michael douglas, brendan edgar, jim donaldson. research to support river and estuary management in...
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Michael Douglas, Brendan Edgar, Jim Donaldson
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Outline
• Background, problem, approach
• Major findings and implications
• LWA’s contribution
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Mimosa
>60% of Australia’s water resources
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Heffernan touted the Ord as the next food
bowl
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
• Ord stage 2 sldie
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Research to underpin sustainable management
• Likely to be more development in northern Australia
• Need to avoid the mistakes made in the south
• Lack of basic knowledge of the full implications of options
• => Clear need for research
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
TRaCK’s Aim
To provide science and knowledge that governments, communities and industries need for the sustainable management of Australia’s tropical rivers and estuaries
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
• Over 80 researchers from 18 organisations- CDU, GU, UWA, UQ- JCU, ANU, Uni. Canberra- North Australian Indigenous Land & Sea
Management Alliance (NAILSMA)- CSIRO, eriss, AIMS, GeoScience Australia- NT, WA, Qld Governments
TRaCK Research Consortium
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
TRaCK Program
27 Research projects, 2006-10
1. Why do people value tropical rivers?2. How do tropical rivers differ across the region?3. How do tropical rivers work (physical and
biological processes)?4. What are the economic opportunities for
Indigenous people? 5. How can we make good decisions about
managing tropical rivers?6. How can we ensure uptake of this research?
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Where is TRaCK working?
Daly
Fitzroy
Mitchell
Flinders
Darwin Region
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Outline
• Background, problem, approach
• Major findings and implications
• LWA’s contribution
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Why do people value tropical rivers?
• National and Catchment scale:
- For the Indigenous people, environment and recreational use
- Moderate expansion of irrigated agriculture.
• Local community scale:- Harvesting and consuming aquatic
resources can make a substantial contribution to Indigenous household economies.
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Daly seasonal calendar
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
How do tropical rivers differ across the region?
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Socio-economic profiling• Demographic Characteristics• Economic Parameters• Individual Wellbeing• Infrastructure and Services• Institutional Arrangements• Environment and Culture
TRaCK Project 3.1: Stoeckl, Larson, Alexandritis, Stanley,
Carson, Taylor
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Ecohydrological regionalisation
Predictable summer highly intermittent Stable summer
baseflow (groundwater)
Stable summer baseflow (rainfall)
Extreme harsh summer intermittent
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Hyrtl’s Catfish
Biodiversity surveys
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
High conservation value aquatic ecosystems (HCVAE) using river biodiversity data
Dave Wilson
Neil Armstrong
Endemism
<0.027
0.062
0.121
0.201
0.355
0.634
>0.634
Endemism
0.032
0.072
0.132
0.204
0.356
0.561
>0.561
Dave Wilson
Fish
Turtle
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
How can we make good decisions?
• Trial of collaborative approaches in NT water allocation planning process
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
1. Improved knowledge2. New tools and approaches3. High level end-user engagement
Outcomes of the TRaCK program
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
1. Improved knowledge2. New tools and approaches3. High level end-user engagement4. Increased capacity
- Researchers:- 30 new research staff, 15 postgraduates- Tropical regions, Cross-cultural environments
- End users:- Water managers
Outcomes of the TRaCK program
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Capacity building with Indigenous catchment groups
• Supported development of Indigenous catchment groups
• Training: Governance, Research skills, Presentation skills
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
1. Improved knowledge2. New tools and approaches3. High level of end-user engagement4. Increased capacity5. Indigenous partnerships
Outcomes of the TRaCK program
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
1. Improved knowledge2. New tools and approaches3. Increased capacity4. High level engagement 5. Indigenous partnerships6. Improved management
Outcomes of the TRaCK program
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
How will this research make a difference?• Informing policy debate
- Wild Rivers Qld, Living Rivers NT, Northern development
• Assessment and planning: Regional- Northern Taskforce (ONA, NWC)- North Australian Water Futures Assessment (DEWHA, NWC)- Kimberley & Cape York Heritage Assessments (DEWHA)
• Assessment and planning: Catchment/aquifer- Environmental flow assessments- Water allocation planning processes (NT, WA and Qld
Departments)
• Monitoring- River & Wetland Health (DEWHA & NWC, NT, WA, Qld Govt, NRM
Groups, Kowanyama Land and Natural Resource Management Office)
- Working on Country Ranger Program (DEWHA)
• Opportunities for Indigenous enterprises- Water markets and water rights
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Where to next for TRaCK?
• Originally planned as a 10 year program• Support for a continuation beyond 2010• TRaCK consortium UJV
- Co-ordinate funds from a range of sources
• North Australian Biodiversity Hub- Expands the scope of TRaCK – Catchment to Coast1. Biodiversity patterns2. Threats to biodiversity and ecosystem resilience3. Planning for conservation and management4. Biodiversity values and Indigenous livelihoods5. Ecosystem health assessment
6. Knowledge management and adoption
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Outline
• Background, problem, approach
• Major findings and implications
• LWA’s contribution
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
TRACK History: 2004• 2004
- LWA Tropical Rivers Forum, Darwin- LWA Ecosystem Processes Project (CDU, GU, UWA) $30k
• Develop conceptual models of ecosystem processes• Scope a larger program of research• Identify opportunities for integrated research
• 2005- Develop TRaCK Prospectus with LWA- Submit CERF application with LWA as host organisation
• 2006- NAILSMA join consortium- CERF funding- NWC funding - Qld Smart state
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
LWA Contribution
1. Big picture vision for R&D- Scoping studies- Seeding funds for developing ideas
Daly River Fish and Flows Project
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
Bayesian Belief Network Model
Sooty Grunter: Abundance
Optimal Macrophyte Production Habitat Availability (Riffles)
Extraction Scenario
Net Adult Abundance
Persistence of Adults
Persistence of Juveniles
Net Juvenile Abundance
Primary Landuse Impact
Fishing Pressure
Aritificial Barriers
Riparian Inputs
Macrophyte (Riffles)
Aquatic Insects (Riffles)
Attached Algae (Pools)
Water Quality (Pools)
Food Availability (Riffles)
Benthic Algae (Riffles)
Macrocrustaceans (Pools)
Food Availability (Pools)
Aquatic Insects (Pools)
Reach
Dry Season FlowMagnitude
Timing of Abstraction
Longitudinal Connectivity for Adults (Pools)
Optimal Food Production Habitat Availability (Riffles)
Optimal Refuge and Foraging for Adults Habitat Availability (Pools)
Optimal Refuge and Foraging for Juveniles Habitat Availability (Riffles)
Loss of Habitat Structure (Pools)
Fish Health
Starting Adult Abundance
Starting Juvenile Abundance
Non-PhysicalHabitat Variables
Drivers
Non-Flow-RelatedVariables
Physical HabitatVariables
Fish EcologyVariables
Endpoint
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
LWA Contribution
1. Big picture vision for R&D- Scoping studies- Seeding funds for developing ideas
2. Multidisciplinary, cross-program
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
TRaCK end-users/funders• >$34m program • ~$ 23 m cash
- Dept. Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts- National Water Commission- Queensland Government - Land and Water Australia- Fisheries R&D Corporation
• > $11m in-kind- Qld, NT, WA Governments- Regional NRM and Catchment groups- Indigenous organisations (Land councils,
communities)- Industry e.g. Fisheries- Environment NGO’s
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
LWA Contribution
1. Big picture vision for R&D- Scoping studies- Seeding funds for developing ideas
2. Multidisciplinary, cross-program3. Brokering funding partnerships
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
TRaCK’s Governance structure
Program Management Committee
John Childs (Chair)
Richard Jenkins, Cape York Land Council
Michael Robinson, LWA Peter Whitehead, NT NRETA
Christine Schweizer, DEWHA Greg Claydon, Qld. DNRW
Kerry Olsson, NWC Naomi Arrowsmith, WA DOW
Research Executive Committee
Michael Douglas, CDU, (Chair)
Stuart Bunn, GU (Dep. Chair) Jim Donaldson, LWA
Peter Davies, UWA Sue Jackson, CSIRO SE
Ruth O’Connor, CDU Jon Olley, CSIRO LW
Joe Morrison, NAILSMA Brendan Edgar, LWA, (Executive Officer)
Land and Water Australia Board
Project Co-ordinators
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
LWA Contribution
1. Big picture vision for R&D- Scoping studies- Seeding funds for developing ideas
2. Multidisciplinary, cross-program3. Brokering funding partnerships4. Reputation, governance, management
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
How can we ensure uptake of this research?
• Knowledge and Adoption Theme- Staff, strategy and implementation plans - Communication products/activities
• Active engagement of end users
• Clear pathways for adoption- e.g. Planning processes, monitoring
programs
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
LWA Contribution
1. Big picture vision for R&D- Scoping studies- Seeding funds for developing ideas
2. Multidisciplinary, cross-program3. Brokering funding partnerships4. Reputation, governance, management5. Knowledge & Adoption
Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia
LWA Contribution
1. Big picture vision for R&D- Scoping studies- Seeding funds for developing ideas
2. Multidisciplinary, cross-program3. Brokering funding partnerships4. Reputation, governance, management5. Knowledge & Adoption6. Commitment to the North
- Enduring influence – Kate, Brendan, John, Andrew, Me