flooding and reduce water pollution. Since that time the natural values of the river have
declined due to pollution and lack of riparian remnant vegetation. This had catastrophic impact on
the aesthetics of the river which resembled an open concrete drain.
Community expectations shifted since the 1940s and the structure of the concrete deteriorated
significantly. Between 2007 and 2013 Sydney Water carried out a masterplanning exercise that
included asset inspections, hydraulic analysis, stakeholder consultation and design development in
order to undertake these works.
In 2014 Sydney Water removed sections of deteriorated concrete and undertook environmental
rehabilitation of the adjacent foreshore. The steep concrete banks were laid back to a more natural
slope and stabilised with sandstone and native plants. New saltmarsh and wetlands were created
adjacent to the riverbanks. This reconstructed a diversity of native riparian habitat types and
improved connectivity for flora and fauna between reaches of the river that were previously
disconnected. The project has resulted in a massive aesthetic improvement, with local residents
conveying much improved local area pride and positivity. The works provide social amenity, with
the provision of pathways, seating and interpretive signage. It also provides an opportunity for local
communities to reinstate a sense of place and reconnect with each other in the context of a natural
river. In addition it represents value for money considering the longer asset life expected by the
natural system and the flow-on economic benefits the restoration will realise.
FACILITATING TRANSBOUNDARY RIVERS TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY IN ASIAN MAINLAND
He Daming
Concurrent Speakers
We are going towards a water stressed, water pollution, and river ecosystem degradation world as
the global climate change and the economic globalization. Most of the transboundary rivers in Asian
Mainland originate in China and the huge runoff, over 700 billion m3, flows annually from China into
Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. The transboundary issue of water resources and ecosecurity is a big challenge for Asian Mailand sustainable development as its fast large scale geoeconomic cooperation, such as the “One Belt, One Road” with over 60 countries involved.
As a leading institution on transboundary rivers in China, Asian International Rivers Center (AIRC) has
implemented interdiscinpline innovative approach to facilitate the sustainable utilization and reduce
the transboundary impacts in international rivers between China and its 18 co-riparian countries.
Since 2000, AIRC’s major research has been focusing on utilization, allocation, and management of
water resources; dams EIA and riverine restoration; ecosystem conservation and measurements for
adapting to the change in international rivers. It has led over 100 academic projects, jointly
published over 300 articles and 16 books, submitted over 40 consult reports, which have been
widely used.
The practice of these results into the transboundary rivers’ health and reasonable utilization has
achieved great effects. The integrated regulating scheme for river eco-security has been used in the
upper Mekong, for example, one mainstream dam was concelled for fish migrating from lower
Mekong to upper Mekong, three mainstream dams’ heights were reduced significantly for fish and
landscape conservation, one dam moved and one cascade hydropwer development plan stopped for
fish migrating from mainstream to the tributory. In the upper Salween, the great river still flows
freely because of the suggestion of river conservation used.
BRIDGING THE SILOS OF LAND-USE PLANNING AND FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT
Carrie Dearnley
BMT WBM
Concurrent Speakers
Floodplain risk management and land-use planning have traditionally operated in distinct silos
resulting in poor communication, poor collaboration and ultimately a worse outcome for residents in
the floodplain. These silos are partly a result of the traditional approach to land-use planning, which
relied on a ‘line on the map’ (defined flood event) approach. Now, with a national shift to a more
holistic, risk-based approach that considers a full range of flood probabilities, there is a new
opportunity to better integrate floodplain management with land-use planning across the whole
floodplain.
BMT WBM has recently undertaken work with numerous Councils across Queensland to develop
flood risk assessments and risk maps which are specifically designed to address State Planning Policy
requirements. The maps are designed in collaboration with planners, with land-use planning
outcomes in mind. The approach builds upon a risk matrix comprised of flood event likelihoods and
hydraulic hazard categories which allows for the inclusion of a range of flood events up to the
probable maximum flood. Hazard maps from the flood events are combined via a Geographic
Information System to produce a single, continuous flood risk map which covers the entire
floodplain and intrinsically accounts for a range of flood events and the various priorities assigned to
different flood risks. The preliminary flood risk map can be further refined to account for local flood
behaviour, residual risk (such as the risk of levee overtopping) and community characteristics.
The final mapping produced by engineers in close consultation with planners, can be used by
planners as an overlay for land-use zonings to help address existing and future flood risk. The
approach is pragmatic and defendable, and ensures that technical engineering output is optimised
to enhance land-use planning outcomes. This approach, while driven by Queensland planning
requirements, can be applied in any location.
COMMUNICATING FOR SUCCESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
Jaana Dielenberg
National Environmental Research Program / Charles Darwin University
Concurrent Speakers
Communicating research effectively to the right audiences can mean the difference between having
it applied on the ground or staying in a journal. Good communication activities can also greatly
increase the support for and uptake of environmental programs. But without the support of a
communications team, where should scientists and NRM practitioners start?
In this presentation I will talk about some of the communication experiences of the Northern
Australia Hub of the Australian Government’s National Environmental Research Program. The Hub
brought together over 100 researchers from 16 organisations over four years on 17 projects that
aimed to improve biodiversity conservation in northern Australia. The hub used a diverse range of
communication and engagement approaches including; project partnerships, print and on line
resources, social media, videos, forums and briefings.
I’ll cover some of the key strategies and activities the hub used to communicate with different
audiences, including Commonwealth and state policy makers, regional NRM bodies, Indigenous land
managers and the media. In particular I will outline some of our most successful techniques for
different audiences and practical tips for a range of communication activities.
URBAN STREAM CORRIDORS: ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS AND RESTORATION STRATEGIES, CASE OF
THREE TRIBUTARIES IN UPPER MAHAWELI RIVER SRI LANKA
LalithaDissanayake
University of Peradeniya
Concurrent Speakers
Negative impacts caused by urbanization on stream corridor eco-systems are enormous and
harmful. They directly disturb the natural functions of urban stream eco-systems and are
detrimental to both biotic and non-biotic components of the environment. The aim of this research
was to assess the environmental problems using standard and local site specific parameters to
identify the different condition levels of the stream corridors. The findings of this study may help to
design optimal restoration measures for Upper Mahaweli stream corridors in Sri Lanka. The
methods used were, site selections, scaling the stream, remote sensing and geographic information
systems, chain survey, vegetation surveys, solid waste surveys, stream load surveys, water tests,
questionnaire surveys with dwellers and interviews with both dwellers and officials. They helped to
reach the specific research objectives. It helped to analyze the stresses and the restoration
requirements very efficiently. Problems induced by humans such as artificial stream modification,
changes of land use in stream corridors, human interactions with streams such as solid waste
handling and water pollution were evaluated. Forty two (42) different criteria were identified and
then used to make the research findings based on indicators that were graded and developed to
study the stream corridor ecosystem condition gradient (SCECG). The gradient figure provided
sufficient direction to identify the status of Upper Mahaweli stream corridors and also SCECG helped
to identify the stream corridor stress accordingly to the cause, effect and affect and it helped to
develop an urban stream corridor stress model, that much benefited to develop the restoration
measures (models) for Upper Mahaweli stream corridors in Sri Lanka. The major problem that was
identified in more than 90% of the stream corridor boundary lands, is that it belongs to the dwellers.
They handle the corridor activities and create many problems specifically in urban stream corridors.
To fill the gap between reality and the ideal it is essential to take immediate action that focus on the
following factors: Lack of legal and environmental awareness, institutional inefficiency, political
influences, and capital issues were dominant deficiencies. Proper institutional leadership, Ideal
stream corridor community organization, environmental education to protect the demarcated
stream corridor are the major findings and recommendations in this study.
WINNING THE WAR AGAINST SALINITY IN THE MURRAY-DARLING RIVER SYSTEM
David Dreverman
Murray-Darling Basin Authoriy
Concurrent Speakers
Salinity in the Murray-Darling Basin has long been identified as a significant issue affecting all
jurisdictions in the Basin, with the aggregate impact most apparent as higher river salinities within
the mid and lower reaches of the River Murray. The jurisdictions (Commonwealth of Australia and
states of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital
Territory) have recognised a shared responsibility in responding to salinity threat through a
partnership response with joint and state investment reflected in the Salinity and Drainage Strategy
1988–2000 and Basin Salinity Management Strategy 2001–2015. The benefit of a collaborative interjurisdictional approach has seen collective actions reducing salinity impacts as demonstrated by
achievement of the Basin Salinity Target (modelled salinity assessed as being less than 800 EC
(µS/cm) for 95% of the time) at Morgan, South Australia, since 2010. Through cooperative
management and governance, major salinity-related consequences have been avoided, providing
substantial social and economic benefits to the Basin’s communities while protecting environmental
assets and values.
The success in battling rising salinity threat in the Basin is a result of putting in place effective
management frameworks agreed by partners, and committing to consistent effort and investment
within those frameworks over a long period. Some of the key aspects of this effort worth
highlighting are:
•
carrying out targeted studies since mid-1960s to identify the key causes of rising salinity and
possible approaches to control it;
•
sharing of collected information and data with all partners;
•
developing models that are capable of assessing the impacts of development activities and
interventions to control rising river salinity;
•
investing in people for continuous knowledge improvement and to implement programs of
actions jointly and individually by all partners to achieve agreed targets;
•
implementing salinity control measures within irrigation areas;
•
constructing and operating salt interception schemes to limit saline groundwater flows into
rivers;
•
increasing dilution flows through water recovery programs;
•
ensuring the management frameworks track accountabilities of all partners, and they are
transparently governed, well-coordinated and adaptable over time.
A NATIONAL WATER ACCOUNT PERSPECTIVE IN MANAGING CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN SOUTH EAST
QUEENSLAND REGION
Sunil Dutta
Concurrent Speakers
The Bureau of Meteorology has a statutory responsibility for compiling and delivering
comprehensive water information across Australia under the Water Act 2007. The Bureau’s National
Water Account is one of the key products, which discloses information about water stores and flows,
water rights and water use. Information on the volumes of water traded, extracted and managed for
economic, social, cultural and environmental benefit is also reported. It provides detailed insight into
the management of Australia’s water resources at a national and regional level.
The National Water Account is Australia’s most comprehensive water information report for the
most recent financial year in nine nationally significant water regions, including South East
Queensland (SEQ). It discloses information on water resources, rights, availability, use, and trade for
economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits. Financial accounting principles are applied for
calculating the water balance in the reporting region. These nine regions are home to about 80% of
Australia’s population and represent 70–80% of Australia’s water use.
South East Queensland region is one of the nine regions, where high climate variability and
increasing population requires a coordinated approach to water resources planning and
management.
As a consequence of the water shortage during the millennium drought, there has been considerable
investment in securing water supply across the region to manage climate variability in the future.
This includes the establishment of the SEQ Water Grid to enhance the transfer and utilisation of
water across the region to meet increasing urban demands.
This presentation focuses on the information the SEQ region account can provide to inform policy,
planning and water availability and supply variations in the region. This includes water availability,
use and supply over recent years.
EFFICIENT ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF A LARGE AND VARIABLE AUSTRALIAN RIVER BASIN
Nicole Flint
Concurrent Speakers
At over 142,000 km2, the Fitzroy Basin in Central Queensland is Australia’s second largest seaward
draining river basin, after the Murray-Darling. The Fitzroy Partnership for River Health scores and
reports aquatic ecosystem health in the Fitzroy Basin through an annual online report card based on
an ecosystem health index. The size of the Fitzroy Basin, its geographical remoteness, and the
variability in geology, flows, water chemistry and land uses across its eleven tropical and subtropical
river catchments pose challenges formonitoring and reporting of change and resilience.
Major efficiencies are gained by the Partnership’s ability to access monitoring data supplied by
governments, regulated companies and research institutions, but much of this extensive dataset is
the result of monitoring for purposes other than ecosystem health reporting and there are
important indicators, time periods and geographical areas that are currently not well monitored.
The Partnership’s Management Committee commissioned a review of monitoring efficiency in the
Fitzroy Basin to investigate representativeness of the current program and opportunities for
improvement, which will inform decision making and prioritisation of additional monitoring. The
monitoring efficiency review took a mixed methods / multiple lines of evidence approach to
investigating representativeness, including statistical analysis of monitoring data, ArcGIS spatial
analysis of monitoring sites and waterways, consideration of current and priority future indicators,
and assessment against the Australian guidelines for water quality monitoring and reporting. We
present results of the review, including recommendations for designing efficient monitoring
frameworks for large and variable river basins.
In an economic environment where ecosystem health is likely to become less well monitored,
scientists and managers will need to work together to design monitoring and reporting programs
that can measure change and resilience in a way that is both effective… and cost effective!
DUMB GROWTH DAMAGES RIVERS
Andrew Gawith
Morgan Foundation/NZ Rivers Trust
Concurrent Speakers
A growing economy is regarded as a healthy economy, but too often growth is driven by businesses
pursuing short-term profits for their shareholders while generating long-term costs for the
environment and/or society.
The New Zealand dairy industry has grown substantially since 2000 – the number of dairy cows has
doubled and the value of dairy exports has almost quadrupled. The dairy boom has helped keep the
New Zealand economy in rude good health, and made many dairy farmers and investors rich.
The long-term costs of this conventional economic progress are stressed waterways, excessive
nutrient loading, and an erosion of key brands: clean green food products and tourism’s 100% Pure
New Zealand.
This presentation explores the relationship between short-term profits in agriculture, and long-term
costs to the environment and New Zealand’s image (tourism) that the pursuit of conventional
economic (frequently dumb) growth has encouraged. Our rivers and lakes are where the trade-off
between profits and economic growth, and preserving our heritage and long-term economic wellbeing, has come into focus.
The approach taken here is top down - a macro economic perspective. It highlights the issues that
scientists, policy makers, farmers and communities are grappling with in trying to find the
appropriate balance between pursuing economic growth and managing the quantity and quality of
our freshwater.
THE MURRAY-DARLING BASIN ENVIRONMENTAL WATER AND KNOWLEDGE RESEARCH PROJECT
Ben Gawne
MDFRC
Concurrent Speakers
The Murray-Darling Basin Environmental Water Knowledge and Research Project (MDB
EWKR) will undertake research to support the evolving knowledge needs ofenvironmental water
managers in the Basin Plan’s adaptive management framework.The project is funded by the
Australian Government. It will undertake research on questions concerning the influence of flow on
vegetation diversity, native fish recruitment, waterbird recruitment and food webs at four significant
environmental assets in the Basin; Chowilla floodplain, Barmah-Millewa Forest, Macquarie Marshes
and the Lower Balonne -Narran Lakes area.
While the project is significant in its own right, in some ways it is the relationship that the project
has with other key Basin Plan activities that will determine its overall contribution toinforming
environmental water management in the Basin. There are two fields of endeavour that the MDB
EWKR project will seek to complement with the objective of building on the data they generate and
using it to develop improved knowledge that can be fed back into the evaluation of environmental
flow outcomes and subsequent flow management. The two fields of endeavour are;
1.
2.
The Commonwealth Environmental Waterholder’s Long-Term Intervention Monitoring
Program, and
The Basin Plan Monitoring and Evaluation efforts.
The MDB EWKR project will be also be available to inform the Monitoring of Regional
WatersharingPlans.Achieving synergies among these initiatives represents a major challenge due to
the large number of institutions involved and the transaction costs associated with maintaining
collaborative relationships. While these costs may appear daunting, sustaining these relationships
will improve capacity to quantify key relationships through data sharing and development of a
network that will facilitate communication and adoption of the new knowledge. The first steps in
developing this network have been taken through engagement of managers in project planning and
it is hoped that this momentum will be continued into the implementation phase.
WETLANDS: SENTINELS OF LONG TERM TRADE-OFFS IN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
Peter Gell
Concurrent Speakers
Natural systems provide for society through a range of ecosystem services. Society has placed great
demands on maximising the provisions from primary industry and has done so by trading off against
the regulating, supporting and cultural services that also sustain communities and natural
ecosystems. Wetlands have played a significant role in providing for communities in myriad ways
including harbouring fisheries, enhancing water quality, enabling active and passive recreation, and
providing refuge from heat. Short term understanding of ecosystem change occludes insight into the
scale of heritage lost and the level of decline in the adaptive capacity of ecosystems. Regional
syntheses of long term change in wetland condition reveal that the decline in service provision
commenced from early in the industrial era and is almost universal across the globe. The
opportunity cost of the high level of agricultural development across the Murray Darling Basin is the
comprehensive degradation of natural wetlands and their greatly diminished capacity to provide.
The future management of socio-environmental systems requires an appreciation of the degree to
which the capacity of natural systems to aid human adaptation has already been traded-off leaving
communities, and natural systems such as wetlands, highly exposed the impacts of future
environmental change.
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW POLICY TO PROTECT
LIVELIHOODS AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH IN LAO PDR UNDER THE SITUATION OF RAPID
HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT
Christopher Gippel
Griffith University
Concurrent Speakers
Lao PDR is one of the least developed countries in Southeast Asia but is rich in water resources.
Understandably, the government of Lao PDR has identified the development of hydropower as a key
way to promote economic growth and alleviate poverty. In the order of 20 hydropower projects with
a capacity of about 3,000 megawatts have already been developed and another 40 to 50 significant
projects are planned up to 2025. The rivers of Lao PDR also provide highly valuable ecosystem
services. Inland fish, predominantly sourced from rivers and lakes, is the main animal protein source
for Lao people. Seventy-five percent of the population live in rural areas. Fishing is an important
source of secondary income for many rural people who live traditionally beside rivers and streams
and grow rice nearby. Over 480 species of fish, as well as amphibians, crabs and shrimps, have been
identified in the rivers of Lao PDR, with many species being migratory. In 2011, the government
established the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), and has developed a
National Policy on Sustainable Hydropower Development. The rapid influx of private investors and
developers has generated urgent need for detailed policy development and building of capacity
within MONRE for evaluation of environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA). In this paper
we focus on development of detailed policy for environmental flow assessment (EFA) procedures,
setting environmental flow requirements (EFR) that protect ecosystem health and livelihoods, and
for monitoring the effectiveness of implemented EFRs. The guideline recommends a two-stage EFA
process, with a rapid hydrology-only method for the pre-feasibility stage, and a holistic framework
for the feasibility stage. The holistic framework incorporates interaction between MONRE,
developers, consultants and other stakeholders, which contrasts with the usual process of
consultants preparing ESIAs in isolation and then presenting them for review. We illustrate the
process using some recent contrasting examples from projects in Lao PDR.
TRANSBOUNDARY RIVER BASINS ASSESSMENT
Paul Glennie
UNEP-DHI
Concurrent Speakers
This year, the Transboundary Waters Assessment Programme (TWAP) will publish the results of the
most comprehensive global assessment of transboundary water systems to date. The Transboundary
River Basins baseline assessment compares all 286 transboundary river basins, as well as a selection
of 26 deltas, within a framework of ‘relative risk’. It has a broad scope with 15 core indicators
covering water quantity, water quality, ecosystems, governance and socioeconomics. A selection of
the indicators is also projected to 2030 and 2050. The aim is to be able to identify priority areas and
issues around the world to support global, regional and national action to address risks in
transboundary basins.
Paul Glennie will give an overview of the project, which has taken more than six years at a cost of
USD 1.6 million, and involved more than 10 partners. He will provide insight into the global datasets
used, and the global hydrological water use and water quality models, upon which the assessment
relied. He will also show a selection of results, at the indicator level as well as considering them in an
integrated fashion. These analyses examine relationships between indicators, and identify groups of
basins with similar risk profiles. http://twap-rivers.org/
RISK AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT FOR DECISION-MAKING FOR HEALTHY RIVERS
Quentin Grafton
The Australian National University
Concurrent Speakers
The presentation will outline a synthesis, decision-based approach called the Risk and Opportunities
Assessment for Decision-making (ROAD) designed to improve decisions and, thus, sustainable
outcomes at multiple scales in terms of food, energy, environment and water. ROAD is a causal, riskbased framework that highlights the decisions required to both manage risks and to benefit from
opportunities. The presentation will explain how ROAD could be tested, and its benefits evaluated,
to sustainably respond to the risks and challenges of providing much greater levels of food, but
without undermining critical water, energy and environmental systems in key river systems of the
world.
MOVING BEYOND OWNERSHIP, THE BENEFITS OF APPLYING INDIGENOUS VALUES
Susan Guthrie
Morgan Foundation
Concurrent Speakers
For over 30 years New Zealand has been in a process of settling the historical grievances of Maori,
the indigenous people. This process has led to a growing awareness of, and deepening respect for,
the concepts and associated social norms of Maori society that relate to environmental
management, and in particular, the management of freshwater resources.
In Maori society freshwater resources are conceived as an integrated whole with no separation of
tidal and non-tidal waters. A river is considered inseparable from all the creeks and streams flowing
into it and the water is inseparable from the riverbed and the riparian land adjacent to it – from
classical times Maori society has had a ‘catchment’ approach. Prior to colonial settlement complex
cultural ideas and social norms ensured water remained in pristine condition while all the while the
rivers served a vital economic function – providing food and navigational routes. Sophisticated
arrangements allocated users rights to different groups within a river catchment.
It is clear that classical Maori society grappled with the same dilemmas that face contemporary New
Zealand – how to balance economic uses with the need for good quality water and how to allocate
user rights across competing groups. What is becoming increasingly clear, is that the concepts,
norms and arrangements of Maori society are potentially superior to those developed in Western
cultures. In Maori society social norms and user arrangements reflect the concept of ‘guardianship’,
for example, not private ownership as prevails in Western culture.
As the historic grievances are being settled, Maori concepts and norms regarding water
management are increasingly being applied to water bodies around New Zealand. This offers the
exciting prospect of new, superior approaches being taken to water management. A variety of
options for applying Maori concepts will be discussed.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUREAU’S OPERATIONAL AWRA RIVER MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT OF RIVER SYSTEMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA
MohsinHafeez
BOM
Concurrent Speakers
The Australian Water Resources Assessment Modelling System (AWRAMS) has been developed
under the WIRADA initiative between the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) and CSIRO. It has two
modelling components; AWRA-L (landscape) to estimate the landscape water balance fluxes and
AWRA-R (river) to estimate the river water balance fluxes. AWRA-L covered the whole continent and
is currently being used for some of the Bureau’s federally mandated (through the Commonwealth
Water Act 2007) key Water Information Services products such as National Water Account (NWA)
and Water in Australia (WIA) reports. Currently, AWRA-R covered three NWA reporting regions
(Murray Darling Basin (MDB), South East Queensland (SEQ) and Melbourne) and has planned to use
in the above reports.
AWRA-R is a regulated river system model that uses a node link flow network to accumulate
catchment runoff from AWRA-L, route streamflow, incorporate river rainfall, evaporation, losses,
reservoirs, and model flooding and irrigation. It has the capability to produce river fluxes and stores
(e.g. river volume, river rainfall and evaporation, river loss, irrigation diversion, overbank flooding
and floodplain fluxes) across large river system such as MDB. Quantifying these fluxes is necessary
for reducing the unaccounted differences in the water balance. Also, it can play a significant role in
sustainable development of river systems by running different possible future scenario.
This presentation will include an overview of the Bureau’s operational AWRAMS with major
emphasis on the AWRA River model, its current use and future coverage in Australia. As part of the
model benchmarking, water balance check was also performed using the data obtained over
Coleambally irrigation areas as well as Murrumbidgee catchment in the MDB region as a case study
catchment and outcome of the model evaluation are presented. It will also cover the capability of
AWRA River model and its practical application in various regulated river systems for sustainable
development of river system.
CORRIDORS OF OPPORTUNITY: EMBEDDING WATERWAYS INTO THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF
MELBOURNE
Virginia Harris
Melbourne Water
Concurrent Speakers
Melbourne is regularly described as one of the most liveable cities in the world , and as a business,
Melbourne Water has the opportunity to help continually enhance the liveability of the city so that
regardless of issues like population growth and climate variability, future generations enjoy
enhanced access to desirable urban spaces and thriving natural environments supported by healthy
waterways and bays. Emerging from a review of Melbourne Water’s Strategic Direction in 2011, the
organisation’s vision is ‘Enhancing Life and Liveability’.
According to VCEC (2008) , “Liveability reflects the wellbeing of a community and represents the
many characteristics that make a location a place where people want to live.” The role that
Melbourne Water plays in the provision of its products and services for liveability is complex. Work
carried out by Melbourne Water and adapted by WSAA reveals this complexity in terms of the
scope of services and interactions of these, and the natural and built assets associated with them.
Since that review, Melbourne Water has identified a number of new opportunities to pursue
liveability through its current and future business, with Melbourne’s waterways a key element in
providing liveability services to residents and community. By recognising liveability values in our
river restoration and planning activities, we enhance amenity; connection to nature; recreation
opportunities; biodiversity; and urban cooling services. In addition, waterways can be managed to
act as ‘corridors of opportunity’ for linking outer suburbs to the inner city, providing active transport
links for cyclists and walkers, further contributing to public health outcomes.
Within our region we manage approximately 8,400 kilometres of rivers and creeks and partner with
local government, water industry, urban developers and government agencies to provide these
services. Our role includes:
•
Planning for multiple values associated with waterways, including amenity, active transport,
recreation, urban cooling and biodiversity;
•
Integrating land and waterway management through master planning with customers and
stakeholders;
•
Exploring alternative water sources, water sensitive urban design and green infrastructure to
provide urban cooling and deliver creative, productive landscapes adjacent to waterways;
and
•
Strengthening partnerships with local government, agencies and other stakeholders.
These opportunities are being explored and adopted by Melbourne Water through its Liveability
Planning team, which is working closely with its customers to pursue the abovementioned liveability
opportunities. In order to legitimise this new area of our business, we’re also conducting
comprehensive research into the community’s willingness to pay for liveability values, and therefore
how these various services may be funded into the future.
This paper outlines Melbourne Water’s journey in establishing its liveability program with relation to
waterways, and details the initiatives now in place to permeate the liveability agenda throughout
the business and support its customers in meeting this significant community need. It will identify
the opportunities for transforming the landscape of the city that acknowledge the rich services that
waterways provide in benefiting contemporary public health and wellbeing issues.
STUDENT GOES TO RIVER’S ROLE IN YOGYAKARTA RIVER RESTORATION
SuraniHasanti
Concurrent Speakers
Indonesian River Restoration Movement is a first river restoration movement in Indonesia that has
been declared in March 22nd, 2015 that coincide with the Water Day in Yogyakarta. This movement
further encouraging Girli (Pingir Kali – Riverbanks) community to restorate their river with the spirit
of "We honored the water, we preserve the river, from Special Region of Yogyakarta, for Indonesia ".
Penta Helix partnership with the universities as one part of it, led many universities in Special Region
of Yogyakarta to united and support this movement, where the University of GadjahMada was
elected as a coordinator of Research and Community Development Institution of State and Private
University in Special Region of Yogyakarta. Local Working Group "Boyong-Code" chaired by Local
Communities, and University of GadjahMada are involved in as an institutional support agencies
named "Working Group" Boyong-Code. In a quick response, student organization of river
environmentalists was formed and consisting of various students from different faculties at
University of GadjahMada, which is named Student Goes to River. It works directly under the
supervision of Vice Chancellor of Research and Community Development of the University of
GadjahMada with a mandate from River Restoration Movement. The roles of Student Goes to River
are divided into symbolic and non-symbolic actions. Symbolic actions includes some direct activities,
such as a River Cleaning Action. While the non-symbolic actions includes river community services, in
the form of the education and empowerment of riverbanks communities, community work and
research synergies. Some of the products that had been produced are video and comic for children.
NGARRINDJERI SPEAKING AS COUNTRY: INNOVATIONS IN INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT IN WATER
Steve Hemming
Flinders Uni
Concurrent Speakers
This presentation outlines and evaluates engagement mechanisms for incorporating Indigenous
decision-making, research interests and knowledges into the environmental water management
regime in the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin (SAM-DB) region. These mechanisms include
innovative 'tools' such as the KungunNgarrindjeri Yunnan Agreement strategy (Listen to what
Ngarrindjeri have to say - KNYA) and the Ngarrindjeri cultural knowledge protection regime that seek
to provide protection for Indigenous knowledges and interests whilst enabling input into research,
planning and management activities. Indigenous-led innovations in the SAM-DB region have
facilitated the growing engagement of Indigenous people with water planning activities and are
providing unique solutions to the national challenge to find better ways to bring Indigenous people
into environmental water management.
We argue that many of the components of an effective Indigenous engagement strategy and
framework have been developed and negotiated in the SAM-DB region over the last two decades.
These innovations in Indigenous engagement have been developed through KNYA partnerships
between the NRA and South Australian Government agencies, in particular, the Alexandrina Council
and the Department of Environment, Water & Natural Resources (DEWNR) and its forbears.
Importantly, the NRA-led Indigenous engagement strategy is directed at building Indigenous capacity
to sustain long-term engagement in NRM including water-related research, policy development,
planning and management.
What is clear from a preliminary assessment of relevant Australian and international literature is
that the new approaches to Indigenous engagements in the SAM-DB region are comparatively
unique, locally and regionally relevant, address relevant UN treaties and should hold useful ideas for
'environmental management' in Australia and overseas. We argue that South Australia has
developed a form of what can be described as partial Indigenous 'co-management' that has been
Indigenous-led and characterised by the KNYA strategy since 2009.
URBAN RIVER RESTORATION AND FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT IN STYRIA/AUSTRIA
Rudolf Hornich
Office of the Styrian Government
Concurrent Speakers
By using flood plains for various purposes the flood risk potential has risen enormously in settlement
areas in the last decades. Watercourses were straightened, narrowed or forced into canals. The
space required to safely receive the incoming floodwaters is, therefore, not available. The streams
are no longer able to fulfil their ecological functions and can hardly be experienced any more by the
population. This presents a challenge to urban Flood Risk Management and requires new
interdisciplinary strategies.
In carrying out protective measures, great attention is given to the ecological design to improve the
aquatic ecology. Supplementary to the technical planning measures, such as river widening or flood
retention basins, restructuring measures to improve the morphological interrelationships and
options for improved accessibility to the river were also taken into account in the flood protection
projects. Estuaries of urban streams are to be converted to render them passable for fishes. The
morphological improvement of river bottoms and slopes with bioengineering methods is a further
objective.
Another central aim is the urbanistic integration of the urban rivers in the course of the flood
protection and redevelopment works. Thus, for example, in the town centre, parts of the protective
wall were enlarged to create a seating area and a new access and recreation facilities were
constructed along the stream course. Another example is a ford for crossing the river at low water.
What is needed is interdisciplinary cooperation between a wide range of specialised disciplines as
well as public information and public participation and an intensive exchange of experience and
cooperation at the international level. Thus flood protection and river restoration offer beneficial
synergy effects.
Using the examples of three towns and the capital city of Styria, Graz, the strategy in urban flood risk
management simultaneously with river restoration shall be illustrated.
MONITORING BIOAVAILABILITY OF METALS AND METALLOIDS IN RIVER WATER RECEIVING MINE
WATER DISCHARGE
Trang Huynh
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute
Concurrent Speakers
The ecological risk associated with heavy metals in water is currently assessed using the total and
dissolved concentrations (ANZECC, 2000). In fact, the biological response of organisms to metals in
water is proportional to the free-ion activity of the metals rather than to their total or dissolved
concentrations (Templeton et al., 2000). Determining the bioavailable fractions of metals in water is
recognised as a necessary step for assessing their effect on biota and for assessment of water quality
by researchers and regulators (Batley et al., 2004). The Diffusive Gradients in Thin film (DGT)
technique has been reported as a surrogate for mussel bioaccumulation (Cu, Cd, Pb and Zn) (Webb
and Keough, 2000) and rainbow trout (Cu) (Luider et al., 2004). Copper toxicity on Daphnia magna
could be predicted from DGT measurements (Tusseau-Vuillemin et al., 2004).
Coalmine water release into the river during recent wet seasons has raised concerns about the
impact of metals on the aquatic biota. The water quality monitoring data showed that occasionally
total and dissolved metals (e.g. Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn) exceeded the ANZECC (2000) guidelines. The
bioavailable fractions of these metals measured by the DGT technique varied. In the case of Cu, as
an example, the bioavailable concentrations measured by the DGT technique were significantly
lower, 13% and 23% respectively, than the measured total Cu and dissolved Cu concentrations. The
bioavailability of other metals including Cd, Ni and Zn ranged from 60% to 80% of the dissolved
concentrations. This is likely due to their differences in elemental characteristics and the
physicochemical properties of the water column and the complexation of Cu strongly affects the
bioavailability of Cu (Renner, 1997).
The outcomes of this project provide the benefits in allowing researchers and regulators to more
accurately assess the ecological risk associated metals in water.
DECENTRALIZED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN MOZAMBIQUE: CHALLENGES OF
IMPLEMENTATION AT RIVER BASIN LEVEL
Ronaldo Inguane
National Directorate of Water
Concurrent Speakers
In the context of the integrated water resources management implementation, decentralization of
water resources management (DWRM), at river basin level, is crucial aspect for its success. However,
decentralization requires creation of new institutions on the ground, to stimulate the enabling
environment for stakeholder participation and integration in water management decision-making
process. In 1991, Mozambique began restructuring its water sector toward operational
decentralized water resources management. Within this context of decentralization, new legal and
institutional frameworks have been created, e.g. Regional Water Administrations (RWAs) and River
Basin Committees. This paper identifies and analyses the key institutional challenges and
opportunities of the DWRM implementation in Mozambique. The paper uses a critical social science
research methodology for in depth analysis of roots of the constraining factors for the
implementation of the DWRM. Results obtained suggest that the RWAs should be designed
considering the specific geographic and infrastructural conditions of their jurisdiction areas and
select priorities in their institutional capacity building strategies that match the local realities.
Furthermore, the results also indicates that RWAs have enjoyed limited support from basin
stakeholders mainly in basins with less hydraulic infrastructures to secure water availability to their
users and to minimize the effect of climate variability.
MARY RIVER – UNDERSTANDING PROCESSES AND VALUES TO INFORM PLANNING AND
RESTORATION
Misko Ivezich
Concurrent Speakers
The Mary River is a major river system of south east Queensland with important economic, social
and environmental values. Since European settlement the river has supported a thriving agricultural
industry and supplied sand and gravel to aid the development of the region. The clearing of riparian
vegetation and sand and gravel extraction has resulted in substantial erosion of the river resulting in
ecological degradation and damage to agricultural land and public infrastructure. Ongoing
degradation of the river threatens the endangered Mary River Turtle and Mary River Cod along with
water supplies.
Multiple stakeholders including the local council, water authority and the local catchment group
combined to develop the Mary River restoration plan which aimed to restore a key section of the
Mary River near the township of Kenilworth to:
•
Protect habitat for Mary River turtles and other terrestrial and aquatic fauna
•
Increase the erosion resistance of river to protect infrastructure
•
Protect and improve water quality and supply
The project included a detailed assessment of the historic and contemporary river processes. This
included assessment of historical records and hydro-geomorphic and geospatial analysis. Based on
the understanding of the processes and their likely future trajectory a cost efficient stream
management program was developed.
In 2015 a major project was implemented as the first stage of the broader program. The works aim
to stabilise a section of river adjacent to Kenilworth. These work will:
•
Protect the Kenilworth recreation park
•
Protect the town water offtake and enhance the alluvial sand filtration system which treats
the water
•
Protect and enhance the nesting habitat of the Mary River turtles
The works have been designed to be sensitive to the nesting requirements of the turtle which
require natural bank morphology (as opposed to rock revetment) while still providing protection to
the economic and social assets.
MYANMAR HEALTHY RIVERS INITIATIVE – THALWIN AND AYEVARWADY RIVERS
Robyn Johnston
International Water Management Institute
Concurrent Speakers
Myanmar’s rivers are a key national resource, providing irrigation, hydropower, water supplies for
cities and industries, and navigation and transport routes for goods and tourism. They are also
important ecosystems, supporting productive fisheries both inland and in the deltas, and
underpinning the livelihoods of Myanmar communities. As Myanmar develops, aquatic ecosystems
are under pressure from changes to the river systems as a result of settlement, extraction of water,
dams and weirs, land use change along the rivers and in the catchments, habitat loss and pollution.
These changes may foster economic growth, but they will also impact on the ecosystem services and
products provided by rivers.
The Myanmar Healthy Rivers Initiative (MYHRI) 2015 – 2017 will support development planning in
Myanmar with tools and methodologies for monitoring and valuing the health of riverine
ecosystems in the Ayeyarwady and Thalwin river systems, and willidentify development ‘hot-spots’
as well as ecological ‘sweet spots’. MYHRI is being implemented as part of the CGIAR Water Land
and Ecosystems Program, in close partnership with the Watershed Division of the Ministry of
Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MOECAF) and in collaboration with a number of
universities, community and civil-society organizations,.
The MYHRI aims to answer the questions: what ecosystem services provided by rivers are valued by
communities and sectors? How is the health of the river, and the provision of these services,
changing over time? We are using a range of techniques, from analysis of satellite imagery to
community based monitoring, to tailor a framework suitable for the Myanmar context, where
conventional river monitoring is rarely available. It is intended that the MYHRI will provide a pilot
demonstration of the utility of river health reporting in informed and inclusive decision making in
Myanmar’s river basins, which can be up-scaled in the future.
RISK-BENEFIT ASSESSMENT FOR INTEGRATED FLOOD MANAGEMENT: SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE
LIVELIHOODS IN CANDABA, PHILIPPINES
Andrea Juarez
Concurrent Speakers
Many flood risk reduction strategies minimize human exposure to flood hazards. Ecosystem-based
flood management often reduces exposure by limiting direct human uses of floodplains, supporting
uses compatible with conservation and flood storage. We present an alternative strategy which
balances flood risk and ecosystem services with livelihood opportunities from direct use of floodprone land.
We conduct an integrated assessment of flood risks and benefits in Candaba municipality,
Philippines, to identify opportunities for beneficial use of floodplains and ecosystem objectives,
while minimizing flood losses. Candaba is subject to seasonal inundation and most inhabitants
secure livelihoods from direct use of flood-prone lands.
We assess flood risks and benefits to residences, agriculture and fisheries in three villages of
Candaba. We characterize probabilistic flood hazard using hydrological modelling and remote
sensing. We apply damage functions to evaluate losses from different flood return intervals. To
assess benefits from floodplain use, we identify benefits and their relation with flooding through
interviews, household surveys, and focus groups.
Flood benefits related to both ecosystem services and livelihoods derived from direct floodplain use
are vital to communities in Candaba. Key benefits are wild-capture fisheries, soil moisture, increased
crop yields and flood regulation. Though use of flood-prone land is associated with risk of damages,
it also affords benefits. Variability among communities with regard to coping capacity, specifically
housing and seasonal livelihood strategies, indicates that enhanced coping capacity executes duals
functions by reducing flood risk and facilitating greater benefit capture from flood-prone land.
We conclude that joint risk-benefit analyses can assist stakeholder selection of strategies to manage
flood risk, while simultaneously promoting ecosystem services and livelihoods linked to natural
hydrologic processes. When reallocating or restricting human uses of flood-prone land is not
feasible, targeting coping capacity to live with and from floods may enhance resilience to seasonal
flooding.
DEMONSTRATING ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS IN THE GANGE RIVER FOR KUMBH 2013
Nitin Kaushal
World Wide Fund for Nature – India (WWF-India)
Concurrent Speakers
The Kumbh is about a two month long socio-cultural festival held every 12th year on the banks of
Ganga at TriveniSangam, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh – India. Itconcluded during the first quarter of
2013 and has been a unique event in which people throughout the country and also from many
other parts of the world participate with high cultural and spiritual aspirations. The Kumbh 2013 was
expected to witness about 88.3 million worshippers on the banks of Ganga from 14 January to 10
March 2013. WWF – India set up a multidisciplinary group of experts to undertake the assessment of
Environmental Flows (E-Flows) required during the Kumbh 2013. This exercise took 4 months to
conclude, from September to December 2012.
The project continued with advocacy, among senior state officials responsible for water allocation,
of recommended E-Flows for release during the Kumbh 2013. WWF – India then undertook the task
to monitor actual flows in the Ganga for the duration of Kumbh, in order to compare the observed
flows with the recommended E-Flows. In addition, a large number of visitors were interviewed
during the Kumbh, to gauge opinions whether they were satisfied with water levels for fulfillment of
their socio-cultural and spiritual aspirations.
Parallel to this exercise, a unique initiative was undertaken to ascertain the impact of providing EFlows on farming (i.e. the irrigation requirements which coincide with the Kumbh duration) in the
areas fed by surface canal systems, which withdraw water resources from the river Ganga in the
upstream of Allahabad, the place where Kumbh happens. The key objective was to see whether
there were any curtailments on the irrigation abstractions from the river as a result of providing the
flows required during Kumbh, and if so, how the farmers have been impacted in terms of input cost
and agricultural productivity.
The authors recognize that the implementation of E-Flows, especially in very complex river systems
like the Ganga, is likely to be a very long-term, costly, conflictual process, with important social,
political and economic implications. A demonstration flow is a short-term implementation of
recommended flows, to show stakeholders how such flows will transform the river. While there is
the expectation that such flows will change the aesthetics, recreational and even physical
appearance of water in the river in the short-term, such flows are unlikely to last long enough to
achieve the ecological and biodiversity objectives of E-Flows. Kumbh provided a high-profile
opportunity for demonstration flows in the Ganga.
This paper provides evidence of the general satisfaction of Kumbh visitors with the state of the river
during the religious ceremonies, and the acceptance of most irrigation farmers of the curtailments of
their irrigation flows. Many of the farmers expressed their gratification that they were able to
contribute to the success of Kumbh.
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES – MAKING IT WORK
Brian R Kemp
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
Concurrent Speakers
The only constant is change, and once you can embrace this obvious but challenging concept you are
well on your way to embracing the core concepts of an Adaptive Management Strategy. While many
of the core issues that impact water quality and watershed health remain the same, the tools,
technologies and even the people engaged in addressing these issues continue to change. Thus the
central tenants of an adaptive management strategy, the need to evaluate, adapt and implement,
are more critical than ever to ensure that improvement efforts continue to be relevant and effective.
This presentation will explore how the application of an adaptive management strategy is being used
to shift the traditional stormwater management approach to a more sustainable Low Impact
Development (LID) approach in the Lake Simcoe Watershed. The recognition of a need to move to
LID came with the realization that conventional stormwater management could not meet existing
and future phosphorus reductions targets for Lake Simcoe. Implementing this shift has required the
engagement of multiple levels of government, private sector and public alongside a retooling of the
priorities and funding mechanisms that drive stewardship and outreach programs.
Specific topics that will be covered include: how to prioritize restoration activities; adapting
restoration programs to meet new priorities and environmental change; and how to translate
science and monitoring into an actionable strategy for implementation. This presentation will
provide participants with relevant examples and strategies to effectively implement an adaptive
management strategy that can result in positive change.
SAFE WATER FOR THE FUTURE THROUGH INTO-OZ NETWORK
Anu Kumar
CSIRO Late
Concurrent Speakers
Living with the water crisis is an issue that lies beyond the reach of a single institution or national
boundary and which is of concern to the world and its population as a whole. The urgency and wideranging impact of the water crisis requires examination from several different perspectives. Finding
solutions, therefore, necessitates fostering cross-disciplinary research. India could learn an
enormous amount from Australian experiences in determining the likely impacts of climate change,
water shortages and the risks posed by cocktails of existing and emerging contaminants in water and
sediments. The water crisis and the availability of safe good quality water for ecosystem and human
health is a major driver for sustainable growth in India. Fish kills from agricultural runoff and
uncontrolled industrial and sewage discharges are a regular occurrence, with flow-on effects on local
industries (e.g. aquaculture and fisheries) and communities, who depend on rivers as a source of
drinking water. DFAT-funded project was initiated in 2012 to build capacity in tools and techniques
for management of environmental pollution due to pesticides and micro-pollutants in rivers for
ensuring safety of water from source to rivers. We specifically addressed these issues by training 60
Indian scientists in ecotoxicological techniques and tools applicable to environmental issues in India.
The inclusion of training workshops together with follow-up visits ensured the transferred
technology was put into practice. Water scarcity and contamination disproportionately impacts lowincome families in developing countries. The young children of these families support their parents
working as farmers, fishermen, and garbage and landfill waste pickers. We invited 50 school children
to visit the Ganga Aquarium, Lucknow with the aim of increasing their understanding of aquatic life
and a sustainable, healthy environment. For these kids, formal school education is sadly not a reality.
This initiative recognises the contribution of these young invisible environmentalists and encouraged
these children to recognise the importance of safe water for aquatic organisms and human health.
Through this network, we are reaching out to more people and finding ways to connect science with
the general public.
NEW WATER INFRASTRUCTURE: DELIVERING ON THE GOVERNMENT’S ELECTION COMMITMENT
Michelle Lauder
Concurrent Speakers
At the 2013 federal election, the Government committed to start the detailed planning necessary to
build new dams – to secure the nation’s water supplies, deliver strong economic benefits for
Australia, while also protecting our environment. This presentation will detail how the Government
is delivering on this commitment as part of the White Papers on Agricultural Competitiveness and
Developing Northern Australia.
THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE RIVERINE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN HIGH-DENSITY ASIAN CITIES
Kuei-Hsien Liao
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Concurrent Speakers
Like their counterparts in the West, urban rivers in highly developed, high-density Asian cities have
been heavily modified to control flooding and to allow for land development and economic growth.
The river channel is often straightened, widened, concretized, and/or leveed; the riparian vegetation
eliminated; and the floodplains occupied by buildings. Many urban rivers have been reduced to
merely water conduits, into which stormwater runoff drains and pollutants discharge, such that they
are often considered unpleasant to be near to. Urban river restoration projects have been carried
out for decades in the West. However, except a few notable cases, river restoration is still rare in
Asian cities. Most urban rivers remain in degraded states because of the perceived necessity for
flood control and spatial limitation on restoration. It should be recognized that river health—the
capacity of the river to provide ecosystem services—is important to the liveability, sustainability, and
resilience of high-density cities. A healthy urban river not only contributes to urban biodiversity but
also has direct human benefits (beyond recreation and riverfront views) through ecological and
biophysical processes (e.g., nutrient cycling). The purpose of the paper is to explore the potential to
increase riverine ecosystem services in high-density Asian cities. Focusing on three highly developed
cities of regional and even global importance—Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taipei, this paper first
provides an overview of the three cities’ river conditions and management, and then introduces a
methodology to systematically documenting the biophysical conditions of urban rivers and to assess
the potential to provide additional, diversified, and/or enhanced ecosystem services through
redesigning the river corridor and adjacent built environment, as well as river and floodplain
restoration. The goal is to contribute to raising public awareness of the importance of riverine
ecosystem services to the health of high-density cities.
RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT: ACTIONS AT FIELD LEVEL ARE NECESSARY
Shrikant Limaye
Concurrent Speakers
The historic Dublin Principles resulting from the International Conference on Water and the
Environment (ICWE) in 1992 saw water for the first time officially recognized as a finite natural
resource with intrinsic economic value. Soon after, the first Rio Earth Summit saw the inclusion of
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as a specific chapter in Agenda 21. Ever since
these landmark agreements, IWRM or IRBM (Integrated River Basin Management) has remained a
hot topic in technical meetings at the national, regional and international levels. Stockholm World
Water Week and the International River Symposium are two major events which bring together
global experts to plan the way forward for the sustainable management and use of the water
resources in River Basins while maintaining a healthy river-environment.
Yet, in spite of unprecedented awareness of the need for global action on water security, effective
actions at field level, albeit on a small scale, remain only a few. Implementation of IWRM programs
thus gets delayed at all levels. Even on the scale of a small watershed or a mini-basin, bringing
together all stakeholders on a common platform for decision-making is more easily said than done;
primarily due to conflicting interests.
In order to generate dependable water resources from a harsh and erratic climate, a shockabsorbing, resilient interface between the climate and the water resources must be provided. Such
interface is the watershed in which the local villagers actively engaged in soil and water conservation
activities such as forestation with a good cover of grasses, bushes and trees; protection of the soil
with contour bunding and contour tilling of farms; excavation of farm-ponds for temporary storage
of rain water; de-silting of small ponds and lakes; and constructing bunds on small streams for water
storages to promote recharge to ground water. These are the actions at field level which should
start in all the watersheds of first order streams within a larger watershed, with active participation
of villagers under guidance from NGOs and Government Departments.
The paper discusses successful examples at field level of increasing the residence time of surface
water in mini-watersheds by promoting ground water recharge through soil & water conservation
activities and through construction of percolation tanks. The above actions comprise the ‘bottomup’ contribution to IWRM by farmers, villagers, NGOs and industries at the grass-root level. It should
be complemented by ‘top-down’ efforts provided by governments and international organizations
through the provision of funds, infrastructure development, technical guidance and legislative
framework. Although the examples are from India, the discussion is applicable to similar situations in
other low-income countries, especially in Monsoon climate.
THE MIGHTY BURDEKIN RIVER – CATCHMENT TO THE SEA
Bill Lowis
Burdekin Shire Council
Concurrent Speakers
The Burdekin River catchment drains an area of approximately 140,000 km2 of Queensland through
its main tributaries – the Suttor, Star, Belyando and Bowen Rivers, and flows a remarkable 710
kilometres until reaching the sea.
Land use west of Australia’s Great Dividing Range holds primarily grazing and mining interests;
however, the Lower Burdekin, or that part along the eastern coastal floodplain, is fortunate with
natural resources in terms of soil, water, sunshine and situated in a dry tropics climatic zone.
Located approximately 90 kilometres southeast of Townsville, the Lower Burdekin supports some
80,000 hectares of high quality sugar cane and extensive horticultural crops supported by abundant
water supplies.
The Burdekin Falls Dam situated 159 kilometres upstream of the river’s mouth has full capacity
estimated at 1.8 million megalitres and provides year round water security. This water is used to
supply surface irrigation water, particularly to the Burdekin-Haughton Water Supply Scheme, and to
artificially recharge aquifers in the Burdekin’s delta where groundwater against the sea is the main
source of irrigation water.
The Lower Burdekin is environmentally diverse, with a large seasonal river outflow, distribution
streams, groundwater systems, estuaries and wetlands that extend to a coastal strip with mangroves
and tidal mud flats, and the adjacent Great Barrier Reef Lagoon as key features of the immediate
region.
Rising water tables and salinisation in places threaten agricultural viability, and there is potential
impact of excess nutrients and agro-chemicals that may enter the river, groundwater and coastal
environs to provide a threat to the health and condition of adjacent reef waters.
Consequently, many key organisations contribute toward best practice management with
continuous improvement for on-farm activities, with further management strategies monitoring
progress to ensure current and future water and irrigation management practices are economically,
socially and environmentally viable into the long-term future.
ASSESSING WATER RISK AND CORPORATE WATER STEWARDSHIP
Oliver Maennicke
WWF International/Australia
Concurrent Speakers
Over the past years WWF’s Water Stewardship program is representing thought leadership in
improving perspectives on business risks related to water issues and in developing pathways to
mitigate and manage economic water challenges. Water stewardship is not about defining “no-go”zones for business but about recognizing opportunities and developing strategic approaches to
address water risks with particular focus on collective action.
Various tools are emerging to help companies assessing their business water risk. Since 2012 WWF’s
Water Risk Filter online platform, which was developed in collaboration with DEG (the German
Development Bank), has been used by a growing user community of companies, consultants and
financial institutions assessing facilities, investment portfolios and commodity sourcing locations
around the world. Gaining comprehensive knowledge of water related impact, from facility to board
level, provides the entry point to understand water risk to business and initiates the prioritisation
process for risk mitigation action on facility (i.e. internal action) and basin level (i.e. collective
action).
Latest improvements within the WWF Water Risk Filter online tool will be presented. This includes
risk and portfolio mapping as well as approaches for result analysis and risk mitigation. Further, 16
detailed basin strategies are being developed within WWF priority freshwater conservation areas. In
context of one of these basin stewardship strategies, a case study will be shown on how some
members of the textile industry are using water risk assessment for their supply chain, to identify
their risk hotspots and make decisions to instigate conservation work on catchment level together
with other stakeholders in the basin. The case study is concluded by discussing risk assessment
approaches for industries and investors with a main impact and focus on high water risk areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES IN THE FINNISS RIVER DOWNSTREAM OF THE FORMER RUM JUNGLE
MINE
Andy Markham
Concurrent Speakers
The current Rum Jungle Rehabilitation Project is a National Partnership between the Commonwealth
and Northern Territory Governments. Hydrobiology was commissioned to define environmental
values and locally-derived water quality objectives in the waterways downstream of the former
mine, in order to inform the rehabilitation design.
The receiving environment includes the East Branch of the Finniss River and Finniss River proper
which are dynamic in terms of flow and sediment processes, the key elements of which include
monsoonal/season rainfall and high rates of sediment delivery from an eroding mine landscape. The
proliferation of Gamba Grass has altered the fire regime of the area causing increased rates of
erosion and sediment delivery to the river.
Water and sediment quality on the mine site have established that initial rehabilitation of the site in
the 1980s improved the quality of discharges downstream and reduced contaminant loads delivered
to the East Branch. Nonetheless, water quality in the East Branch was still above levels that could
cause impact as late as the 2000s, and sediments have contaminant concentrations above the
ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000) sediment guidelines. Previous studies had also documented the status
and recovery of aquatic organisms following rehabilitation in 1983, but there have been few studies
of riparian vegetation making quantitative impact assessment difficult.
For this study, Environmental Values were selected for different reaches of the Finniss River which
included Cultural/Spiritual Values that were defined in consultation with Traditional Owners. These
values were generally related to the well-being of Country and, as such, Aquatic Ecosystem and
Wildlife values could be used to set default water quality objectives under the ANZECC framework.
An impact assessment based on comprehensive monitoring of a range of ecosystem components is
currently being undertaken. The results will be used to refine the National default water quality
objectives to site-specific objectives.
CAPACITY NEEDS FOR MANAGING MINING IMPACTS ON RIVERS
Neil McIntyre
Concurrent Speakers
Mining activity can bring considerable risks to the value of nearby rivers due for example to
increased sediment loads, pollution and changes to flow regimes. In many countries the growth in
mining is outpacing the building of water capacity to manage these risks. Since 2009, Australia’s
International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC) has funded a program of capacity building for
developing mining economies, including five water research and training projects. This presentation
reviews the lessons learned from these five projects, with regard to the capacity building priorities
that are relevant for protecting the multiple values of rivers. The lessons learned are based on the
perceptions and experiences of project participants from Peru, Colombia, Ghana, Zambia, Indonesia,
Philippines and Mongolia. The lessons learned are synthesized into a set of recommendations, which
include: 1) the better incorporation of mine water management in engineering and environmental
undergraduate and postgraduate courses; 2) training to allow mine staff and government officials to
effectively monitor rivers and connected socio-economic impacts, and to support implementation of
basin management approaches; 3) education and training to empower communities to recognize
risks to their rivers and negotiate solutions. Continued initiatives to transfer good practice to
countries with rapidly developing mining economies are called for.
DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE 2012 BASIN PLAN AND INTO THE FUTURE
Tony McLeod
Murray-Darling Basin Authority
Concurrent Speakers
The highly variable climate of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) provides significant challenges for
water managers. With the advent of climate change and the likelihood of even greater variability
and more frequent extreme events, these challenges will be exacerbated.
In 2008, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) was tasked with preparing a Basin Plan for the
sustainable management of the Murray-Darling’s water resources and, in doing so, develop
strategies to manage the risks of climate change. The Basin Plan provides for a suite of measures to
respond to climate change impacts through an adaptive management approach. This approach
builds upon pre-existing jurisdictional approaches to manage river systems with extreme flow
variability.
The suite of measures fall into four broad categories; those that refine existing water management
arrangements, those that buffer the system from the additional stress of climate change, those that
enhance responses to climate change, and those that facilitate adaptation to climate change at a
range of timescales.
The recent experience with the Millennium Drought (1997–2009), in which governments put in place
special water sharing arrangements to support critical human water needs, highlights a looming
policy challenge about how reductions in water availability due to climate change could be shared,
including between consumptive use and the environment. In addition to exploring this policy
challenge, the presentation will touch on other related policy issues that may be faced by the MDBA
in coming years.
ENVIRONMETAL FLOWS: A REALISTIC GOAL FOR AFRICA?
Mahala McLinidn
University of Oxford/Jacobs Engineering
Concurrent Speakers
Global recognition of the socioeconomic benefits of healthy river systems has contributed to
increasing policy imperatives on environmental flows. Central to achieving river health is the ability
to monitor and enforce a naturally varying flow regime – achieved in industralised nations through
significant investments in instrumentation and institutions. A major challenge, however, is
translating these costly policy prescriptions to lower-resource environments where, amongst other
challenges, limited hydrological data, monitoring and storage infrastructure inhibit the ability to
design robust allocation regimes that are both socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable.
This research thus questions how environmental flow policy can be pragmatically implemented in
such settings.
Kenya’s Burguret River catchment was used as a case study to explore the issue. Here, data and
infrastructure challenges converge with competing political priorities to reduce poverty, increase
irrigation and develop wildlife tourism. In a region typified by hydro-meteorological data scarcity,
the installation of mobile-enabled flow and abstraction metering in the catchment has created a
valuable data set to found the research.
Statistical analysis and rainfall-runoff modelling were used to generate a naturalised flow regime
that allowed examination of the cause of declining catchment flows. The ‘Indicators of Hydrological
Alteration’ method was then used to assess environmental consequences on the riverine ecosystem.
The results informed the design of a range of pragmatic allocation regimes based on scenarios
relating to the potential presence of flow and abstraction monitoring, enforcement processes and
storage infrastructure. To determine the implications of each scenario a water balance model was
developed, with the results assessed against socio-environmental criteria.
This research demonstrated that real-time feedback mechanisms are crucial to maximising benefits
of riverine ecosystem services. The analysis allows new insights to the wider African challenge of the
distributed value of investing in improved monitoring for river systems under increasing allocation
demands and unpredictable climate variability.
GROWER FOCUSSED EXTENSIONI TO DELIVER WATER QUALITY AND PROFITABILITY OUTCOMES
Rob Milla
Burdekin Productivity Services
Concurrent Speakers
Reef Water Quality Protection Plan 2013 has identified that Queensland coastal farming systems
need to continually improve to ensure Reef water quality targets are met. Farmers in these
catchments are striving to implement practices that are both profitable and minimise impacts on
local waterways and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. A partnership between NQ Dry Tropics,
Burdekin Productivity Services and Farmacist has been established since 2013, to deliver high quality
and targeted extension services to growers in the Burdekin sugarcane region. The impetus for this
relationship has been the need for a dedicated extension program to complement and reinforce the
water quality components of the Reef Water Quality grants process.
Extension activities have centred around a series of shed meetings held twice annually. Grouped
around common soil types and management systems, the meetings of only 1.5 – 2 hours duration
are held at times of year when growers are more likely to attend. 36 shed meetings have been
delivered annually since 2013.
Local runoff data collected by Queensland Government Water Quality Scientists (DSITI) and local
community NRM group (BBIFMAC) have been used to highlight nutrient and herbicides of concern to
growers at shed meetings and training exercises.
Attendance levels at shed meetings over the past 2 years have consistently been around 30-40% of
growers from the entire farming community, whereas in most agricultural group extension activities
attendance levels over 15% are usually considered satisfactory. The relatively high attendance at
these meetings is due to a range of factors including a farmer focus with the use of only limited
presenters (usually only two) who are trusted and credible advisors. In addition, the meetings have
presented information that is both timely and relevant to local conditions, whilst the presenters
have used grower peers to share their experiences - successes and challenges., Furthermore, one on
one agronomic support is also provided to growers who are looking to improve their farming
practices. Learnings from these meetings help to inform delivery of targeted one on one extension,
field walks, demonstrations and training sessions.
Growers are quite receptive to information being presented regarding farm and subcatchment water
quality results that has been collected by various organisations and grower groups in the region.
Topics discussed at shed meetings have included relative toxicologies of a range of sugarcane
herbicides, the need to adopt new herbicide label changes, loss pathways of both nutrients and
pesticides, raising awareness of the characteristics of the controlled release and nitrification
inhibitor formulations of nitrogen based fertiliser products as well as general information about
varietal selections and likely nitrogen responses of these varieties.
This partnership has helped to support an attitudinal shift with growers who are willing to discuss
water quality information and are genuinely taking factors such as product ecotoxicology into
account when making decisions on herbicide selections.
GLOBAL MINING REGIONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR RIVERS AND WATER RESOURCES
Chris Moran
Concurrent Speakers
Historically the impacts of mining on rivers and water resources has been characterised by
examining individual mines and their impacts. In recent years, it has become increasing clear that
the impacts of multiple mining operations in a region can be significant. Efforts to deal with this
realisation have focused on assessment of “cumulative effects” or “cumulative impacts”. To date,
there has been no attempt to define where the world’s major mining regions are located and to
characterise their surrounding context. In this paper we provide the first global map of mining
regions. The scope is defined by the limits of data available in the United States Geological Survey
(USGS) public data set. Commodities were limited to Bauxite/aluminium, coal, copper, iron and Fe
alloys, gold, silver/lead/zinc, limestone, manganese, nickel and phosphates. Mining regions were
defined as clusters of mines within a given distance of one another and the area surrounding those
mines defined by half the distance. The distance thresholds used were 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 km.
This is hereafter referred to as the “analysis scale”. Contextual information was collated from a
variety of sources. The contextual information was presented as plots of increasing analysis scale.
This method provides plots of how various aspects of the surrounding environment change with
increasing distance. All variables were aggregated to the level of continents for comparison. In
terms of rivers and water resources the main contextual variables examined were river density,
cropping area (and change over time), grazing area (and change over time), population, built up area
and other secondary associated activities, e.g., metal refining. Discernible trends in a number of
contextual variables were evident at the continental scale. For example, a general decrease in river
length per unit area with increasing distance was observed in most continents. Similarly, a decrease
in the frequency of activities requiring considerable cooling water, i.e., plants, refineries and
smelters with increasing distance was evident. These and other trends are presented and discussed
in the paper. The synoptic analysis provides sufficient encouragement to motivate a more detailed
assessment at national and regional level in the future.
UNDERSTANDING THE PUBLIC VALUE OF MELBOURNE’S WATERWAYS
Peter Morison
Concurrent Speakers
Since the 1970s many of Melbourne’s waterways have improved as a result of increased public
attention to the value of urban waterways, accompanied by improved standards, regulations and
enforcement. This period was strongly influenced by a series of focusing events and reactive civic
environmentalism, causing a positive shift in managerial emphasis.
Now, as the city’s population rapidly grows, and will nearly double to 7.7 million by 2051, the
ecological state of waterways will be significantly impacted by its urbanisation. Furthermore, the
city is projected to be more densely developed with a need to increase the scope and availability of
its public assets. Melbourne Water is responsible for the condition of these waterways which
requires a balanced consideration of protecting ecological function as well as provision of access and
amenity which together support the wellbeing and other social needs of Melburnians.
Considering such challenges, the ecological focus of the previous two decades may not deliver the
greatest public value of Melbourne’s waterways to its citizenry. Melbourne Water is exploring how,
building on its current approach, it can better understand the community values of waterways so
that it can improve the public value of Melbourne’s waterways. In developing its five-year Water
Plan, Melbourne Water is engaging directly with the public on what waterway management services
people most value, including their willingness to pay for these services. An important element of
this research is the amenity of waterways, ranging from the naturalness of a waterway to its
accessibility, and how this may affect the design of Melbourne Water’s waterways management
programs. This information will inform Water Plan priorities and the processes for understanding
community value will be used to develop a more disciplined approach to determining waterway
management priorities.
In this presentation, we will outline the research employed by Melbourne Water to determine the
public value of the city’s waterways and how these have influenced a new waterways management
approach. By adopting public value as a foundation for management, longer term improvements
can be enabled that meet the needs of Melburnians, and provide for the integrity of the waterways
in which they value.
TRADING WATER DELIVERS SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES AT REDUCED ECONOMIC
COST
Bill Moulden
Melbourne Water
Concurrent Speakers
This paper describes the purchase of an irrigation entitlement for use as environmental flows. It is
unique in demonstrating best-practice program management, ecological monitoring and economic
evaluation delivering significant social benefits.
Melbourne Water manages waterways in the catchments immediately surrounding the Melbourne
metropolitan area. Our Healthy Waterways Strategy commits to improving aquatic fauna, vegetation
and amenity to certain levels. With the aid of rigorous costing models, it also specifies the length of
riparian vegetation and area of aquatic habitat we will manage and improve to meet those
objectives within our stated budget.
In 2012, an opportunity arose in the Werribee River, in Melbourne’s west, to purchase an irrigation
entitlement to use for environmental flows. Our costing models indicated that the water would
improve the same area of aquatic habitat as revegetation of a similar cost, but sooner and with more
certainty. Consequently, Melbourne Water purchased the entitlement.
The purchase price of $1,950 per ML was within the range for traded entitlements within the
Werribee catchment and entitlements bought by the Federal government for environmental flows in
the Murray-Goulburn system in northern Victoria.
Ecological monitoring has shown that initial flow releases:
created a salt-wedge that favours fish recruitment in the estuary
increased opportunities for fish migration
improved water quality and flushed blue-green algae blooms from the river
Contingent valuation of the environmental flows using models from published studies valued the
water at more than double its purchase price. Major components of value are the predicted increase
in fish populations and improvement in water quality to human contact level. These in-stream
outcomes would be difficult to achieve with traditional revegetation alone, indicating an improved
outcome for the community as a result of purchasing the entitlement.
RECOVERING FROM THE 2013 FLOODS, BURNETT AND KOLAN RIVERS
Cathy Mylrea
Burnett Mary Regional Group
Concurrent Speakers
The Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) is a community based, not for profitorganisation
supporting natural resource management outcomes for the Burnett Maryregion (Queensland).
BMRG has a history of involvement in the delivery of river management programs.
Ourrecentinvolvement has been a direct result of the record breaking floods in 2013, causedby exTropical Cyclone Oswald. BMRG and partners coordinated the delivery of a majorNRM program to
assist growers to rebuild productivity, manage threats andaddress major damage to rivers.
The key aim of this program was to improve the ecologicalfunction of the Burnett River by stablising
riparian areas, encouraging people to manage their river bank to maintain ecosystem function,
natural biodiversity and reducing sedimentand nutrient loads flowing to the South Great Barrier Reef
system.
To develop a strategy for prioritizing and determining resilient and cost-effectivestablisation
measures, an understanding of both site-specific and system-wide stability conditions was essential.
BMRG commissioned Cardno ENTRIX to use state-of-the-artmeasuring and modelling techniques to
provide robust solutions to these types of channel-stability problems. The result is an almost
continuous evaluation of channel conditions anddominant processes over 304 km of the Burnett
River. A total volume of material erodedby bank processes from 2011-13 period was about 47
million tonnes.
BMRG’s adoption of cost effective measures to stabilise riparian areas involved the use ofstream
geomorphic processes, bank stability and soil measurements, river flow dynamicsand modelling
tools to determine effective revegetation, engineering and landmanagement solutions. A key
component of this program was developing regionally focussed technical specifications for bank
stabilisation and revegetation techniques.Community partnerships, especially the involvement of
landholdersand community groups, were essential for the implementation of stabilisation works,
improved riparian management, toreduce future effects of flood erosion.
From the start of the project in July 2013, over 30 landholders have been assisted withon-ground
stabilisation works (earthmoving, revegetation and rehabilitation) and technicaladvice. Improved
riparian management (fire, weed and grazing management) hasoccurred on 30 km of river bank; and
200 ha of degraded riparian area has been stabilisedand revegetated and fenced to encourage
natural regeneration and management.
Case study:
http://www.bmrg.org.au/files/3214/0599/0147/Booyan_case_study1.pdf
IT’S MORE THAN ADDING WATER – THE TRI-STATE SOUTHERN – CONNECTED BASIN ALLIANCE
Chris Norman
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management and
Concurrent Speakers
The six regional natural resource management bodies along the length and both sides of the Murray
River have committed to an MOU that forms the ‘Tri-State Southern-Connected Basin Alliance’. The
vision of the Alliance is ‘to create maximum value for our communities and the environment by
planning and implementing programs that take the whole of the Murray into account and integrate
the land with the water’.
The ‘Tri-State Southern-Connected Basin Alliance’ builds on the existing relationships and
collaborative activity between the Murray Local Land Services in NSW; North East, North Central,
Goulburn Broken and Mallee Catchment Management Authorities in Victoria, and the South
Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Board in South Australia.
The goals of the Alliance are to –
•
Increase the influence of the members on natural resource outcomes by jointly developing,
monitoring and reporting on Alliance wide measures; coordinated policy development and the
formation of Alliance wide partnerships.
•
Increase operational efficiencies by shared development and use of business and
implementation processes and co-ordination of program delivery.
•
Build the capacity of member organisations, partners and the community by sharing
technical expertise; joint capacity building and the coordination of research priorities and
implementation of findings.
The CEOs/General Managers/Regional Managers and senior staff of the Alliance have been meeting
since December 2014 to explore the benefits that the Alliance could deliver, agree on priorities and
translate these into action.
The inaugural Alliance ‘Murray Corridors’ project has been developed out of these discussions and
will use an integrated community based approach that maximises the benefits of linking water and
land management practices; builds the economy as well as the environment and fully connects the
upper and lower river reaches.
UMBRELLA ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS: ESTABLISHING ENVIRONMENTAL WATER REQUIREMENTS IN
THE MURRAY-DARLING BASIN
Matthew O’Brien
Murray-Darling Basin Authority
Concurrent Speakers
The Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) Plan is a significant water reform policy that required development
of an approach to assess the amount of water required to sustain the MDB’s water-dependent
ecosystems.
The ‘Umbrella Environmental Assets’ approach selected areas with high environmental values and
which have relatively well understood environmental water requirements to infer water
requirements for a broader stretch of a river or valley. The approach is cognisant of imperfect
ecological knowledge. That is, information is often only available for a small number of the many
aquatic ecosystems to reliably describe their environmental water requirements.
The environmental water requirements assessment approach in the Basin Plan used detailed eco
hydrologic assessments at a total of 24 Umbrella Environmental Assets. Detailed assessments
primarily focused on the overbank and bankfull components of the flow regime with the water
needs of key ecosystem components (e.g. vegetation, birds, fish) specified for each of the Umbrella
Environmental Assets in terms of a desired flow volume or magnitude, duration, frequency and
timing.
The environmental water requirements developed for each of the Umbrella Environmental Assets
were used as an interface between hydrologic and environmental outcomes. Basin Plan hydrologic
modelling routes water through all rivers and Umbrella Environmental Assets in the Basin. Using
hydrologic model outputs the environmental water requirements can be used to infer
environmental outcomes from different water recovery scenarios through assessment of how well
the requirements were met.
In addition to outlining the Umbrella Environmental Assets approach to determine water
requirements for large river basins with information gaps, the presentation will also explore
opportunities for improving the approach.
URBAN RIVER RESTORATION AND PLANNING RIVER CITIES
ZeynepÖzdemir
Istanbul Technical University
Concurrent Speakers
Main purpose of this study is the examination of the problems of the combination of the river with
the city in aspects of legal regulations, cultural and spatial issues, and the research of the
combination of the river with the city within the urban design and planning approach. It is known
that there are many rivers streaming through the cities in Turkey. Why many of these cities are not
getting benefit from these rivers is one of the main questions of this paper and the solution is
searched in legal, cultural, and spatial issues. Additionally, the constraints occurred by the means of
legislation’s protection, manipulation, and planning are examined, and possible cultural problems
which prevent people from using the rivers are searched, and also how the rivers shape their own
coasts and around is studied from spatial perspective, and how the usage of the rivers have changed
from past to today, and what kind of regulations are available now and what needs to be done and
designed in the future about coasts are all examined.
In the scope of this study, observations are done in the sampling places as Adapazarı (Çark Stream
and Sakarya River), Eskişehir (Porsuk River), and Amasya (Yeşilırmak). Interviews and surveys are
done with the experts in planning and technical issues with in-depth interview method in all of these
sampled places. The problems about getting benefit from rivers in cities are specified with a public
survey conducted in Amasya, and the participants chosen randomly. As a result of all of these, it is
clear that cities cannot be combined with their rivers spatially because of legal constraints in Turkey.
In the result part, after all these data are examined, suggestions about how to use rivers in cities
effectively in aspects of urban design are presented.
EMBEDDING NATIVE FISH RECOVERY WITHIN A VIBRANT IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Anna Parker (nee Chatfield)
North Central Catchment Management Authority
Concurrent Speakers
Water is the lifeblood of the Murray-Darling Basin. This is never more evident than within the
Torrumbarry Irrigation District, a large irrigation area located in northern Victoria that produces over
$130 million of food, fibre and economic wealth per year. The irrigation district uses natural
waterways and wetlands including the Gunbower Creek and lower Loddon River, to distribute and
store water for irrigation. For over 130 years irrigation has provided prosperity and wealth to the
region’s economy but at the now-recognised cost of declining waterway and wetland health. The
declining health of the waterways is evident in the depauperate native fish populations.
The North Central CMA in partnership with fish ecologists has developed a Native Fish Recovery Plan
(the Plan) for the region. The vision of the Plan is greatly increased native fish populations,
recovered threatened species, improved natural values, integrated with vibrant and productive
irrigation and agriculture. The Plan takes a landscape scale, long term (10 year) approach to the
restoration of the native fish population.
The philosophy of the Plan is to enhance the present ecological values and exploit the potential
ecological values, using the latest scientific knowledge, whilst working in partnership with a modern
irrigation system. This differs from the more traditional approach of returning the ecosystem to asclose-to-natural conditions as possible. The reasoning is that in the Gunbower - lower Loddon
region, more can be achieved on a local and regional scale by utilising the potential of the streams,
anabranches and wetlands that are part of existing irrigation systems.
Implementation of the Plan is underway with an environmental flow delivered in 2013 to Gunbower
Creek aimed at creating conditions that enable the successful spawning and larvae survival of
Murray Cod. A total of 19GL of environmental water was piggy-backed onto irrigation flows with
enormous success.
SEEKING WATER JUSTICE: ABORIGINAL ECONOMIC ENTITLEMENTS AND BASIN MANAGEMENT
Darren Perry
Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations
Concurrent Speakers
First Nations in Australia have asserted their rights and aspirations to own and manage water
resources for cultural continuity, environmental sustainability and economic development.
Reflecting on the overarching theme of the 2015 Symposium, Murray Lower Darling Rivers
Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN) Chair and member of the Ngintait Nation, Darren Perry, will address
current opportunities and barriers to the realisation of Aboriginal water entitlements for economic
and community development.
Aboriginal economies in Australia have been synchronised with careful environmental stewardship
for millennia. Aboriginal aspirations to develop sustainable economies can align with the increasing
need for enhanced environmental management of basins and rivers systems.
Addressing diverse approaches and pathways to achieving Aboriginal water rights from across
Australia, the presenters will consider 1) what are the underlying socioeconomic conditions
experienced by First Nations people in the Murray Darling Basin; 2) how can Aboriginal economic
water entitlements help to address structural disadvantage and economic marginalisation 3) what
are the current pathways, approaches and opportunities towards realising a system of Aboriginal
economic water entitlements in Australia and how would such a system interact with other forms of
Aboriginal water entitlement? 4) What are the barriers to achieving equitable outcomes?
A HOLISTIC FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGEMENT OF RIVERS, ESTUARIES AND WETLANDS AT THE
REGIONAL LEVEL
Greg Peters
Riverness Pty Ltd
Concurrent Speakers
In 2013, the Victorian Waterway Management Strategy (VWMS) was released, incorporating policy
for regional waterway management planning. Central to this, was the requirement for the nine
regional Victorian catchment management authorities to develop Regional Waterway Strategies
(RWSs).
Under the leadership of the (then) Department of Environment and Primary Industries, CMAs
completed the RWSs in 2014, using consistent guidelines and supporting tools.
The RWSs provide a single planning document for river, estuary and wetland management in each
CMA region that:
•
identifies an 8-year work program for priority waterways
•
presents three levels of targets under the detailed program logic, covering three temporal
scales
The RWSs employed the asset-based approach, for river reaches, estuaries and individual wetlands.
Supporting work was undertaken to develop a consistent method for collecting data about the
values and threats for each asset, and this data was recorded as simple scores in the Aquatic Values
Identification and Risk Assessment (AVIRA) tool. The use of this tool ensured consistency in the
assessment of assets across regions.
Regional goals were developed in partnership with regional stakeholders and communities at scales
appropriate for management and engagement. Priority waterways were identified by setting rules
relating value data from AVIRA to each goal. The goals enabled regions to narrow the number of
waterways for inclusion in the works program. For example, the Glenelg Hopkins CMA region
assessed 427 assets in AVIRA to identify 107 priority waterways.
The regional works programs were developed using a number of supporting tools including risk
assessments (built into AVIRA), logic models (linking threats to management activities), cost benefit
analysis and a works program database (incorporating outputs from the other tools) further ensuring
consistency across the state. New online approaches were also adopted in finalising the strategies
for more effective regional implementation.
JOURNEY OF MELBOURNE’S STORMWATER QUALITY WETLANDS – A POSITIVE BUT CAUTIONARY
TALE
Hannah Pexton
Concurrent Speakers
Constructed wetlands for water quality treatment had their genesis in wastewater treatment plants
but are now a well-established and proven technology for treating stormwater runoff. Melbourne
Water was an early adopter of wetlands for this purpose and since the year 2000 has constructed 50
wetland systems costing in excess of $60M to reduce nitrogen loads to Port Phillip by over 100
tonnes. In addition to its own wetlands, Melbourne Water manages more than 167 wetlands that
have been constructed by developers to meet state legislative requirements. Across these wetlands
cumulative nitrogen retention exceeds 210 tonnes and the value of ecological services is estimated
to be in the order of $1.4Bn.
Following this period of rapid asset growth and the challenges it posed, Melbourne Water has
gained important insights into the advantages and shortcomings of stormwater wetlands.
Challenges include the cost and availability of suitable land for wetland retrofit and ongoing
maintenance costs (including sediment disposal to landfill). Advantages include the provision of
multiple benefits including habitat, water for harvesting and liveability/amenity outcomes. This
presentation describes the 15 year evolution of Melbourne Water’s wetland implementation and
management practices. It presents key lessons, achievements and learnings that will be of use to
other organisations, both nationally and internationally, considering stormwater wetland programs
and includes the importance of clarity in program purpose and outcomes; optimising asset
management and the importance of a disciplined and efficient maintenance regime; valuing and
designing wetland for multiple benefits beyond just water quality; understanding all aspects of their
lifecycle and costs associated with each aspect; appropriate monitoring and evaluation of assets; and
the development of an innovative solution for sediment treatment and reuse as a soil, to avoid
costly landfill charges.
BEST PRACTICE IMPLEMENTATION OF RIVER BASIN MODELS TO SUPPORT INTEGRATED BASIN
MANAGEMENT
Geoff Podger
CSIRO
Concurrent Speakers
Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) requires a clear understanding of both the surface
and groundwater resources of a river basin and the connection between the use of these resources
and the impact on assets within the basin. To provide a defensible understanding of the water
resource and the relationship between use and impact on assets requires river basin models.
There are numerous examples of where river system models have been developed to support IWRM
but have not been used successfully. In many circumstances the process is distracted by arguments
about model conceptualisation, type, calibration metrics and accuracy which distracts from the
IWRM process. There are however examples of where models have been intimately linked to the
basin planning process. We explore the best practice modelling principles that lead to building trust
in models that results in models supporting IWRM.
We suggest the key elements of best practice modelling are (i) an overarching framework that
provides the rules and mandate for IWRM, (ii) stakeholder engagement throughout the model
conceptualisation, implementation and scenario analysis stages, (iii) a basin wide perspective set
within a risk based framework, (iv) clearly defined and agreed problem space (drivers, issues, key
assets), (v) a transparent, robust and scientifically defensible understanding of both the surface and
groundwater resources, (vi) an agreed sustainable level of use and (vii) adaptive management
guided by monitoring and evaluation.
We look at the Murray-Darling Basin as an example of where models have been linked to the IWRM
process. We consider the importance of capacity building as part of the process of building trust and
adoption of models to support IWRM. We also provide some thoughts on the linkage between river
system modelling and the basin planning process.
APPLYING A VALUES-BASED STEWARDSHIP MODEL TO RIVER MANAGEMENT
Michael Pescott
TFT-IRF
Concurrent Speakers
The Forest Trusts's (TFT) work in natural resource management focuses on a values based
stewardship model embracing both environmental and social issues. Central to the model is the
Values, Transparency, Transformation and Verification (VT-TV) approach to create substantive
change and deep transformation in each resource sector. This model attempts to move beyond
certification to reinvigorate people to become the real force for positive change. This process
releases the individual’s deep passion for doing what’s right. Essential ingredients are the company’s
Values – what it is and what it believes in. And every step of the journey requires skilled multistakeholder engagement, Transparency and trust building. Transformation across the full value chain
is achievable but fully independent, non-conflicted Verification is where most improvement is still
needed. Over 16 years TFT has applied this model successfully across 13 commodities. Can it work
for river stewardship, not only in global supply chains but also with companies and business who
directly use rivers and who wish to differentiate themselves through verifiable quality practices?
EVALUATION OF MODELLING APPROACHES TO ASSESS LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF VALLEY FLOOR
MINING
Krey Price
MWH
Concurrent Speakers
Open-pit mines are currently proposed or in operation along a number of creek beds and river
valleys across Australia. Due to the lack of practicable, long-term monitoring and maintenance
measures, diversion structures and other hydraulic controls are generally assumed to be either
removed or non-functioning in the post-closure environment. An assessment of the hydrologic and
hydraulic performance of post-closure river systems with unfilled or partially backfilled mine pits in
place highlights several key considerations that must be addressed.
The demonstration of compliance with regulatory closure requirements is often undertaken based
on the conveyance of a single, peak discharge rate using a steady-state, fixed bed, 1-dimensional
hydraulic model. This paper presents the results of a research project assessing hydrologic,
hydraulic, and sediment impacts of mine pits along significant watercourses, including the
application of unsteady flows, 2-dimensional analyses, and mobile-bed sediment dynamics. The
results show extreme differences in the prediction of long-term results derived from applying
varying modelling approaches that to identical ground conditions.
Under current mining regulations in Australia, the demonstration of stable conditions over an
extended post-closure timeframe is required prior to commencing operations. The results of this
study show that currently accepted modelling approaches may be inadequate for assessing longterm impacts of mine pits along watercourses. Continuing advances in available hardware and
software allow the re-assessment of predicted, post-closure impacts, particularly for those mine
sites that will not be closed for many years. Advances in paleo-hydrological techniques, Monte Carlo
assessments, and other approaches allow the development of increased confidence in modelling
cumulative, long-term impacts. A risk-based approach covering an extended time series is shown to
be more appropriate than the application of a single event with a designated recurrence interval.
These improved approaches are increasingly crucial as additional ore bodies are identified and
extracted along watercourses.
REHABILITATING THE PASIG RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES: STRATEGIES AND CHALLENGES
Reynaldo Ramos
Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission
Concurrent Speakers
The early management of the Pasig River system started in 1970s with the creation of the Pasig River
Development Council (PRDC). The Council existed for 13 years; however the river management was
revived in the early 1990s through the establishment of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Program
(PRRP) with the financial assistance from the Danish International Development Assistance
(DANIDA). To date, after the DANIDA’s financial aid assistance, there were several international
donors and private sector entities supported the rehabilitation efforts of the Philippine government
to bring significant improvement in the water quality and major changes in the wellbeing of the river
communities.
The presentation aims to provide the historical roadmap of the major strategies and approaches
employed by the Philippine government in the rehabilitation and development of the Pasig River and
its tributaries. Specific programs, activities and projects (PAPs) will be presented to have a deeper
understanding of these rehabilitation efforts through the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission
(PRRC) as mandated in ensuring that the waterway is rehabilitated to its historically pristine
condition conducive for transport, recreation, and tourism. Lessons learned from these strategies
and approaches, as well as the challenges faced by PRRC will also be incorporated in the
presentation to provide participants invaluable ideas that can be applied to similar undertakings.
NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE LIMNOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF MAJOR AMAZONIAN RIVERS:
SUBSIDIES FOR WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Eduardo Antonio Ríos-Villamizar
InstitutoNacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia
Concurrent Speakers
Water and soil chemistry provides important parameters for the study of ecology, biodiversity and
biogeochemical cycles of rivers and connected wetlands. Native inhabitants of the Amazon Basin
categorized rivers by the water colour and associated this parameter to specific ecological
properties. Sioli (1950) formulated the first scientific classification of Amazonian waters by using
water colour, suspended solids, pH and electrical conductivity in order to establish three (3) water
types: whitewater, blackwater and clearwater. He explained limnological characteristics of the large
Amazonian rivers and related the physicochemical parameters of these three water types with the
geological and geomorphological properties of their hydrographic basins (landscape ecology).
Nowadays, an increasing amount of hydrochemical data indicate that the chemical composition and
content of Amazonian rivers vary much more than assumed by Sioli, i.e., annual data sets show for
some rivers considerable fluctuations in physicochemical parameters which makes the relation to a
specific water type difficult. Despite adjustments into Sioli’s general classification, his approach
continues to be valid for ecological and management purposes due to its simplicity for explaining
structures, processes and functions of Amazonian landscapes and for supporting the scientific
discussion about Amazonian limnology. We established a comprehensive data base about
hydrochemistry of Amazonian rivers, from literature and our own field surveys, in order to review
and reassess the existing classification. Of the 380 rivers and streams analysed, only 193 (50.8%)
could be addressed to Sioli’s categories, slightly modified by us. The remaining 187 rivers and
streams (49.2%) were separated in more three categories, Intermediate Type A, Intermediate Type
B, and Brackish. These results provide new insights into the limnological classification of major
Amazonian rivers and streams and subsidize a more detailed classification system of Amazonian
fresh waters as well as the conservation and sustainable management programs for water resources
and wetlands.
WATER FOR LIFE: SETTING PRIORITIES
Russell Rollason
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Concurrent Speakers
Two days after this RiverSymposium ends, the nations of the world with gather in New York at the
United Nations with a view to adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Over the past couple of years, the UN has been reviewing progress on the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) and nations have been negotiating a new set of goals for the future.
There is broad agreement that the MDGs have achieved significant progress because they are
underpinned by ambitious and technically achievable targets. The targets have provided a driver for
accountability.
But not all targets have been met. Sanitation is the most lagging target of the MDGs, and Australia is
working to improve this situation because we recognize the profound implications sanitation has for
human health, dignity and security.
The world today is very different from that in 2000 when the MDGs were adopted. As a result the
SDGs are looking like they will have 17 goals and more than 120 indicators. Significantly, SDG 6 has
the goal of ‘ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’ and
includes indicators for water quality, IWRM, water-use efficiency and aquatic ecosystems.
One of the alarming changes globally over the past 15 years has been the emergence of water
availability as a major constraint to development. Globally, agriculture uses 70 percent of available
fresh water resources, but growing populations combined with escalating energy demands,
urbanisation, pollution and climate change, are posing significant challenges for water security.
Water (together with agriculture and fisheries) is one of six priorities for the Australian aid program
and the Ag-Fish-Water Strategy was recently released.
The presentation will outline DFAT’s Strategy and program priorities in the Mekong, South Asia, in
water supply and sanitation, and through the Australian Water Partnership.
PERCEPTIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATERING IN THE MURRAY-DARLING BASIN
JackiSchrimer& Sandra Walpole
MDBA
Concurrent Speakers
The overarching aim of the Murray-Darling Basin water reforms is to ensure there is a balance
between the multiple demands on the water resources of the Basin (economic, social and
environmental). The Basin Plan includes mechanisms for coordinating the delivery of environmental
watering across the Basin. The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is commissioned with
tracking progress of the Plan’s implementation, and evaluating and reporting on the effects of the
water reform on Basin communities and the environment.
In addition to a range of other issues, the 2014 Regional Wellbeing Survey examined how people
perceive environmental watering in the Murray-Darling Basin.These questions focused on
understanding their perceptions of environmental watering, how decisions about environmental
watering are made, whether survey participants had experienced an environmental watering event,
and the types of changes they observed. More than 3,000 people answered questions about
environmental watering, providing a large and unique dataset. The survey results will provide an
opportunity to explore the relationship between environmental watering and wellbeing, and an
opportunity to examine factors that explain perceptions of environmental watering across the Basin.
Key results from the Regional Wellbeing Surveymaybe used with a range of other social and
economic information to understand the effects the Basin Plan is having on communities and the
environment.
THE CHALLENGE FOR IRRIGATED FARMERS SHARING LIMITED WATER RESOURCES FROM MONKUL
BOREY RIVER, CAMBODIA
Sophak Seng
DFAT
Concurrent Speakers
Climate change is affecting Cambodian people, especially those living in northwest provinces where
they have been facing more extreme droughts and floods or even both drought and flood in one
cropping season. To deal with this change, a few farmers have tried to shift from traditional rice
cropping activities to a new approach and they have achieved better results. Learning from these
experiences, this new approach to rice cropping has been scaled up season by season.
Overall, farmers understand that with the new adopted approach of cropping activities they may
generate their needed income from these intensive rice cropping systems. However, conflict over
the sharing of irrigated water has become a critical issue due to ignoring the quantity of water
availability from MonkulBorey River and the condition of irrigation infrastructure which transports
water from this river to several locations.
The conflicts always happen between upstream and downstream users and frequently after the first
stage of cropping activities are completed. To address these conflicts, farmers ask for an
intervention from the local authority rather than from a technical institution person. And then,
decision making is mostly based on equality rather than a justice viewpoint, while legal
documentation of this issue in under process of establishment and validation.
To conclude, I would suggest that all stakeholders enter discussions before conflict arises and the
decision should be based on a justice perspective which is better than equality when considering the
condition of the existing irrigation system.
WILL CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT THE WATER AVAILABILTY IN THE HINDU KUSH HIMALAYA?
Arun B. Shrestha
DFAT
Concurrent Speakers
The Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is highly dynamic as there are many socioeconomic and
environmental drivers of change at play, including climate change. The impacts of these changes
challenge the resilience of natural and human capacities and environments in the region. Recent
studies have shown that the Himalayan region and the downstream areas that depend on its water
supply and ecosystem services are particularly vulnerable to climate change.Water Resource is likely
the most important sector in terms of vulnerability to climate change. Robust water availability
scenarios are needed to conduct impact assessment in these sectors and thereby plan adaptation
options.
We used a large-scale, high-resolution cryospheric–hydrological model to quantify the hydrological
regimes of the upstream parts of Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra,Salween and Mekong river basins.
Further, we analyzed the impacts of climate change on future water availability in these basins using
the latest climate model ensemble. Despite large differences in runoff composition and regimes
between basins and between tributaries within basins, we project stable or even increased water
availability at least until the 2050 caused primarily by an increase in precipitation in the upper
Ganges, Brahmaputra, Salween and Mekong basins and from accelerated melt in the upper Indus
Basin. Indications of increase in extreme events is suggested by the study. These findings have
important consequences for climate change adaptation and water resource management policies in
the region.
INCLUSIVE WATER GOVERNANCE – HEARING WOMEN AND DOWNSTREAM MEKONG
COMMUNITIES
Michael Simon
Oxfam Australia
Concurrent Speakers
Rapid development of the transboundary Mekong river is underway – with plans for mainstream
hydropower dams on the lower Mekong formally being negotiated between State’s parties. A
Strategic Environmental Assessment commissioned by the Mekong River Commission recommended
these plans be put on hold while scientific and economic studies were undertaken. In this context,
the Australian Government is supporting a Vietnamese Government led research project – the
Mekong Delta Study - to assess the environmental, social and economic impacts of upstream
development on the Mekong Delta. In the processes of consulting on the proposals and research
studies, concerns are being raised by river communities and their civil society partners about the
impacts on Mekong Delta communities and livelihoods.
This session will present an analysis of the upstream developments from a transboundary civil
society viewpoint - building on current projects to advance women’s participation in water
governance, and the efforts of national river networks to encourage decision making to be more
inclusive of transboundary considerations and livelihood interests of local farmer and fisher
communities. Presentations will be made which outline i. The work of the Vietnam River’s Network
to inform and mobilise women and local communities in the Mekong delta; and ii.from this how
Mekong civil society is seeking to have their voices heard in the negotiations and consultations on
upstream developments; including outlining the network’s key recommendations for more inclusive
water management which supports local livelihoods and food security.
CAN TRANSBOUNDARY BASIN SHARED WITH CHINA AND RUSSIA WITHSTAND MONGOLIA’S
MINING BOOM?
Evgeny Simonov
Rivers without Boundaries
Concurrent Speakers
Many rivers of Mongolian plateau flow across borders and are of high ecological value: Selenge
River - the main source of Lake Baikal World Heritage, Kherlen River flows into Dalai Lake Ramsar
Wetland. Rapid and uncontrolled expansion of water-intensive activities such as mining, may
severely threaten ecosystems and local communities, unless water allocation is limited by
implementing rigorously defined environmental norms and protecting environmental rights of local
communities.
In Mongolia licenses were given to foreign companies to develop large ore and coal deposits:
OyuTolgoi ,TavanTolgoi, Ovoot, etc. Development slowed by water sources scarcity in Gobi Desert
regions, due to both natural water scarcity and insufficient groundwater exploration. To quench
mining thirst Mongolia and the World Bank propose water conveyance schemes with 500-800
kilometer pipelines from Kherlen and Orkhon rivers. To support its mining firms the Australian
Government gave Mongolia a 4 million for groundwater management.
RwB undertakes environmental policy research in Kherlen and Selengetransboundary basins shared
with China and Russia. In Kherlen basin we estimated that by 2030 overall planned water
consumption and losses could equal average flow across Chinese border. Cyclical flow volume
change typical for Kherlen River and climate change impacts make it impossible to meet such
demands during dry phases of climate cycle. Downstream river reaches and Dalai Lake Ramsar
Wetland are severely threatened by planned developments.
Mongolia and China signed a water treaty and the Chinese side has consistently requested a
comprehensive bilateral evaluation of the Kherlen-Gobi Project impacts. We argue that an
assessment of cumulative impacts should incorporate provision for environmental flows in Kherlen
River-Dalai Lake ecosystem as related to flow of water, sediments and nutrients and include a full
evaluation of climate variability. We explore how bilateral treaties and international conventions
may help to improve river protection.
MACROINVERTEBRATE TRAITS OR TAXONOMIC-BASED APPROACH FOR EVALUATING THE EFFECTS
OF URBAN WASTEWATER
NqobizithaSiziba
Concurrent Speakers
Riverine systems in developing countries provide key goods and services. In Zimbabwe, these
ecosystems that are draining poorly treated urban wastewater are under serious threats. Globally,
the inclusion of resident aquatic organisms like macroinvertebrates in the management strategies of
these threats is on the rise. However, within the Sub-Saharan region, less effort has been directed
towards the development of biomonitoring/bioassessment tools. In addition, most of the
investigations have mainly utilised the taxonomic-based approaches including the widely used South
African Scoring System (SASS). This is despite, the fact that most recent literature has highlighted the
limitations of the taxonomic-based approaches and advocated for the use of trait-based approaches.
Therefore, to date, there is little information available on the effects of poorly treated urban
wastewater on macroinvertebrate traits. Furthermore, there is also a dearth of studies comparing
the performances of the trait-based approach over the taxonomic-based approaches. Hence, this
study was guided by the following objectives: (i) to determine the effects of poorly treated urban
wastewater on macroinvertebrate communities and biological traits; and (ii) compare the
performance of taxonomic-based and trait-based approaches in the Upper Gwayi Catchment,
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Study sites were selected from the sites that were heavily impacted by
wastewater from the city of Bulawayo and sites not impacted by wastewater from the city.
Macroinvertebrate communities at heavily disturbed sites were characterised by largely two families
Chironomidae and Syriphidae. The frequencies of trait modalities: tegument and aerial respiration
significantly increased (ANOVA, p< 0.05) in heavily disturbed sites. In addition, the trait-based
ordination resulted in a higher explained variance than the taxonomy-based ordination, indicating a
better performance of the trait-based approach. Therefore, based on this study, the inclusion of
macroinvertebrate trait-based approaches in the innovative management strategies of riverine
systems within the urbanised landscapes of Zimbabwe is highly recommended.
THE BREMER RIVER FUND – A CO-OPERATIVE APPROACH TO COMMUNITY LEAD RIVER
REHABILITATION
Philip Smith
ICC
Concurrent Speakers
The Bremer River Fund – An alternative waterway improvement mechanism.
To the outside observer it may seem like the field of waterway catchment management in South
East Queensland, much like many of the region’s rivers, has grown into a busy and sometimes
cloudy/murky space over the past decades in line with the growth of the population and associated
pressures. Out of the years of degradation across the region came the realisation by those in charge,
and the local communities, of the pressing need to protect and enhance our waterways. As a result
of this there are now over 20 different bodies with a stake in catchment planning, water
management and riverine protection across SEQ. Common sense may then suggest the last thing
the region needs is yet another. Despite this, and without regulatory or legislative powers The
Bremer River Fund was established in 2010 and has enjoyed growing success over the past 5 years,
working with partners and the local community to plan, facilitate and deliver real on ground
improvement within the Bremer Catchment.
As a committee-run fund of local business, local government and the International River Foundation,
The Bremer River Fund, working with local groups and councils has engaged approximately 800
volunteers who have assisted in the planting of over 30,000 trees and plants over 3km of river and
creek bank. As well as the tangible benefits of the creek rehabilitation the program aims and
succeeds in engaging local people and business in the process to encourage ownership and
investment in its long term future. This has been achieved in part though the clarity provided by a
catchment-wide approach, working in partnership sharing clear and common drivers and goals
around waterway health improvement. This presentation will discuss the merits and challenges that
are encountered as part of the first 5 years of this novel waterway improvement delivery
mechanism.
RESOLVING OVER-ALLOCATION IN A SMALL CATCHMENT – THE MAEREWHENUA STORY
Elizabeth Soal
Waitaki Irrigators Collective Limited
Concurrent Speakers
The Maerewhenua is a small river in the Lower Waitaki River basin on the East Coast of New
Zealand's South Island. Water from the River has been used to derive economic benefits since the
late 1800s when it was utilised extensively for gold mining purposes. Subsequently, those mining
rights were converted to irrigation permits, but no environmental flow regime or limits process
existed. Further irrigation permits were issued later in twentieth century. The river is also culturally
significant for local rūnanga (indigenous Māori) and is a nationally significant trout fishery.
In 2005, the Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Regional Plan was written by a Board appointed
for the purpose by the New Zealand government. The Plan set environmental limits and flow
regimes for the entire basin, including the Maerewhenua River. The flow regime and limits set for
the Maerewhenua meant that the River was over-allocated in terms of water quantity, and current
abstraction permits would be reviewed to align them with the flow regime.
Around 2012, the farmers in the catchment formed a water-users' group and determined they
would develop an equitable process for addressing the issue of over-allocation, whilst maintaining
reliability of irrigation supply, and achieving the ultimate goal of improving the health of the River
beyond what was contemplated by the Plan.
This paper will outline the process adopted by the users' group and the outcomes achieved. This
includes processes around community collaboration, economic incentives, and effective planning
solutions. A comparative analysis of this process against identified success factors for sustainable
common-pool resource management will be undertaken, as well as an assessment of potential
applicability of lessons learnt to other catchments.
THE MIGHTY WAIKATO RIVER: THE NEW CO-GOVERNANCE APPROACH TO MANAGING A
NATIONAL RESOURCE
Paula Southgate
Concurrent Speakers
This paper details the unique management responses and solutions brokered to sustainably manage
New Zealand’s most used and regulated waterbody – the Waikato River, from its source at Lake
Taupo to where it joins the Tasman Sea at Port Waikato.
The Waikato river is New Zealand’s longest and arguably its greatest river. Along its 440km length
the Awa (river) passes through a variety of landscapes and geologies, picking up and integrating
influences from each. These include, geothermal from the volcanic plateau, mudstones from the
large Waipa sub-catchment to the west, the central limestone country, and finally the peat
dominated bogs and swamps of the northern lowlands. To these influences are added the differing
land use effects from production forestry, dairy farming, urban settlement and market gardening.
Also added are the effects of industrial and metropolitan discharges and the generation of electricity
from eight hydro dams below Lake Taupo. Learning from the lessons of ‘farming within limits’ in the
Taupo catchment a management framework for the entire river is being developed.
Much is already being asked of the river and much will be required in the future. A dynamic future
that will change in response to meteorological conditions, demographics and economic drivers is
required. Future management of the river must be enduring and stable, but also adaptive and
responsive. This is being achieved through a co-governance arrangement, unique in the New
Zealand situation. The river passes through the rohe (area) of five indigenous tribes, each with an
agreed settlement with the Crown under the auspices of the Treaty of Waitangi. Two distinct but
related Acts of parliament give effect to the settlements and provide direction in the form of a Vision
and Strategy for the river that augments and overrides existing national freshwater management.
A description of the evidential support base along with structures and processes developed for this
cornerstone partnership, community driven, co-governance project entitled: Healthy Rivers; Plan for
Change - Waiora; He RautakiWhakapaipai; are explained and the political and partnership lessons
learnt are shared along with observations from community, and cultural perspectives.
A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO BASIN-SCALE RIVER RESTORATION IN CHINA
Robert Speed
Okeanos Pty Ltd
Concurrent Speakers
Restoration of critical ecosystem functions and services is an increasingly important element of river
management. This paper summarises research by WWF, the General Institute of Water Resources
and Hydropower Planning and Design, Ministry of Water Resources (People’s Republic of China) and
others on lessons from international approaches to river restoration. Our aim was to produce
guidance on restoration, especially in the context of substantially modified and degraded river
systems. Rather than replicating existing technical manuals, the focus of this guidance is on strategic
aspects of river restoration including the links between restoration, broader river basin planning
processes, and socio-economic development goals. The work is being used to guide major river
restoration pilot studies in China.
We commissioned expert reviews of river restoration in the USA, Australia, South Korea, China,
Europe and Singapore. These reviews analysed experiences from small or medium-sized basins, large
transboundary rivers and whole countries. Each review addressed questions regarding the planning
of river restoration schemes, including prioritisation of desired outcomes and interventions;
restoration methods; monitoring; institutional responsibilities and financing; and lessons learned.
From these reviews and a broader literature analysis we summarised the evolution of river
restoration and distilled key challenges. We combined this analysis and earlier work on river basin
planning to derive a strategic framework to guide river restoration planning.
VARIATION IN THE CAPACITY OF RIVER NETWORKS TO DELIVER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
Michael Stewardson
The University of Melbourne
Concurrent Speakers
River networks support ecosystem service flows by connecting provisioning (i.e. the hillslope) and
benefitting areas downstream along the river network. The spatial flow of potential ecosystem
services through the river network is rarely a direct transfer because river ecosystem processes
modify potential benefits by affecting downstream transport, transformation and retention of
water, sediments, energy, nutrients, contaminants and other material. To be effective, the analysis
of river ecosystem services needs to address the significant complexities of riverine macrosystems,
and in particular large spatial connections and multi-scale temporal and spatial variability.This
presentation will begin by presenting three hypothetical catchments with contrasting network
structure. The session participants will be asked to consider and vote on the intrinsic ability of each
of these catchments to deliver the following ecosystem services: water supply, hydropower
generation, fine sediment retention, flood attenuation and physical habitat provision. Perceptions of
the participants will be contrasted with a systematic analysis of ecosystem services across these
three river networks.
Results show that network structure has an important effect on the capacity to deliver these
ecosystem services. This study suggests that the capacity of river basins to deliver ecosystem
services varies with basin morphometry and this may by critically important in planning river basin
development and restoration. These results will be discussed on the context of varying
morphometry of some of the world’s large river basins including the Murray-Darling and the Mekong
Basins.
COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE ROLE OF WATER IN LOCAL ECONOMIES
Phil Townsend
MDBA
Concurrent Speakers
The outcomes sought through the Murray Darling Basin Plan include a healthy, working Basin. It is
based on a number of objectives, one of which is to optimize social, economic and environmental
outcomes. These outcomes and objectives informed decisions about the amount water to be taken
for consumptive uses and water needed for the environment. The Basin Plan came into effect in
2012. The Murray Darling Basin Authority is required to monitor and evaluate the effects of the Plan.
In assessing the social and economic outcomes arising from the changes prescribed through the
Basin Plan, it is necessary to understand the multiple changes affecting communities. The drivers of
change include the Commonwealth buying water from users and investment in the infrastructure
used to deliver and apply water. Differentiating the effects of these Basin Plan water reforms from
other drivers requires an understanding of the relationship between water use and its contribution
to economic activity and the well-being of communities.
Local people are a key element in the gathering of information on socioeconomic changes in
communities. They build our understanding of the role of water plays, and provide local insights and
interpretation regarding the causes and effects of change. In particular, they provide insights into
the relationship between irrigated agricultural production, town businesses and local communities.
This presentation will focus on the Authority’s monitoring and evaluation methods used to gather
information and sharing of knowledge with communities, with particular reference to the social and
economic assessments being undertaken to inform the Northern Basin review.
USING A SCORE CARD SYSTEM TO AID REJUVENATION OF THE GANGA, INDIA
Simon Toze
CSIRO
Concurrent Speakers
Large stretches of the River Ganga have become significantly polluted due to inputs of large amounts
of poor quality water into the river. Wastewater from a range of domestic and industrial sources are
discharged into drains which flow through urban environments into the river with untreated sewage
comprising more than two-thirds of the wastewater generated. The discharge of partially or
untreated wastewater from these drains is one of the major contributors causing the deterioration
of the quality of Indian Rivers. The drains discharging contaminated water into the Ganga River basin
are located within the 120 towns located within the Ganga Basin. Contaminants in the wastewater in
the drains can include faecal material and common domestic chemicals, as well as a wide range of
organic and inorganic chemicals from the wide variety of industries located within the Ganga Basin.
These industrial chemicals can include heavy metals, nutrients, pesticides, herbicides, plasticisers
and other organic compounds.
In 2014 the Indian and Australian Governments agreed to cooperate on a Ganga initiative to improve
water resource management and water quality in the Ganga. As part of this initiative, the CSIRO
along with the National Mission for Clean Ganga, India (NMCG) are working with other relevant
Indian agencies to develop a framework for appropriate testing mechanisms to accurately determine
the quality of water in urban drains. This collated information is then be used to undertake an
assessment on appropriate water treatment technologies and on the development of a water
quality assessment framework for a regular river health report card scorecard reporting system. This
score card system will allow ongoing monitoring of the water quality in the drains and river(s) to
demonstrate to the community and government(s) ongoing achievements in improvements in the
quality of discharged wastewater and water in the river(s).
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS OF THE INTEGRATED RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT AND HOW IT APPLIES
TO THE MEKONG RIVER BASIN
Truong Hong Tien
Concurrent Speakers
To meet the increasing needs of economic and social development of the countries in the Mekong
Basin, the governments of the four lower Mekong countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet
Nam) signed an Agreement on Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River
Basin in 1995 (referred as 1995 Mekong Agreement) and established the Mekong River Commission
(MRC). The 1995 Mekong Agreement serves as an important legal document setting basic principles
and overall cooperation framework for the Member States in the field of exploitation and protection
of water resources and other related resources in the Basin toward sustainable development.
Over the past 20 years of signing 1995 Mekong Agreement, the water and related resources of the
Basin have been better protected through strengthening dialogue on regional water resources
development; facilitating a Basin-wide, consultative planning process through an Integrated Water
Resource Management (IWRM) approach; reducing the risks of regular flooding; defining a balance
between the opportunities and risks of proposed hydropower projects; providing environmental
decision support; and initiating a process to help the people of the basin adapt to the consequences
of climate change.
This presentation will discuss the essential ingredients of the integrated river basin management and
how to apply these ingredients successfully in the Mekong River Basin.
REPORTING ON THE LIVELIHOOD BENEFITS OF SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND’S WATERWAYS
James Udy
Healthy Waterways
Concurrent Speakers
Traditional waterway report cards focus on ecological and environmental condition. However, it is
well known that healthy waterways also make important contributions to economic and social
outcomes. Here we describe how an index has been constructed to reflect the contribution which
water quality-focussed catchment management in South East Queensland makes to livelihoods in
the region.
The livelihood index reports the impacts of waterway condition on:
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the relative cost of producing drinking water
water-related tourism and recreational activity
catches from commercial fisheries
participation in recreational fishing
Each impact is reported via a separate, purpose-designed, indicator.
The drinking water cost indicator reflects how the average electricity, chemical and sludge handling
costs of treating drinking water compare with the average cost of producing manufactured water
from the region’s desalination plant. Improved catchment condition would likely reduce the average
cost of treatment and thus increase the indicator score. The cost indicator is reported separately for
each water supply catchment, weighted by the drinking water volume sourced by that catchment.
Indicators for water-related tourism and recreation, and recreational fishing respond to changes in
participation rates, drawing on data from regional and local site surveys. The commercial fishing
indicator responds to changes in annual catch per unit effort linked to three commercial species
associated with key habitat types in Moreton Bay. Species such as prawns, bream and mud crabs
associated with seagrass and mangrove habitats are being considered.
The four separate indicators are scaled consistently and combined to produce an overall livelihood
index. Tracking the livelihood index through time will enable policy makers – and the public – to
visualise the contribution which improved catchment management makes to livelihoods in South
East Queensland. This should help establish the case for investing in catchments as a prudent and
efficient form of asset management.
CARBON NEUTRAL COTTON FARMS – VALUING RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEMS
Stacey Vogel
Concurrent Speakers
To remain competitive in a global market with an increasingly carbon-conscious society, the
Australian cotton industry needs to demonstrate environmental sustainability and efforts to reduce
its carbon footprint. The industry has developed a carbon (C) footprint management tool for cotton
farms. The calculator determines C sequestration and emissions associated with agricultural
production (irrigated and dryland crops, and grazing enterprises), as well as net primary productivity
(NPP) and C sequestration by native vegetation.
Recent research found that riparian environments store large amounts of carbon with River Red
Gums storing significantly more carbon then other studied species. An accompanying literature
review showed that riparian vegetation can sequester large amounts of carbon. In particular, river
red gum forests sequester an average of 2 tC ha–1 yr–1. Cotton farms are generally located along
major inland river systems, with most cotton farms having river or creek frontage.
Knowledge gaps exist around how tree health impacts growth respiration and carbon sequestration
and around soil carbon sequestration and decomposition rates of coarse woody debris and litter in
riparian ecosystems. These areas require further research.
Two case studies illustrating the C footprint of cotton farms have been developed for “Redbank”
near Wee Waa and “Wyadrigah” near Mungindi. The case studies demonstrate that carbon
emissions from cotton farms can be offset by native vegetation and highlight the importance of
riparian vegetation in allowing cotton farms to achieve carbon neutrality.
The case studies and carbon management tool we have developed provide another platform to
communicate the value of riparian ecosystems to cotton growers and are attracting a great deal of
attention. By articulating some of the lesser recognised values of riparian ecosystems to cotton
growers, we believe we can encourage a greater appreciation of their value and best practice
management.
IMPROVED SYSTEM FOR FLOOD WARNING
Scott Walker
ALS Global
Concurrent Speakers
ALS, a company with 50 years of experience providing flood monitoring solutions, has developed a
new system that models storm and flood predictions in small to medium catchments up to six hours
in advance This creates vital lead time for safety responses in emergency situations. The systems
utilises radar imagery and ground referencing to provide forecasts up to 6 hours ahead of time.
Combining forecast rainfall, radar imagery, automatic weather station data, river level and flow data
along with still or video camera images creates a true integrated flood prediction and monitoring
system.
Impending storms are identified on the weather radar and the images and forecast paths are
modelled with existing weather station data to accurately predict storm event timing and
magnitudes at an area of interest. Actual site conditions are monitored by automated weather data
loggers and dedicated cameras monitoring key infrastructure. Predictive forecasts are calibrated, in
real time to received monitoring data from automatic weather station data and flow monitoring
stations, to confirm alarming and model outputs.
Model outputs or real-time data can be used to generate notifications to local authorities, trigger
local road warnings and send status and images back to the web and mobile devices. Alarms are
raised early to provide adequate lead times for safety responses. By increasing the warning time and
improving the forecast magnitude disaster response managers and coordinators can be better
prepared and reduce the risks to life and infrastructure.
THE ROLE OF RIVER BASIN PLANNING IN LARGE ASIAN RIVER BASINS
Peter Wallbrink
CSIRO
Concurrent Speakers
It is increasingly clear that rivers cannot be managed by their parts, or for the benefit of single
stakeholders or users. Indeed, best practice requires rivers to be managed under a guided process
at the whole of system scale. This system level guidance is sometimes termed River Basin planning.
Whilst understood and applied in Australia, the concept is still gaining traction in s Asia.
There are some key outcomes relevant to these large basins (Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra) that can
be supported by a well-executed basin planning process. These include: water security;
environmental outcomes (flow requirements to key assets and species); cultural needs (flow for
religious festivals); water quality (assessment of sources, and relative loads); role of cities as water
users and providers; development opportunities for enhanced agricultural/irrigation; Infrastructure
better use of existing or planning for new; climate risk and management; conflict reduction between
stakeholders; as well as equitably distributing socio-economic benefits to improve livelihoods.
Much of the value of a formal ‘Basin plan’, is achieved by the journey required to get there. This is
very much a social, as well as a technical, process. The process requires agreement with stakeholders
on questions such as: how big is the resource, what is a baseline condition, what are the important
assets (environmental), who is entitled to how much, what are some potential possible future
scenarios, and how to test/assess these futures against what is known of the system, finally an
evidence based repeatable process to negotiate the trade-offs, required to get there.
We present a case study from the BrahaminiBaitarni in Eastern India where we have initiated a Basin
planning process with three states to investigate potential economic benefits through improved
water management of a shared basin between them.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ON THE NAMMO RIVER, LAOS
Bernie Wardle
PanAust
Concurrent Speakers
PanAust operates a copper-gold mine in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: the Phu Kham
Copper-Gold Operation. The mine is located within the Nam Mo River catchment which drains into
the Nam Ngum Reservoir. The Nam Mo River provides ecosystem services that contribute to the
livelihoods of the local communities. The river is used for fishing, drinking, cooking, laundry, bathing
and small-scale mining. It also has important environmental values that support aquatic ecosystems.
In the early stages of mine planning, PanAust recognised the importance of theriver and applied a
risk-based management approach to protect it. Risk processes supported by extensive data,
identified that acid rock drainage (ARD) represented the greatest potential risk to the values of the
Nam Mo River.
A multidisciplinary committee was established comprising internal company representatives in
conjunction with external consultants to manage the risks associated with ARD. The committee
developed the concept of an integrated storage facility for the management of tailings, waste rock
and contaminated waters which would mitigate acid drainage risks within the life-of-mine plan and
beyond closure. The integrated facility (which has been in place since commencement of operations)
has been recognised as leading practice and is based upon the fundamental strategy of isolating
sulphidic mine waste from atmospheric oxygen. This strategy places the material within a pH and
oxidation regime which is essentially the same as the original ore body.
Monitoring results and independent audits continue to confirm that the facility is operating
effectively.
Prevention of ARD will allow for the sustainable long-term protection of the Nam Mo River and its
preservation for the people whose lives and livelihoods depend upon it.
INDIGENOUS CO-MANAGEMENT OF FRESHWATER FISHERIES RESOURCES IN AOTEAROA, NEW
ZEALAND
Erina Watene-Rawiri
Waikato Tainui College for Research and Development
Concurrent Speakers
Maori are the Indigenous people of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Water and the resources within are a
central part of their identity. Historically, Maori have had very little input in the management of their
waterways. The degradation of rivers and lakes that has occurred in New Zealand over the past 100
years is distressing for many. Recent Treaty of Waitangi Settlements have enabled Maori to have a
much greater say in the management of waterways and several co-management/co-governance
arrangements are now in place. These arrangements are not limited to the water only, but extend to
fisheries and other resources.
This presentation provides examples of how some Maori groups are having a more active role in the
management of their traditional fisheries resources. The case studies demonstrate how their role as
Kaitiaki or guardians is being re-established and how their voice is now being heard.
SHAPING THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF SEQ RIVERS FOR SUSTAINABLE DRINKING WATER
SUPPLY
Cameron Wearing
Concurrent Speakers
A recent extreme weather and water quality event threatened South East Queensland’s drinking
water supply and sharpened Seqwater’s focus on the sustainable development of its river systems.
The event drove home the importance of understanding, communicating and managing the impacts
of land use and development on source water quality. This deeper organisational understanding
emerged during a time of significant reform to the legislation and policy governing land use and
development in Queensland.
Seqwater controls less than 5% of the land within its drinking water catchments. Seqwater must rely
on regulatory arrangements and relationships with others to ensure land use and development is
appropriately managed. State Government led regulatory reforms have created new institution and
governance opportunities and challenges for Seqwater to better integrate drinking water catchment
management into the land use planning processes.
Significant progress has been made with the inclusion of drinking water supply and catchment
protection measures within a new single State Planning Policy. These new requirements are being
progressively incorporated into the new generation local government planning schemes which are
currently rolling out across South East Queensland.
This paper provides an overview of the Queensland land use planning and development assessment
framework, evaluates its early success in protecting source water quality, and identifies
opportunities for improvement.
An early evaluation of the success of the new arrangements leads to a conclusion that Seqwater
must be able to demonstrate and communicate the importance of land use planning and
development controls for the sustainable development of South East Queensland’s river systems to
protect source water quality, provide informed and practical input to complex planning processes
and build strong relationships with key stakeholders.
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON RIVER DISCHARGE IN NAM SANE RIVER BASIN IN LAO PDR
Ketsana Xaiyasarn
National University of Laos
Concurrent Speakers
Future climate (temperature and precipitation) from two scenarios 2 emission scenarios such A2 and
B2 under the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) that are found to perform well in the
Mekong river basin and a regional circulation model (ECHAM4) were downscaled using a delta
change approach. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is used to assess future changes in
stream flow to climate change. Nam Sane river Basin is one of the tributary of the Mekong River
that has area of 2001 km2 located in middle part of Lao PDR that supplies a huge quantity of water
for more than 100,000 people in the basin. Population grows and water consumption has been
increasing in the basin including development activities in this basin. The SWAT model 2012 version
has been delineated into 12 sub-basins and model calibration and validation with observe station in
MeungKao Station from 1997-2010 with the NSE 0.84 and model validation 0.87. In order to
generate the future situation of the Nam Sane river basin under the climate change condition from
2020 to 2040. The simulation results show that the changes in annual stream flow are likely to range
from a 4 % decrease to 37 % increase in the future. The future temperature will likely change 2.51
and 1.81 °C, rainfall will increase 9-11% in the basin. Under the A2 condition, there will be extremely
high flow in 2021, 2023, 2032, 2034, 2037 and 2038. Beside this condition, severed drought will be
occurred in 2027, 2029, 2034 and 2040 and Under B2 Scenario, there will be extremely flood in
2020, 2029 and 2039. In contrast there will be severe drought in 2020-2024, 2032 and 2040.
DESIGN OUTCOMES OF THE LAND USE POLICIES OF CITY PLAN 2014
Phil Young
BCC
Concurrent Speakers
The paper and presentation will discuss the built environment response since Brisbane City Council’s
flood risk management policy was set in the latest land-use plan Brisbane City Plan 2014. Private
development and public infrastructure examples will be provided to illustrate the development
communities and general public response to the planning controls. Examples of innovations and
design responses will highlight the sensible and sustainable responses the industry has shown since
the January 2011 floods. The ongoing development of flood modelling, land-use planning tools and
urban renewal initiatives will be discussed to explore Brisbane City Council’s future support to the
community in seeking a more resilient City to flooding as a natural hazard.