TRaCK Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge Final …...The valuation of riverine and coastal assets is essential for decision-making about the allocation of resources to different

TRaCK Final Milestone Report Page 1 of 173

Final Report

For the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water,

Population and Communities, Funding Agreements with:

Charles Darwin University

Griffith University, and the

University of WA;

incorporating reporting for the

CERF /NERP Transition Harvesting Project.

15 April 2011


Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 2

1. Background ............................................................................................................................. 4

1.1 Purpose .................................................................................................................................... 4

1.2 Organisations Represented ................................................................................................. 5

2. Summary of Achievements .................................................................................................. 6

2.1 A summary of the major activities undertaken ........................................................ 6

2.2 Individual TRaCK projects ............................................................................................ 11

2.3 The Degree to Which the Activity has Achieved its Objectives ...................... 12

2.4 Building Capacity .............................................................................................................. 14

2.5 The benefits and outcomes of the Activity as a whole ....................................... 16

2.6 The appropriateness of the approaches used in the development and

implementation of the Activity ...................................................................................... 19

2.7 An outline of any demonstration/communication activities undertaken ...... 24

3 TRaCK PROJECT SUMMARY REPORTS ...................................................................... 29

PROJECT 1.1 SCENARIOS FOR TROPICAL RIVERS AND COASTS: INTEGRATING THE TRACK RESEARCH.................................................................................................. 29

PROJECT 1.2 CAPACITY BUILDING TOOLS FOR EFFECTIVE PLANNING AND

DECISION-MAKING IN INDIGENOUS CONTEXTS .............................................. 32

PROJECT 2.1 THE VALUE OF TROPICAL RIVERS ....................................................................... 52

PROJECT 2.2 INDIGENOUS SOCIO-ECONOMIC VALUES AND RIVER FLOWS ............. 56

PROJECT 3.1 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CLASSIFICATION ............................................................... 65

Specific objectives were to: ............................................................................................................ 65

PROJECT 3.2 BIOPHYSICAL CLASSIFICATION: CLASSIFYING RIVERSCAPES

ACROSS NORTHERN AUSTRALIA ............................................................................. 69

PROJECT 3.3 CLASSIFICATION OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIAN RIVERINE FLOW

REGIMES. .............................................................................................................................. 74

PROJECT 4.1 CATCHMENT WATER BUDGETS AND WATER RESOURCE

ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................................... 77

Surface –groundwater interactions ............................................................................................ 81

PROJECT 4.2 REGIONAL SCALE SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENTS BUDGETS ....................... 84

PROJECT 4.3 TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS OF LAND

MANAGEMENT ON PRODUCTIVITY IN THE DALY RIVER ............................... 88

PROJECT 4.4 BEDLOAD TRANSPORT IN LARGE TROPICAL RIVERS AND ITS

EFFECT ON DRY-SEASON POOL HABITAT DYNAMICS .................................... 93

PROJECT 5.1 BOTTOM-UP AND TOP-DOWN CONTROL OF RIVERINE FOOD

WEBS ................................................................................................................................... 100

PROJECT 5.2 IMPORTANCE OF WATERHOLES AS AQUATIC REFUGIA AND THE

BIOPHYSICAL PROCESSES THAT SUSTAIN THEM .............................................. 104

5.3 RIVER-FLOODPLAIN FOOD WEB SUBSIDIES ..................................................................... 110

PROJECT 5.4 ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF URBANISATION AND CATCHMENT

DEVELOPMENT ON ECOSYSTEM HEALTH IN ESTUARIES .............................. 117

PROJECT 5.5 FLOW-ECOLOGY RELATIONSHIPS FOR BIODIVERSITY AND

ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES. ............................................................................................. 128


PROJECT 5.6 FLOW IMPACTS ON ESTUARINE FINFISH OF THE GULF OF

CARPENTARIA ................................................................................................................. 136

PROJECT 5.7 ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW TOOLS FOR NORTHERN RIVERS ................... 140

PROJECT 5.8 BIODIVERSITY AND HCVAE. BIOREGIONALISATION,

CONSERVATION PRIORITIES AND PREDICTIVE MODELS OF AQUATIC

BIODIVERSITY .................................................................................................................. 143

PROJECT 6.1 ESTABLISHING WATER MARKETS IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA: A

STUDY TO ASSESS FEASIBILITY AND CONSEQUENCES OF MARKET-

BASED MECHANISMS OF WATER DELIVERY ........................................................ 149

PROJECT 6.3 DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE

USE ECONOMY IN ARNHEM LAND ........................................................................ 155

TRaCK PROJECT 6.4: DEVELOPMENT OF A HOLISTIC SUSTAINABLE

INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOODS PLAN FOR THE ARCHER RIVER BASIN

CAPE YORK ...................................................................................................................... 159

APPENDIX A: TRaCK TRANSITION HARVESTING PROGRAM 2010-11, FINAL

REPORT .............................................................................................................................. 166


1. Background

1.1 Purpose

This is the final report of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) research

program, to meet the reporting obligations in the Department of Sustainability, Environment,

Water, Population and Communities (SEWPAC) funding agreements for TRaCK established

with Charles Darwin University, Griffith University and the University of WA in October 2009.

The report also incorporates reporting for funding provided to TRaCK under the National

Water Commission‘s, Raising National Water Standards Program, and the transition funding

provided to TRaCK under the former Commonwealth Environment Research Facility.

TRaCK is described as: helping to build Australia’s capacity to protect northern Australia’s valuable natural assets while fostering opportunities for the region’s people to develop improved and sustainable

livelihoods by bringing together a multidisciplinary consortium. To deliver TRaCK, leading tropical river

researchers and managers from across the country have grouped together with a focus on the rivers

and estuaries between the tip of Cape York Peninsula and Broome.

The aim of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) research program was to

provide the science and knowledge that governments, communities and industries need to

make better decisions for the sustainable use and management of Australia‘s tropical rivers and

coasts. More specifically TRaCK aimed to:

increase understanding of the important natural assets and ecosystem services provided by tropical rivers and coasts;

develop methods and tools to assess the implications of potential developments;

identify opportunities to develop genuinely sustainable enterprises; and

build the capacity and knowledge of the community to engage in management planning processes.

This knowledge was also expected to inform the National Water Initiative and provide

independent and objective advice for policy makers, as well as inform planning and management

decisions across northern Australia.

TRACK‘s world-leading researchers worked with all levels of government, regional NRM

bodies, Indigenous communities, industries, local land owners and other researchers to conduct

major field work campaigns and build on the existing knowledge base.

TRACK researchers worked extensively with Indigenous people who own and manage large

parts of northern Australia‘s rivers and coasts. Indigenous knowledge and perspectives are

essential for managing natural resources in northern Australia, and in many places Indigenous

Knowledge Systems continue to be used to actively manage landscapes.

TRaCK focused on the tropical savannas of northern Australia, including the rivers and

estuaries between the tip of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland and Broome Western

Australia‘s (Map 1).


Map 1 TRaCK region of research activity

1.2 Organisations Represented

This report is provided by Charles Darwin University on behalf of the research organisations

that comprise the TRaCK consortium. These research organisations include:

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Australian National University


CSIRO Land & Water

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist

GeoScience Australia

Griffith University

James Cook University

NAILSMA

NT Primary Industries Fisheries and Mines

NT Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport

Qld Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries


Qld Department of Natural Resources and Water

University of Canberra

University of Western Australia

WA Department of Water

2. Summary of Achievements

2.1 A summary of the major activities undertaken

Northern Australia has a concentration of ecologically-intact river catchments that are

significant at a global scale. It also has the world‘s oldest living culture, which in many places continues to actively manage these landscapes with Indigenous knowledge.

Northern Australia‘s rivers and estuaries are also important for industries such as grazing,

mining, fishing, agriculture and tourism. At a time of increasing awareness of the value of water

across Australia, it is important that we understand the pressures that development can place

on the unique natural and cultural values of our tropical waterways.

TRACK focused on building Australia‘s capacity to protect these valuable assets while fostering

sustainable livelihood opportunities for the region‘s people. TRaCK responded to the fact that

there was insufficient knowledge and research capacity in northern Australia to address future

challenges of natural resource management, use and conservation. Research investment had

not been at a sufficient scale or well enough integrated across social, economic and

environmental disciplines. With TRACK good science was provided to support decision

making and inform public debate about the use of Australia‘s tropical rivers and estuaries.

TRACK brought together more than 70 of Australia‘s leading researchers from social, cultural,

environmental and economic disciplines. Many key researchers in the TRACK project live and

work in northern Australia, which strengthened research capability in the region.

TRACK was established in 2007 through a consortium led by Charles Darwin University, the

University of Western Australia, Griffith University, North Australia Indigenous Land and Sea

Management Alliance and CSIRO. The consortium developed the TRACK program over two

years (2005-06) and extended its consortium of partners to include researchers from a range of

organisations.

Approximately $20 million of TRaCK funding was through the Australian Government‘s

Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) initiative managed by the Department

of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, the Raising National Water Standards

program managed by the National Water Commission, Land & Water Australia (now closed),

and the Queensland Government‘s Smart State Innovation Funds. Additional cash and in-kind

funding of at least $11 million was provided from the research institutions, partners and state

and territory governments that formed the TRaCK consortium.


The program of research had seven interconnected themes and was designed to generate and

share the knowledge needed by regional NRM bodies, governments, Indigenous communities

and industry to underpin the sustainable management of tropical rivers and coastal

environments.

Theme 1: Scenario evaluation

Theme 1 has utilised information from all other themes, to explore ecosystem-based, multiple-use scenarios. Scenario-building tools were used across a spectrum of society, from those living

in local communities, to those developing and implementing government policy. The theme

explored the environmental, social, cultural and economic consequences for the rivers, coasts

and communities of developing enterprises, and constructed models that drew together results

from the three biophysical themes.

Predictive models, including innovative new visioning tools, were developed and used to

evaluate scenarios. The models developed scenarios under a range of environmental,

demographic and social conditions that allowed evaluation of options by policy makers and

informed community debate. Detailed models were developed for a small number of

catchments with contrasting biophysical settings and development scenarios.

The theme stimulated local engagement and action at a community level, better delivered

services to support such action, and informed policy makers of knowledge gaps and constraints.

It identified and explored solutions to conflicting stakeholder aspirations; and developed

realistic scenarios for the future of riverine and coastal ecosystems based on TRaCK research,

including environmental flow requirements and opportunities for sustainable enterprises.

Theme 2: Values & Assets

Theme 2 focused on assets of environmental, cultural, economic and social value. It explored

values placed on tropical coasts and rivers from local, national and international perspectives. It

also documented the types of research and management issues that local communities consider

necessary to maintain these values and explored the significance of the ecological goods and

services provided by systems in their present state and importantly to maintain or enhance that

state.

The valuation of riverine and coastal assets is essential for decision-making about the allocation

of resources to different and sometimes competing uses. Value, however, is contingent on

cultural, economic and geographical perspective. Documenting the values and aspirations of

people for tropical rivers and coasts has informed four aspects of the research: (a) the value of

goods and services currently provided by rivers and coasts in terms that would allow

comparison with their value under alternative uses; (b) the value of services provided by

customary management regimes maintained by Indigenous peoples; (c) the types and conceptual

underpinnings of research seen as relevant to immediate and long-term needs; (d) multi-

disciplinary research into the mechanisms, institutions and processes that can be used to

achieve sustainable allocation of resources consistent with policy, values and aspirations.


Economic, cultural, social and recreational values of existing goods and services were assessed

and standards for their allocation examined. Key stakeholders and Indigenous landowners

contributed knowledge about what they believed would improve community well-being.

The theme documented the social and cultural values embodied in tropical rivers and coasts

both among those who live beside them and those elsewhere. It calculated the value of goods

and services provided by tropical riverine and coastal ecosystems, and their customary

management and stewardship as inputs into decision-making about the sustainable allocation of

these goods and services, and determined how these values influence patterns of social

behaviour and the use of riverine and coastal ecosystems. It also reviewed and designed

appropriate mechanisms for achieving the sustainable allocation of tropical river and coastal

goods and services; and identified additional research gaps relevant to communities living in

riverine and coastal ecosystems.

Theme 3: Riverscape & Coastal Settings

Themes 3-5 are biophysical themes that fill critical gaps in our understanding of the processes

that underpin and maintain the condition of tropical riverine and coastal assets. This has

allowed us to interpret and determine the reasons for changes in the condition of environmental assets and to predict the consequences of current and future pressures,

including climate change, on these assets. It included research that developed a physical

classification system based on hydrological regime and geomorphology to characterise

riverscapes (including estuaries) and understand their formation and evolution; and research to

understand the demographic and social character of the human populations within these

settings.

Tropical rivers and estuaries can differ substantially between catchments. Differences in

riverscape setting, primarily in hydrology and geomorphology, are likely to influence all

ecosystem processes and determine ecosystem function, the potential types of developments

and the likely response to development and climate change. A physical template is needed to identify and characterise different types of riverscape and coastal settings and the degree to

which information is transferable from one site to another to underpin consistent policy

development, regional planning and management. In a similar way we need to understand the

way in which societies are organised within catchments and the belief systems that underpin

their behaviour

This research was conducted at a broad regional scale across northern Australia to inform the

degree of transferability of results from other themes. Research was conducted in five parts:

river classification; reach-based analyses; hydraulic modeling; catchment-estuarine linkages; and

social catchment analysis. Rivers were classified across the region based on both existing and

modeled data. Analyses used innovative approaches for assessing the condition of environmental assets using both aerial videography and satellite imagery. Catchment controls

on estuarine habitats were identified using these modeling techniques. Profiles of the existing

socio-economic character of catchments were developed & demographic data collected to

enable the projection of population & other changes and trends.

The theme developed a physical template based on hydrological regime and geomorphology to

characterise, classify and understand the formation of riverscapes and estuaries. It has also


allowed us to understand the demographic and social character of human populations within

catchments and the relationship with the physical template; and to relate the potential of

biophysical character to attract and sustain different development pressures.

Theme 4: Material Budgets

Theme 4 focused on material budgets to tropical rivers and estuaries and: (i) identified and

quantified major sources of water, sediment, nutrients and carbon; (ii) estimated current and historic rates of sediment and nutrient loading in relation to land-use, (iii) developed models to

predict the effects of land-use change on hydrology, carbon, sediment and nutrient sources and

loads, and (iv) developed appropriate indicators for monitoring and assessment of water quality

and quantity.

Catchment development typically results in altered river flows and increased nutrient and

sediment loads. Quantifying the changes in hydrology and in sediment and nutrient loads likely

to result from land-use change is crucial in developing effective models capable of predicting

impacts of future catchment development and climate change on water resources and aquatic

ecosystems. To do this we need to understand how changes in land-use will alter the sources,

movement and fate of water, sediments, nutrients and carbon in tropical rivers and estuaries. The first step is to understand the current sources, transport, and stores. Response to past

changes in climate and/or vegetation can also provide an indication of how the system will

respond and recover in the future.

The effects of climate and land use change on tropical rivers and coastal hydrology were tested

using a riverine water budget model, which focused on interactions between ground- and

surface-water. Topographic, land-use, soil type and rainfall data were used to predict the spatial

patterns of sediment and nutrient sources and transport and to test hypotheses about primary

sedimentation and nutrient sources at a catchment scale. Net transfers (and rates) of carbon

and nutrients between terrestrial (riparian), riverine and coastal ecosystems were quantified

using newly-developed tracing methods.

The theme identified and ranked major source areas supplying water, sediment, nutrients and

carbon; estimated current and historic rates of sediment and nutrient loads in relation to land-

use and determined the primary processes responsible; developed models to predict the effects

of land-use and climate change on hydrology, sediment and nutrient sources and loads in

tropical northern rivers and estuaries; and developed appropriate indicators for monitoring and

assessment of water quality and quantity.

Theme 5: Food Webs & Biodiversity

Theme 5 identified the sources of organic carbon ―driving‖ aquatic food webs and the factors

that have greatest influence on both the production and supply of these sources; it also

identified particular species‘ interactions that have a strong influence on carbon and nutrient

flow to higher trophic levels; determined indices and patterns of aquatic biodiversity; and the

relationship between riverscape setting and patterns of biodiversity; developed models to

predict the effects of land-use change on food webs and aquatic biodiversity, and developed

appropriate indicators for monitoring and assessment of biodiversity and ecological condition.


Many human activities affect aquatic food web structure and hence important ecosystem

processes. In tropical systems, the sources, fate and controls of primary production in aquatic

food webs and the important links to higher trophic levels was largely unknown. An essential

prerequisite for the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems is the identification of the

terrestrial and autochthonous sources of organic matter that drive the food webs. The unique

features of tropical rivers, e.g. greater flow variability, groundwater dependence, are likely to

modify the structure and response of biological communities to anthropogenic or climate

induced changes. A quantitative understanding of the spatial and temporal interplay between

nutrient loads, light, flow and primary production is crucial to developing predictive models that

can be used to determine optimal and sustainable land use practices. It appears that, despite the

complexity of tropical river ecosystems, a relatively small number of possible trophic

interactions may account for most of the transfer of nutrients and energy. Identifying these

critical interactions and understanding the factors that influence them is needed to underpin

sustainable management.

Sources and fate of organic carbon in stream, estuarine and coastal food webs were examined

using diet analysis and by incorporating recent advances in stable isotope tracing. Experiments

were undertaken to assess changes in aquatic and terrestrial carbon and nutrient sources.

Patterns and indices of biodiversity were related to riverscape setting, catchment

characteristics, drainage network typologies and long-term landscape evolution. Rapid

assessment of resource condition, including riparian vegetation, were developed and tested.

Theme 6: Sustainable Enterprises

Theme 6 identified ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate use of coastal and riverine

resources that are presently un- or under-developed, but which offer opportunities to create

innovative development options for remote and regional communities. It developed culturally

appropriate strategies and models that are well matched to the needs and aspirations of the

resident population whilst maintaining ecological integrity; and applied scientific and Indigenous

knowledge to design management and governance systems in order to apply lessons learnt and

foster innovation. The theme included testing appropriate indicators to assess the condition of

environmental assets and monitor the ecological sustainability of developments.

There are many impediments to the development of enterprises in riverine and coastal

environments across northern Australia. Principal among these are: policies, legislation and

provision of services or lack thereof that often, inadvertently, remove the rights of Indigenous

landowners in particular and reduce service delivery or access to; governance of enterprises at

community, clan and family levels; a lack of recognition, use and application of the customary

knowledge held by resident Indigenous peoples; realistic assessments of production capacity and

markets for natural products; basic training and education; communication with audiences that

speak English as a second and sometimes third language; development of leadership structures

around aspiring remote peoples; and logistic and technical difficulties arising from tropicality and

remoteness.

Many communities, particularly Indigenous communities in northern Australia, have indicated

that they wish to explore enterprise development, often based on activities and products that

are closely connected to customary activity. The goal has been to work through favored


options by Indigenous participants to the extent dictated by joint assessment of prospects. In

other cases, assessments may warrant further investment and continued development.

Research methods and foci will therefore vary according to the nature of the initiative and the

wishes of affected interests. They may include policies and legislation; governance structures;

enterprise opportunities and studies and logistic and technological innovation. A range of

sustainability indicators have been generated building on approaches developed by consortium

partners in other regions.

This theme has sought to understand the incentives and impediments to enterprise

development in riverine and coastal environments; to develop an understanding of the

ecological and cultural assets that can contribute to innovative enterprise development and to

identify governance structures appropriate for enterprises in riverine and coastal environments

at a range of scales. It has conducted locally relevant opportunity studies that identify

enterprises that could be viable in tropical Australian riverine and coastal environments;

examined and developed solutions to technical and logistic constraints on development of

potentially profitable sustainable enterprises in riverine and coastal environments; and

developed management, business development, monitoring and evaluation tools that take into

account innovative enterprise development design around a culture based economy and that

occur on marginal landscapes.

Theme 7: Communication and Integration

Theme 7 is a cross-cutting theme focused on communication, adoption and integration. This

includes co-ordination and integration of the research activities across themes, and the

knowledge management and communication among researchers and with/between stakeholders

and landowners, particularly regional NRM bodies and those who speak English as a second or

third language. The theme has also coordinated training and capacity building by partner

institutions. The theme is separately reported in the chapter titled An outline of

demonstration/communication activities undertaken.

2.2 Individual TRaCK projects

Within the seven integrated themes TRaCK comprised 27 projects as listed below. The

outcomes for each of these projects is reported individually in the following chapters.

Scenario Evaluation

o Scenarios for tropical rivers and coasts: integrating the TRaCK research program

o New ways of better involving Indigenous people in planning for our water and

land resources

o Collaborative water planning in northern Australia

o Knowledge integration and science delivery

Values and Assets

o The value of ecosystems services provided by Australia‘s tropical river

o Indigenous values and river flows

Riverscape and Coastal Settings


o Socio-economic activity and water use in the Tropical Rivers region

o Biophysical classification: Classifying Riverscapes across northern Australia

o Ecohydrological regionalisation of Australia: a tool for management and science

Material Budgets

o Catchment water budgets and water resource assessment

o Regional scale sediment and nutrient budgets

o Towards understanding the impacts of land management on productivity in the

Daly and Flinders Rivers

o Bedload transport in large tropical rivers and its effect on dry-season pool

habitat dynamics

Foodwebs and Biodiversity

o Bottom up and top down control of tropical river food webs

o Refugial Pools. Importance of waterholes as aquatic refugia and the biophysical

processes that sustain them o River-floodplain food web subsidies

o Assessing the effect of urbanisation and catchment development on ecosystem

health in estuaries

o Flow-ecology relationships for biodiversity and ecosystem processes

o Flow impacts on estuarine finfish of the Gulf of Carpentaria

o Environmental flow tools for northern rivers (synthesis project)

o Biodiversity and HCVAE. Bioregionalisation conservation priorities and

predictive models of aquatic biodiversity

Sustainable Enterprises

o Establishing water markets in northern Australia

o Indigenous rights to water in northern Australia

o Developing an effective conservation and sustainable use economy in Arnhem

Land: options for payment for environmental services

o Development of a holistic sustainable Indigenous livelihoods plan for the Archer

River Basin, Cape York

o Nyikina Mangala Mardoowarra (Fitzroy River) Sustainable Livelihoods on

Country Case Study‘

Integration and Adoption

o Knowledge and adoption

2.3 The Degree to Which the Activity has Achieved its Objectives

TRACK was established to provide the science and knowledge that government, communities

and industries need for the sustainable use and management of Australia‘s tropical rivers and

estuaries. It had the following objectives:


increase understanding of the environmental, cultural, economic and social assets

and ecosystem services provided by tropical rivers and coasts;

develop methods and tools to assess the implications of current use and potential developments;

identify opportunities to develop sustainable enterprises; and

built the capacity and knowledge of the community to manage Australia‘s tropical rivers and coasts

A summary of achievements against these objectives is outlined below.

Objective: Increase understanding of the environmental, cultural, economic and social

assets and ecosystem services provided by tropical rivers and coasts.

The Program has generated a great deal of new information on tropical rivers that is now

readily available

We have a better understanding of how tropical river landscapes function

We have quantified a broad range of environmental, economic, cultural and social values placed on tropical rivers

The program has greatly enhanced our scientific understanding and management of important

ecosystems across northern Australia.

It has given greater attention to specific regions such as the Daly River (NT), Mitchell River

(Qld), Fitzroy River (WA) and Darwin Harbour (NT).

It has provided timely information to water planners and communities in the face of mounting pressure on water resources.

It has developed new understanding of the drivers of aquatic ecosystems and how these are

influenced by rivers and catchments.

There is a better understanding of the importance of keeping water in the rivers, we can demonstrate why this is important and that the water is not going to waste.

Objective: Develop methods and tools for assessing the implications of current use and

potential developments.

Knowledge/methods/tools developed by TRaCK are a marked improvement on what was

previously available.

Much has been achieved in understanding river systems across a diverse and geographically large region.

Improved water planning tools are available and being used byr water managers and

communities.

We are better able to predict the effects of land use change on rivers.

Improved tools are available to monitor and assess water quality and quantity, and biodiversity

and ecological condition.

There is increased increase public participation in water management.

Objective: Identify opportunities to develop sustainable enterprises.


TRACK has examined Indigenous enterprise opportunities in three discrete case study regions,

that include practical initiatives and linkages to regional and local projects.

Examined legal and capacity issues around economic development dependent on rivers & water resources.

Reviewed institutional arrangements to water markets across northern Australia, and identified

different approaches and reform opportunities.

Reviewed the relevance and impact of water management legislation; Indigenous heritage protection laws, legislation that recognizes statutory rights of traditional usage of waters and

environmental legislation.

TRaCK has presented development options matched to the needs & aspirations of the resident

population that also maintain ecological integrity.

Objective: Build the capacity and knowledge of communities to manage Australia’s

tropical rives and estuaries.

TRACK has strengthened national and regional research capability

There has been strong engagement with Indigenous and community groups

The program has increased appreciation of a range of different local community groups in the benefits of river resources, issues associated with development and appreciation of role of

research.

Research capability has steadily developed over a 5 year time frame.

TRaCK stakeholders have on-going information that is feeding in to shaping and informing decision-making.

Projects have worked in collaboration with Commonwealth, State and Territory government’s

work on planning and policy making process regarding water.

Local communities have become engaged in the program.

2.4 Building Capacity

TRaCK has successfully brought together more than 70 of Australia‘s leading researchers from

social, cultural, environmental and economic disciplines. Many key researchers in the TRaCK

project live and work in northern Australia, which has strengthened research capability in the

region.

Development of organisational capacity

While capacity building in the CERF evaluation objectives were mainly about research, there is

also capacity building within the organisations which the program interacts with, including

communities, catchment organizations, land councils etc.

Examples of organisational capacity building as a result of TRaCK include:

In the Fitzroy catchment WA there was no catchment management group before

TRaCK got behind the administration of funding for the Fitzroy Catchment Action and

Management (FitzCAM) group.

Supporting the establishment of the Mitchell River Traditional Custodians Advisory Group and established a part-time regional coordinator position.


Capacity building with community members including Indigenous ranger groups and

other individuals from Indigenous groups.

Getting people from around Australia to focus on the north was an achievement and has built the national capacity to research and manage the region.

Capacity was built in government departments and agencies, for example Fish Research

NT weren‘t equipped to monitor using electro- fishing and now have protocols in place

for this as well as a boat that is suitable for work in rivers.

Developing training for water planners in understanding a range of concepts and new approaches to communicate concepts relevant to water planning. These were trialed

near Darwin within the community.

Through North Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA)

there has been substantial consultation / workshops / employment targets / co-authoring

and research agreements with Indigenous communities. There has been extensive

engagement with land councils and community organisations over the life of the

Program.

NAILSMA Indigenous water policy group and the NAILSMA Indigenous Community Water Facilitator Network provide useful linkages and relationships in addressing issues

around capacity building because they are both Indigenous initiatives working to support

Indigenous interests and issues.

Development of research capacity

Research capacity has been built through the development of new tools, skills and methods

suitable for remote locations. Improved collaboration with state and local agencies was a factor

in building research capacity.

TRaCK has raised skills and knowledge of research around Australia and the stakeholder and

governments who are implementing the regime. Public issues in the north are more broadly

understood Training, skilling and employment opportunities in the academic, scientific and local

communities has been enhanced. Strong collaborative research teams which bring together

researchers from throughout Australia (and overseas) with complementary areas of expertise

to develop a stronger whole system research focus, has been important in building research

capacity.

Research capacity has been built through TRaCK working with regional and local organisations

and groups to negotiate research agreements and secure approvals, which generated a lot of

discussion in the catchment about protocols for research. TRaCK collaborated with local

people in almost all of its activities - so knowledge-sharing and exchange was a key element.

The development of strong community links was very useful in building research capacity within

the TRaCK program. This has allowed for a two-way flow of knowledge and a growing

awareness among researchers of Indigenous values.

The program has provided opportunities for integration of research with other themes and

collaboration with other projects. Coordination and planning of fieldwork occurred with a view

to what questions are being asked across the programme, not just within the project. This was

kept in mind when the projects were first designed.


The provision of postgraduate training for researchers and ‗getting researchers from around

Australia to focus on the North‘ was another positive example of capacity building. Research

capacity was also seen to have been assisted by the development of new tools, skills and

methods for remote locations as well as through collaboration with state and local agencies.

Training, skilling and employment opportunities in academic, scientific and local communities

and the impact of strong collaborative research teams was a further positive.

Local Communities

Building the capacity and knowledge of local communities to manage Australia‘s tropical rives

and estuaries included strong engagement with Indigenous and community groups, increased

appreciation of a range of different local community groups in benefits of river resources, issues

associated with development and appreciation of role of research, work in collaboration with

communities on government‘s work on planning and policy making process regarding water.

Generally TRaCK has raised skills and knowledge of research around Australia and the stakeholders and governments who are implementing management. As well as using local

knowledge and local material to engage communities, TRaCK has also facilitated new structures

for engagement including FitzCAM. It has been well recognised through the community. The

use of local people and material to get the community involved has been excellent.

TRaCK has done well to involve the users of land, including aboriginal groups. Information

definitely contributed to capacity and landholders are better equipped to deal with issues.

TRaCK has used innovative strategies and built ongoing relationships.

Activities undertaken through the North Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management

Alliance (NAILSMA) and extensive engagement with land councils and community organisations

was also a highlight. Researchers reported positively on the high level two-way communication

between researchers and Indigenous communities – raising awareness among researchers of

Indigenous values. All researchers directly engaged with Indigenous groups were required to

undertake formal cross-cultural training.

2.5 The benefits and outcomes of the Activity as a whole

TRACK has contributed knowledge needed by decision makers and policy makers for

enterprise development; resource and environmental planning and assessment; and policy

decisions. While not directly developing policy, TRACK has assisted at critical decision points

by providing policy makers with relevant information. This information has been used as

independent and objective advice by those making policy and management decisions in northern

Australia.

TRACK research was mainly intended for natural and cultural resource planning and

management, and consequently the public good. The research findings have all been publicly-

available. The research informed the National Water Initiative and helped policy makers better

understand the natural, social and cultural assets of tropical rivers and coasts. The program

offered a platform to enhance knowledge and to develop sustainable economic outcomes.


There is now a much broader understanding of the importance of catchment-to-coast linkages

due to the level of integration and coordination between projects. More reliable figures are

now being able to be put on commonly accepted ‗truths‘ for the North such as the dominance

of gully erosion or nutrients (poorer or more variable than first thought) in the floodplains.

The impact of the Daly River flow regime on Indigenous values downstream is an example of

where TRaCK was bridging the gaps between biophysical and social projects and how the

science is demonstrating why it is important to keep water in the rivers.

Researchers rate TRaCK very highly in terms of its performance in increasing understanding of

social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits of the tropical river systems – including

the development of methods, tools and building capacity and knowledge in local communities.

Particular contributions noted by researchers include gains in the measurements of river

systems, and improvements in knowledge in scientific understanding of the river ecosystems.

In the Review of TRaCK in 2010 almost all informed persons rated TRaCK‘s performance in

delivering on strategic objectives very highly. The quality of outputs were seen as high to very

high. Several participants highlighted the fact that work being done by TRaCK is groundbreaking

in that it is targeted towards a large range of users, as well as effectively adding to existing knowledge as opposed to rehashing old research. It was also mentioned by several participants that

some projects have been even more successful such as the socio-economic work, Daly River

Catchment work, fish and erosion work and work being done at Buffalo Creek. Mention was

also made of a database of information for water flow...a portfolio of research that is more focused,

articulated and has protocols in place. It was noted that TRaCK has dispelled some

misconceptions that northern Australia‘s water resources are unlimited, and in so doing... this

has tempered ill informed government decisions. Government is taking a more planned approach to

water allocation.

Specific examples of where stakeholders identified that outputs and outcomes from the

program have been used are:

Biological data from the Fitzroy that will be relevant to water planning work.

Using the info for future stock assessments.

Daly research about water has been beneficial in water allocation planning and resource

management.

Economic outputs and information and tools related to value of water trading have influenced management decisions.

Resource managers are using tools for evaluation.

Development of resource management and planning in the Daly River.

Improving catchment planning issues related to Living Rivers campaign in Queensland.

Fish Projects and the information from these projects have been used to highlight the relationships between fish and river systems and to set limits on extraction.

Better understanding of seasonality and thresholds of water consumption. A better

understanding of aquatic systems - all being used in strategic planning.

TRaCK work was a key component of the CSIRO work on Northern Australian Sustainable

Yields report and science reviews that fed into Northern taskforce report.


Work in the Daly River and aboriginal communities on principles and practices that have been

developed to engage with Indigenous communities.

Daly River Management Advisory Committee used information about people’s attitudes to water markets.

Biodiversity projects have attracted extra resources…including project extensions and

involvement in the Kimberley heritage assessment. People want to tap into the

information TRaCK has on the Kimberley…this is an endorsement of TRaCK and the

information coming out of it. Key policy makers are seeing TRaCK as a knowledge source.

Contributions to new policies regarding Indigenous uses of water.

Establishment of the Daly River water monitoring group.

Changes to Darwin sewage treatment plant ($20million worth of infrastructure committed) as a result of a TRaCK report highlighting poor water quality.

The NT government is using TRaCK information to inform the review of the NT Water

Act and the water planning in the greater Darwin region

Wild Rivers – well positioned to inform policy and debate.

Improving relationships with Indigenous communities, working to...better understand

socio-economic mapping of these communities across Australia.

Work from TRaCK was useful to help make future decisions about land clearing and to

contribute to the understanding of industry organisations.

TRaCK has...identified areas that we do not know about - groundwater and interactions - this will help to target and filter research needs.

Relevance of products and influence on policy and decision making in long and short

term; Successful targeting of users; Capturing, storing and sharing data information, and

knowledge.

Contribution to the protection, conservation or restoration of public good

environmental assets; and sustainable use of public good environmental assets

Mitigation of current or potential threats to public good environmental assets.

Contribution to the NWC-funded Northern Australia Sustainable Yields Project and DEWHA Northern Australia Water Futures Assessment;

Use of flood mapping exercise to inform the case for mineral exploration on Indigenous

lands; State government water planning in the Kimberly;

Tools used in strengthening Indigenous participation in water planning and decision-making processes;

NT Government management Estuary management plans.

Informing target species for Oolloo Water Management Plan.

Information being used by Task Forces in Northern Australia, mining, primary industry operations and land clearing programs.

Use of information to inform and better understand water planning and management in

terms of water allocations and planning and resource management

Value of the...economic outputs and info and tools related to value of water trading which have influenced management decisions.

In the review of the Program in 2010 respondents believed that the TRaCK program

performed highly in increasing understanding of the social, cultural, economic and

environmental benefits that their tropical rivers and estuaries provide. They also indicated that


TRaCK performed highly in both developing methods and tools for assessing the implications of

current use and potential developments (and building the capacity and knowledge of local

communities to manage Australia‘s tropical rivers and estuaries. The following figure

demonstrates the performance of TRaCK as reported by end-users and stakeholders.

2.6 The appropriateness of the approaches used in the development and

implementation of the Activity

The philosophy in developing the TRACK consortium was to select the very best people for

the job. As a result, the team consisted of researchers who not only have the relevant skills and

expertise in northern Australia, but also have a serious commitment to working in

collaboration on large-scale projects and with a proven track record of delivery. At the same

time, the consortium placed a strong emphasis on capacity building and mentoring, to ensure

that data and knowledge custodianship resided in northern Australia.

The TRACK Research Hub brought together the skills of leading coastal and riverine scientists

from across Australia with the talent and a wealth of experience of practitioners in the study of

enterprise development and the local knowledge and understanding of people in the

communities themselves. The research program was devised to achieve a high level of

integration of disciplines; not simply across the physical and biological sciences but also to

incorporate social, economic and Indigenous knowledge and to integrate this with water

planning and management. There is no doubt that a significant and coordinated effort was

5 4 3

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3

8

8

10

2

5

8

1 2

1

3

6

7

7

5

0

5

10

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20

25

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No answer Unable to rate

rating 1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating 6 rating 7 rating 8 rating 9 rating 10

No

. of

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spo

nd

en

ts

Performance of the TRaCK program in terms of meeting its objectives and expectations

Build the capacity and knowledge of local communities to manage Australia's tropical rivers and estuaries. - Avg 7.6

Develop methods and tools for assessing the implications of current use and potential developments. - Avg 7.8

Increase our understanding of the social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits that our tropical rivers and estuaries provide. - Avg 8.4


required to generate and share the necessary knowledge to underpin the sustainable

management of Australia‘s northern rivers and coasts. Creating critical mass through

collaboration and cooperation was seen as an essential prerequisite for success.

The Principal Researchers adopted a shared leadership approach to the development of the

Program, drawing on the specific skills and expertise of individual members as required. A

Research Executive Committee was formed to bring considerable scientific leadership in

tropical river and coastal ecosystems (biological, physical and social sciences), geographical

representation across the key jurisdictions and a demonstrated commitment to communication

and engagement with stakeholders and Indigenous landowners. The team also had considerable

professional experience in the development and management of successful R&D teams.

The TRACK Research Hub built on existing linkages and provided greater opportunity and

flexibility for staff and student exchanges, and for joint research student supervision. Where

possible, research students were co-supervised by researchers from partner agencies, providing

a broader training experience and continued engagement with end-users. Coordinated field

research campaigns assisted in bringing together researchers and students from the partner

organisations.

The Research Hub drew on an impressive array of field and laboratory equipment and facilities

from its partner organizations. The sharing of these facilities (and staff) created new

opportunities for the use of innovative approaches in field and laboratory-based techniques at a

scale and with a degree of coordination and integration not previously seen in the region.

The Hub was led by a Research Executive Committee (REC), comprising the Principal

Researchers, with an elected Chair. This Committee reported directly to a representative

Program Management Committee (PMC). In addition to leading the development and delivery

of the research program, the Executive facilitated collaborative arrangements among

consortium members, reported on milestones, coordinated meetings with the stakeholders and

oversaw the communications strategy. There was Indigenous representation at all levels of

governance and importantly, the initiative linked with the Indigenous Water Policy Group which

NAILSMA in partnership with CRC Tropical Savannas and the National Water Commission

convened to develop models for management of water to reflect Indigenous interests and

aspirations.

There were strong protocols and quality control procedures in place including formal reviews

of projects as well as reviews of milestone reports at the theme and REC levels. There have

been formal reviews that have led to project closures or changes in staffing. A range of

protocols and guidelines were implemented as part of the subcontracting process, ensuring that

researcher‘s abide by a common set of behaviours, such as when engaging with communities.

The PMC provided excellent program management as well as funding support. There was a lot

of trust between the board members and the REC with strong support to meeting program

objectives. The PMC was also important for adoption, with members being strong program

advocates and operating with a high level of ownership. The REC was very hands on with

members each having a very strong ownership of the program and a commitment to

maintaining high quality research.


The TRaCK governance structure was an ideal model for water research and management

needs in the isolated north. The governance arrangements also provided a highly cost-effective

model for the management and delivery of the research program. As the original host

organisation, LWA contributed its research program management expertise and administered

contracts with research partners, track progress against milestones and provided support for

the PMC. With the closure of LWA in 2009 this role was taken on by Charles Darwin

University, with a seamless transition and professional management. A central office for the

Research Hub was provided by Charles Darwin University in Darwin, with secretarial/office

support funded from the program. Additional administrative costs were included as in-kind

from the partner organisations of the Executive Committee members. The Executive also

coordinated the field-based research program to reduce inefficiencies and ensure the best use

of research funds and shared staff and facilities.

The program was developed in close collaboration and with the full support of key stakeholders

including government policy makers and management agencies, regional NRM and Landcare

groups, Indigenous Traditional Owners and representative bodies and structures, and industry

groups. Government management agencies and stakeholders were engaged in identifying

knowledge needs and setting research priorities during workshops in 2004 and 2005. Additional

feedback from regional NRM and Landcare groups was obtained at meetings in 2005 and 2006.

The program was given the full support of the NT, WA and Qld governments through the co-

operative Framework for Tropical Science Knowledge and Innovation in September 2005.

Partnership with the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance

(NAILSMA) was finalised in 2006.

Clear research needs were identified through this development process and TRaCK adopted a

holistic R&D design to address these needs. The program involved close and ongoing

engagement of end users in the research process itself, and their contribution was essential to

the successful completion and uptake of the program.

In developing the details of livelihoods research, Indigenous interests were documented

through the processes and consultative forums developed by NAILSMA. There was an emphasis

on direct responses to stakeholders and more importantly landowner requirements to design

and deliver research. Projects employed community members associated with the rivers and

coasts where research was occurring to ensure that projects were running according to their

objectives. This on-going engagement of end-users provided the opportunity for two-way

learning about values, perspectives and ecological processes.

Almost every project (only two were not cross organisational) was collaborative across

organisations, with partners bringing different strengths and making complementary

contributions to project teams. The level of project integration is outlined in the table below

that shows cross project linkages for the Program.

TRaCK Project/Theme Linked with the following Projects/ Themes

TRaCK Project 1.2 – Capacity

building tools for effective planning

and decision-making in Indigenous

contexts worked with other

projects

TRaCK project 1.4 - Assist with building Indigenous Capacity.

TRaCK project 2.2 - Participatory Action Research training workshops facilitated

by project 1.2 as part of the ‗change stories‘ project is strengthening the

capacity of DRARG members to participate more confidently with other

research projects/researchers such as project 2.2. Project 2.2 is employing a

DRARG member on a casual basis.


Theme 7 - Maintain close and regular contact with theme 7 regarding change

stories project and its outputs through project 1.2, including liaising with other

themes re: ‗change stories‘ information and links with work being done in

themes 4 and 5. Continue to work closely with K&A coordinators regarding

Indigenous engagement in the Mitchell and Fitzroy River catchments.

Other themes relevant to ‗change stories‘ project

Maintain close and regular contact with projects in themes relevant to the

‗change stories‘ project.

Other; Indigenous Community Water Facilitators‘ Network through NAILSMA

Links between 1.2 and the Indigenous Community Water Facilitators Network.

Endeavour to find opportunities to share funds/information where common

objectives can be met to strengthen Indigenous participation in water planning

and policy.

Project 1.3 Collaborative water

planning

Established a link with Project 1.4 in relation to the Groundwater Visualisation

Model. Other TRaCK project members have been invited to attend workshops.

Project 1.4 Knowledge integration

and science delivery

Provided a framework for integration of TRaCK research in the Daly River and

a pathway for making this accessible to support water allocation planning.

Project 2.1 The value of tropical

rivers

A number of possibilities for cross-TRaCK project outputs were discussed at the

TRaCK meeting in Brisbane in April 2009. Anna Straton engaged in these

discussions and contributed to the preparation of such outputs.

Project 2.2 Indigenous socio-

economic values and river flows

TRaCK 2.2 facilitated a TRaCK presence at Merrepen Arts Festival in the Daly

and is working with the Daly K&A coordinator to involve other TRaCK projects,

(e.g. Theme 5), in community projects and communication opportunities.

Project 3.1 Socio-economic

classification

The water-use input output table allowed us to compare and contrast the

extent to which different development scenarios will affect consumptive water

demand. To the extent that much of this water is thus extracted from the

environment, the predictions of these simulations may thus be useful to those

seeking to estimate flows under different scenarios (much more so during the

dry, when extraction may make a difference, than during the wet when the

amount extracted is but a small proportion of total flows).

Some of the population and tourism projections developed by Dean Carson and

Andrew Taylor for use in this project could also be used as ‗scenarios‘ for

evaluation in Theme 1.

The economic model that is identified as ‗worthy of development‘ in activity C,

will provide essential economic modelling support to researchers in Theme 1‘s

scenario evaluations.

Project 3.2 Biophysical

classification: classifying riverscapes

across northern Australia

The project provides input data for various projects, including the biodiversity

project (5.8), the socio economic classification project (3.1) and the

ecohydrological regionalisation project (3.3).

Further discussions have been made with the Project Leader about integration

of the two classification projects (3.1. and 3.2). This will increase the capacity

for higher-level synthesis on classification by linking the biophysical context with

demographics.

Project 3.3 Classification of

northern Australian riverine flow

regimes

The outcomes of the classification and the development of the revised nine

second DEM have many applications in the TRaCK program and may potentially

be useful across a range of projects.

The project has linked closely with projects with Theme 3 and with biodiversity

and environmental flow projects within Theme 5.

Project 4.2 Regional scale

sediment and nutrients budgets

Sediment samples from the Flinders River received from Michele Burford‘s

project for erosion process analysis.

Sediment samples received from Jeff Shellberg‘s and Andrew Brooks sampling in

the Mitchell catchment.

Project 4.3 Towards

understanding the impacts of land

management on productivity in the

Daly river

A theme 4 integration workshop was held in Darwin in March 2009 to facilitate

knowledge sharing across projects 4.1 to 4.4.

Exchanged information on Daly River bathymetry and water budgets with

project 4.1 and received information regarding modeled water velocity and

depth as well as bed habitat and sand distribution from 4.1 and 4.4.

Several project members participated actively in the theme 1 knowledge

integration workshop and the annual TRaCK workshop in Brisbane in April


2009.

A workshop was held in Brisbane in May, involving this project as well as

representatives from 5.3 and 5.4 to discuss fieldwork in the Flinders River.

Subsequent field research has been coordinated among all three projects.

We recognise a need at this stage to step up communication with other

projects, particularly 5.7 and 5.5. We have also recently provided information

regarding plant and algal biomass and flow response to 5.7. We have provided

data and knowledge input for environmental flows to 5.7, including developing

relationships between water velocity and algal biomass. We have not yet been

invited to participate in a project 5.7 workshop, although a team member

(Simon Townsend) was present at the Darwin workshop with Daly River

stakeholders.

Project 4.3 has also recently exchanged knowledge with the NASY (Northern

Australia Sustainable Yields) project, receiving from them information regarding

Daly River groundwater modeling and contributing to a pre-publication review

of one of their reports.

Project 4.4 Bedload transport in

large tropical rivers and its effect

on dry-season pool habitat

dynamics

Project 4.1 collaborated with Project 4.2 for the process of LiDAR data. There

is also collaboration with other modules of the TRaCK.

Project 5.1 Bottom-up and top-

down control of riverine food

webs

The flux sampling is being conducted in conjunction with project 5.5 Flow-

ecology relationships.

Top-down control experiments in the Flinders River are being undertaken in

collaboration with project 4.3 and top-down control experiments in the Daly

are being done in collaboration with Project 4.6 (FARWH).

Project 5.2 Importance of

waterholes as aquatic refugia and

the biophysical processes that

sustain them

Sampling on the Flinders River is tightly linked to Project 4.3 as all sites overlap.

This will help to provide a holistic understanding of processes regulating

primary productivity and invertebrate and fish biomass in waterholes.

Project 5.3 River-floodplain food

web subsidies

Sampling (Feb. ‘10) was coordinated with project 5.4 to better understand

linkages between floodplains and estuaries. This sampling took place in the

Flinders and Norman Rivers.

There also continue to be links to project 5.6 as samples collected for otolith

age determination are being analyzed for stable isotopes to evaluate the use of

different habitats (river, marine, and floodplain) by barramundi.

Project 5.4 Assessing the effect of

urbanization and catchment

development on ecosystem health

in estuaries

Water quality in waterholes in Flinders River (Project 4.3) has been compared

with water quality in Norman River estuary during the recent major floods

(Project 5.4).

Project 5.5 Flow-ecology

relationships for biodiversity and

ecosystem processes

The seasonal food web sampling occurring in tributaries of the Daly River was

conducted in conjunction with project 5.1 River food webs. The same sampling

design is being used by both projects, but where 5.5 is investigating two

components relating to longitudinal fluxes of aquatic biota and food web

productivity, project 5.1is focusing on two components relating to the exchange

of resources across the aquatic-terrestrial interface: one focuses on the lateral

fluxes of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates across the riparian zone to identify

the times of year where there might be peaks in this exchange, and the other is

investigating changes in the trophic guild structure of riparian bird assemblages

to identify when there is the potential for greater predation pressure on aquatic

invertebrate and fish resources.

As for the 5.5 components, these activities will be conducted across a range of

flow permanence, and over the seasonal hydrograph, to illuminate the fluxes of

materials both longitudinally and laterally under different flow conditions.

Project 5.6 Flow impacts on

estuarine finfish of the Gulf of

Carpentaria

Collaborative links have been maintained with Theme 1 modelling projects

through confirmation of conceptual models developed during last year. This has

identified how outcomes will be incorporated into the final integrated modelling

project.

NT staff involved in this project, have a long term working relationship with the

Daly river fish sampling Project 5.8.

Linkages are continuing to be developed with Project 5.4.

Sampling and data sharing with Project 5.2.


Project 5.7 Environmental flow

tools for northern rivers

The nature of Project 5.7 as a synthesis of research requires it to have strong

collaborative links with all TRaCK projects conducting flow-related research.

Project 5.7 will be synthesising the major flow-related findings from Projects 2.2,

3, 4.1- 4.4 and 5.1 - 5.6 to develop a set of tools and principles to inform,

conduct and recommend environmental flows for tropical rivers.

As discussed above, there are also strong links with project 1.1 and Theme 7,

which share some convergent activities. Communication between these

projects is being assisted by the development of an integration project ―cluster‖

in April 2009.

Project 5.8 Biodiversity and

HCVAE

Tissue samples from fish collected in the Daly River as part of projects 5.1, 5.3

and 5.5 have been collected for use in this project.

Hydrological and geomorphologic data gained through Project 3.3 has been

used in analyses of fish and turtle distribution.

Project 6.1 Establishing water

markets in northern Australia

Researchers on projects 6.1 and 6.2 met in Darwin to outline approaches and

progress. Linkages to case studies in Theme 6 will be made as project

proposals are finalized. There is potential for knowledge sharing with other

TRaCK projects and CERF hubs (such as the Environmental Economics hub).

Project 6.3 Developing an effective

conservation and sustainable use

economy in Arnhem Land

Project coordinator Jon Altman is currently advising TRaCK project 2.2

Indigenous values and river flows. There are links between this project and

project 2.2.

Theme Integration / Other linkages Theme 4 and 5 held a planning workshop in Brisbane to revise projects in light

of SmartState funding and to budget and coordinate a plan for Indigenous

engagement

All the leaders from Theme 1 and 2 (socio-economic) met twice: to ensure

coordination when engaging with communities; to avoid duplication in methods

being used and literature surveys; as well as to discuss ways of maximising

impact (e.g. involvement of water planners in these themes).

2.7 An outline of any demonstration/communication activities undertaken

Background/Objectives

The TRaCK Program developed a Knowledge and Adoption Strategy at its inception which had

the objective to increase the uptake and impact of TRaCK research outcomes. To create the

best likelihood of adoption, six areas of activity were identified:

1. Project level knowledge and adoption planning

2. Understanding and engaging stakeholders

3. Program communications

4. Indigenous engagement strategy

5. Managing synthesis and legacy

6. Information and knowledge management

The Knowledge & Adoption context

The context for the TRaCK CERF hub was unique. For TRaCK where we work affected the

nature of what we did and who could use it. The tropical north is a large sparsely populated

area, with a high proportion of Aboriginal people. When TRaCK commenced there was not a

lot of existing data meaning that there was a great need for on-ground data collection (23 out

of 28 projects did field-based data collection).

The implications for K&A were that a large effort was required to engage with people on the

ground as we visited their land. All researchers had a responsibility for K&A but it was also

recognised there was a need for dedicated individuals to coordinate and promote this activity


and undertake program level activity. To this end the team employed a K&A coordinator and 3

regional coordinators for each of the jurisdictions (based, in Broome, Cairns and Darwin).

Engagement

We recognised early in the program that the people who were interested in our research

(other than the researchers)—our stakeholders—needed to be involved in the program if we

were to achieve our goal. Our stakeholders were involved in a number of ways:

We consulted them as we were developing the program of research.

They were represented in TRaCK governance.

They took part in the research itself.

We discussed progress, in a variety of forums.

We sought their input and feedback, where appropriate, as we developed products.

We put substantial effort into developing strategies and processes to make sure that we were

involving our stakeholders consistently and well, especially considering how geographically

dispersed they were. We also developed strategies for communicating about field trips, the

progress of our research and the findings.

We put particular focus on how we worked with Indigenous people. NAILSMA, our main

Indigenous partner, developed an Indigenous engagement strategy. Following on from this

strategy, we developed research agreements with Aboriginal people in our three main

catchments. Some research was directed and conducted by local Aboriginal people, for example

the sustainable livelihoods studies in the Fitzroy and Archer catchments.

Field-based projects provided opportunities for the paid participation of Indigenous people as

cultural advisers, research assistants and field guides. The K&A team also employed two

Aboriginal women as coordinators in the Mitchell catchment (Qld).

At the request and with the support of Traditional Custodians of the Mitchell River, 18 TRaCK

staff received cross-cultural training. We have had some highly positive feedback from

researchers as it highlighted to some the mutual benefits of working in partnership with

Aboriginal people. This will be a significant legacy of the TRaCK program.

Local input guided research activities and processes. For example, in the Kimberley,

arrangements were made with local educational facilities, resource centres and research

projects through which aspects of the TRaCK research were integrated into existing curricula

and programs.

Workshops & conferences

The TRaCK website contains information about over 70 conference presentations made by

TRaCK researchers and students predominantly at scientific conferences. In several instances

TRaCK supported Aboriginal collaborators to attend and present at conferences such as

Riversymposium and the Australian Society for Limnology.

Conferences


Coast to Coast conference, Darwin (2008): TRaCK sponsored a session with MTSRF:

―Crossing Boundaries in Tropical Rivers & Estuaries: Maintaining Connections‖.

Riversymposium , Brisbane (2009): Six TRaCK researchers presented at two federally

funded feature sessions: ―The Potential of the North? Flows for Rivers & Estuaries:

Understanding Their Values‖ and ―The Potential of the North? Indigenous water

issues‖.

Australian Society for Limnology Congress, Alice Springs (2009): TRaCK and the WA

Department of Water held 2 special sessions on ―Tropical Rivers -research,

management & community engagement‖. Seven researchers and 1 student gave oral

presentations on their research and 1 a poster presentation. Four Traditional Owners

were sponsored to attended. Two gave oral presentations and two posters.

Indigenous Studies Indigenous Knowledge Conference, Fremantle (2009): TRaCK

supported three traditional custodians to attend. All gave presentations which were the

only ones on natural resource management. They were very well attended and

generated a great deal of interest from Indigenous people across Australia.

Workshops and briefings:

The K&A team and researchers have made a consistent effort to brief our stakeholders at

events ranging from annual general meetings to cultural festivals. We have also conducted

briefings with smaller groups.

TRaCK has participated in all the CERF conferences

There have been three annual TRaCK workshops. 1. Darwin 2008 - Over 60 people

attended over the 3 days, including project teams, LWA, NWC and DEWHA

representatives, invited speakers from across jurisdictions and local NT stakeholders.

2. Brisbane 2009 - 48 TRaCK researchers presented their key findings to State and

Commonwealth stakeholders (19) and requested feedback about how we best deliver

to them. 3. Brisbane 2010- 44 researchers attended with the focus to share and

synthesize findings.

The team provided regular updates to regional stakeholders including the Kimberley

Land Council, the Fitzroy Catchment Management Group, and outlying communities

(Fitzroy), Daly River Management Advisory Committee, Daly River Aboriginal

Reference Group (NT), the Mitchell River Watershed Management Group, and

Mitchell River Traditional Custodians Advisory Group, (Qld). Also the relevant

Regional NRM groups, local Indigenous ranger groups, local government, etc. Many of

these groups have members representing pastoralists, agriculture and industry and so

provided an efficient means of communicating to a broad range of stakeholders.

Meetings and briefings were also conducted with State government agencies

(particularly NRETAS, DERM and DoW). These have occurred in the capitals and

regions and have ranged from formal presentations by researchers to discussions with

small groups about the significance of research findings.


The Director has met frequently with Federal stakeholders to promote collaboration

and research uptake. Examples include DEWHA/DSEWPaC regarding the Kimberley

Heritage Assessment, the Heritage Division of DEWHA on Indigenous engagement and

links with the Working on Country program. He has also presented at NWC seminars

and DEWHA Bunker briefings.

Highlights included:

The Mitchell River Indigenous forum held on country in late 2008. This laid the

foundation for our collaboration with traditional custodians from the upper catchment

in subsequent years. More than 90 Traditional Owners attended and eight TRaCK

researchers attended.

Daly River fish and flows seminar and workshop in mid 2009. Stakeholder

representatives included NRETAS, Power and Water Museum and Art Gallery of the

NT, NRETAS Minister Advisor and others.

The K&A team coordinated and supported the participation of 8 Traditional Owners (4

from the Kimberley, 2 from the Daly and 2 from the Mitchell) at the 2010 CERF

conference in Canberra. All TO‘s presented at the Indigenous session, describing the

(quite different) nature of their work associated with TRaCK. The TO‘s all felt this was

an important opportunity to express their views directly to the funders and decision-

makers in Canberra – for some it was their first visit.

Media

22 media releases were made over the life of the program content ranging from highlights from

research findings and outputs to releases in conjunction with events such as workshops, signing

of research agreements, etc.

Articles about TRaCK have appeared in the Australian, The Canberra Times, the NT News

(front page twice), Courier Mail, Broome Advertiser, and Cairns Post (front page once).

Interviews have featured on radio programs including Bush Telegraph, ABC Rural, Country

Hour, national ABC radio, and national Indigenous radio. Interviews have also appeared on

regional and capital city news broadcasts. TRaCK researchers also contributed to an ABC

Radio National feature program on the Daly River.

One of our most popular releases was ―North QLD river researchers solve why big floods

equal big barramundi‖. It received extensive media coverage in regional print, radio and online.

The main researcher Dr Tim Jardine was also subsequently approached by Australasian Science

Magazine to write a related article.

Audiovisual


2 DVDs from the Kimberley produced by local Aboriginal organisations, another is being

finalised from the Mitchell. Three podcasts in addition to radio interviews with researchers are

also on the website.

Publications

All research projects have provided a summary of their key findings. These will be published as

a plain English legacy of TRaCK‘s research. The publication will also provide information about

where readers can find publications with more detail about topics of interest. Over the life of

the program there has also been:

33 fact sheets produced describing research and summarising findings

14 newsletters or newsletter contributions including 5 On TRaCK publications and 12

magazine articles including in Kantri Laif and the DSEWPaC Wetlands magazine, Stories

of Australian Science, Savanna Links, and NWC newsletter Distilled

4 posters capturing information about Aboriginal resource use and names for plant and

animal species. These posters have had positive feedback from communities and another

2-4 are planned as part of the TRaCK synthesis year

28 Technical reports (including 3 going through final approvals)

65 journal articles already published or in varying stages of the publication process.

3 book chapters with a further 14 awaiting publication

1 book of aquatic biodiversity of northern Australia

Website

The TRaCK website is a significant tool to make information about the consortium and outputs

easily accessible. A basic site was overhauled in 2009 to be underpinned by a searchable

content management system (www.track.gov.au).

The site includes:

All TRaCK publications as citations or PDFs where we hold copyright

Descriptions of all projects including contacts and their publications

All media releases

An image gallery with over 200 photos

Information about the research occurring in the key focus catchments

A DVD containing all these assets has been designed and will be broadly distributed to

stakeholders in mid 2011. The site will eventually be archived on the new NERP site. The

robust structure of the site means that it can support the Digital Atlas that has been developed

to deliver all TRaCK assets including metadata and maps in a searchable geographic context.

The impact of the K&A activity will be evaluated during the final synthesis year with

recommendations to inform the future NERP program.


3 TRaCK PROJECT SUMMARY REPORTS

PROJECT 1.1 SCENARIOS FOR TROPICAL RIVERS AND COASTS:

INTEGRATING THE TRACK RESEARCH

TRaCK Theme: Scenario Evaluation

Project Number: 1.1

Project Title:

Scenarios for tropical rivers and coasts: integrating the TRaCK

research

Project Coordinator: Stephen Garnett

Key Partner Personnel:

Neil Collier, Hmalan Hunter-Xenie, Iain Gordon, Kostas

Alexandridis, Colette Thomas, Renee Bartolo, Rick van Dam,

Bruce Campbell

Research Organisation: Charles Darwin University

1. Project Summary

This project integrates research from other themes and provide tools for evidence-based

decision-making. In this project stakeholders have been engaged at various levels, from local to

national, to develop likely scenarios for the future of tropical rivers and coasts. They have been

invited to explore the environmental, social, cultural and economic consequences of scenarios

using a variety of modeling tools (including systems dynamic, Bayesian, GIS-based tools). The

models have been developed in a participatory manner, largely using data and outputs

developed by other themes/projects.

2. Project Objectives

To develop realistic scenarios for the future of riverine and coastal ecosystems based on

TRaCK research, including environmental flow requirements and opportunities for sustainable

enterprises.

3. Location

The project worked in three catchments, including the Daly, Fitzroy and Mitchell.

4. Target Audiences for the research

The principal target audience is a broad range of stakeholders involved in various decision-

making processes. But it is not confined to decision-makers: all stakeholders involved will be

better informed by exploring the scenario models. Some examples of target audiences include:

NRM groups: e.g. Mitchell River Watershed Management Group (Queensland)


Government: Water resource management departments across northern Australia

Regional water planners

Indigenous groups: e.g. Daly River Aboriginal Reference Group (Northern Territory)

5. Project Achievements and Outputs

The project sought to improve decision-making by multiple stakeholders in relation to water

use and catchment management in Northern Australia, and to improve engagement amongst

catchment managers, policy makers and researchers in each of three catchments in which it was

to operate.

The project proposed to do this by developing visioning and scenario tools that strengthen

local capacity among Indigenous communities, followed by testing to enable Indigenous

stakeholders to engage more effectively in planning and decision-making processes. Initial proof

of concept was undertaken with the Aboriginal Reference Group (ARG) for the Daly River

region whose members have specifically requested activities and tools that would allow them to

participate more effectively in the broader planning process. These tools, which will be

applicable in a wide variety of Australian landscapes, were then to be applied in focus

catchments in WA (Fitzroy) and Qld (Mitchell) with similar water resource planning issues.

The Research Executive Committee (REC) became concerned about the progress of Project

1.2 Capacity building tools for effective planning and decision-making in Indigenous contexts in 2009,

and agreed to undertake an independent and external review of the project to determine

future directions.

The review found that the project was ambitious given the multiple challenges of decision-

making scales and institutional capacities. The challenges were increased by the change and

relocation of key research personnel, an insufficient understanding of the capacity building

requirements of the ARG and delays in negotiating research agreements. However, an

understanding of these challenges was a legitimate part of the research process and contributed

to the improved implementation of the revised project. There remained strong support for the

objectives of the project from all partners that contributed to the review and who clearly

wanted the project to continue.

Project 1.1 was replaced by Project 1.4 in October 2009, following the comprehensive review

and consideration by the Program Management Committee.

The achievements of the project included:

Review of participatory modeling approaches

Development of policy briefs on ―Visions for the North‖

Review and scoping of tools that help evidence-based decision-making, including

stakeholder-driven models that explore scenario consequences: Systems dynamics

models and Bayesian Belief Networks.

Improved confidence and participation of ARG members in workshops and meetings

ARG planning workshop March 2008

ARG ―Change Stories‖ training workshop June 2008


Participation in a FitzCam meeting June 2008

ARG ―Change Stories‖ workshop August 2008

ARG governance training workshop December 2008

Paper delivered to the River Symposium (including participation by two ARG members) September 2008

Participation in Mitchell River Indigenous Forum December 2008


PROJECT 1.2 CAPACITY BUILDING TOOLS FOR EFFECTIVE

PLANNING AND DECISION-MAKING IN INDIGENOUS

CONTEXTS


Project Number: 1.2

Project Title:

Capacity building tools for effective planning and decision-

making in Indigenous contexts

Project Coordinator: Owen Stanley


Bruce Campbell, Bev Sithole, Neil Collier and Hmalan Hunter-

Xenie.


1. Project Summary In order to achieve the goals of the Project, two activities were developed: Power Tools and

River Change Stories:

Power Tools

– Aim: To provide Indigenous people with the skills and information required for

them to be more effectively involved in water planning.

– Method: We relied on what they identified that they needed. We provided the

program directly or paid for outside experts to do it.

River Change Stories

– Aim: To record Indigenous peoples‘ knowledge of changes to the catchments to

complement scientific knowledge and to assist communities record their

knowledge and heritage.

– Method: To involve Indigenous people as much as possible in all aspects of the

production, filming and film processing stages so they gain knowledge and skills.


Stimulate local engagement and action at a community level, better deliver services to

support such action and inform policy makers of knowledge gaps and constraints.

Identify and explore solutions to conflicting stakeholder aspirations.

3. Location

The Project was undertaken in TRaCK focal catchments of the Daly (NT), Fitzroy (WA) and

Mitchell (Qld).



Power Tools

The Power Tools component of the project has been a success. The organisations involved

have said that it has been helpful in improving their knowledge, skills, knowledge and confidence

to engage in water planning processes.

People involved in the project requested information on:

Formal aspects of ―western‖ organisations through which their views were being expressed

- including legal obligations, roles, accountability requirement,

Operating issues – including improving members‘ attendance and participation, relationship

with researchers, appointment of a facilitator, providing community feedback, business

planning, sometimes people had difficulty speaking for a large area involving other peoples‘

country when they were not entitled to under Aboriginal law,

Understanding scientific knowledge - Western knowledge, researchers and the scientific

method, role of Indigenous knowledge,

Water policy process and the ways in which catchments work – National Water Initiative, interaction between surface and ground water,

Meaning of terms – ―aquifer‖, ―cultural water‖, ―environmental flows‖…

For the Daly Catchment a series of workshops were organised on:

Visioning and planning (to investigate what worked and what didn’t in their participation in water

planning and their ideas for improvements)

Governance (roles and responsibilities of members in the organisation)

Participatory research tools

Oolloo aquifer (meanings of terms used, water allocation process by the Northern Territory

Government,)

For the Mitchell Catchment a series of workshops were organised on:

Land & water policy (to develop a consensus on approach to water issues)

Governance (structure of the Mitchell River Traditional Custodian Advisory Group

[MRTCAG], roles and responsibilities of members, accountability)

Research tools (nature of research and researchers, the scientific method, role of Indigenous

knowledge preparing for Change Stories, current water policy)

Business planning (to teach and develop a business plan for MRTCAG)

For the Fitzroy Catchment there was:

Support for the Fitzroy River Catchment Action Management (FitzCAM) project workshop.

Joint activity with the Indigenous Community Water Facilitators‘ Network.

Change Stories


For Change Stories, the filming in the Fitzroy and Mitchell catchments has been important to

the communities in recording the history, increasing empowerment and self esteem, and

creating knowledge about filming.

In the Fitzroy catchment the project contracted an Indigenous Media Training organisation in

the region, called the Yiriman Project, to undertake all aspects of the organising and filming of

Change Stories for this catchment.

In the Mitchell Catchment the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) was contracted to

undertake the filming. Some aspects of the filming were:

Four language groups, Western Gugu Yalangi, Kuku Djungan, Wokomin and M-Barbaram

Filming required 1600kms of travel, to 6 major sites and many minor sites.

It required months in preparation with community, one week trial for interviews and

distance, and one week of filming

Over 34 people interviewed fully and 150+ people attended the filming – water and food,

transport, swags etc had to be organised

Produced 12 hours of film, to be reduced.

ABC is interested in making programs from the material.

For the Mitchell Catchment observations from the Change Stories project were:

River in good condition high in the catchment (the TOs considered themselves ―blessed‖) and in poor condition lower down (Chillago)

River Problems:

Pollution, especially from mining

Lower water flow because of water being taken out

Dry and shallow waterholes

Change of water banks for mining, road construction

Erosion

Lack of access because of fencing and private ownership

Feral animals, causing damage to banks

Uncontrolled behaviour by squatters

Cultural issues: River is the most important aspect of the environment

Want revitalisation of culture

Want Aboriginal language in schools, ―why Italian?‖

5. Indigenous Engagement

The philosophy underlying Power Tools and River Change Stories is that Indigenous people, as

far as possible, should be fully involved in the design and implementation of the programs. Thus

the project worked through their organisations using a range of agreements relating to conduct

and intellectual property. The organisations were:

MRTCAG – Mitchell River Traditional Custodian Advisory Group Aboriginal Corporation

DRARG – Daly River Aboriginal Reference Group, and

FitzCAM ARG – Fitzroy River Catchment Action Management Aboriginal Reference Group


Under Power Tools, organisations were asked what training they thought they needed and then

provided it directly or funded another organisation to provide it. Under River Change Stories,

the organisations decided how and where the filming should take place and who should be

interviewed. We required them to discuss certain questions that are of interest to scientists,

but apart from that, they were able to discuss any matter relating to the catchment, and their

lives and culture relating to it.

The level of training of Indigenous people was, very high under Power Tools, and in some cases,

the training was provided by an Indigenous person. The level of training under River Change

Stories differed somewhat between the Fitzroy and Mitchell filming. Indigenous people were

fully involved in all aspects of the Fitzroy filming, and it was undertaken as a training program. In

the Mitchell case, local Indigenous people were involved in all aspects apart from filming and

sound, and film processing functions. However, in this case, the camera person was a local

Indigenous person who had left the Mitchell area some years ago, and ABC Resources

employed an Indigenous trainee to undertake the first edit of the film stock.

Nine members of the ex-FitzCAM Aboriginal Reference Group (FitzCAM ARG) and two key

personnel (FitzCAM ARG Coordinator and the Fitzroy ICWFN) were involved in the Power

Tools program. At least six Indigenous youths from the Yiriman Youth Project operating in the

Fitzroy River catchment, and took the lead in collecting stories in the River Change Stories

program. Over 30 Indigenous people from the area were involved in consultations and

interviews.

6. Knowledge, adoption and promotional activities completed

Publications:

Paper was submitted to Ecology and Society in September 2009 – Sithole, B., Hunter-Xenie, H.,

Collier, N. and Garnett, S.T. entitled ‗Planning with People‖ A Review of Participatory Planning

for Natural Resource Management.‘

Presentations:

Hunter-Xenie, H. and White, V. 2008. Update on Power Tools and Change Stories programs.

Presentation to the Indigenous Community Water Facilitator Network, December 2008,

Darwin.

Hunter-Xenie, H., Goodman, P. and White, V. 2008. Update on Power Tools and Change

Stories programs. Presentation to the Daly River Management Advisory Committee, 12

December 2008, Darwin.

Hunter-Xenie, H., Collier, N., Liddy, M., White, V., White, M., Garnett, S.T. and Sithole, B.

2008. Bringing Aboriginal people into water planning – lessons from the Daly River.

Presentation at the River Symposium, 1-4 September, Brisbane.

Sithole, B., Collier, N., Hunter-Xenie, H. in collaboration with the Daly River Aboriginal

Reference Group. 2008. TRaCK project 1.2 ‗Change Stories‘ Training Report: Daly River

catchment, Northern Territory. CDU, Darwin, 22pp.ABSTRACT


Events held by project

At least 10 workshops in the Daly and Mitchell River catchments as activities under the Power

Tools program. Approximately 120 Indigenous and 20 non-Indigenous people participated in

these events along with P1.2 staff.

The Yirimin Youth Project undertook the collection of stories for the River Change Stories

program in the Fitzroy River catchment. The Yiriman Youth project involved over 30 local

people in the consultations and interviews.

The project held an intensive two week program in July 2010 regarding the collection of stories

for the River Change Stories program in the Mitchell River area with MRTCAG. Over 150

people were involved in the program over the two week period.


PROJECT 1.3 COLLABORATIVE WATER PLANNING


Project Number: Project 1.3

Project Title: Collaborative Water Planning

Project Coordinator: Poh-Ling Tan


Sue Jackson, Wendy Proctor, Sharna Nolan (CSIRO), John

Mackenzie (Griffith University), James Whelan (Change Agency)

1. Project Summary

This project produced, trialed and promoted collaborative approaches to water planning;

incorporating improved approaches for involving communities, industry and the public; and

providing methods to incorporate social, cultural and economic values in water planning,

especially those held by Indigenous people. In Phase 1, it surveyed national and international

best practice in collaborative water planning, NRM; and survey community, industry and agency

expectations of water planning processes in 2 catchments in Australia where water planning has

occurred. The case studies were in Queensland (Gulf of Carpentaria) and WA (the Ord).

In Phase 2 the focus shifted to two major case studies in northern Australia specifically

catchments in northern Queensland and the Northern Territory. Working in consultation with

water agencies, it trialed and evaluated improved tools for collaborative planning in these two

catchments. Tools considered for use in the trials include conflict resolution techniques in

relation to science based disputes including joint fact finding; social learning, deliberative

workshops, and multi-criteria evaluation processes. Key features of the trial included

community water planning workshops in the catchments for capacity building, developing training materials, evaluation and adjustment of the process.


(i) Identify barriers to and opportunities for industry, Indigenous and broader community

participation.

(ii) Map industry, Indigenous, broader community and agency expectations of water

planning processes, including the role of transparency in trade-offs.

(iii) Benchmark water planning tools and standards for engaging participants and

incorporating values and transparent trade-offs in water planning. (iv) Trial identified tools to determine suitability for a range of Australian circumstances,

especially in regions where there are significant Indigenous interests.

(v) Promote tools and develop a proposal for a training package for agencies, industries and

community groups in the use of these tools to contribute to effective water planning

processes.

(vi) Contribute to development of national guidelines for public participation in water

planning, particularly in regard to Indigenous participation.


3. Location

Phase 1: Retrospective evaluation of water planning in Queensland (Gulf of Carpentaria), and

WA (the Ord).

Phase 2: Trial of collaborative water planning tools in processes in the Greater Darwin area in

NT, and the Wet Tropics in North Queensland.

4. Target Audience(s) for the research

government policy makers

state/territory and regional water planners

federal government agencies

local government councils

water planning committees

regional NRM groups

Indigenous groups

Peak industry organisations


Project achievements and outputs included:

Better collaborative water planning in northern Australia – improvements to practice

through the provision of information, training materials and learning opportunities in

water planning trials

More appropriate participation from all groups with an interest in water planning

Greater practitioner, awareness and competency in using various deliberative planning

tools

Greater consideration of ways of addressing conflict in water planning

Informed stake-holder contributions to national water policy debate and implementation

of the National Water Initiative

A report evaluating water planning in northern Australia and identifying barriers and

opportunities to industry, Indigenous and broader community participation in water

planning

A tool-kit of best practices for engaging industry, Indigenous and broader community groups and incorporating values in water planning

Guidelines for monitoring and evaluating public participation in water planning

Publications that contribute to national standards for public participation in water planning

A major objective of the project was also to identify correlations and divergences between the expectations held by stakeholders involved in water planning, including industry, Indigenous,

broader community and agency expectations, in terms of public involvement, planning


processes and water allocation outcomes. Prior research has demonstrated that in some

instances expectations of roles of communities, industries and Indigenous peoples have not

matched those of water planners, or executive levels of government. This research represented

the first focussed effort to obtain a broader stakeholder perspective on the expectations for an

expanded role for community input specified in the National Water Initiative.

As a summary of our attempts to clarify these expectations, the table below presents in a

matrix form the different perspectives which have been identified through the course of this

project:

Expectations for Water Planning

Indust

ry

Indig

enous

Com

munity

Age

ncy

Role of Community

All interests in the region and its water resources be considered

The diversity of the region, and the specificity of each river, be

afforded due consideration in the process

Community contributions be used to supplement the science

where necessary

Community participants have a role to facilitate wider community

involvement in the development of the plan

The panel would be provided with appropriate resources to fulfil

its role to facilitate broader engagement in the process

Finalised statutory water plans should reflect the contributions

made during the planning process

The issues raised in the context of the community meetings would

be afforded due consideration and that they would receive

feedback on those issues from agency staff

Water plans achieve a science-based balance between competing

uses

Water Planning Process

All contributions, including those of the panel and obtained through

the submissions, be valued and respected by the agency

Water planning decisions display and maintain transparency and

fairness through an open, accountable decision-making process


Water plans are based on appropriate technical information and

defensible research

Local, including Indigenous, knowledge which may not be available

to the technical assessors be recognised and afforded parity with

the findings of the science

The cultural values, including Indigenous, non-Indigenous, and

recreational, be recognised and embedded in the process

Water plans require the informed consent of all Traditional

Owners in the area prior to its statutory enactment

Timeframes for the water planning process should be streamlined

to avoid the least possible disruption to regional development and

investment

All information relating to water use and management would be

made available to community stakeholders as part of the water

planning process, and after the process has reached a decision

Water Planning Outcomes

Native title, cultural heritage and Traditional Owner custodial

interests must be recognised and upheld through the plan

Enhanced protection of the rights of existing water users

Water plans should sustain communities aspirations for regional

development and long-term social improvement

Plans should provide sufficient certainty about allocations to

support development and future regional investment

The process be flexible enough to accommodate potential changes

to the region during the planning process and the ten-year duration

of the plan

Plans should endeavor to establish tradeable entitlements wherever

possible

The literature, policy and case study reviews conducted in the first phase of the project, and

workshops with planners in the nominated jurisdictions, confirmed the need to further develop

and apply collaborative methods for water planning in key areas, including:

clear processes and standards for community engagement, particularly for

participants in a community reference panel/group to understand the role, timing

and purpose of their involvement;


communication strategies and techniques to address the specific information

requirements of diverse constituencies, including science communication;

capacity-building tools to increase community understanding of water planning, and

the ability to contribute meaningfully to the conduct of planning process;

training and professional development for agency staff and science providers to

better facilitate community collaboration in planning and research;

Indigenous specific engagement strategies for identifying the implications of water

plans for cultural heritage, values and practice and the economic development

opportunities provided by water planning;

data, knowledge and information systems with the capability to handle input from

technical, local, traditional and Indigenous sources; and

decision-support systems for rigorous and transparent trade-off analysis in decision-

making.

A suite of effective water planning tools and standards to meet these identified needs and to

align with the expectations of planners and stakeholders was shortlisted, reviewed, and

customised for application in the northern Australian context through two case studies.

Throughout the tool development and case-study stages, planning tools which better engage

participants, provide a means to incorporate values, and allow for transparent trade-offs in

water planning were the focus of our efforts.

A list of 15 deliberative planning tools, many of which had been used for purposes other than

water planning was developed. Literature on the use of these tools for planning was examined,

including case study reports, to assist in their customisation for the specific requirements of

northern Australia water planning. Based on this review, a decision-tree for the selection of the

appropriate deliberative tool was developed, and these tools were benchmarked according to a

‗fit-for-purpose‘ framework to provide water planners with guidance in tool selection. This fit-

for-purpose framework has formed the basis of a ―Water Planners Portal‖: a proposed online

repository and guide to support water planners in the selection of tools and methodologies

collaborative water planning. A visual demonstration of the Portal was presented at the Review

Workshop in Darwin in October 2009. A prototype portal is currently under development.

Howard East, NT.

In the course of fifteen months, the project trialed, promoted and evaluated two planning tools:

a stakeholder analysis and a participatory groundwater visualisation tool. The team worked

closely with representatives from local stakeholder groups, members of the broader

community and staff from the Water Resource Management Branch of the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport (NRETAS) and independent experts from

the Queensland University of Technology. Three reports of this work have been written, Nolan

2009a, 2009b and 2009c.

Nolan‘s stakeholder analysis formed the basis of Ministerial Advice by NRETAS in 2009 for the

formation of a Howard East Water Allocation Committee. However no decision has as yet

been made for Howard water allocation planning to commence.

Western Cape York, Queensland


Researchers conducted interviews, site visits and workshops with sixteen Traditional Owners

from Aurukun Waterways, Wetlands and Coastal Advisory Committee, and with twenty

Traditional Owners from the Mitchell River Traditional Custodians Advisory Group, with the

aim of jointly developing engagement protocols which ensure that decisions about future water

use and allocation respect and follow customary decision-making processes, and best align with

the values, the aspirations and the visions of the local communities.

Through documenting and analysis of the values and preferences of the Indigenous groups

consulted, the TRaCK researchers developed recommendations for guidelines for allocation

decisions for Indigenous water reserves, that may be applicable to other areas of the Cape, and

Northern Australia more generally, where Indigenous water reserves are made available. These

recommendations are based on a negotiation framework which:

Places Indigenous communities in a position to make informed decisions about

future water use and management;

Ensures a strong negotiation position for those communities to maximise the financial and non-financial benefits of the water reserve;

Provides as much ownership and control of the decision-making process in the

hands of the Indigenous communities in the region as possible; and

Establishes sufficient flexibility to ensure that Traditional Owners are

appropriately recognised and able to initiate and advance planning objectives

beyond responding to those of government agencies. These recommendations for a collaborative approach also seek to strengthen the network of

catchment-based groups and organisations which are able to provide ongoing policy advice on

Indigenous water issues from a range of viewpoints, at a national, regional and local scale.

6. Knowledge, adoption and promotional activities undertaken

Throughout the project, the research team sought to promote collaborative planning tools and

approaches through a range of communication and engagement activities. The findings from the

project have been submitted for consideration in the development of a number of national

initiatives related to water planning, including the National Water Commission‘s Biennial

Review, the Northern Australian Land and Water Resource Assessment and the Northern

Australian Taskforce.

Water Planning Portal – The development of the Water Planners Portal was based on an

identified need to provide guided support to water planners to develop, implement and review

water plans in real-world contexts that are restricted by administrative requirements and the

availability of and access to resources. The development work done for the Portal through the

TRaCK project has been extended through another National Water Commission project,

Water Planning Tools, which will both support the continuing legacy and expand on the TRaCK

research.

Indigenous engagement guide – Reviews of the Good Practice Guide for Indigenous

Engagement in Water Planning conducted with Traditional Owner Groups through this project


have identified the need for introductory communication materials for Indigenous communities

to introduce and explain water planning in a plain English format.

Publications

Ayre, M. 2008. Collaborative Water Planning: Retrospective Case studies, Volume 4.2, Water Planning

in the Ord River of Western Australia. Report to the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge

(TRaCK) program. Land and Water Australia, Canberra.

Elix, J. 2008. Collaborative Water Planning: Best Practice Strategies and Techniques in the Resolution of

Public Disputes over Natural Resources, Volume 2. Report to the Tropical Rivers and Coastal

Knowledge (TRaCK) program. Land and Water Australia, Canberra.

Mackenzie, J. 2008. Collaborative Water Planning: Retrospective Case studies, Volume 4.1, Water

Planning in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Report to the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge

(TRaCK) program. Land and Water Australia, Canberra.

Mackenzie, J. and Whelan J. 2009. Establishing Indigenous Water Reserves in Cape York.

Forthcoming journal article.

Mackenzie, J. 2009. Improving Traditional Owner Participation in Water Planning: Catchment-wide

Advisory Groups. Forthcoming journal article.

Mackenzie, J., Nolan S. and Whelan J. 2010. Collaborative Water Planning: Guide to Monitoring and

Evaluating Public Participation, Charles Darwin University, Darwin.

Nolan S. 2009a. Collaborative Water Planning Project, Rural Darwin (NT) Case: Analysis of

Stakeholder Interests in the Groundwater Resources of the Howard East Aquifer, CSIRO Sustainable

Ecosystems, Darwin.

Nolan S. 2009b. Collaborative Water Planning Project, Participatory Groundwater Visualisation Tool,

unpublished report.

Nolan S. 2009c. Collaborative Water Planning: Rural Darwin District (Northern Territory) Pilot Study,

Final Report, unpublished report.

Tan, P. L. 2008. Collaborative Water Planning: Legal and Policy Analysis, Volume 3, Report to the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) program. Land and Water Australia,

Canberra.

Tan, P.L. et al. 2008. Collaborative Water Planning: Context & Practice. Volume 1, Report to the

Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) program. Land and Water Australia,

Canberra.

Whelan, J. et al, 2009. Proposal for a Training package for agencies, industries and community groups

in best-practice water planning processes, unpublished report.

Workshops/ Presentations


Northern Australia Taskforce Land and Water Assessment: Workshop participation and input

into the Mitchell Catchment case study for the Land and Water Assessment. 28th August –30th

September 2009.

Integrated Water Resource Management Professional Development Presentation: Professional

Development Seminar delivered to members of the Philippines Water Resources Board and the

Indonesian Water Supply Association as part of the International Water Centre‘s IWRM

Professional Development Program. 1st September 2009.

TRaCK North Queensland Meeting Presentation: Presentation to TRaCK researchers at

Griffith University on Aurukun field research. 11th September 2009.

Riversymposium: Conference Presentation on the findings from the project as part of a special

session at this conference on Northern Australian Rivers. 21st – 24th September 2009.

Mitchell River Traditional Custodians Advisory Group: Workshop conducted with Mitchell

River Traditional Custodians Advisory Group on Indigenous water reserves in Cape York. 5th -

6th October 2009.

Research Review Public Meeting: Community presentation on research findings at Public

Meeting in Darwin, 12th October 2009.

TRaCK Collaborative Water Planning Review Workshop: Project findings review and outputs

reporting workshop conducted with Northern Australian stakeholders, including agencies,

community and research providers. 12th-13th October 2009.

Murray Darling Basin Authority: Input into the Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy based on

TRaCK Monitoring & Evaluation Guide, and review of stakeholder engagement strategy. 19th-

20th October 2009.


PROJECT 1.4 - SCENARIOS FOR TROPICAL RIVERS AND INTEGRATING THE

TRACK RESEARCH


Project Number: 1.4

Project Title:

Scenarios for tropical rivers and coasts: integrating the TRaCK

research

Project Coordinator: Francis Pantus


Research Organisation:

Griffith University, Lindsay Bradford, Martin Stroet, Charles

Darwin University Hmalan Hunter-Xenie, Cathie Barton,

Chris Devonport; ERISS, Renee Bartolo


1. Project Summary

Based on the experiences and outputs of TRaCK Project 1.1, this project aimed to integrate

knowledge from the TRaCK science projects into models. The integrated knowledge improved our system understanding and formed the basis of the delivery of flexible management scenario

evaluation capability to the TRaCK program and its stakeholders. This project has done this by

further developing and implementing a broad framework for catchment-to-coast management

strategy evaluation (C2C-MSE) for the Northern Australian Rivers. This framework has then

been used to provide tools for evidence-based decision-making.


Develop capability to evaluate realistic scenarios for the future of riverine and coastal

ecosystems based on the research, including environmental flow requirements and

opportunities for sustainable enterprises.

This project has:

• Engaged external and internal stakeholders at a range of levels to identify realistic

scenarios for the future management of key rivers and coasts.

• Integrated models and knowledge from other TRaCK projects into the broader C2C-MSE framework to explore scenarios for management and development of our natural

resources.

• Further developed the broad conceptual frameworks and implement software tools to

support decision-making based on best available knowledge.

• Identified gaps that will improve model reliability and predictive capacity

3. Location

The project is focusing on the Daly River catchment in the NT.



This project has engaged selected external stakeholders from various levels. To ensure that the

results of this project are relevant to the NT-government policy development and NRM

management, the project has interacted with key policy and decision makers in the NT-region.

The project also aims to integrate knowledge from other TRaCK projects, and as such, it

regards the TRaCK projects as another important (internal) group of stakeholders.


This project has:

Integrated knowledge developed in the TRaCK science projects.

Developed/adapted of software based on the Catchment- to-Coast (C2C) Management

Strategy Evaluation (MSE) framework.

Delivered integrated science products into resource management.

Improved decision-making by multiple stakeholders in relation to water use and catchment

management in Northern Australia.

Improved engagement amongst catchment managers, policy makers and researchers.

In summary project outputs are:

The prototype Daly River MSE application is now operational and is delivering example

triple-bottom-line (economy, social and environmental) decision tables that allow high-level

tradeoffs to be delivered to resource managers and stakeholders.

The tradeoffs between the various scenarios in terms of triple-bottom-line are expected to be subtle and complicated if competing objectives are being pursued.

Explicit estimation/simulation of uncertainty is now also possible. The representation of

uncertainties will allow a more risk-based approach to resource management. Explicit

uncertainty recognises the need for robustness of management in the presence of ignorance

and natural variability.

The focus of the Project has been to deliver a prototype of an MSE-application (tool + regional

information) for the Daly River Catchment. To achieve this, the Project has worked towards

an MSE-application that allowed us to evaluate a range of water-related management options

for the Daly River catchment showing (triple bottom line) tradeoffs between social, economic

and environmental (physical and ecological) performance indicators.

The ‗central‘ model in the Daly River catchment MSE is the hydrologic model, allowing us to

trace water from precipitation to overland and groundwater flows through the catchment.

This model was developed, implemented, tested and (preliminarily) calibrated by the project

team.

For the ecology-based performance measures, we employ the optimal fish habitat models

developed by Project 5.9: ―Northern Australia Aquatic Ecological Assets‖. These models

established the relationship between river flows and optimal habitat for key species such as

Sooty Grunter and Barramundi) and their life cycles. Linking these models to the hydrologic

model and accepting ‗optimal habitat availability‘ as a performance measure for the ecological

state of the riverine system in the Katherine area is a first step in the adaptive process of

discussing and selecting appropriate performance measures for the Daly catchment.


The model used to represent our socio-economic knowledge in the current version of the Daly

River catchment MSE was developed by Project 3.1, ―Socio-economic activity and water use in

the TR region‖. This model not only functions as a response model given available or allowed

water extraction limits, it also functions as a driver of water demand itself. It allows us to

evaluate the efficacy of the Water Allocation Plan under a range of scenarios. The sectors

included in the economics model are: Accommodation, Agriculture, Construction, Cultural and

Recreational Services, Electricity, Fin, Communication & Property, Government, Education &

Health, Mining & Manufacturing, Trade, Transport, Indigenous households, Non-Indigenous

households. The economics I/O model is described in detail in Stoeckl et al. (2010).

The third model of importance in the Daly prototype MSE, albeit not developed by a TRaCK

project, is the NRETAS Tindall Aquifer Water Allocation Plan (WAP). This plan explicitly

states the decision rules followed to set annual water allocation limits for the Tindall Aquifer at

Katherine. These rules have been incorporated (with some simplifications) into the Daly River

MSE application. This is of importance as it allows us to examine the effectiveness of the WAP

in an adaptive fashion, where the WAP takes the place of the management decision

functionality within the MSE framework.

Figure 1 shows the overall outline of currently implemented models with the emphasis on the

response models (yellow boxes) underpinning the triple-bottom-line focus for the prototype of

the Daly MSE application.

Figure 1 The main models implemented for the Daly River MSE prototype

application. In the background the six MSE conceptual elements (decision, action,

response, observation, assessment and learning). The implemented models are

coloured to conform with the MSE conceptual elements.

With the model configuration as shown in Figure 1, a series of scenarios were run to

demonstrate the capabilities of the prototype Daly River MSE application. The aim was to

show triple-bottom line performance of various economic options, with and without the Tindall


WAP (Water Allocation Plan) in place. Table 1 briefly describes the scenarios that were

evaluated.

Table 1 Scenarios evaluated to demonstrate the capability of the Daly River MSE

application

Scenario Description

1 No economic activity No economic activity at all, and no groundwater water

extraction as a consequence

2 Activity 2006 level Economic activity stable on 2006 level, no WAP

3 Activity 2006 level + WAP Economic activity stable on 2006 level, with WAP

4 5% Tourism Growth 5% annual tourism growth, defined by accommodation,

cultural/recreational, electricity and construction sectors,

no WAP

5 5% Tourism Growth + WAP 5% annual tourism growth, defined by accommodation,

cultural/recreational, electricity and construction sectors,

with WAP

6 1.5% Overall Growth All 12 industry sectors grow by 1.5% annually, no WAP

7 1.5% Overall Growth + WAP All 12 industry sectors grow by 1.5% annually, with WAP

8 5% Overall Growth All 12 industry sectors grow by 5% annually, no WAP

9 5% Overall Growth + WAP All 12 industry sectors grow by 5% annually, with WAP

10 5% Tourism + 1.5% agri 5% annual tourism growth (see strategies 4 and 5), and

1.5% annual growth in agriculture, no WAP

11 5% Tourism + 1.5% agri + WAP 5% annual tourism growth (see strategies 4 and 5), and

1.5% annual growth in agriculture, with WAP

Each of these scenarios was evaluated between 1963 and 2020 with ten stochastic replications.

The stochastic replications allowed the representation of a measure of uncertainty around the

average values.

Figure 2 shows a small selection of the comprehensive results being produced by the MSE

application. The eleven scenarios produce around 500 time series of information. Some time

series contain around 21,000 daily results for a 57 year simulation. Figure 2 demonstrates the

MSE intermediate, fine-scale information. It shows an example of the output for three scenario

evaluations 1, 10 and 11 (see Table 1 for details).


Extracted groundwater

Non-Indigenous employment

Groundwater level

Sooty Grunter juv., available optimal habitat

Figure 2: The four graphs provide an example of the detailed results produced by

the prototype Daly River MSE application. The coloured traces in the graphs

represent various scenarios: green = scenario 1, yellow = 10 and blue = 11. NOTE:

These results are for demonstration purposes only.

However, the fine-scale data is likely to be confusing and thus not aid the decision-making

process. To make this amount of data accessible, the fine-scale data is summarised into decision

support tables, a core product delivered by the MSE application.

Decision support tables allow the tradeoffs between the evaluated scenarios to be visualised in

a consistent and comprehensive matter. They consist of measures that represent the key

messages from the MSE results (performance indicators) for each scenario. In the example

presented here, the key messages are how economics, social and environmental indicators

perform under the eleven different economic scenarios for the region. The effects of the WAP

can be seen when comparing performance across scenarios.

For each of the eleven scenarios described in Table 1, the results for each of the performance

indicators are shown in the graph in Figure 3. Figure 3 shows an example of the tradeoffs

between the various performance indicators (economy, social, ecology and hydro-physics) that

can be used to help make choices between management scenarios. Each of the four indicators

is expressed as a percentage of the maximum values, thus allowing a single scale to be used to

facilitate comparison (and to express the preliminary nature of these results).


Figure 3 Summary of results of the eleven scenarios to demonstrate the

capabilities of the Daly River MSE application. Uncertainty indicators have been

omitted in this example. NOTE: These results are for demonstration purposes

only.

Suitable performance indicators were chosen to represent the economic, social and

environmental performance to enable the costs and benefits of each of the scenarios to be

reported. For example, the average annual industry income (gross value added) was used as

the performance indicator for the economy. The social sector was represented by the annual

Indigenous employment expectations. The environment was represented by two indicators:

ecology and hydro-physics. The ecology is represented by the 10th quartile of the Sooty

Grunter Juvenile optimal habitat. Note that this is a habitat-based surrogate and often other

factors need to be taken into account to get a more direct ecological indicator. The hydro-

physics was represented by the minimum groundwater level.

The underlying numbers for the calculation of these indicators was drawn from the last five

years (2015-2020) of the simulations.

Results, such as shown in Figure 3, will often lead to a new round of (more detailed) scenarios being defined and evaluated, thus supporting an adaptive search of the most interesting

scenarios within the management options space.

o Groundwater workshop with a range of stakeholders and experts, November

2011

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Publications

Bartolo, R., P. Bayliss, and R. van Dam (2008). Semi-quantitative Risk Assessments. In Ecological

risk assessments for Australia's Northern Tropical Rivers: Sub project 2 of Australia's Tropical Rivers

- an integrated data assessment and analysis (DET18). A report to Land & Water Australia. 2008. The Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist and the National

Centre for Tropical Wetland Research. Darwin, Australia, pp.162-270.

Chan, Hart, Kennard, Pusey, Shenton, Douglas, Valentin and Patel (2010). Bayesian network

models for environmental flow decision making in the Daly river, Northern Territory. Australia. River

res. Applic. (2010) Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI:

10.1002/rra.1456

Chiew, F.H.S., Peel, M.C. & Western, A.W. (2002), Application and testing of the simple rainfall-

runoff model SIMHYD, In: V.P. Singh & D.K. Frevert (Eds.), Math. Models of Small Watershed

Hydrol. & Applications, Water Resour. Pub., Colorado, pp.335-367.

Larson, S. and Alexandridis, K. (2009). Socio-economic Profiling of Tropical Rivers. Canberra,

ACT: Land and Water Australia, Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) Research

Hub, pp. 70

Stoeckl, N., Esparon, M., Stanley, O., Farr, M., Delisle, A., and Altai, Z. (2010). Socio-Economic

Activity and Water Use in Australia‘s Tropical Rivers: A case Study in the Mitchell and Daly

River Catchments. Charles Darwin University, Darwin.

Tan, K. S., F.H.S. Chiew, R. B. Grayson, P. J. Scanlon, and L. Siriwardena (2005), Calibration of a

Daily Rainfall-Runoff Model to Estimate High Daily Flows.

Presentations

2-part seminar on TRaCK MSE and Daly River application, Australian River Institute, Griffith University, March/April 2011

Workshop with NRETAS on the implementation of the Tindall WAP in the MSE application

February 2011

TRaCK REC on progress of MSE development, February 2011

NRETAS February 2011

TRaCK Groundwater workshop November 2010

Software tools/models: new or updated versions

Daly River Catchment MSE prototype

Events

Workshop with NRETAS on the implementation of the Tindall WAP in the MSE application

February 2011


PROJECT 2.1 THE VALUE OF TROPICAL RIVERS

TRaCK Theme: Assets and Values

Project Number: 2.1

Project Title: The value of Tropical Rivers

Project Coordinator: Anna Straton


Sue Jackson and Nick Abel (CSIRO); Stephen Garnett, Adam

Drucker and Kerstin Zander (CDU)

Research Organisation: CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

1. Project Summary

The tropical river systems of northern Australia are of economic, social, cultural and

environmental importance and they provide for activities people value, such as fishing and

farming, and offer other benefits to people, such as enjoyment and relaxation. This project

assessed these values and how they have changed through time using two approaches.

First, the value of some features and uses of tropical rivers were measured in economic terms

through an economic valuation technique. Second, changes in the features and uses of tropical

rivers and their values were recorded to identify cycles, patterns, lock-in events so as to

project forward as to the likely systemic impacts of a set of development scenarios. This was

done through three case studies, the Mitchell catchment in Qld, the Fitzroy catchment in WA

and the Daly catchment in the NT.


Consult and collaborate with community, Indigenous, industry and government groups to

develop an understanding of tropical river systems, their ecosystem services and their values and to define issues for management;

Develop appropriate methodologies and undertake case studies in three tropical river

systems in Qld, the NT and WA to estimate the economic value of some ecosystem

services and non-market uses of tropical rivers;

Develop an historical event map of how value and values have changed through time and

identify the trade-offs and irreversibilities associated with different scenarios (thus

identifying some qualitative costs and benefits and equity implications of the management options associated with each scenario) and the institutional factors (incentives, regulations

and culture) that guide and govern people's use of tropical rivers and impact on ecosystem

services;

Document, evaluate and communicate the usefulness of the ecosystem services approach to

maintaining values and to the management of tropical rivers to the community and to

government. Comment on the effectiveness of communication strategies.

3. Location

Fitzroy River catchment in WA, Daly River catchment in the NT, and Mitchell River catchment

in Qld.



Community, Indigenous, industry and government groups relevant to each case study

catchment

TRaCK scientists and funding bodies

Broader scientific community, particularly those interested in understanding value and

improving decision-making

Australian public and policy makers


The project contributed to scientific and policy knowledge through understanding of the role

and usefulness of economic valuation in aiding decision-making, and assessed of the change in

the value of tropical rivers through time and in response to a variety of drivers and future

scenarios. It also included collaborations with community, Indigenous, industry and government

groups relevant to each case study catchment.

The project developed a valuation methodology and surveys for three tropical river systems

(one each in QLD, NT and WA) to estimate the economic value of some nonmarket uses of

tropical rivers. Three choice modeling questionnaires were developed, one for each river

system. Surveys were undertaken with each questionnaire through both mail-out and face-to-

face delivery. The economic values (willingness-to-pay) of improvements in four ecosystem

services were estimated for each of the river systems using two different models of choice –

the multinomial logit and the mixed logit. The analysis and results are reported in the report,

‗The value of Australia‘s tropical river ecosystem services‘.

The project also undertook an historical analyses of values, including identification of some

trade-offs and irreversibilities that may be associated with different development scenarios. The

historical analysis of values and value were undertaken using the Millennium Ecosystem

Assessment framework and resilience theory and analysis. Insight was gained into key drivers

of conditions and dynamics in the tropical rivers region and how changes in the past may

contribute to potential trade-offs and irreversibilities in the future. The analysis and results

were reported in the report, ‗The value of Australia’s tropical river ecosystem services’.

The project found that on average, people were prepared to pay more for rivers with the best

possible outcomes for environmental, recreational and Aboriginal cultural ecosystem services.

When it came to the provision of production ecosystem services from Australia‘s tropical

rivers, people generally preferred moderate rather than large scale irrigated agriculture. This

finding is specific to the Daly, Mitchell and Fitzroy catchments.

This is important because assumptions of support for the development of Australia‘s tropical

rivers for agricultural purposes to the detriment of Aboriginal, environmental and recreational

values are to be questioned. Rather, respondents valued a balance of agricultural and other

values – they value the use of tropical rivers for agricultural production but not at the expense

of Aboriginal, environmental and recreational values.


This project furthered knowledge shared about ‗value‘ and ‗ecosystem services‘, and

contributed to improving decision-making through understanding and estimation of the

economic value associated with tropical river ecosystem services and non-market uses.

A summary report was prepared for presentation of the results to stakeholders. Some key

stakeholders for each catchment were identified and contacted to talk through the main

findings, opportunities for further research and to evaluate the project.

The following summarises feedback received:

agreed that it was important to acknowledge that economic valuation had limitations and to include a greater breadth and depth of information about ecosystem services;

acknowledged the wide-spread support for Indigenous values;

highlighted the fact that the economic values estimated depended on the framing of

the choice modeling method, including the levels chosen for each of the attributes

stated that had this information been available at the time, it would definitely have

been used in water resource planning processes;

suggested that NRM bodies may be able to use these results to demonstrate the

benefit of their projects and to increase support within their communities;

stated that he would use the technical report as a ‗sounding board‘ for upcoming Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef resource planning processes and that this could

be an area of future research;

can see the usefulness of these results in demonstrating the benefits of projects

seeking funds from the Australian Government;

stated that the NRM Board of the NT is currently revising the Integrated NRM Plan for the NT based on priority-setting and these results may be useful in that process.

the potential usefulness of the project‘s findings in proposals for a new living rivers

Act for the Northern Territory.

the resilience analysis provides further scientific evidence for a focus on thresholds;

commented that these results are fundamental to moving forward in natural

resource planning.

Opportunities for further research were discussed in a report, ‗The value of Australia‘s tropical

river ecosystem services‘. These areas include:

further exploration of the datasets for insight into differences in willingness to pay

between people with different socio-economic backgrounds and the impact of the

different delivery techniques on willingness to pay;

the estimation of economic values for the use, indirect use and non-use components of ecosystem services to enable complete cost-benefit analyses of alternative

development proposals;

identification of the location of critical thresholds for the provision of ecosystem

services and/or indicators that critical thresholds are being approached;

identification of the location of critical thresholds for the value of ecosystem services and/or indicators that critical thresholds are being approached;


identification of slow moving variables (concept in resilience thinking related to

external shocks and the ability of variables such as demographics and climate to

withstand change) and management strategies;

identification of the qualitative and quantitative impacts of developments to enable multi-criteria analysis of alternative proposals;

further exploration of complementarities between different approaches to the

assessment of impacts;

assessment of the distribution of costs and benefits among stakeholders; and

identification of how to improve coordination between management agencies and

build institutional capacity to recognise and manage around thresholds and slow

moving variables.


Knowledge assets – estimates of economic value that did not previously exist; first

application of resilience theory to Australia‘s tropical rivers region

Key stakeholder participants: o Mitchell – Jason Douglas, Noelene Gross, Bill Sokolich, Adam West, Marceil

Lawrence, Steve Ryan, Viv Sinnamon

o Daly – Ian Lancaster, Fergal O‘Gara, Matt Darcey, John Childs, Stuart Blanch,

Melanie Bradley, Chris Makepeace, Tom Harris

o Fitzroy – Gary Scott, Susie Williams, John Silver, Anne Poelina, Jane Blackwood,

Gary Kairn, Chris Ham, Karen Dayman

2-page fact sheet written

Web content developed

Journal articles


Four Indigenous people were employed as research assistants for the face-to-face delivery

of questionnaires. These people helped establish contacts, set up interviews, facilitated

discussion, provided some interpretation where necessary, and guided the members of the

team with advice.

167 Indigenous people were surveyed for the valuation exercise.

Two articles for TRaCK Newsletter co-authored with Indigenous persons.


PROJECT 2.2 INDIGENOUS SOCIO-ECONOMIC VALUES AND RIVER FLOWS

TRaCK Theme: Assets and Values

Project Number: 2.2

Project Title: Indigenous socio-economic values and river flows

Project Coordinator: Dr Sue Jackson

Research Organisation: CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

1. Project Summary

Indigenous values associated with rivers are poorly understood by decision-makers, and some

are difficult to relate explicitly to particular flow regimes and incorporate in allocation

decisions. The project recorded Indigenous socio-cultural knowledge relating to water and

quantified the economic benefit to Indigenous people from water-dependent resource use in

two TRaCK focal catchments. The project assessed the impacts of altered flow regimes on

patterns of Indigenous resource use and recommend ways of maintaining valued patterns and

relationships to aquatic ecosystems. A participatory monitoring program, developed with four

Indigenous land management groups, trialed methods and considered indicators to monitor

outcomes of water management plans.


The project had five objectives:

1. Document the significance of water and riverine systems to Indigenous communities in

two of TRaCK‘s focal catchments

2. Survey Aboriginal households to quantify the direct economic benefit derived from

Indigenous use of wild resources found in or reliant upon rivers and wetlands (in two

focal catchments).

3. Assess the impacts of changes to flow regime on Indigenous communities.

4. Collaborate with Indigenous land management agencies to develop and trial a

participatory monitoring program for flow regime changes and wild resource use.

5. Develop collaborations that will enhance the capacity of researchers and managers in

northern Australia to incorporate social assessments in water allocation decisions and

planning.

3. Location

Daly River (NT) and Fitzroy River (WA).



TRaCK 2.2 Indigenous socio-economic values and river flows was guided by a comprehensive

communications strategy and stakeholder database. As is evident from the preceding table, a

diverse array of communication techniques and strategies was implemented over the life of the

project to ensure maximum engagement with our key identified stakeholders as well as broader

interest groups – including the wider community.

Our primary stakeholders include the Indigenous communities we have worked intensively with

to: gather socio-economic data through a household survey, undertake a community-based

monitoring program, gather spatial data through resource use mapping, and document socio-

cultural attachment to water. In the early stages of the research the team conducted multiple

community meetings, as well as less formal discussions, with many individuals and groups in the

Daly and Fitzroy catchments. Some of the formal meetings are listed in the above table.

Once we had engaged with our research participants a ‗research update‘ newsletter was

created to feed information back to the communities on a regular basis – providing an overview

of what we had done on our previous visits and when we would be back again. The focus was

on providing a photo – story so that we could reach as many of our research participants and

other interested community members as possible, and ensuring there was little room for

miscommunication, but continually reminding people of the focus and purpose of the research.

Thirteen of these ‗research updates‘ were delivered to our target audience during the life of the

project.

Two full research newsletters, targeting water planners and other government agencies as well

as Indigenous organisations were distributed with another final research overview to be

produced at the end of the project.

Two webpages have continued to provide access to research updates and outputs as they have

been produced:

1. TRaCK web page http://www.track.gov.au/research.html

2. CSIRO web page http://www.csiro.au/science/IndigenousValuesRiverFlows.html

The project endeavoured to build strong networks with water-related government agencies in

an effort to maximise uptake of research findings into water planning. The projects research

advisory committee included representatives from the water-related agencies of the WA and

NT Governments, who were approached from the outset to elicit the type and form of

research information that would be most useful to them in water planning. Research updates

were sent regularly to multiple members of these agencies throughout the project.


Throughout the life of the project CSIRO has produced the following outputs:

Communication products (introductory explanatory, e- newsletters, media stories, posters)

Four seasonal calendars representing Indigenous knowledge of five language groups

http://www.track.gov.au/research.html

http://www.csiro.au/science/IndigenousValuesRiverFlows.html


Report on pilot household survey

Report on social significance of water to Daly River Indigenous communities

Report on social significance of water to Fitzroy River Indigenous communities

Report on the social significance of fishing to Fitzroy Indigenous communities

Plan for developing a trial monitoring program

Report on socio-economic values and river flows

Draft technical report on a method for incorporating Indigenous values in environmental flow assessments and water allocation planning and guidelines for

assessing and monitoring Indigenous values (to be finalised following comment

from Land Councils and water agencies)

Four reports on results of monitoring trials (one for each participating community)

5 Scientific publications and 22 presentations

The project generated a systematic and comprehensive assessment of Indigenous socio-

economic values and an evaluation of the impacts of change to flow regime in two focal

catchments. It tested methods to assess, incorporate and monitor Indigenous values in water

planning. Indigenous participation in a trial monitoring program was encouraged to investigate

indicators for monitoring changes to aquatic ecosystem attributes valued by Indigenous people.

The project has contributed to an improved understanding of the social and economic

significance of water, rivers and wild resources to Indigenous people and has enhanced the

capacity of researchers, Indigenous communities and managers to incorporate social assessments in water allocation decisions and planning. Numerous presentations have been

made to water and NRM agencies, including SEWPAC and NWC, and publications have been

widely distributed. The full extent of this contribution will be known in coming months after

the MSE model has incorporated the data and following the completion of the technical report

for water planners.

Water planners and community reference groups are keen to receive the final report and

publications arising from the project to assist them to address Indigenous values in plans such as

the Oolloo (NT) and the Ord (WA). The Murray Darling Basin Authority has shown interest in

the methods employed during this project and may seek further advice from the project leader

in scoping out its proposed Indigenous research activities.

The seasonal calendars and other visual products generated by project team were very popular

with Indigenous communities and education institutions.

Key findings were that Aboriginal people harvest a variety of species many of which are not

targeted by other resource users. Many of these species are considered common and

widespread, of little current conservation concern, and therefore may not be included in the

suite of species encompassed by environmental flow assessments.

Using one method of valuation (replacement value), we estimate that more than 90% of the

total replacement value quantified during our household surveys can be accounted for by the

top 5 aquatic species. In contrast, the five sites with the highest replacement value accounted


for only 64% of the total replacement value in the Daly, and 30% of the total replacement value

in the Fitzroy. This suggests that the majority of the harvest and replacement value of species is

concentrated on (and can be represented by) a relatively small subset of species, while the value

drawn from specific sites is much more evenly spread across the landscape. This is important

information for water managers as it will assist in the prioritisation of research and management

effort.

The Freshwater Sawfish (Pristis microdon) in the Fitzroy River was third on the list of species in

order of replacement value. Freshwater Sawfish are listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act.

The Fitzroy River is suspected to be a nursery for Freshwater Sawfish, and juveniles appear to

spend 5-7 years of their life in upstream freshwater areas before migrating back out to sea upon

maturity. While our research does not provide information on sustainable rates of harvest of

Freshwater Sawfish, its large contribution to Indigenous livelihoods provides another facet to

the significance of this iconic species.

A very distinct difference in habitat usage between the Daly River and Fitzroy River catchments

was unexpected, but informative. Habitat usage in the Daly River showed a quite significant

switch from the main river channel and flooded creeks during the wet season, to predominately

floodplain billabongs in the late dry season. This change in habitat usage was not seen in the

Fitzroy catchment. We attribute this difference in habitat usage to the much higher proportion

of floodplain billabong habitat in the Daly River catchment, and two focal species that are easily

captured from billabongs in the late dry season (Long-necked Turtle and Magpie Geese). While

this appears a logical link, it is interesting as it appears to validate the idea that flow regimes and

aquatic habitat availability will strongly structure Indigenous people‘s access to, and use of

aquatic resources.

The depth of Indigenous seasonal knowledge is most impressive and further efforts will be

made to apply this knowledge to hydrological models under development in the Fitzroy. There

are substantial differences in the way survey respondents in the Fitzroy and Daly river

catchments use aquatic habitats (discussed above in ―unexpected/interesting discovery).

The suite of species utilised in each catchment is different. The top 5 species by replacement

value in the Daly River catchment were Long-necked Turtle (Macrochelodina rugosa), Short-

necked Turtle (Emydura victoriae/tanybaraga), Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), Black Bream

(Hephaestus fuliginosus) and Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata). The top 5 species by

replacement value in the Fitzroy River catchment were Black Bream (H. jenkinsi), Catfish (Arius

spp.), Freshwater Sawfish (P. microdon), Barramundi and Cherabin (Macrobrachium rosenbergii).

Our research should inform water planning in the Daly River and Fitzroy River catchments. It

provides a list of aquatic species for the catchments that provide a significant contribution to

Indigenous household incomes through harvest and consumption. It also discusses the flow

requirements of these high value species, and the potential impacts of future flow alterations.

A separate report covering guidelines for water managers will be produced after the team has

consulted with water planners over the final report, its results, insights and conclusions. A

journal article submitted to Ecosystems has been circulated to a number of water planners and

to DRMAC to inform current water planning processes (e.g. Oolloo and Ord).


Hard copies of the TRaCK 2.2 data are held in locked filing cabinets as per our ethics approval.

Electronic copies of the data, and the project database, are held in a password protected folder

on the CSIRO network (Darwin).

The custodian for data relating to the household surveys and participatory monitoring components of the

project are held by Dr. Marcus Finn ([email protected]). The custodian for data related to

Indigenous ecological knowledge documented for the compilation of seasonal calendars is held by Emma

Woodward ([email protected]) Metadata for the project is shown in the table below.

It should be noted that much of the data collected under TRaCK 2.2 falls under specific

information sharing arrangements within our research agreements (with the KLC and NLC) and

human ethics approval obtained through Charles Darwin University. Data cannot be publically

released without specific approval of the research participants and the relevant Land Council.


The project has directly engaged 142 Indigenous participants in the research project through

the fulfillment of one or more of the following roles:

Brokering: senior community members have assisted on the ground to engage a

greater proportion of the community through introductions, championing the

research and/or translation assistance.

Participating in resource mapping to reveal spatial and temporal patterns of visitation to key river and wetland sites and the range of resources collected from these areas

Engagement in either the planning or recording of historical narratives (stories about

river use) and collection of ecological knowledge, such as the construction of

seasonal calendars.

Participation in household surveys on river and wetland resource use and harvesting effort.

Participating in the community-based river monitoring component of the project

Co-authoring presentations at conferences

In the Daly catchment we have engaged 32 households in the resource use survey and in the

Fitzroy catchment, approximately 50 households. Several groups in the Daly and Fitzroy regions

have also recently been engaged in the participatory monitoring program, with approximately

32 individuals involved to date.

During the project we engaged 144 Aboriginal informants and research assistants and made

approximately a number of cash payments. Informants were engaged within Nauiyu

Community, Kybrook Farm and the town camp at Pine Creek (the Compound) within the Daly

catchment and at Bayulu, Yungngora, Gillarong, Ngurtuwarta, Muludja, Darlngunaya and Junjuwa

communities within the Fitzroy catchment.

Indigenous participants involved in the participatory monitoring component of the research,

both in the Daly and Fitzroy catchments, have been paid a total of $24,285

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


All payments to informants and research assistants were in cash and were made immediately

after research participation. Informants have been very happy with this payment arrangement

and we believe that immediate reward for participation contributed significantly to people‘s

ongoing interest and participation in the research.

An agreement between the Kimberley Land Council and TRaCK was finalised on the 19/9/08.

The NLC research agreement with the Wagiman Association was signed by all parties in August

2009. Researchers have followed protocols to ensure that the Land Councils approve the

release of draft papers and presentations.

All communities continue to react positively to the project objectives and activities. The

Walmajarri and Gooniyandi language speakers that have recently participated in Indigenous

knowledge recording and the compilation of seasonal calendars have been particularly excited

at being given the opportunity to see their knowledge documented in this manner.

Marcus Finn co-authored a presentation with Indigenous research participants of the Daly River

and presented the findings to the River Symposium in Brisbane in 2009. He also co-authored a

poster with Indigenous research participants that was presented at the Australian Society for

Limnology Congress in Alice Springs in 2009.


The following Knowledge, adoption and promotional activities have been undertaken since the

commencement of the project

Description of activity

Journal Articles and book chapters

1. Finn, M and S. Jackson (submitted to Ecosystems) Protecting Indigenous instream values in water

management: a challenge to conventional environmental flow assessments.

2. Jackson, S., Stoeckl, N and S. Larson (In press) The social, cultural and economic significance of

tropical aquatic ecosystems: a diversity of values. In Aquatic Biodiversity of Australia’s Tropical North (Ed

Brad Pusey). Charles Darwin University Press.

3. Jackson, S., Douglas, M., Pusey, B. and J. Morrison (In press). In Aquatic Biodiversity of Australia’s Tropical

North (Ed Brad Pusey). Charles Darwin University Press.

4. Woodward, E. (In Press) Creating the Ngan‘gi Seasons calendar: Reflections on engaging Indigenous

knowledge authorities in research. Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social

Contexts.

5. Woodward, E. (submitted to Action Learning and Action Research Journal.) Engaging with Indigenous

water values through participatory action research.

Visual products

1. Community research poster produced with preliminary results

Distributed throughout Fitzroy Crossing during June-July 2009

Displayed at Merrepen Arts Festival, Daly River, June 2009

Displayed at Science Week exhibit at Broome, August 2009

2. Ngan‘gi Seasons calendar produced and distributed to community participants, local schools and other

organisations as well as being promoted at the Merrepen Arts Festival, Daly River.

3. MalakMalak and Matngala plant knowledge – produced and distributed to community participants,

schools and organisations was well as being promoted at the Merrepen Arts Festival, Daly River.


4. ‗A Snapshot of Nauiyu Nambiyu‘ – a photo-story banner produced as an output of a community

Photovoice project at the Daly River.

Research Newsletters

1. September 2009 Indigenous socio-economic values and river flows Newsletter no.1. First research

update for water planners, government agencies, other researchers, and Aboriginal participants

containing research findings.

2. November 2009 Aboriginal people and river flows – Plain English version of Newsletter no.1 –

distributed to Aboriginal research participants

3. October 2010 Indigenous socio-economic values and river flows Newsletter no.2. Second research

update for water planners, government agencies, other researchers, and Aboriginal participants

containing research findings.

Presentations

August 2008 Dr Sue Jackson Indigenous Interests in water management – an emerging

agenda. Paper presented to Coast to Coast Conference,

Darwin

August 2008 Dr Marcus Finn Presentation on project progress to Daly River

Management Advisory Committee, Darwin

February 2009 Dr Sue Jackson Presentation on project and wider TRaCK program to the

National Indigenous Water Forum, Adelaide. Event

organised by National Water Commission.

April 2009 Dr Jackson Incorporation of Indigenous values in water planning,

DEWHA policy meeting at the Bunker, Canberra.

April 2009 Dr Jackson Indigenous interests and the NWI, National Water

Commission Science seminar series.

May 2009 Dr Sue Jackson (with

Michael Douglas)

Environs Kimberley briefing organised by Kate Golson,

Broome.

July 2009 Ms Woodward Observations on the compilation and production of the

Ngan‘gi Seasons Calendar. Paper presented to Teaching

from Country International Seminar, Charles Darwin

University, Darwin.

September 2009 Dr Finn Finn, M., Jackson, S., Woodward, E., Featherston, P.,

Sullivan, E., Huddleston, McTaggart, P. and M. Baumann,

2009, ‗Indigenous values and water allocation research in

the Daly River region of Northern Australia‘, Paper

presented to River Symposium, Brisbane.

September 2009 Dr Finn Finn, M. and S. Jackson ‗Indigenous aquatic resource use in

the Daly River catchment Northern Territory‘, Paper

presented to the Australian Society for Limnologists, Alice

Springs.

November 2009 Ms Woodward Presentation of TRaCK ‗Indigenous socio-economic values

and river flows‘ project to National Climate Change

Adaptation Research Facility Adaptation College‘, Daly

River, NT


February 2010 Dr Finn Indigenous Water Facilitators Network Meeting, Darwin,

NT

April 2010 Dr Jackson Presentation to Daly River Traditional Owner group

about the Ooloo Aquifer Water Allocation Plan

April 2010 Ms Woodward Kimberley Aboriginal Rangers Conference, Home Valley

Station, Kimberley

May 2010 Dr Jackson CERF National Conference, Canberra

May 2010 Dr Jackson ANU Seminar Series delivered to DEWHA Water

Resources Group, Canberra

July 2010 Dr Finn Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation

(ATBC), Bali, Indonesia

July 2010 Ms Woodward International Climate Change Adaptation Conference,

Brisbane – drew from findings from TRaCK 2.2 to discuss

how Indigenous communities might be engaged in

questions of climate change.

August 2010 Dr Finn Fulbright Symposium, Cairns, QLD

September 2010 Ms Woodward ‗Engaging with Indigenous water values through

participatory action research‘. Paper presented at

Participatory Action Research and Action Learning World

Congress, Melbourne.

October 2010 Dr Finn TRaCK Conference, Brisbane

November 2010 Dr Jackson TRaCK Tropical Rivers Research Report, Darwin Forum,

Darwin, NT

March 2011 Dr Jackson Indigenous water requirements and cultural flows.

Presentation to the Daly River Management Advisory

Committee, Darwin.

Events

11 April 2008 Daly Regional Aboriginal Reference Group meeting,

Darwin

12 people

7 May 2008 Nauiyu Incorporated Meeting, Nauiyu Nambiyu 10 people

7 May 2008 Woolianna local landholders meeting 10 people

13 May 2008 Project briefing: CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems senior

managers

21 May 2008 Project briefing: NT Chief Minister and NT Minister for

Natural Resources and Environment


29 May 2008 Wagiman Aboriginal Corporation Meeting 10 people

2 – 19 June 2008 Fitzroy River Roadshow – Jarlmadangah, Looma,

Ngurtuwarta, Brooking Springs, Bayulu, Muludja and

Noonkanbah communities

80 people

4 June 2008 Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture, Fitzroy Crossing 2 people

4 June 2008 Karrayili Adult Education Centre 2 people

5 June 2008 Marra Worra Worra Executive meeting presentation,

Fitzroy Crossing

12 people

23 July 2008 Douglas Daly Research Farm presentation 10 people

23 July 2008 Project Briefing - NT Administrator

June 2009 Presentation to Noonkanbah School 25 people

July 2009 Monitoring presentation/workshop with Anne Poelina and

others from Balginjirr, Fitzroy

5 people

July 2009 Monitoring presentation/workshop with Frank and Gail

Smiler from Bidijul, Fitzroy

2 people

August 2009 Monitoring workshop with Wagiman Ranger group 12 people

August 2009 Monitoring workshop with Malak Malak Ranger group 6 people

Research visitors hosted

Dr Melanie Durette, Synexe Consulting Limited, New Zealand.

Dr Tom Hatton, Director, and Dr Bill Young, Theme leader, CSIRO Flagship, Water for a Healthy

Country

Assoc Prof Sandy Toussaint, Anthropologist, University of Western Australia

Prof Jon Altman, CAEPR, Australian National University

Dr Kelly Scheepers, Social Ecologist, South African Parks


PROJECT 3.1 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CLASSIFICATION

TRaCK Theme: Riverscapes and Coastal Settings

Project Number: 3.1

Project Title: Socio-economic classification

Project Coordinator: Natalie Stoeckl (JCU)


Owen Stanley (JCU) Dean Carson, Andrew Taylor (CDU), Silva

Larson, Kostas Alexandridis (CSIRO)

Research Organisation: James Cook University

1. Project Summary

Part I of the project has provided a socio-economic background and population projections for

each river catchment within the Tropical Rivers region. It has identified an economic model

that can be used to generate information that is useful to evaluating future scenarios.

Part II of the project has built on economic model to explore likely socio-economic and

possibly consumptive water-use impacts of changes identified as being important to the scenario

researchers.


This project focused on the objective of seeking to improve understanding of the demographic,

socio-economic character of the human populations within catchments and their relationship

with the physical template.

Specific objectives were to:

Develop tourism and population profiles and projections of catchments within the Tropical

Rivers region, with the following sub-objectives

Develop population profiles and projections for TRaCK catchments

Develop tourism profiles for focal catchments and the TRaCK regions in each State/ Territory

Identify key issues affecting population (resident and tourism) growth 2006-

2015

Develop socio-economic profiles of catchments within the Tropical Rivers (TR) region, with the

following sub-objectives

Develop an integrated conceptual framework for the socio-economic

profiling

Update existing knowledge with data from the 2006 Census

Develop profiles of individual TR catchments based on their individual socio-

economic characteristics, and on their tourism and population profiles and

projections.


Compare and contrast the TR catchments and to identify catchments which

are socio-economically ‗similar‘ or ‗dissimilar‘.

Identify an economic model(s) which can provide useful information to researchers in theme 1

(Evaluating Scenarios), with the following sub-objectives

Identify economic models that are capable of providing information about

the aggregate and distributional socio-economic impacts of population and

tourism changes.

Identify economic models that are capable of providing ‗useful‘ information

about likely aggregate and distributional socio-economic impacts of scenarios

being evaluated in theme 1.

Identify economic model(s) that are capable of providing information about

changes in consumptive water-demand that might occur.

Compile a list of economic models that (a) adequately model the types of

changes specified.

Collect data, build, and run the model (s) to make predictions about the likely changes that

could occur in response to changes in key socio-economic variables that relate to the scenarios

(e.g. in response to an increase in agricultural activity and/or in response to population growth)

within specific focal catchments. Use information to draw inferences about socio-economic

changes that could occur in other TR catchments which are ‗similar‘ to the focal catchments.

3. Location

The entire TRaCK geographic region.

4. Target Audiences for the Research

The primary target audience of this research is within the TRaCK consortium. Some of the

population and tourism projections developed were used as ‗scenarios‘ for evaluation in Theme

1. The economic model also provided essential economic modeling support to researchers in

scenario evaluations. In addition, the classification itself, as well as the classification method

developed in this project is an important contribution to regional NRM groups in northern

Australia and to the geomorphic community in terms of understanding of the diversity of rivers

in northern Australia.


The project has achieved a better understanding of social and economic characteristics of

human populations within catchments across the TR region, and an ability to identify potential

future pressures that may arise via changes in the region‘s human population.

It has also produced aggregate and distributional socio-economic impacts of potential ‗changes‘

that may occur in the TR region, including (but not limited to) demographic changes and


industry changes (e.g. changes in the size or relative importance of different industries, such as

an increase in tourism or an expansion of the agricultural sector).

Major outputs from the project include:

Tourism and Population Projections for the region

Socio-economic profiles of the TRaCK catchments; groups of related catchments and key

determinants

Final report and fact-sheet on population and tourism projections

Final report and fact-sheets on socio-economic profiling

Final report and fact-sheets of outcomes from the economic modeling


Publications

Stoeckl, N., Esparon, M., Stanley, O., Farr, M., Delisle, A., Altai, Z, (Oct 2010), Socio-

Economic Activity and Water Use in Australia’s Tropical Rivers: A Case Study in the Mitchell and

Daly River Catchments, Interim Report prepared for The Tropical Rivers and Coastal

Knowledge Research Consortium.

Stoeckl, N. ―Comparing multipliers from survey and non-survey based IO models: An

empirical investigation from Australia‖, International Regional Science Review

Stoeckl, N., ―Bridging the great divide: Background to and strategies for bridging the divide

between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous economies in Northern Australia‖, in Gerritsen

(editor), Northern Australia Political Economy, CDU Press.

Jackson, S., Stoeckl, N., Larson, S., ―The social, cultural and economic significance of tropical

aquatic ecosystems: a diversity of values‖, in Pussey, B., and Kennard, M. (editors), Northern

waters – aquatic biodiversity of the Australian wet-dry tropics, CDU Press.

Larson, S., Stoeckl, N., and Blanco-Martin, B., ―Use of socio-economic typologies for

improved integrated management of data-poor regions: explorations from the Australian

north‖

Presentations/ Media

Results from Activities A and B, together with preliminary findings from the prototype

models were presented at the CERF conference in Canberra, May 2010. This presentation

was attended by approximately 30 people.

Preliminary results of the Mitchell River Modeling exercise were discussed with members of

MRTCAG in August, 2010

Stoeckl, N., Esparon, M., Delisle, A., Farr, M., Stanley, O., Altai, Z. ―The great asymmetric

divide: an empirical investigation of the link between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous


economic systems in Northern Australia‖, presentation given at JCU’s Fulbright Symposium,

Cairns, 2010. This presentation was attended by approximately 80 people.

E-connect put out a press-release describing some of the research, and Natalie was

subsequently contacted by Warrangari Radio, and the ABC Bush Telegraph for radio

interviews. The Koori Mail, and Western Cape bulletin ran newspaper articles on the

work.


In the upper and middle reaches of the Mitchell, Natalie Stoeckl and Owen Stanley worked

alongside four TO‘s associated with MRTCAG (Eddie Turpin, Sharon Brady, Eddie Thomas, and

John Grainer) to collect household expenditure and water use data from Indigenous families in

the Mitchell River catchment.

In the Daly Owen Stanley and Hmalan Hunter liaised with TO‘s from the Daly River to facilitate

data collection. They worked with three local TO‘s (Anges Page, Kathleen Perry and Bridget

Kikitin) to collect household expenditure and water use data from Indigenous families in the

Daly River catchment.


PROJECT 3.2 BIOPHYSICAL CLASSIFICATION: CLASSIFYING RIVERSCAPES

ACROSS NORTHERN AUSTRALIA


Project Number: 3.2

Project Title:

Biophysical classification: Classifying Riverscapes across

Northern Australia

Project Coordinator: Andrew Brooks (GU

Key Partner Personnel: John Spencer (GU), Jon Knight (GU), Janet Stein (ANU

Research Organisation: Griffith University

1. Project Summary

The project developed an objective method to quantitatively describe the similarities and

differences in riverscapes across northern Australia at three spatial scales: 1) geol-landscape provinces (i.e. broad geological provinces that provide an ultimate explanation for some of the

fundamental differences between for example, the eastern Gulf rivers and the Kimberley

rivers); 2) catchment scale; 3) sub-catchment/river reach scale.

The project also developed a tool to describe similarities and differences in riverscapes across

the tropical region at three spatial scales. The classification was based on a desktop GIS

modelling approach, using a three-tiered hierarchical classification to parameterise the physical

characteristics of regions, catchments and sub-catchments across northern Australia. A first-

order classification was based on geo-landscape provinces, while the 2nd and 3rd classification

were based on the topographic, geological and hydrological characteristics of catchments and

sub-catchments. For the 3rd tier classification, sub-catchments of approx equal area (e.g.

1000km2) were derived for portions of catchments conforming to theory on standard

convergent drainage network.


Determine stakeholder and other theme end-use requirements for a riverscape

classification.

Based on the requirements of TRaCK stakeholders, develop a procedure for classifying riverscapes across northern Australia. This will be based on hydrological, geomorphic,

geologic and climatic variables. Variables selected will be those that best explain

riverscape formation, contemporary river and floodplain morphology and associated

habitat, as well as patterns of biodiversity.

Implement the classification at the three scales.

Distribute the output amongst TRaCK partners for comments and feedback

Validate the classification across at least 5% of the catchment area of the 1st order geo-

landscape provinces.


3. Location

The entire TRaCK geographic region.

4. Target Audiences for the Research

The primary target audience of this research is within the TRaCK consortium, as this project

provides the basis for extrapolating some of the site specific data to other parts of northern

Australia. It also provides input data for various projects, including the biodiversity project

(5.8), the socio economic classification project (3.1) and the ecohydrological regionalisation

project (3.3).

In addition, the classification itself, as well as the classification method developed in this project

will be an important contribution to regional NRM groups in northern Australia and to the

geomorphic community in terms of understanding of the diversity of rivers in northern

Australia.


The final product from the project was an ArcGIS database, containing shape files and river

segments, as well as all data upon which the classification is derived. A variety of map products

were produced as outputs from this database. In addition, the statistical analyses demonstrating

the relationship between landscape units at the various resolutions were included, along with

the degree of validation for all output. Links were provided to scientific papers outlining the

methods and the rationale for the classification. This formed the basis for an interactive web-

based product.

Whilst the project originally aimed to develop a static classification at three scales, as the project developed it became apparent that this was a somewhat limited approach given that

classification had to be based on the lowest common denominator spatial data available at the

time. With early delays experienced in accessing new high resolution spatial data (e.g. the 1

arcsec DEM and 1:1m geology), efforts were redirected towards developing a flexible system

that could be readily updated as new spatial data became available. This meant that the system

developed would never become obsolete. The system is also designed so that it can easily

generate multiple riverscape classifications tailored to the specific applications. For example, a

classification aimed at identifying likely habitats for a specific fish, might be very different from

one that aims to generate a broad understanding of the similarities and differences between

rivers. The system we have developed can do both.

The following is a brief summary of key features of the classification tool:

a. A fully interactive GIS based classification tool that can be updated as better spatial

data becomes available.


b. A tool that while specifically developed for classifying riverscapes across northern

Australia, can be applied anywhere and at any scale (provided the input data is

available).

c. The classification can be based on any combination of the 45 input variables

currently set up within the classification tool. An example of the selectable input

variables currently available within the tool are shown in Figure 1. These are

organised under the four broad headings of ―Landscape Variables‖ (i.e. topographic

variables); ―Catchment and Stream Substrate Variables‖ (these are generally a

function of catchment/stream network geology); ―Catchment and Water Balance‖ –

hydrological parameters; and ―Climatic Variables‖ – derived from the BOM 5 km

climate gridded data.

d. New input variables can be added with relative ease.

e. Input variables can be weighted by the user

Figure 1 – Input variable selection window showing the variables upon which the classification

tool is currently based.

Unlike most classification schemes, this tool doesn‘t generate a single fixed classification.

Instead the classification can be tailored to the needs of the individual user according to their

specific needs. (fig. 2)


Figure 2. An example of one 10 class classification generated from the 15 inputs shown.

Stream segments with the same colours have similar attributes, under this classification run.

Single variables can be selected to highlight particular riverscape characteristics of interest. (fig.

3) The tool has the ability to compare the similarity/difference between any one river segment

(i.e. a section of river between two nodes – tributaries) and all other river segments in

northern Australia.


Figure 3. Example of a classification based on a single input variable – in this case carbonate

sedimentary rocks (in red) - a strong indicator of karst/groundwater dominated landscapes.

6. Knowledge, adoption and promotional activities

A final technical report was published which explains in detail how the classification tool works

and how it should be applied, which was followed with several presentations at public forums.

Conference Paper: Towards an objective approach for a regional - continental scale

geomorphic river classification Authors: Spencer, J, Brooks A, Knight J

Newsletter: GIS tool instrumental in river research Authors: TRaCK. An article outlining the

classification tool was featured in the ―On Track‖ magazine.

Conference Participation: The Delineation of Valley Margins as the basis for a valley

confinement index using different resolution DEM data: implications for continental scale

river classification approaches., Authors: Spencer, J, Brooks A, Knight J

Fact Sheet: Classifying river landscapes

http://www.track.gov.au/publications/registry/877


http://www.track.gov.au/publications/bibliography/author/33










PROJECT 3.3 CLASSIFICATION OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIAN RIVERINE

FLOW REGIMES.


Project Number: 3.3

Project Title: Classification of northern Australian riverine flow regimes

Project Coordinator: Brad Pusey (GU)


Mark Kennard (GU); Janet Stein (ANU); Mike Hutchinson

(ANU)


1. Project Summary

The overall aim of the project was to provide an ecohydrological classification of Australia‘s

rivers (not just northern Australia). The project comprised two parallel research efforts. The

first used existing flow data whilst the second used remotely-sensed and GIS information to

model flow.

The empirical approach used flow series (>15 years record) from 830 recording gauges located

around the country to calculate a total of 130 flow metrics describing the six major

ecohydrological facets of the flow regime (i.e. magnitude, timing, duration, variability,

predictability and rates of change). A Bayesian Classification was used to group sites into

different flow regime classes. The deductive approach was based on a newly-developed

continent-wide digital stream network (consisting of approximately one million stream sections)

based on the revised nine second DEM.


The project‘s aims were to categorise the stream flow regime into a valid spatial context to

inform future and ongoing research. It was also intended that comparison and concordance of

the outcomes of the empirical and deductive approaches would allow assessment of flow

regime in ungauged or poorly-gauged catchments. The classification(s) allows a hydrological

template to be developed that will facilitate quantitative examination of (such things) as the

spatial arrangement of biodiversity of aquatic organisms and ecological traits.

It will also be useful as an additional layer in studies of riverine landscapes and channel evolution

and of studies of waterhole persistence and food web variation between and within rivers. The

classification will also provide a mechanism for assessing the impacts of future climate change

and be essential in the formulation of flow rules in environmental flow studies. The data sets (flow metrics etc) developed as part of the project are another resource that will aid TRaCK

researchers. The digital stream network will be as essential aid to the description of study

areas and in the choice of field sites.

3. Location


This project is concerned with flow regimes in rivers across all of northern Australia.


The target audience of this research included:

other TRaCK researchers for which flow information is critical,

environmental managers for whom classifications are useful in defining conservation and management;

water resource managers and hydrographers.


Project outputs included:

Development of a valid spatial context of flow regimes to inform future and ongoing research.

Development of methods to aid in assessment of flow regime in ungauged or poorly gauged

catchments.

A hydrological template to be developed that will facilitate quantitative examination of such things as the spatial arrangement of biodiversity of aquatic organisms and of ecological traits.

An additional layer in studies of riverine landscapes and channel evolution and of studies of

water hole persistence and food web variation between and within rivers.

A mechanism for assessing the impacts of future climate change and be essential in the

formulation of flow rules in environmental flow studies.

A readily available flow data set to aid TRaCK researchers. The digital stream network will be as essential aid to the description of study areas and in the choice of field sites.

A final project report was completed in April 2008, that included the following set of detailed

appendices:

Appendix 1 - Introduction to the project aims, design and data sources.

Appendix 2 - Review of hydrological classifications and their application in Australia

Appendix 3 - Issues associated with classification of contemporary flow data: do contemporary

flow regimes approximate the ‘natural flow regime’?

Appendix 4 - Quantifying uncertainty in estimation of hydrologic metrics – implications of

hydrologic record length and period of overlap

Appendix 5 - Ecohydrological classification of Australia’s flow regimes

Appendix 6 - Spatial variation in the ecohydrological classification

Appendix 7 - Development of the digital stream network

Appendix 8 - Ecohydrological classification based on landscape and climate data.


Appendix 9 - Future development of project outcomes and limitations of the classification

approaches

Appendix 10 – Communications including planned journal articles

Appendix 11 – Xcel file containing hydrological metrics for each gauging station used in the

classification.


Two scientific papers:

1) Kennard, M.J., Pusey, B.J., Olden, J.D., Mackay, S.J., Stein, J.L. & Marsh, N. (submitted).

Ecohydrological classification of natural flow regimes to support environmental flow

assessments: an Australian case study. Freshwater Biology.

2) Kennard, M.J., Pusey, B.J., Mackay, S.J., Olden, J.D. & Marsh, N. (submitted). Quantifying

uncertainty in estimation of hydrologic metrics for ecohydrological studies. River Research

and Applications.

One project Fact Sheet was produced for the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK)

research hub.

Six conference presentations were given by members of the project team and steering

committee at national and international conferences (including Commonwealth Environmental

Research Facility (CERF) Conference, Canberra 2008; Australia New Guinea Fishes Association

National Convention Darwin 2007; Designing and Managing Protected Areas to Conserve

Freshwater Ecosystems and Biodiversity Symposium, South Africa 2006).

Nine workshop presentations were given by members of the project team and steering

committee at national and international workshops (including workshops run by: the U.S.

Geological Survey and The Nature Conservancy; Australian Greenhouse Office; Arthur Rylah

Institute). One University seminar was given by a member of the project steering committee

(University of Sweden).

Six national and international workshops were attended by members of the project team and

steering committee (including workshops run by: the Australian Greenhouse Office,

Department of the Environment and Water; Land and Water Australia).


PROJECT 4.1 CATCHMENT WATER BUDGETS AND WATER RESOURCE

ASSESSMENT

TRaCK Theme: Material Budgets

Project Number: 4.1

Project Title: Catchment water budgets and water resource assessment

Project Coordinator: Richard Cresswell


Rebecca Doble (CLW), Cuan Petheram (CLW), Glenn

Harrington (CLW), Guy Boggs (CDU), Lindsay Hutley (CDU),

Richard Weinmann (CDU) and Renee Bartolo (eriss)

Research Organisation: CSIRO/CDU/ERIS

1. Project Summary

This project examined groundwater and surface water budgets, and the interaction between

groundwater and surface water in the Daly, Fitzroy and Mitchell catchments. The project

initially focused in the Daly catchment, and quantified water fluxes at established and

instrumented sites with different vegetation management histories (uncleared, recently cleared,

long-term cleared, improved pastures). Evapotranspiration and soil moisture dynamics were

measured, and surface runoff and aquifer recharge calculated using a water balance model.

Remote sensing technologies were used to determine catchment-scale patterns of surface

water availability (including extent of inundation) and to calibrate the spatial components of the

model. These results fed into a coupled surface water – groundwater model which can be used

to predict the effects of land management changes on river flow, either via changes in surface

runoff or via changes in groundwater flows.

An initial investigation of surface water – groundwater interaction in the Fitzroy catchment was

undertaken, and numerical modeling assisted in understanding of surface water – groundwater

interaction processes. Remote sensing was used to map the extent of wet season inundation in

the Mitchell catchment.


This project sought to develop catchment scale hydrological models to improve water

accounting and to predict the effects of land use change on tropical rivers. It also provided

information on water budgets to underpin sediment and nutrient load determinations. Specific

objectives were:

1. Determine the fate of rainfall falling on catchments, and partition this into

evapotranspiration, recharge and surface runoff.

2. Investigate historical patterns of surface water availability, particularly as they relate to

changes in inundation extent during the wet season.


3. Develop simple models that can be used to predict changes in surface water and

groundwater availability that might result from changes in land use or climate change.

4. Assess the suitability of surface water – groundwater models for water resource

management.

3. Location

This project involved activities in the Daly, Fitzroy and Mitchell catchments, but not all activities

will take place in all catchments.


The target audience for the research includes: (i) international researchers with interests in

surface water – groundwater interaction and tropical ecohydrology, (ii) practicing hydrologists

who can use methods developed in this project, (iii) government policy staff, who will benefit

from increased understanding of the links between surface water and groundwater systems in

tropical environments, (iv) State and Territory Government staff and regional NRM groups and

Indigenous community groups who are faced with management of water resources in these

highly complex environments, (v) NGO‘s.


The project found that changes in landcover significantly alter the seasonal and annual water

balance fluxes in the Daly River Catchment. Improved pasture increases the seasonality of

evapotranspiration, decreases annual total evapotranspiration, and results in increased deep

drainage, compared to native savanna. Dry season evapotranspiration is limited by vegetations

ability to access available moisture in the soil profile.

The native savanna woodland maintains dry season evapotranspiration by accessing soil

moisture deep into soil profile, and the high permeability of soils in the Daly river catchment

results in significant deep drainage through the soil profile. Remotely sensed

evapotranspiration products, from sensors like MODIS, are effective tools for monitoring and

mapping the distribution of evapotranspiration in these catchments.

Outputs can be related to the following activities undertaken under this project:

Catchment water balance accounting

The Daly catchment was chosen to develop an integrated water balance model, to be

developed to assess the impacts of land use change on the critical components of the water

cycle. The activity used a combination of detailed field trials, spatial weather and landscape integration and combined rainfall-runoff and deep-drainage models to generate spatially-explicit,

temporal water balance estimations under different land use scenarios. Three actions were


undertaken that allowed research to proceed in parallel, whilst developing the systematic

process necessary to combine the results from each sub-activity into a logical framework that

might be transposed to other catchments in the future.

Evapotranspiration measurements

The objective was to quantify the impacts of clearing on the evaporation and transpiration

fluxes using the eddy-covariance method at three sites in the Douglas-Daly sub-catchment. The sites were: a native uncleared savanna; a 28 year-old improved pasture and a unmanaged

pasture cleared in 2000. In addition to eddy-covariance measurements, basic meteorology and

soil moisture measurements were made at all sites.

This study clearly showed that the clearing of native savanna in northern Australia results in a

change in the diurnal and seasonal evapotranspiration patterns. These changes in

evapotranspiration change daily evapotranspiration rates, increase the seasonal variability of

evapotranspiration fluxes and ultimately decrease the net annual evapotranspiration, altering

rainfall partitioning at the sites, resulting in a change in the site‘s water balance. On an annual

timescale, we observed that clearing significantly decreases evapotranspiration, thereby

increasing the amount of free water available for drainage and overland flow, when compared

to uncleared native savanna.

Water balance modeling

The objective of this activity was to quantify the impacts of clearing on recharge. This required

partitioning of the excess water component of rainfall into potential recharge and overland

flow. To do this we used the soil-vegetation-atmosphere-transfer (SVAT) model, WAVES, and

undertook extensive field work to support a robust calibration of the model at the Uncleared

and Pasture sites.

We demonstrated that the WAVES model can successfully reproduce the one dimensional flux

of water for uncleared and pasture systems in wet-dry tropical landscapes, and this enables the

different components of the water balance to be quantified. For Kandolsol soils potential

recharge under pasture is about twice the potential recharge under uncleared vegetation (i.e.

native vegetation).

Spatial Mapping of Water Balances

The Daly River catchment of northern Australia is largely uncleared native savanna. Increasing

pressure to clear it for agriculture is likely to result in the deep-rooted native trees being

replaced with shallow rooted pasture species. These changes in land cover will impact

hydrological processes across the catchment, altering spatial patterns in the catchment water

balance.

The average amount of excess water available as potential recharge across the Daly catchment

under native vegetation conditions was predicted to be approximately 210 mm (21% of MAR).

This estimate is higher than expected and is likely to be associated with high infiltration rates

recorded in surface soils leading to low predictions of overland flow. The distribution of

predicted excess water indicates high zones in the north eastern and north western regions of


the catchment, with the southern half of the catchment experiencing less than half the

catchment average.

Figure: WAVES predicted recharge for the Daly catchment based on native vegetation parameters (inset: equivalent estimation made for the NASY project at

~25km2 resolution).

The WAVES model has been successfully calibrated for pasture and savanna land cover

conditions and used to examine clearing impacts on water balance across the Daly River Catchment. The approach used existing soil and climate information to run the model for 3500

unique hydrogeomorphic units (HGUs) across the catchment.

Flood Inundation Mapping (Daly River and Mitchell Catchments)

Defining the extent of wet season inundation in floodplain and riverine environments is an

important component of the annual catchment surface and groundwater budgeting process.

This sub-project reports on a project to map the flood inundation extent of the Daly River

catchment (Northern Territory) and the Mitchell River catchment (Queensland). Determining


the extent of flooding in tropical catchments using remote sensing is dependent on a number of

factors: local conditions at the time of image acquisition (e.g.: cloud cover and flooding under

vegetation); sensor selection (e.g.: optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar [SAR]); and definition

of flood extent (interannual and intraannual analysis).

The methodology for reliable and robust flood inundation mapping in Australia, and in particular

northern Australia, is still in its developmental phase. The type of satellite sensors used are

critical for mapping flood classes in northern Australia, due to ubiquitous cloud cover during

the wet season, coverage of floodplains by grasses and aquatic plants etc following rain,

followed by fire and associated smoke in the dry season. The effect of cloud cover and smoke

in optical imagery is not the only limiting factor. Fire scars from early dry season burning (as

early as May) can result in class confusion with flooded classes, in particular flooded vegetation

(even with the inclusion of SAR data). The findings from this sub-project are that combining L-

band SAR data with optical data substantially improves the ability to map flooded classes during

the wet season. Flooded Melaleuca swamp areas are particularly well distinguished in the SAR

data.

Surface –groundwater interactions

When this project was originally developed, it was proposed to construct and calibrate a

groundwater – surface water model of the Fitzroy region. It soon became apparent, however,

that there was not enough field data to construct a reliable model of this region.

Groundwater inflow to the Fitzroy River was assessed by measuring surface water chemistry

between Fitzroy Crossing and Willare in May 2008. A helicopter was used for river sampling, as

this allowed for sampling of the river over a distance of more than 300 km in one day. Changes

is river chemistry around the Cunningham Anabranch confluence indicate that groundwater

flows into the river in this area, and this is most likely due to interaction between alluvial and

Blina Shale aquifers. A decrease in salinity was observed downstream of the confluence, but the

groundwater salinity concentrations were observed to be higher than those found in the river

suggesting that return flows from bank storage of wet season floods may be occurring.

Drilling on Noonkanbah station during October 2009 resulted in the completion of 10 new

groundwater monitoring wells located at different distances from the Fitzroy River and at

different depths into the aquifer. Subsequent sampling of these wells in November 2009 for

groundwater chemistry analysis has provided more detailed models of how groundwater from

each of the different aquifer systems flows towards (and ultimately discharges into) the Fitzroy

River. Groundwater dating with chlorofluorocarbons has indicated that most of the shallow

groundwater beneath the floodplain is less than 40 years old, although there is some evidence

of deep, regional groundwater flowing into the river.

Conceptual surface water - groundwater modeling has focussed on simulation of interactions

through bank storage under sloping river bank conditions, and this work has been submitted as

a paper to the journal ‗Ground Water‘. It was found that the rate at which the bank storage

volume was returned to the river varied depending on the slope of the bank and the inclusion

of an unsaturated zone. In this case, the bank storage volume was returned to the river more


slowly for flatter river banks. It is thought that as the water is deposited further away from the

river where banks are more sloping, it will take longer for this flow to return.


Throughout the project, team members have presented the on-going findings at a number of

workshops, conferences and other meetings. In addition, a series of scientific papers have been

generated, both from conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journals.

Bartolo, R.E., Forner, J. and McGinley, B., 2005, Mapping inundation limits on tropical floodplains for

biodiversity conservation, North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Charles Darwin

University, Darwin, 4-7 July.

Benz, U.C., Hofman, P., Willhauck, G., Lingenfelder, I. and Heynen, M., 2004, Multi-resolution,

object-oriented fuzzy analysis of remote sensing data for GIS-ready information. ISPRS

Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 58, pp. 239-258.

Cecil, L.D., and Green, J.R. (2000). Radon-222. in 'Environmental Tracers in Subsurface

Hydrology.' (Eds Cook, P. and Herczeg, A.L.) pp. 175-94. (Kluwer Academic Publishers:

USA.)

Cook, P.G., Lamontagne, S., Berhane, D. and Clark, J.F. (2006). Quantifying groundwater

discharge to Cockburn River, southeastern Australia, using dissolved gas tracers 222Rn and

SF6. Water Resources Research 42, W10411.

Coplen, T.B., Herczeg, A.L. and Barnes, C. (2000). Isotope Engineering - Using Stable Isotopes

of the Water Molecule to Solve Practical Problems. in 'Environmental Tracers in

Subsurface Hydrology.' (Eds Cook, P. and Herczeg, A.L.) pp. 79-110. (Kluwer Academic

Publishers: USA.)

Edmeades B.F.F. (in prep) Soils of the Douglas Daly Carbon Water Study. Natural Resources

Division, Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport.

Palmerston, Northern Territory.

Fensham, R. J. and Holman, J. E., 1999, Temporal and spatial patterns in drought-related tree

dieback in Australian savanna. Journal of Applied Ecology, 36, pp.1035-1050.

Foley, J. C., 1957, Droughts in Australia. Review of records from earliest years of settlement to 1955.

Bureau of Meteorology, Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne, Australia.

Guerschman JP, Van Dijk A, Mattersdorf G, Beringer J, Hutley LB, Leuning R, Pipunic RC,

Sherman BS (2009) Scaling of potential evapotranspiration with MODIS data reproduces

flux observations and catchment water balance observations across Australia. Journal of

Hydrology 369:107-119

Jeffrey, S. J., Carter, J. O., Moodie, K. B. and Beswick, A. R. (2001), Using spatial interpolation to

construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data, Environmental Modelling & Software, 16, 309-330.


Laugier, O., Felleh, K., Tholey, N., Meyer, C. and Fraipont, P., 2004, High temporal detection

and monitoring of flood zone dynamics using ERS data around catastrophic natural events:

The 1993 and 1994 Camargue flood events. http://earth.esa.int:80/symposia/papers/laugier

Lindsay, R.P. and Commander, D.P. (2005). Hydrological assessment of the Fitzroy alluvium.

Department of Water, Hydrological Record Series HG 16. Western Australia.

McFeeters, S.K., 1996, The use of the normalized difference water index (NDWI) in the delineation of open water features. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 17, pp. 1425-

1432.

Littleboy M, Herron N, Barnett P (2003) Applying unsaturated zone modelling to develop

recharge maps for the Murray-Darling Basin in New South Wales, Australia. MODSIM03

- International Congress on Modelling and Simulation. Modelling and Simulation Society of

Australia and New Zealand, Townsville, Australia

Petheram, Weinnman, Hutley, Kemei (in prep) Simulating the waterblance of a tropical savanna

in northern Australia.

Salama R, Hatton T, Dawes W (1999) Predicting land use impacts on regional scale

groundwater recharge and discharge. Journal of Environmental Quality 28:446-460

Schultz, G.A. and Engman, E.T., 2000, Remote Sensing in Hydrology and Water Management. (Springer,

Verlag Berlin Heidelberg: New York).

van Leeuwen, H., Martin. M T., Haque, I., Hassan, A., Werle, D., and Tittley, B., 2004, Flood

monitoring study in the Jamuna and Amp Ganges Floodplain in Bangladesh using ERS-1,

http://earth.esa.int:80/symposia/papers/vanleeuwen1

Xu, H.Q., 2006, Modification of normalised difference water index (NDWI) to enhance open

water features in remotely sensed imagery. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 27, pp.

3025-3033.

Zhang, L. and Dawes, W.R. (Eds.), WAVES - An Integrated Energy and Water Balance Model.

Technical Report No. 31/98, CSIRO Land and Water, 1998


As part of the Fitzroy River activities, the Noonkanbah community allowed drilling on their

land. Kulkarriya School and Fitzroy Crossing District School collected water samples which are

sent to CSIRO for analysis.

http://earth.esa.int/symposia/papers/laugier

http://earth.esa.int/symposia/papers/vanleeuwen1


PROJECT 4.2 REGIONAL SCALE SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENTS BUDGETS


Project Number: 4.2

Project Title: Regional scale sediment and nutrients budgets

Project Coordinator: Gary Caitcheon

Key Partner Personnel: Eric Valentine, CDU

Research Organisation: CSIRO

1. Project Summary

Fine suspended sediment and associated nutrient loads impact on the water quality and

ecosystem functions of rivers. Understanding the impacts of current land uses, and potential

land-use changes on sediment and nutrients delivery is an essential part of planning and decision

making associated with tropical catchment management. Budgets will be developed using the

SedNet model to predict suspended and bedload sediments, and nutrients (nitrogen and

phosphorus) sources, loads, and storage, and these outcomes will be mapped to provide whole-

of-catchment overviews of suspended sediment and nutrients sources in the Daly River

catchment.

The model‘s predictions will be iteratively tested and calibrated with; i) sediment tracing

methods that determine relative loads at major river junctions; ii) loads estimations using flow

and water quality data; and iii) measurements of the erosion processes responsible for

generating the sediment. The budgets will inform planning and decision making processes about

the impacts of current land uses and the likely outcomes of future land use and climate changes.


Assess existing knowledge and collate existing data about sediment generation, transport

and storage within the catchment.

Develop sediment (suspended and bedload) and nutrients budgets using the SedNet model to predict sediment and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) sources, transport

and storage.

Test the model‘s sediment loads predictions at major river junctions using geochemical

sediment tracing to determine relative suspended sediment loads.

Test the model‘s erosion process (hillslope and channel erosion) loads predictions using

surface soil tracing radionuclides to estimate relative contributions from hillslope and

channel (stream banks and gullies) erosion.

Measure and/or model floodplain sedimentation and re-suspension processes.

Where possible obtain flow and suspended sediment and nutrients concentration data to estimate loads at gauging stations to further test model predictions.

Iteratively calibrate the model based on the outcomes of the tracing and load estimates.

Map (suspended and bed) sediment and nutrients sources, transport and storage at a

whole-of-catchment scale.


Provide the budgets in a form that will inform planning and decision making processes

about the impacts of current land uses and the likely outcomes of future changes.

3. Location

Daly River and Mitchell River catchments.


NRM managers in Federal and State governments involved in land use and water quality

management. Local stakeholders involved in land management and use of freshwater and

estuarine habitats.

5. Milestone Achievements and Outputs

In topical Australia we need to understand the potential impacts of land use change in order to avoid the negative effects these changes have had on the natural environment in southern parts

of the continent. In the Daly and Mitchell catchments, we found that approximately 90% of the

fine suspended sediment delivered to the lower Daly and Mitchell Rivers originates from subsoil

erosion. In the Mitchell catchment riparian zone gully erosion is probably the main subsoil

sediment source, while in the Daly catchment channel bank erosion is more significant.

Vegetation management on grazing and riparian lands can contribute to reducing storm runoff

and peak flows that cause most gully and stream bank erosion, but the potential impact of

climate change on storm runoff also needs to be factored into land management strategies to

reduce erosion.

Whole-of-catchment sediment budget modeling has been used to predict where in the

catchments most erosion is occurring, and which areas to target remedial action to reduce

sediment delivery to the main rivers. The results will allow those who manage on-ground

remedial works in these tropical catchments to more effectively plan and implement their

activities.

The fine sediment budget in the Mitchell catchment is dominated by material sourced from

alluvial gullies. Approximately two thirds of the estimated average 3M t of fine sediment load

that is exported from the catchment outlet each year is sourced from these gullies. Associated

TRaCK research, for the first time identified these features as a distinct type of gully erosion

that differs significantly from the existing colluvial hillslope gully model. As Jeff Shellberg‘s work

shows (through proj 4.4), it would appear that most alluvial gullies were initiated around the

same time that cattle grazing was introduced to these savanna landscapes in the latter half of

the nineteenth century. Initial estimates, based solely on the increase in sediment production

from alluvial gullies, are that the fine sediment load at the Mitchell outlet has doubled since the

shift in the dominant land use from Indigenous management to cattle grazing.

It is not known to what extent other sediment sources have increased since European

settlement. Furthermore, it is presently not known what the implications of this increase in fine

sediment loads has been on the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. However, it is hypothesised


that the increased turbidity of overbank flows could significantly reduce light penetration and

hence influence primary productivity during the critically important overbank flows. There are

also potential implications for the ongoing persistence of floodplain water bodies during the dry

season, as many of these off-stream features are being directly impacted by alluvial gullies.

There is evidence that some of these permanent water bodies, of which there are few on the

Mitchell megafan, have reduced in area by 30-40% over the last few decades as a result of

sedimentation. If these examples are more widespread, this potentially has significant

implications for biodiversity on the Mitchell mega fan - and more broadly across the Gulf plains.

Many of these floodplain water bodies also have significant cultural value.

For the Daly River, we predict 503 kilo-tonnes per year of fine sediment export from the

catchment. Bank erosion is predicted to be the main sediment source, exceeding the combined

estimates of hillslope and gully erosion. Geochemical tracer data indicate a very strong sub-soil

sediment source but cannot at present differentiate gully from river bank input. Sediment

deposition upon floodplains accounts for approximately 81% of the catchment sediment supply.

Areas strongly contributing to sediment export from the catchment are predominantly located

in the north-west of the catchment (including the Douglas River) and along the stems of the major channels. The upper Dry River and Katherine Rivers are predicted to contribute

relatively modestly to the catchment export. The high rate of bank erosion is likely a product of

a shift to wetter conditions since 1996, with runoff estimated to be 66% higher than the mean

for previous decades, resulting in systematic channel widening along at least the main stem of

the Daly River, however this remains to be confirmed by more detailed field investigations.

The spatial pattern of nutrient contribution to catchment export is again dominated by input

from the north-west of the catchment.

Hillslope erosion contributes 14% or less of the total load at the catchment outlet in the

Mitchell. However, initial SedNet runs, based on the standard model formulation, indicated it

was the dominant source, over-estimating the hillslope-erosion contribution by more than an

order of magnitude. On the evidence from this study it would appear that the RUSLE-based

hillslope erosion sub-model systematically over-predicts hillslope erosion rates in wet-dry

tropical landscapes. This RUSLE based hillslope erosion sub-model has been used as the basis

for other sediment budget studies within similar wet-dry tropical savanna landscapes in

Australia, which consequently predict hillslope erosion as the dominant sediment source (e.g.

McKergow et al 2004, Marine Pollution Bulletin). Correct identification of the relative

contributions of sediment from the key processes (hillslope, bank, colluvial and alluvial gully

erosion) is critical for enabling the appropriate management response should the current

sediment loads be deemed to be sufficiently elevated above background levels to warrant

mitigation measures. A similar conclusion about over-prediction of hillslope erosion rates by

the RUSLE model was also obtained in the Daly River.

The reports present outcomes in several ways, including data tabulations and maps. Modeled

GIS data can also be made available to stakeholders as required. The project has provided

sediment budgets in a form that will inform planning and decision making processes about the

impacts of current land uses and the likely outcomes of future changes. SedNet model

outcomes from the Daly River have been made available to Project 1.4 for integration into

other TRaCK outcomes.

Outputs include:


Sediment (suspended and bedload) and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) budgets for

the Daly and Mitchell River catchments that predict the sources, transport and storage

sediment and nutrients.

Independent testing of the models‘ sediment loads predictions at major river junctions using geochemical sediment tracing to determine relative suspended sediment loads.

Independent testing of the models‘ erosion process (hillslope and channel erosion) loads

predictions using surface soil tracing radionuclides to estimate relative contributions from

hillslope and channel (stream banks and gullies) erosion.

Measurement and/or modeling of floodplain sedimentation and re-suspension processes to verify model predictions.

Estimates of sediment and nutrients loads at gauging stations to further test model

predictions using flow and suspended sediment and nutrients concentration data.


Preparation of a paper on the sediment tracing component of the project is almost

complete.

Attended DRMAC meeting to present project outcomes for the Daly River.


PROJECT 4.3 TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS OF LAND

MANAGEMENT ON PRODUCTIVITY IN THE DALY RIVER


Project Number: 4.3

Project Title:

Towards understanding the impacts of land

management on productivity in the Daly River

Project Coordinator: Barbara Robson


Andy Revill, Michele Burford, Simon Townsend, Ralf Haese, Julia

Schult

Research Organisation: CSIRO Land & Water

1. Project Summary

This project has developed an understanding of primary production, plants, nutrients,

sediments, and organic matter in the Daly River, and of nutrients and pelagic production in

waterholes in the Flinders River catchment. This has included development of conceptual

models and nutrient budgets for both rivers and numerical models for the Daly River,

demonstrating that both rivers are likely to be sensitive to any increase in nutrient

concentrations associated with land use change. The work has generated new hypotheses about

how the rivers will respond to changes in flows and material fluxes, and has identified key

remaining knowledge gaps.


For the Daly River:

a) To collate and assess state of knowledge of nutrient and sediment measurements. b) To develop an understanding of the transport and fate of carbon and nutrients associated

with fine sediments.

c) To develop an understanding of the relationships between nutrient availability, light and

rates of primary production.

d) To develop a budget and modeling framework for the transport and fate of nutrients and

fine sediments

e) Together with other TRACK projects in the Daly to understand the links between

management and ecological outcomes.

For the Flinders River:

a) To conduct a pilot study paralleling the work conducted in the Daly River, to develop a

preliminary understanding of nutrients and primary production in a seasonal tropical river.


3. Location

The work was undertaken in the Daly River and in waterholes of the Cloncurry River in the

Flinders River catchment. Water quality monitoring locations in the Daly River are shown in

Figure 4. Detailed dry-season studies were conducted within a 10km stretch between sampling

sites 13 and 14.

Figure 4 The Daly River and major tributaries. Dry season water quality sample sites are indicated

with numbers 1-17 (round dots), wet season sample sites with letters A-D (triangles).

Work in the Flinders River catchment was conducted at five waterholes, located as shown in

Figure 5.

Figure 5 Sampling sites on Flinders River, as seen in a Google Earth screen shot.


The project results provide a basis for predicting how the Daly and Flinders Rivers (and similar

rivers in tropical north Australia) will respond to changes in flow, nutrient and sediment loads


that may occur if catchment land use or water management changes. The results provide new

conceptual models for these systems and insight into likely responses in terms of water quality,

plant coverage and system productivity.

The Daly River is adapted to low nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) concentrations in the dry

season. Any increase in dry-season nutrient loads is likely to increase the production of fast-

growing algae such as Spirogyra at the expense of slower-growing aquatic plants (such as

Vallisneria) that are believed to be valuable for habitat and in the food web. Increases in nutrient

loads to rivers is a common result of catchment developments such as irrigation of agricultural

crops, increased grazing intensity, or urban development. This finding might also apply to other

perennial tropical rivers, especially if groundwater-fed

Photosynthesis as measured by diurnal oxygen curves substantially over-estimates primary

production (production of algal biomass) in nutrient-limited tropical rivers. Photosynthesis is

not inhibited at high light intensities in the Daly River, though carbon assimilation into plant

biomass is subject to photoinhibition. Diurnal oxygen curves are therefore not an effective way

to measure production in clear, low nutrient low-nutrient tropical rivers.

The Flinders and Daly Rivers contrast strongly, with most differences related to the perennial

flow of the Daly and seasonal flow of the Flinders River. Primary production in the Daly River is

primarily benthic and is strongly nutrient limited during the dry season. In the Flinders River,

there is significant pelagic primary production and higher nutrient concentrations during the dry

season, but algal biomass is limited by nitrogen. In both rivers, though for different reasons,

total nutrient stores in appear to be relatively constant over the duration of the dry season. In

Flinders River waterholes

The Daly River can also be compared with the Ord River, which we have studied previously.

The Daly River is naturally perennial due to groundwater inputs, while the lower Ord River is

now perennial due to regulation. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the lower Ord

River are higher than in the Daly River during the dry season, in part due to the influence of

regulation and development in the catchment. Water clarity and photosynthesis are both

higher in the Daly River than in the lower Ord River due to higher light penetration, however it

is likely that algal production is higher in the Ord River.

Recommendations for monitoring include:

Diurnal oxygen curves do not provide a good measure of primary production in low-nutrient tropical rivers such as the Daly River, and may not be sufficient to detect

changes such as increases in algal biomass.

Nutrient loads should be routinely monitored in the Daly River so that any increase due

to catchment changes can be detected early. Monitoring of nutrients in the Daly River

should include both organic and inorganic species, and the end of the dry season (as

flow recedes following the last rainfall events) may be a critical period for monitoring

nutrient loads.

Monitoring of water quality in seasonally flowing rivers such as the Flinders River must include an estimate of waterhole volume as well as nutrient concentrations.

Key project outputs include:


a. A technical report describing the Daly River study and its results (submitted alongside

this report), which includes as specific outputs:

i. Nitrogen and phosphorus budgets for the Daly River and Flinders catchment

waterholes, plus a sediment budget for the Daly River.

ii. A conceptual model for sediment, nutrient and primary production processes in

the Daly River.

iii. A numerical model to predict dry-season depth and water velocity as a function

of flow.

iv. A numerical model to simulate the response of plants and algae in the Daly River

to variations or changes in flow and nutrient concentrations.

v. Descriptions of process studies and sampling, including physical and geochemical

properties of sediments and organic matter, evidence for nitrogen and

phosphorus co-limitation of primary production, estimates of whole-system

metabolism and production, and more.

b. A technical report describing the Flinders River study and its results which includes:

i. Dry-season nutrient budgets for the study sites. ii. Results of process studies and sampling, including fish population and grazing

impacts on phytoplankton, nitrogen limitation of phytoplankton, and nutrient

processes.


Refereed Conference Paper (and presentation): Robson, B.J. 2010. A Dynamic Model of

Primary Production and Plant Coverage in an Oligotropic Tropical River. International

Environmental Modeling and Software Society (iEMSs) 2010 International Congress on

Environmental Modeling and Software Modeling for Environment‘s Sake, Fifth Biennial Meeting,

Ottawa, Canada. David A. Swayne, Wanhong Yang, A. A. Voinov, A. Rizzoli, T. Filatova (Eds.).

Conference Abstract and Presentation: Robson, B.J. 2010. How Flow and Nutrients

Affect Plants and Algae In The Daly River, N.T. River Symposium, Perth, October 2010.

Presentation, University of Waikato, New Zealand, July 2010. Understanding and

modeling flow, nutrients and benthic plants in a perennial tropical river.

Presentation, CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain, ACT, March 2010. Robson,

B.J. Understanding and modeling flow, nutrients and benthic plants in a perennial tropical river.

NRETAS is a key stakeholder and has participated actively in the project through team

members, Julia Schult and Simon Townsend and through NRETAS‘ contribution of flow data

and water quality monitoring effort.

On TRaCK newsletter article: Dixon, 2010. Threatened pig-nosed turtle depends on

nutrient cycles in northern rivers.

Fact Sheet: Nutrients in Rivers: Towards understanding the impacts of land management and

productivity in the Daly and Flinders Rivers (Materials Budgets Fact Sheet 3)

Publications


o Technical Report: Robson, B.J., Schult, J., Smith, J., Webster, I., Burford, M., Revill,

A., Townsend, S., Haese, R. and Holdsworth, D. 2010. Water quality, evaporation

and primary production in waterholes of the Flinders River catchment. Anticipated

publication: February 2011.

o Journal Paper: Schult, J. and Townsend, T. (in prep.). Nutrient and sediment loads

in the Daly River catchment.

o Journal Paper: Townsend, T. et al. (in prep.) Phytoplankton assemblages and

constraints to biomass in the middle reaches of an Australian tropical river during

base flow conditions

o Journal Paper: Townsend, T. et al. (in prep.) Metabolism in a groundwater fed

river system in the Australian wet/dry tropics: the tight coupling of photosynthesis

and respiration

o Journal Paper: Robson et al. (in prep). A Dynamic Model of Benthic Algae and

Aquatic Plants in a Low-Nutrient Tropical River

o Honors thesis: Faggotter, S. (in prep.), Griffith University. To be submitted by

November 2010. o Journal Paper: Faggotter, S. et al. (in concept). Top-down versus bottom-up

control of primary production in a seasonal tropical river.

o Journal Paper: Burford et al. (in concept). Nutrients, primary production and fish

in a seasonal tropical river: a conceptual model.


PROJECT 4.4 BEDLOAD TRANSPORT IN LARGE TROPICAL RIVERS AND ITS

EFFECT ON DRY-SEASON POOL HABITAT DYNAMICS

TRaCK Theme: Theme 4

Project Number: 4.4

Project Title:

Bedload transport in large tropical rivers and its effect

on dry-season pool habitat dynamics

Project Coordinator: Andrew Brooks (GU


John Spencer (GU), Jon Knight (GU), Jeffrey Shellberg (GU),

David Williams (NRETA), Eric Valentine (CDU), Post-doc

(CDU), Tim Pietsch (CSIRO)


1. Project Summary

This project has developed a first order understanding of bedload transport rates and sources

in two large northern Australian tropical rivers - the Mitchell and Daly Rivers. The primary aim

of the project was to assess whether there is evidence for sustained in-filling of pools on the

mainstream channels of the two focal catchments and as such whether excessive bedload

transport represents a threat to the viability of dry season pool habitat on these rivers. The

considerable lags in the movement of bedload from source to sink in large rivers, and the

changing distribution of bed material storage as a function of annual and decadal flow regimes,

necessitate the adoption of a multi-temporal and multi-pronged approach to assessing bedload

transport.

The project incorporated remote sensing to assess decadal patterns of sediment accumulation;

high flow monitoring of bedload transport using an Acoustic Doppler Profiler (ADP); and

hydrodynamic modeling utilising the gauge flow duration data to estimate annual bedload

transport in the two main-stem river channels. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating

of bed storage deposits will also be undertaken at selected sites to determine residence times

for in-channel storage units as well as maximum scour depths for the mobile bed fraction.


Develop a key component of the sediment budget for two of the focal catchments, and

thereby form an important building block for developing models of how land-use change

will affect sediment budgets in northern Australia.

Assess the historical evidence for increased in-channel bedload storage (and hence loss

of dry-season pool habitat) within the main stem channels of the two focal catchments.

Using an ADP, measure contemporary bedload transport (+ discharge and suspended

sediment concentration) during at least one high flow event in each catchment.

Develop a reach scale (i.e. several 10s of km associated with a gauge reach) hydrodynamic model within the main stem channel of each river and model sediment

transport using the flow duration curve from the associated gauge.

Determine maximum depth of the mobile bed fraction using OSL dating.


Determine the residence time of different in-channel storage units within a

representative cross section of the modeled reach in each river.

3. Location

Mitchell River Qld; Daly River NT


The primary target audience of this research is the TRaCK program partners themselves, as

this project provides the basis for extrapolating some of the site specific data to other parts of

northern Australia. It also provides input data for various projects, including the biodiversity

project, the socio economic classification project and the hydrological regionalisation project.

In addition to this, the classification and the classification method developed in this project will

be an important contribution to regional NRM groups in northern Australia as well as an

important contribution to the geomorphic community in terms of understanding of the

diversity of rivers in northern Australia.


This project developed an quantitative understanding of bedload transport rates in the Mitchell

and Daly Rivers with the aim of assessing whether there is evidence for sustained in-filling of

pools on the mainstream channels and whether excessive bedload transport represents a threat

to the viability of dry season pool habitat.

For the Daly River remote sensing analysis (i.e. using historical aerial photography and satellite

imagery) showed that the Daly River between Oolloo and Daly River crossing has not

experienced sustained net sand accumulation in the river bed between 1972 and the present.

However, the same analysis also showed that this section of the river has experienced

substantial channel expansion (bank erosion on both banks) over this period. The grainsize of

the sediment eroded from the banks is significantly finer than the bed material load in the

adjacent channel suggesting the source of this material is from higher in the catchment. Further

study is required to identify the source areas of these coarse sands. The remote sensing

analysis also showed that the Daly River estuary has undergone significant channel widening

over the same period (1972 – present), with a net annual increase in estuary area (i.e. net bank

erosion) in the order of 19 ha/yr for this period. This extent of channel expansion could be

contributing as much as 250000t/yr of sand to the estuary, which in combination with the

altered tidal dynamics that would accompany such changes, could explain a proportion of the

shoaling that has been observed in the Daly estuary over recent decades.

For the Mitchell River satellite remote sensing analysis of channel dynamics in the main-stem

channels indicated that there was evidence for sustained sand accumulation between 1988 and

2008. However, further analysis at shorter time steps indicates that the river channel is in fact

highly dynamic, and that net change is highly dependent on the start and end dates of any

analysis. Looking at multiple time steps over the two decades 1988 - 2008, our analysis shows


that there is indeed no evidence for net channel aggradation (or sand accumulation) over this

period. There are extensive volumes of sand accumulated in some years that are then

apparently eroded the next. Pools that might be several kilometers long and several hundred

meters wide, with an average depth of several meters at low flow, are completely infilled in a

single wet season. Also documented was the fact that an equivalent sized pool to the one

infilled can reform in a new location. These findings have important implications for identifying

the appropriate observational scale when undertaking monitoring activities, whether they are

looking at geomorphic or ecological processes.

The situation over longer timescales (50 – 150 years) is far less clear, with aerial photography

suggesting the Mitchell main-stem channel has transformed from a more braided channel in the

1940s through to a more sinuous single thread migrating channel through the 70s – 90s, and

back to a more braiding channel in recent years. Such observations are consistent with major

fluctuations in sediment supply as well as changes in the discharge regime, or more likely both.

Associated modeling work in project 4.2 suggest that perturbations in bed material supply in

the upper catchment may take more the 100 years to fully work their way through the stream

network. The implications of this, if it can be verified, is that increased sediment supply associated with the early settlement (e.g. mining and the introduction of cattle) may yet to be

fully experienced in the Mitchell delta.

Our analysis shows that the Mitchell channel has migrated laterally by more than one km in

places over 20 years, and that on average, > 50M t of sediment are turned over per year (i.e.

net bank erosion + net deposition in the channel) over a ~ 1600km stretch of the Mitchell main

stem channel and its main tributaries. The Landsat analysis coupled with LiDar data allowed us

to derive an estimate of bank erosion inputs from this part of the channel network of about

600 000 t/year. These estimates of sediment contributed via bank erosion did not accord well

with the predictions of bank erosion using SedNet for the same part of the stream network.

This inconsistency highlights the need for more empirical data on bank erosion rates and

processes in these large savanna rivers , and potentially for the development of new models to

predict bank erosion as part of a sediment budgeting procedure.

Accompanying these channel changes, approximately 72 km2 of riparian forest were eroded

over the 20 year period of the analysis across the same 1600 linear km of river channel outlined

above. This had the effect of contributing around 15000 trees to the channel per year, most of

which contribute snags to the large pools that tend to be associated with the eroding outer

banks. These results raise interesting questions about the importance of wood recruitment and

decay in the carbon budget of large dynamic tropical rivers like the Mitchell.

Daly and/or Mitchell Rivers wet season bed velocity monitoring

In the Daly River, 13 separate measurements of bedload velocity were undertaken using an RDI

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) at 5 sites over six separate occasions during the

2007-08 and 2008-09 wet seasons. On the Mitchell River, measurements of bedload velocity

were undertaken using the same instrument and methods as used in the Daly.

The upper limit on the Daly relationship reflects the lower channel capacity in the Daly channel

than the Mitchell and hence the lower bankfull discharge. Flows greater than bankfull dissipate

the additional energy overbank and often result in lower in-channel velocities and shear stresses

and hence lower sediment transport rates.


Figure 1 – Map showing the locations of key sites along the 350km traverse of the lower Mitchell River during the

major flood of February 2009.

Remote Sensing Analysis

The use of remotely sensed Landsat data to derive an understanding of channel dynamics and

bedload turnover rates within the Mitchell channel proved to be an extremely useful approach,

particularly when combined with good field observational data and high resolution LiDAR data.

Given that the primary objective of this project was to ascertain whether there is evidence for

sustained infilling of pools within the Mitchell river system, this method has proved integral to

enabling us to answer this question. As shown in Figure 4 & 5, accompanying these channel

changes huge volumes of stored bedload sediment are remobilised and deposited.


Figure 2 – Cumulative channel change from 1988 – 2007 along the lower Mitchell River near Koolatah Crossing

from analysis of Landsat data. The image shows extensive areas of lateral channel migration (~1km in some

locations) over this 20 year period, which represent extensive volumes of sediment turnover.

Figure 3 - Timelapse photographs pre-, during and post the 2008-09 wet season. Camera is located at the arrow

in figure 6 and shows a large pool becoming completely infilled during the course of a single wet season. Image

dates from left to right are 29/11/2008; 13/2/2009; 29/5/2009. Discharge respectively (cumecs) are 40; 3800; 50

The net outcome from the change detection analysis across the period of the Landsat archive is

that there appears to be no net trend towards channel aggradation, at least on this timescale.

This highlights the fact that if undertaking such an analysis it maters a great deal as to what your

start and end points are. Commencing the analysis in 1988 and ending in 2005 (as the first

iteration of this analysis did) would indicate that there has been net accretion with the river

over this time interval. Analysis across a further two years sees the situation reversed, with net

scour resulting.

The analysis highlights the fact that this is a highly dynamic river system, within which there can

be profound changes from year to year, depending on the magnitude of flows experienced


during each wet season. Some wet seasons result in net accretion and others net scour.

Understanding the longer term trend requires us to use other types of data and different

approaches, in order to gain a true picture of the longer term patterns of change.

Mitchell Catchment Alluvial Gully Erosion Rates

Remote sensing based mapping within the 31,000 km2 Mitchell River fluvial megafan has

identified that active gullying into alluvium occupies at least ~ 0.4% (129 km2) of the lower Mitchell catchment . These alluvial gullies are concentrated along main drainage channels and

their scarp heights are highly correlated to the local relief between the floodplain and river

thalweg. A critical question that we are trying to unravel as part of this research, is whether

these gullies are simply a natural process within this landscape, or whether their extent and

rates of activity have increased in response to land use pressures over the last 160 years. To

address this question, rates of alluvial gully erosion were measured over different time scales

using recent GPS surveys, historical air photograph analysis, tree ring analysis, and optical

stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of buried sand grains.

These results of post-European settlement gully initiation suggest the contribution of land use

intensification (cattle grazing and fire regime changes) to either gully initiation or acceleration.

Figure 4- Alluvial gully distribution and density (m2/km2) across the Mitchell fluvial megafan. The density grid

resolution is 1 km2 pixels. Dashed line is the Palmerville fault.

Outputs included:

A remote sensing based analysis of changing dry-season bed material storage deposits -

for the period of record of the available remote sensing imagery (AP, Landsat).


Field measurements (using an ADP) of contemporary bedload transport rates (+

discharge and suspended sediment concentration) during at least one high flow event in

each catchment.

A reach scale hydrodynamic model within the main stem channel of each river to provide reach averaged estimates of bed material transport within the mainstream

channel of each river. These will be based on the flow duration curve from the

associated gauges.

A chronostratigraphic analysis (using OSL dating) of channel and channel marginal bed-

material storage units – to determine residence times of bed storage units and

maximum scour depths, within representative sections of the mainstream channel in

each river.


Brooks, A.P., Spencer, J., Shellberg, J.G., Knight, J., and Lymburner, L., 2008. Using remote

sensing to quantify sediment budget components in a large tropical river - Mitchell River, Gulf

of Carpentaria, Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments (Proceedings of a symposium

held in Christchurch, New Zealand, December 2008). IAHS Publ. 325, pp. 225 - 236.

Brooks, A.P., Shellberg, J.G., Spencer, J. and Knight, J., 2009. Alluvial gully erosion: an example

from the Mitchell fluvial megafan, Queensland, Australia. Earth Surface Processes and

Landforms, 34: 1951-1969. With 2010 Erratum, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 35: 242–245.

Shellberg, J., Brooks, A. and Spencer, J., 2010. Land-use change from Indigenous management to

cattle grazing initiates the gullying of alluvial soils in northern Australia, 19th World Congress of

Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World. 1 - 6 August 2010. Published on CDROM.,

Brisbane, Australia, pp. 59-62.

Shellberg, J.G., Brooks, A.P., Spencer, J., Knight, J., Pietsch, T., 2010. Alluvial gully erosion rates

and processes in Northern Queensland: an example from the Mitchell River fluvial megafan.

Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University; Produced for The Caring for Our Country

(CfoC) Initiative; Managed by the Northern Gulf Natural Resource Management Group and

Land & Water Australia, January 2010, Nathan, Queensland, Australia, 91 pp.

Poster Presentation in River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics conference, Santa Fe,

Argentina, 2009.

A paper was presented at Asia Pacific Division - IAHR conference, Auckland, 2010.


This project has contributed to several workshops organised by the Mitchell River group,

focusing on the impacts of mining in the Mitchell catchment, an issue which is of major concern

to traditional owners in the Mitchell catchment. This project has also contributed to two

presentations to the DRMAC and has developed a good relationship with Indigenous interests

through DRMAC.


PROJECT 5.1 BOTTOM-UP AND TOP-DOWN CONTROL OF RIVERINE FOOD

WEBS

TRaCK Theme: Food webs and Biodiversity

Project Number: 5.1

Project Title:

Bottom-up and Top-down Control of Riverine Food

Webs

Project Coordinator: Michael Douglas (CDU)


Danielle Warfe, Simon Townsend, Erica Garcia, Peter Kyne.

Peter Novak, Andrew Raith (CDU), Stuart Bunn, Tim Jardine,

Mark Kennard, Brad Pusey (GU), Peter Davies, Neil Pettit

(UWA)


1. Project Summary

Human activities in catchments affect aquatic food web structure and important ecosystem processes. In tropical systems, the sources, fate and controls of primary production supporting

aquatic food webs and the important links to higher trophic levels are largely unknown. An

essential prerequisite for the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems is the identification

of the terrestrial and autochthonous sources of organic matter that drive food webs. Despite

the complexity of tropical river ecosystems, a relatively small number of possible trophic

interactions may account for most of the transfer of nutrients and carbon.

The unique features of tropical rivers (e.g. greater flow variability, groundwater dependence)

are likely to modify the structure and response of biological communities to anthropogenic

and/or climate -induced changes. This project will use small-scale, controlled manipulative

experiments and stable isotope analysis to identify the sources of organic carbon underpinning

riverine food webs and will determine the specific trophic interactions that have a strong

influence on carbon and nutrient flow to higher trophic levels (e.g. fish).


Identify the sources of organic carbon driving the food web

Determine the degree of reliance of aquatic food webs on riparian inputs and vice versa

Determine the factors that have the greatest influence on the production of these sources

Identify the trophic interactions that have a strong influence on carbon and nutrient flow to higher trophic levels

3. Location

This project was conducted in the Daly River catchment in the NT, the Flinders and Mitchell

River catchments in Queensland, and in the Fitzroy River catchment in WA.



State, Territory and Australian Government water resources and management agencies, e.g.

QDNRW, WA DoW, NT NRETA, DEWHA, NWC

Regional NRM and planning groups, e.g. NT NRMB, Mitchell River Watershed Management

Group, Daly River Management Advisory Group,

Indigenous groups, e.g. Daly River Aboriginal Reference Group, Indigenous Water

Facilitators Network

Conservation NGO‘s e.g. WWF, regional environnent centres


The project has produced:

Better understanding of the sources of carbon and nutrients that underpin tropical river food webs and the factors that limit production.

Improved conceptual understanding of the trophic interactions in tropical rivers including

the interactions between rivers and riparian zones and the role of flow and riverscape.

Improved theoretical underpinning for the more applied aspects of flow research.

Better information for setting environmental flows based on an understanding of the role of

flows.

Results from the major food web survey conducted in the Daly, Mitchell and Fitzroy River

catchments during 2008 and 2009 indicate that generally, benthic algal carbon is a major food

source supporting aquatic food webs across tropical river landscapes. In the Fitzroy, which is an

intermittent river, fish appear to rely strongly on local algal sources. But the reliance of fish on

local algal carbon appears to decrease as rivers have shorter periods of no flow, and particularly

in perennial reaches. We believe this is because perennial rivers allow fish to move over larger

areas and consumer from a wider, and more continuous, range of locations. Thus there is a

greater movement of carbon signatures throughout these perennial systems and it is more

difficult to identify the dominant food source supporting fish biomass.

We initially proposed three hypotheses to explain what carbon source is supporting fish

biomass in the Daly:

1. Terrestrial insects being consumed by fish.

2. Marine-derived carbon via migrating crayfish being consumed by fish.

3. Floodplain-derived carbon via fish feeding on the inundated floodplain during the wet

season.

Carbon signatures of fish in the Mitchell River, a river of ―intermediate‖ intermittency, indicate

that fish are supported by floodplain-derived carbon (hypothesis 3). Fish feed on benthic algae

during the wet season and then move upstream for the dry season. This finding, suggesting that

floodplain resources can subsidise upstream food aquatic food webs and highlighting the

importance of hydrological connectivity, has been written up and is currently in review (Jardine

et al, in review, High food web connectivity in the lower reaches of a wet-dry tropical floodplain river).

Carbon sources in the Daly River were more difficult to resolve. While we think that floodplain


sources are important for supporting fish biomass in the Daly River, especially considering the

Daly floodplain is often flooded for relatively long periods compared to the Mitchell and Fitzroy,

we also think our other hypothesized mechanisms may be important in this catchment.

The perennial nature of the Daly means that upstream migration of prawns during the late wet

season could be important in bringing marine sources into the freshwater reaches. Also, the

perennial flows means that there is continuous contact between the riparian and aquatic zones,

so terrestrial arthropod prey could be a more important food source for fish in the Daly. The

latter hypothesis is also supported by evidence from the seasonal flux sampling which indicates

terrestrial resources are consumed by a range of fish species.

Results from the Edith River top-down and bottom-up experiment revealed that there was a

significant impact of increased nutrients (both nitrogen and phosphorus) on biomass of benthic

algae (measured as chlorophyll a). There was not a significant top-down effect by fish and

shrimp on benthic algae but there was a significant effect on the benthic macroinvertebrate

assemblages. These results were presented in at the 2010 ASL conference and a manuscript is

in preparation.

The project has also contributed to updating the conceptual models which illustrate the important abiotic and biotic processes and interactions that occur from the uplands to the

estuaries of northern tropical rivers. These models were first developed at the start of TRaCK

and the final versions have been updated with data gathered from multiple TRaCK projects.

Stephen Faggotter has completed his Honors project titled ―Assessing the effect of top-down

control on primary productivity in a dryland-tropical river‖ through Griffith University

(supervisor: Dr. Michelle Burford) and received 1st class honors. He is currently working on two

manuscripts based on his project and some of his data has been used by Dr. Tim Jardine for a

manuscript (Jardine, Hunt, Faggotter, Valdez, Burford, & Bunn. In review. Carbon from benthic

algae supports fish biomass in waterholes of a wet-dry tropical river, Limnology and

Oceanography).


A paper authored by Douglas, Garcia, Warfe et al on context-dependent top-down control by

macroconsumers in tropical streams is being prepared by the project team and is nearing

submission in a general ecological journal. This paper provides some of the background for the

Edith River top down and bottom up experiment.

A paper authored by Garcia, Townsend and Douglas on the relative importance of top down

and bottom up control in the Edith River is being prepared by the project team and will be

submitted later this year 2011.

Papers on the stable isotopes and terrestrial macroinvertebrate data from the seasonal flux experiment are currently being prepared. These include: Garcia, Pettit, Warfe, Douglas, Bunn,

Davies. In prep. Seasonal invertebrate exchange across the aquatic-riparian interface; Garcia,

Douglas, Warfe, Pettit, Kyne, Jardine, Bunn. In prep. Aquatic production supporting terrestrial

food webs in the tropics.


A paper authored by Kyne, Warfe and Pettit on riparian bird assemblages of Australia‘s wet dry

tropics is currently being prepared and is planned to be submitted before the end of the year

2011.

A paper authored by Warfe, Pettit, Pusey, Davies, Douglas and Bunn has been submitted to

Ecological Applications and is currently under peer review. This paper is based on the

assemblage (taxonomic) data obtained during the course of the major food web survey

conducted across the Daly and Fitzroy catchments in 2008, and shows that riparian and aquatic

vegetation, fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages show striking concordance in their spatial

variation across river landscapes. It also shows that these assemblages are structured primarily

by environmental filters, rather than random, spatial or dispersal dynamics and that flow regime

and channel width (an indicator of ecosystem size) are major factors explaining assemblage

variation.

Papers on the stable isotopes data from major food web survey are currently being prepared.

These include:

Jardine, T.D., Pettit, N.E., Warfe, D.M., Pusey, B.J., Ward, D.P., Davies, P.M., Douglas, M.M., and

Bunn, S.E. In prep. Consumer resource coupling in wet-dry tropical rivers. To be

submitted to Journal of Animal Ecology.

Warfe, D.M., Jardine, T.D., Pettit, N.E., Hamilton, S.K., Pusey, B.J., Bunn, S.E., Davies, P.M.,

Douglas, M.M. In prep. Spatial variation and drivers of trophic structure in tropical

riverscapes. To be submitted to Ecology.

Michael Douglas, Erica Garcia, and Simon Townsend attended the Australian Society for

Limnology annual symposium in Thredbo, NSW, in late November 2010. Michael presented a

talk on ―Key Drivers of river and wetland food webs in Australia‘s wet-dry tropics‖ a

revisitation of the original hypotheses around food webs proposed in Douglas et al. 2005,

Marine and Freshwater Research. Erica presented the results from the top down/bottom up

experiment conducted in the Edith River in the dry season of 2009 with Michael and Simon as

co-authors on the presentation.


PROJECT 5.2 IMPORTANCE OF WATERHOLES AS AQUATIC REFUGIA AND

THE BIOPHYSICAL PROCESSES THAT SUSTAIN THEM

TRaCK Theme: Food Webs and Biodiversity

Project Number: 5.2

Project Title:

Importance of waterholes as aquatic refugia and the

biophysical processes that sustain them

Project Coordinator: Prof Stuart Bunn


Prof Peter Davies (UWA), A/Prof Michael Douglas (CDU), Dr

Stephen Hamilton (MSU), Dr Jon Marshall (NRW), Dr Richard

Hunt (NRW), Dr Joel Huey (NRW), Dr Simon Townsend

(CDU), Dr Ian Webster (CSIRO L&W), Dr Damien Burrows

(JCU), Dr Andrew Brooks (GU), Dr Michele Burford (GU)


1. Project Summary

Waterholes are critically important refugia for plants and animals to survive the annual dry

season in the wet-dry tropics. This project sought to understand key ecological processes that

support or limit consumers in these habitats. Results from several broad-scale stable surveys

show strong dependence of consumers on benthic algae from within waterholes and from

adjacent floodplains. Conditions in waterholes deteriorate towards the end of the dry season,

with high turbidity and extreme fluctuations in dissolved oxygen, with shallow waterholes that

are visited heavily by large mammals in the worst condition. Nitrogen appears to be the

primary limiting nutrient in these waterholes, and many sites are eutrophic by the end of the

dry season.


Waterholes in ephemerally-flowing rivers are critical refugia for aquatic biodiversity and are

highly valued by local communities, particularly Indigenous communities in northern Australia.

Yet they are vulnerable to increasing demands for ground- and surface water extraction and

climate change. In many river systems, these refugia also come under considerable pressure

from stock and feral animals during drought as surface waters become depleted. Some are also

subject to strong fishing pressure during the dry season. The objectives of this project fall

under four main headings:

Spatial and temporal dynamics of waterholes

Determine the spatial and temporal pattern of persistence of waterholes and their

importance as aquatic refugia using field and remote sensing techniques.

Determine the relative importance of surface and groundwater to the physical

persistence of important aquatic refugia.


Predict how the physical persistence of waterholes will be affected by water resource

development and climate change.

Factors that influence primary production and food webs in waterholes

Determine the major sources of aquatic carbon that sustain aquatic biota in waterholes.

Determine the factors that limit primary production, with particular focus on primary

sources that sustain aquatic food webs and biodiversity.

Impacts of stock and predation

Understand the impacts of uncontrolled access of domestic and feral animals.

Determine the influence of fishing pressure on food webs and potential cascading effects on aquatic ecosystem health.

Tools for monitoring and assessment

Develop cost-effective remote sensing tools for mapping the spatial and temporal dynamics of waterholes.

Develop guidelines for conservation and management of key aquatic refugia.

3. Location

Research was conducted principally in the Mitchell and Flinders River, Queensland, with

additional sampling for a food web survey in the Daly River, Northern Territory and the Fitzroy

River, Western Australia.


Mapping of waterhole presence has been successfully completed and regression models relating

on-ground measurements of turbidity to remotely-sensed images will be a cost-effective tool to

monitor changes in waterhole characteristics with land-use patterns (e.g. water extraction,

stocking density).

Visual observations suggest that sites with high cattle densities have waterholes that are in

poorer condition. Expected effects of stock are higher nutrients, increased turbidity, and lower

plant biomass. The project was unable to document effects of fishing on waterholes mainly

because fisheries statistics for most locations were unavailable. The remoteness of many of the

sites suggests that fishing pressure is likely to be low.

The project identified benthic algae as the main driver of fish biomass in the waterholes studied,

although many fish appear to derive a considerable portion of their biomass from floodplains.

Newly developed regression models relating remotely-sensed spectral characteristics and

ground-truthed turbidity will be an important tool in determining changes in light penetration

and resultant primary productivity in waterholes. This tool can be used to measure differences

in turbidity and productivity across the landscape, within a season (wet to dry), and over time

(i.e. the past 25 years).


While benthic algae remain the most likely primary production source supporting food webs,

there is ample evidence that algae grown on the floodplain during the wet season is used heavily

by consumers, and this production source is transported back to dry season refugia

(waterholes, river channels, coastal areas). Waterholes, particularly those in the lower

floodplain, are highly productive by global standards (eutrophic), however the strong limitations

imposed by seasonal dry down (crowding, competition, predation, highly fluctuating dissolved

oxygen levels) likely favors behavioural mechanisms in fish that reduce activity until the arrival

of the first wet season flows. This latter feature may explain why the floodplain ―signal‖ is so

prevalent in fish body tissue and why benthic and planktonic algal concentrations tend to

increase (from reduced grazing) as the dry season progresses.

Seasonal effects on water quality and primary production appear to be as strong as ecological

effects. That is, waterholes in the late dry season have vastly different physical (e.g. turbidity)

and chemical (e.g. nutrients, chlorophyll) properties compared to the same waterholes early in

the dry season after floodwaters recede. This is true for sites with and without major

disturbances from cattle and feral pigs, so any efforts to quantify the effects of these introduced

animals or other pressures must take into account the large seasonal variation that is in part natural.

Flinders River waterholes appear very similar to those in inland Australia (i.e. Cooper Creek) as

they have comparable geomorphology (steep banks, fine sediment) and sources of primary

production are relatively simple with only benthic algae, phytoplankton and terrestrial detritus.

As such, Flinders waterholes contained fish with a strong local algal signal (similar to Cooper

Creek). Mitchell River waterholes, on the other hand, have different geomorphology (shallow

banks, sand bottom) and also have extensive macrophyte communities (lilies, grasses, sedges,

submerged and floating plants) making the determination of source carbon for consumers more

challenging.

A summary of findings is outlined in the table below:

Finding observation Where is it

applicable?

Implications/ why is this important

from a stakeholder/ end-user

perspective

Waterholes in the tropical catchments under

study tend to be less turbid than those in

central Australia (e.g., Cooper Creek), where

most previous waterhole research has been

conducted.

Tropical north Primary productivity (mainly algal

growth) in waterholes is potentially less

limited by light (and therefore may be

more limited by nutrients and grazing) in

northern rivers

Waterholes located on the lower floodplain

have far higher nutrients and productivity

(based on chlorophyll concentrations) than

those located further upriver

Mitchell Nutrients added in the headwaters will

likely be transported and deposited

downstream, leading to even higher

productivity than is currently observed

Food chains are of typical length

(approximately four trophic levels, based on

stable nitrogen isotopes), but fish communities

are often dominated by omnivores/herbivores

(e.g. small catfish, bony bream)

Tropical north Top-down control of primary

productivity (i.e. plant production limited

by herbivores) is highly likely, and this

may be partly due to introduced animals

Macrophytes (aquatic vascular plants) are

heavily grazed by late in the dry season,

Mitchell Impacts of cattle, pigs, wallabies may be

severe; suppression of macrophytes may


apparently due to terrestrial animals (cattle,

pigs, wallabies) as well as aquatic consumers.

enhance the relative importance of algal

growth in sustaining aquatic food webs

Turbidity generally increases over the course

of the dry season as a consequence of

increased phytoplankton growth and wind

action and animal access that disturbs sediment

as water becomes shallow.

Mitchell,

Flinders

Our understanding of any external effects

must take into account the strong effect

of seasonal changes in water quantity and

quality

There is little evidence for the importance of

groundwater inputs in sustaining waterholes

through the dry season (except possibly

waterholes situated in large sand bed channels)

Tropical north

except the Daly

River

Surface flows are necessary for sustaining

waterholes as refugia (i.e., local inputs of

water are not enough)

Waterholes with higher turbidity tend to have

fewer macrophytes and turbidity is high

enough to limit light penetration (end resultant

benthic algal growth) in some locations

Mitchell,

Flinders

Increased sediment inputs could reduce

overall system productivity

Waterhole food webs supporting important

biodiversity ‗assets‘ are algal driven, but some

of this algae comes from the floodplain

More likely benthic or attached algae rather

than plankton

Tropical north Factors that influence algal production

and composition are extremely

important:

• Light (turbidity, sediment inputs)

• Nutrients

Many small but culturally important waterholes

dry up completely just prior to the onset of

wet season flows

Mitchell Reduced filling from wet season flows

will increase the frequency of years of full

drying and possibly lead to more

waterholes experiencing full drying in

dryer years

The spatial and temporal patterns of

persistence of waterholes can be cost

effectively mapped at catchment to region

scales using Landsat TM data

Tropical north The influence of water resource

development and climate change on the

physical persistence of waterholes can be

assessed at catchment to regional scales

The seasonal dynamics of turbidity and aquatic

vegetation cover can be cost effectively

mapped at catchment to region scales using

Landsat TM data combined with site based

information on waterhole turbidity and

macrophyte cover

Tropical north The influence of turbidity on aquatic

productivity can potentially be assessed

at catchment to regional scales

Stable isotope data from dry season surveys in the Mitchell, Fitzroy, Daly and Flinders rivers

were compiled. The current custodian for this data is Tim Jardine (Griffith University) and these

files have been entered in the relevant TRaCK metadata forms.


The project worked closely with the Kowanyama Aboriginal Land and Natural Resource

Management Office (KALNRMO). This has resulted in joint activities (e.g. field work), funding

proposals (e.g. two failed Caring for our Country projects and one ARC Linkage proposal


currently in review) and eventually will yield co-authored manuscripts. TRaCK is an official

member of the Kowanyama Wetlands Technical Advisory Group that seeks to understand

environmental and cultural values on Kowanyama Lands and how these might best be protected

and monitored.

Several individuals from KALNRMO have been involved with this TRaCK project, including Viv

Sinnamon (Manager – KALNRMO), Anzac Frank (Senior Ranger) and Raven Greenwool

(Cultural Heritage Officer). This involvement has been in both planning and operation of joint

TRaCK/KALNRMO initiatives, including a study designed to understand the effects of pigs and

cattle on waterholes.

Terms of reference have been developed for the Kowanyama Wetlands TAG, and KALNRMO

is a signatory on the Indigenous research protocols agreed upon between TRaCK and the

Mitchell River Traditional Custodians Advisory Group (MRTCAG).

Researchers Bunn, Jardine, and Valdez have completed cultural awareness training (offered by

MRTCAG). Informal presentations about TRaCK‘s research have been given to staff at

KALNRMO during field visits.


Manuscripts

Jardine, T.D., Hunt, R.J., Pusey, B.J., and Bunn, S.E. In review. A non-lethal sampling method for

stable isotope studies of tropical fishes. Marine and Freshwater Research (submitted

August 2010).

Jardine, T.D., and Bunn, S.E. 2010. Northern Australia, whither the mercury? Marine and

Freshwater Research 61: 451-463.

Jardine, T.D., Pettit, N.E., Warfe, D.M., Davies, P.M., Douglas, M.M., and Bunn, S.E. In prep.

Consumer resource coupling in wet-dry tropical rivers. To be submitted to Oecologia.

Jardine, T.D., Hunt, R.J., Valdez, D., Faggotter, S., Burford, M.A., and Bunn, S.E. In prep. Food

web patterns in waterholes of a wet-dry tropical river. To be submitted to Freshwater

Biology.

Warfe, D.M., Jardine, T.D., Pettit, N.E., Hamilton, S.K., Pusey, B.J., Bunn, S.E., Davies, P.M.,

Douglas, M.M. In prep. Spatial variation and drivers of trophic structure in tropical

riverscapes. To be submitted to Ecology.

Pettit, N.E., Jardine, T.D., Sinnamon, V., Hamilton, S.K., and Bunn, S.E. In prep. Seasonal changes

in water quality and plant biomass of tropical waterholes, and impacts of cattle. To be

submitted to Wetlands.

Ward, D.P., Marshall, J., Jardine, T.D., Hamilton, S.K., Tews, K. In prep. Assessing seasonal

variability in waterbody productivity using remotely sensed turbidity-light relationships

and waterbody morphology. To be submitted to Limnology and Oceanography


Oral presentations

Pettit, N.E., Jardine, T.D., Warfe, D.M., Douglas, M.M., Hamilton, S.K., Bunn, S.E., and Davies,

P.M. 2010. Key drivers of river and wetland food webs in Australia‘s wet-dry tropics.

58th Annual Meeting of the North American Benthological Society, June 6-11. Santa Fe,

NM.

Hamilton, S.K., Celi, J., Jardine, T.D., Ward, D.P, and Bunn, S.E. 2010. Major solute chemistry as an indicator of hydrology in tropical floodplains. 58th Annual Meeting of the North

American Benthological Society, June 6-11. Santa Fe, NM.

Jardine, T.D. 2009. Food webs of the Mitchell River. Mitchell River Traditional Custodian

Advisory Meeting, November 24, Cairns, QLD.

Jardine, T.D. 2009. Water, soil, plants and animals: TRaCK‘s research in the Mitchell River and

beyond. Chillagoe Post Office Hotel, November 1, Chillagoe, QLD.

Jardine, T.D., Warfe, D.M., Pettit, N.E., Pusey, B.J., Hamilton, S.K., Davies, P.M., Douglas, M.M.,

and Bunn, S.E. 2009. The length of food chains in northern floodplain rivers. Australian

Society for Limnology 48th Annual Congress. September 28-October 2, Alice Springs,

NT.

Warfe, D.M., Pettit, N.E., Jardine T.D., Hamilton, S.K., Pusey, B.J., Bunn, S.E., Davies, P.M., and

Douglas, M.M. 2009. Spatial variation in food web structure across tropical riverine

landscapes. International Society for River Science 1st biennial meeting, July 12-17, St.

Petersburg, FL.

Ward, D.P, Hamilton, S., Marshall, J., Jardine, T. and Bunn, S.E. 2010, Water budgets –

floodplain inundation in the Mitchell, Research Findings: Department of Environmental

and Resource Management, Mareeba, September 2nd 2010.

Poster presentations

Jardine, T.D., Hunt, R.J., Pusey, B.J., Fry, V.M., and Bunn, S.E. 2010. Fin tissue as an alternative to

muscle tissue in stable isotope studies of tropical fishes. 7th International Conference on

Applications of Stable Isotope Techniques to Ecological Studies. August 7-13. Fairbanks,

AK.

Jardine, T.D., Warfe, D.M., Pettit, N.E., Pusey, B.J., Hamilton, S.K., Davies, P.M., Douglas, M.M.,

and Bunn, S.E. 2009. The length of food chains in floodplain rivers of northern Australia.

The 10th International Congress of Ecology, August 16-21, Brisbane, QLD.

Jardine, T.D., Halliday, I.A., Sinnamon, V., and Bunn, S.E. 2009. Mercury in aquatic ecosystems of

northern Australia. 9th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant, June

7-12, Guiyang, China.

Well-known tropical researcher Prof. Kirk Winemiller (Texas A&M University) visited with

TRaCK in both Darwin and Brisbane in June.


5.3 RIVER-FLOODPLAIN FOOD WEB SUBSIDIES


Project Number: 5.3

Project Title: River-floodplain food web subsidies

Project Coordinator: Prof Stuart Bunn


Prof Peter Davies (UWA), Dr Neil Pettit (UWA), A/Prof

Michael Douglas (CDU), Dr Peter Bayliss (eriss), Dr Ian

Webster (CSIRO L&W), Dr Andrew Brooks (GU), Dr Michele

Burford (GU), Dr Brad Pusey (GU)


1. Project Summary

Tropical floodplains are dynamic systems that support high species biomass and biodiversity,

and natural connectivity between rivers and their floodplains in northern Australia remains high.

Our findings suggest that the lower reaches of rivers with extensive salt flats support algal

growth that is fed on by small fish and invertebrates that are consumed by larger fish which

then retreat to waterholes and river channels as floodwaters recede. While many of these

floodplains do not support vast areas of rooted aquatic plants because of short inundation

periods and high turbidity, they do appear to provide a seasonally available food resource

(algae) that contributes substantially to fish biomass.


There were four key elements to the project:

Summarize current understanding of the sources and fate of the building blocks of food webs (carbon and nutrients). This will drew on work previously undertaken in the Alligator

Rivers region (Northern Territory) and the Ord River (Western Australia).

Investigate the use of remote sensing methods to estimate levels of primary production

(plant growth). Development of such techniques allowed the team to estimate levels of

primary production for the entire floodplain based on measurements taken on the ground

in different habitats. It also enabled production estimates over different stages of the

flooding and drying cycle when it can be difficult to access sampling sites.

Measure and analyse key components of the food web. Plant life, fish and waterbirds were

all be measured as well as carbon and nutrients in the water as it flows between river and

floodplain. Stable isotope methods were used to identify the major sources of organic

carbon that support aquatic consumers such as invertebrates, fish, turtles and waterbirds

feeding on inundated floodplains.

Identify how floodplain weeds and altered fire regimes may influence the river-floodplain

food webs and subsidies. The productivity of native floodplain plants were compared with invasive weeds as well as their use by birds and fish. The consequences of weed invasion on


fire regime were examined focusing on consequences for some targeted floodplain animals

(e.g. turtles) and how fire changes quantities of carbon and nutrients moving through

floodplain ecosystems.

3. Location

Field sampling occurred in the lower Mitchell River and Flinders River, QLD, and the Daly River

and Magela Creek, NT


This project has demonstrated the variability in the duration of flooding across northern

Australia, with some rivers (e.g. Fitzroy, WA) showing very short inundation periods, others

moderate (e.g. Mitchell, QLD) and others of long duration (e.g. Daly and Magela, NT). This

variability in flood duration has important implications for the amount and types of primary

productivity to be expected (e.g. macrophytes vs. algae) and was underappreciated prior to the

beginning of TRaCK, as we expected all rivers to behave similar to Magela Creek where most

prior floodplain work was conducted.

Detailed analysis of flood inundation patterns for the three TRaCK focal catchments (Mitchell,

Daly and the Fitzroy) and broad scale (1:250,000) analysis of inundation frequency across

Northern Australia revealed widely varying flood inundation, extent, duration patterns for the

TRaCK study area. The flood characteristics in Western Cape York rivers are dominated by

large distributary fan systems that have low inundation frequency, with the Archer river

systems having the largest inundation frequency. Similarly, the vast flood plains of the Southern

Gulf have extensive floods occurring across complex anabranching drainage networks but with

short inundation periods. The Fitzroy floodplain is the most dominant floodplain in the western

part of the TRaCK study area and has large but short duration floods.

The areas of highest inundation frequency and longest flood residence times in the TRaCK

study area occur across the northernmost parts of the Northern Territory and include

Alligator (Kakadu wetlands), Goyder (Arafura Swamp), and Daly-Douglas river systems. This is

important because these systems all behave differently and thus would respond differently to

extraction, impoundment, and flow diversion.

The major differences among the three focal catchments appear to be in the length of the

inundation period and the way in which flood events recede. Floods on the Mitchell river are of

short duration (in the order of 2 months for a wet year) and because the floodplain is a

distributary fan system the flood recedes in a ‗wedge‘ type manner such that waterbodies in the

upper fan are inundated for a relatively short period compared to the lower more coastal part of the distributary fan.

The Fitzroy river also has short duration floods (less that 2 months for a wet year) but flood

inundation is more confined to the areas adjacent to the main channel and the flood events

occur as ‗pulse‘ such that most waterbodies on the floodplain are inundated for approximately

the same period regardless of catchment position.


The Daly floodplain differs significantly from the Mitchell and the Fitzroy with long flood

residence times (greater than 6 months) with the majority of the floodplain being dominated by

aquatic vegetation, and floods recede gradually back to large perennial waterbodies. We believe

that this feature has flow-on implications for food webs, with those catchments having longer

flood and flow periods (e.g. Daly, Magela) having more connected food webs (through the

movement of fish) than those catchments with moderate (e.g. Mitchell) or extremely brief (e.g.

Fitzroy) floods.

Fish captured throughout the lower half of the river have a floodplain isotope ―signal‖ even

during the dry season, suggesting that the floodplain is a net exporter of organic matter to the

remainder of the system.

Higher order climatic drivers over 20-25 year decadal time scales influences landscape-scale fire

and hydrological processes, which in turn influence ecosystem dynamics such as food web

structure and biodiversity.



applicable?

Implications/ why is this

important from a stakeholder/

end-user perspective

Coastal floodplains (e.g. Mitchell

River delta) appear to have lower

primary productivity (plant

production in areas underwater)

than expected

Mitchell &

Flinders/Norm

an

Benthic algae growing in shallow

areas, rather than vast stands of

rooted vascular plants and grasses,

are likely the sites of primary

production for invertebrates and fish.

Seawater intrusion in combination

with the strong dry season limits

plant productivity on floodplains in

the coastal plain, in extreme cases

producing extensive barrens

Southern &

Northern Gulf

rivers

Climate change (sea-level rise) and

changes in flow regime may affect the

ability of seawater to penetrate

further inland:

―Every year it (the tide) comes in, it

goes a bit further up….once it hits

the swamps, that will kill all the plant

life, and the waterways.‖ Stanley

Budby, KALNRMO Ranger

Large numbers of predominantly

estuarine fish were present in

freshwater reaches of floodplains

during inundation.

Mitchell Despite low apparent productivity,

there must be sufficient food in

inundated reaches during floods to

attract large numbers of predatory

and herbivorous fishes

Small fish transfer floodplain energy

to higher predators

Mitchell Seemingly unimportant species (e.g.

mullet, bony bream, eel-tailed catfish)

serve as key prey items for more

valued species (barramundi, fork-


tailed catfish)

Between 30 and 40% of all

barramundi biomass comes from

the floodplain, despite less than a

two month flood

Mitchell Large predators do most of their

growing in a short period of time on

the floodplain. Longer and broader

floods should lead to more and

bigger fish

Middle reaches of river have large

fish with floodplain signal; system

metabolism measures indicate

respiration exceeds productivity at

these sites

Mitchell Upstream movement after the flood

by large predators; net import

(subsidy) of organic matter from

floodplain to river

Carbon source for consumers is

microalgae whether aquatic plant

community is dominated by native

species or weeds

Magela Creek Grasses and macrophytes

unattractive to grazers allowing high

biomass to be attained

Remotely sensed flood inundation

mapping for wet and dry years for

the 3 TRaCK focal catchments

(Mitchell, Daly, Fitzroy) reviled

significantly different inundation

durations or flood residence times. The Daly floodplain has residence

times in the order of greater than 6

months. The Mitchell and Fitzroy

floodplains have flood residence

times in the order of less than 2 to

3 months.

Tropical

north?

The residence time of floods has

significant influence on the extent

and duration of connectivity between

the riverine environments and the

floodplain. Flood residence times

appear to control the type of floodplain vegetation such that short

residence times floodplains (e.g.

Mitchell and the Fitzroy) have almost

exclusively terrestrial vegetation

while long residence time floodplains

(eg. Daly) are dominated by aquatic

vegetation.

Tissues reflective of short- and

long-term diet in young barramundi

collected on the floodplain suggest

that in the first four months of life

the floodplain is its sole source of

nutrition

Mitchell Floodplain production is used by this

fish during the most vulnerable

period in its life


long-term diet in catfish (N.

graeffei) collected on the floodplain

suggest that the floodplain is the

sole source of nutrition in this fish

Mitchell Floodplain production is used by this

fish that is perhaps the most

common species in the lower end of

the system.


long-term diet in bony bream Mitchell Floodplain production is used by this

fish during the critical reproductive


suggest that most body tissue is

made during the dry season in

lagoons and estuaries, but during

spawning adults are feeding on

floodplain production

phase

Stable isotope data from the Mitchell, Flinders and Daly floodplains can be found in a series of

excel spreadsheets. The current custodian for this data is Tim Jardine (Griffith University).

These files have been entered in the relevant TRaCK metadata forms. All vegetation map data

and associated imagery or the Magela floodplain are currently held by Renee Bartolo (ERISS).

Peter Bayliss (CSIRO) holds copies of all ground-based data. Flood-mapping imagery (MODIS)

for the Fitzroy (WA), Daly (NT) and Mitchell (QLD) is held by Doug Ward (GU).


Throughout the life of this project we have worked closely with the Kowanyama Aboriginal

Land and Natural Resource Management Office (KALNRMO). This has resulted in joint

activities (e.g. field work), funding proposals (e.g. one failed Caring for our Country project) and

eventually will yield co-authored manuscripts. TRaCK is an official member of the Kowanyama

Wetlands Technical Advisory Group that seeks to understand environmental and cultural

values on Kowanyama Lands and how these might best be protected and monitored.

Several individuals from KALNRMO have been involved with this TRaCK project, including Viv

Sinnamon (Manager – KALNRMO), Anzac Frank (Senior Ranger) and Raven Greenwool

(Cultural Heritage Officer). This involvement has been in both planning and operation of joint

TRaCK/KALNRMO initiatives. Informal presentations about TRaCK‘s research have been given

to staff at KALNRMO during field visits.

Terms of reference have been developed for the Kowanyama Wetlands TAG, and KALNRMO is a signatory on the Indigenous research protocols agreed upon between TRaCK and the

Mitchell River Traditional Custodians Advisory Group (MRTCAG).

Researchers Bunn, Jardine, and Valdez have completed cultural awareness training (offered by

MRTCAG).


Manuscripts

Bayliss, P., Pettit, N., Warfe, D and Douglas, M. In prep. Assessing the impacts of fire and

weeds on food webs of tropical floodplains in Australia using qualitative feedback

models and Bayesian Networks. To be submitted to Ecology.

Bayliss, P., Bunn, S., Douglas, M. and Davies, P. In prep. Decadal trends in rainfall, river flow and aquatic ecosystems in northern Australia in relation to the ENSO-IPO interaction:

implications for long-term natural resource management. To be submitted to Nature.


Bayliss, P., Douglas, M. and Setterfield, S. In prep. Integrating bioeconomic models for aquatic

weed control into Bayesian Networks: a decision support tool for managing waterbird

habitats on tropical floodplains in Australia. To be submitted to Journal of Wildlife

Management.

Bayliss, P., Bartolo, R. and Pettit, N. In prep. Estimating the standing biomass of emergent

macrophytes on tropical floodplains in Australia using a Bayesian approach that

combines disparate data sources. For Wetlands Ecology and Management.

Hamilton, S.K. 2010. Biogeochemical implications of climate change for tropical rivers and

floodplains. Hydrobiologia 657: 19-35.

Jardine, T.D., Hunt, R.J., Pusey, B.J., and Bunn, S.E. In review. A non-lethal sampling method for

stable isotope studies of tropical fishes. Marine and Freshwater Research (submitted

August 2010).

Jardine, T.D., Pusey, B.J., Pettit, N.E., Hamilton, S.K., Sinnamon, V., Halliday, I.A, and Bunn, S.E.

In prep. Food web connectivity in the lower reaches of a wet-dry tropical floodplain

river. To be submitted to Ecology.

Jardine, T.D., Halliday, I.A., Sinnamon, V., and Bunn, S.E. In prep. Mercury concentrations in a

fish of commercial, recreational and cultural importance: barramundi Lates calcarifer, in

tropical north Queensland, Australia. To be submitted to Science of the Total

Environment.

Jardine, T.D., Pettit, N.E., Warfe, D.M., Davies, P.M., Douglas, M.M., and Bunn, S.E. In prep.

Consumer resource coupling in wet-dry tropical rivers. To be submitted to Oecologia.

Pettit N.E., Bayliss P., Davies P.M., Hamilton S.K., Warfe D.M., Bunn S.E. and Douglas M.M. (in

review) Seasonal contrasts in carbon resources and ecological processes on a tropical

floodplain. Freshwater Biology (submitted).

Ward, D.P. Pettit, N.E., Hamilton, S.K., Jardine, T.D., Bunn, S.E., Davies, P.M., and Douglas, M.M.

In prep. Variability in extent and duration of flooding in Australian tropical floodplains

and implications for primary productivity. To be submitted to Ecohydrology

Oral presentations

Jardine, T.D., Pusey, B.J., Pettit, N.E., Hamilton, S.K., Sinnamon, V., Halliday, I.A., and Bunn, S.E.

2010. Using multiple tissues and isotopes to resolve a complex tropical floodplain food

web. 7th International Conference on Applications of Stable Isotope Techniques to

Ecological Studies. August 7-13. Fairbanks, AK.

Hamilton, S.K., Celi, J., Jardine, T.D., Ward, D.M., and Bunn, S.E. 2010. Major solute chemistry

as an indicator of hydrology in tropical floodplains. 58th Annual Meeting of the North

American Benthological Society, June 6-11. Santa Fe, NM.

Jardine, T.D. 2009. Food webs of the Mitchell River. Mitchell River Traditional Custodian

Advisory Meeting, November 24, Cairns, QLD.


Jardine, T.D. 2009. Water, soil, plants and animals: TRaCK‘s research in the Mitchell River and

beyond. Chillagoe Post Office Hotel, November 1, Chillagoe, QLD.

Pettit, N.E., Jardine, T.D., Warfe, D.M., Douglas, M.M., Hamilton, S.K., Bunn, S.E., and Davies,

P.M. 2010. Key drivers of river and wetland food webs in Australia‘s wet-dry tropics.

58th Annual Meeting of the North American Benthological Society, June 6-11. Santa Fe,

NM.

Pettit N.E., Bayliss P., Davies P.M., Hamilton S. and Warfe D.M. (2009) Carbon budgets and

trophic dynamics on Magela Creek floodplain in tropical Northern Australia. Oral

presentation, Rivers Conference ISRS - First Triennial Meeting July 12-17, 2009 St

Petersburg Florida.

Pettit N.E., Warfe D.M., Davies P.M., Bayliss P., Douglas M.M. and Bunn S.E. (2008) Seasonal

contrasts in carbon budgets on a tropical river floodplain. Oral presentation Coast to

Coast conference 18th to 20th July 2008, Darwin Australia.

Ward, D.P, Pettit, N., Hamilton, S., Jardine, T., And Bunn, S.E. 2010, Remote Sensing Flood

Inundation Patterns in Northern Australia, Research Findings: FitzCAM, Fitzroy

Crossing, May, 2010.

Ward, D.P, Pettit, N., Hamilton, S., Jardine, T. And Bunn, S.E. 2010, Remote Sensing Flood

Inundation Patterns in Northern Australia, Research Findings: Australian Wildlife

Conservancy, Mornington Station, Kimberly‘s, May, 2010.

Poster presentations

Jardine, T.D., Hunt, R.J., Pusey, B.J., Fry, V.M., and Bunn, S.E. 2010. Fin tissue as an alternative to

muscle tissue in stable isotope studies of tropical fishes. 7th International Conference on

Applications of Stable Isotope Techniques to Ecological Studies. August 7-13. Fairbanks,

AK.

Popular media

Jardine, T., Pusey, B., Halliday, I. 2010. Big floods = big barra. Australasian Science Magazine

October issue.

Several print and radio stories about floodplains and barramundi (late May/early April 2010)

including: The Cairns Weekend Post, The Tablelander, and ABC Radio.


PROJECT 5.4 ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF URBANISATION AND

CATCHMENT DEVELOPMENT ON ECOSYSTEM HEALTH IN ESTUARIES


Project Number: 5.4

Project Title:

Assessing the effect of urbanisation and catchment

development on ecosystem health in estuaries

Project Coordinator: Dr Michele Burford


Dr Jodie Smith (GA), Dr Andy Revill (CSIRO), Prof David Parry

(CDU), Prof Eric Valentine (CDU), Ms Julia Fortune (NRETA),

Dr Dan Alongi (AIMS)


1. Project Summary

This project had two main components: assessing the effects of catchment nutrients and

sediment on water quality and productivity of a tropical estuary (Darwin Harbour); and

determining the effect of freshwater flow on estuarine productivity in the wet-dry tropics

(Norman R. estuary, southern Gulf of Carpentaria).

The first component of the study found that catchment nutrient loads were minimal on a

whole-of-harbour scale, but in some tidal creeks, sewage inputs had major effects. A model of a

creek receiving sewage was developed. The source of sediments to the harbour was also

quantified.

The second component of the study found that freshwater flow reduces estuarine productivity

in the short term with increased nutrient loads likely to stimulate coastal productivity. Coastal

saltflats also were found to be a significant source of nutrients and carbon, via algal production,

into the coastal zone.


Darwin Harbour

The objectives were to:

Synthesize the existing knowledge of the ecosystem functioning and habitats of the

Darwin Harbour ecosystem

Quantify key processes and habitats in Darwin Harbour relevant to developing quantitative ecosystem models

Assess the effect of urban nutrient inputs on ecosystem function, principally mudflats in

Darwin Harbour

Identify a suite of potential bio-indicators for assessing ecosystem health in Darwin Harbour

Gulf of Carpentaria estuary


The objectives were to:

Determine the importance of river inputs in driving estuarine productivity and species of

commercial interest

Assess the likely impacts of changes in river flow and nutrient/sediment inputs on estuarine productivity and species of commercial interest

3. Location

Focus Catchment - Darwin Harbour

Focus Catchment – southern Gulf of Carpentaria


Gulf of Carpentaria

The project found that:

Wet season flow is critical to causing floodplain and saltflat inundation, resulting in

quantified increased nutrient and carbon loads to the coastal zone

Since the coastal zone is likely to be an area of high productivity, reduction in flow will

reduce nutrient loads and hence coastal productivity

Both the magnitude and duration of flooding are key elements, and either a reduction in

wet season flows, or regulation of flow, will affect the productivity of the system.

The Norman R. estuary (140.82 °E, 17.463 °S) is a tide-dominated estuary in the southeast Gulf

of Carpentaria. It is approximately 100 km long, reaching up to Glenore Weir, approximately

20 km upstream of the township of Normanton. The tidal range of the estuary is ~3-4 m with a

diurnal tidal period. It has a relatively simple morphology, with a main river channel fringed by

intertidal mudflats, above which is a narrow strip of mangrove forest (total area is 55.24 km²,

Avicennia-dominated). Beyond the mangroves are saltflats (356 km2) which contain salt-

impregnated bare earth with patches of typical saltflat vegetation such as salt couch and

samphire. The saltflats are rarely inundated in the dry season but become flooded during the

wet season.

The Norman River is a tropical dryland river with a mean annual rainfall of 913 mm (at Normanton), with almost all the rainfall occurring in the summer wet season. The Norman

River has a mean annual discharge of 2,346,000 ML (Smith et al. 2005). In the dry season the

river is a series of disconnected waterholes, typical of southern Gulf rivers. There is little

freshwater flow from the river to the estuary at this time of year. In the wet season, there is a

dramatic increase in flow, which can result in extensive flooding of the catchment and coastal

areas.

Nutrients and algal biomass


Salinity was used as a measure of freshwater flow in the Norman R. estuary. From October to

December each year, the upstream sites in the estuary became hypersaline. In the first year

(2008/09), salinity dropped rapidly between the last sampling in December 2008 and the first

sampling in January 2009, when the wet season began. Salinity remained at zero at all sites,

irrespective of the tidal cycle, until late March 2009, when it began to increase again.

In the second six month season, the situation was similar. Salinity reached zero at the upstream

site CQ3 for an extended period from late December 2009, and for a lesser duration CQ2

(outgoing tide). Salinity at CQ1 (incoming tide) was lower than seawater but only reached zero

on one sampling occasion. This shows that tidal exchange was occurring in the second year.

Measurement of primary productivity and nutrient responses

In addition to measures of algal biomass, as chlorophyll a concentrations, primary production

was also measured in the water column (13C-uptake method) and sediment (oxygen chamber

flux method) at a range of sites and sampling occasions. This information provides a means of

assessing the relative productivity of this system compared with other tropical estuaries, and

whether algal production is affected by freshwater inputs.

Primary productivity in the water column was highest in the dry season (November 2009) and

the second wet season (February 2010) and was much lower in the first wet season (January

2009). This probably reflects the scale of the freshwater flow – in the first year the period of

freshwater flow was much longer and the volumes of water involved were much greater,

compared with the second wet season. Therefore there appears to be a threshold beyond

which primary productivity is affected.

Quantifying nutrient budgets in the Norman R. estuary

Nutrient budgets were developed for the Norman R estuary to determine how important

freshwater inputs were to promoting productivity within and beyond the estuary. Integrated

across the hydrograph, the flows down the estuary during the 2008-2009 wet season are

estimated to have delivered 4300 T of N and 800 KT of P. Over a period of 90 days, the

average rate of delivery would be 48 and 8 T d-1 of N and P which is two orders of magnitude

larger than the delivery of particulate nutrients during the dry and three orders of magnitude

larger than the rate of delivery of dissolved nutrients. Similar calculations were undertaken for

the 2009-2010 wet season with an estimated load across the 4 months of the wet season of

2500 and 400 T of N and P, respectively. These loads are of the order of half those delivered

through the previous wet season. This is comparable to another dryland tropical river, the

Fitzroy R. in Queensland, where 2450 T of N was transported out of the estuary during the

summer wet season (Webster et al. 2005).

Algal production and nutrient release on inundated saltflats

Saltflats make up a large area of the coastal habitat in the southern Gulf. In the Norman R.

system, they make up 356 km2. These saltflats are dry most of the time with flooding only

occurring on the highest astronomical tides or storm surges. There is therefore considerable

potential for these habitats to provide a food source for estuarine/freshwater organisms during

flooding. A series of experiments were conducted to determine whether inundation of coastal

saltflats resulted in algal growth and nutrient release.


The experiments showed that there was a high degree of spatial variability in algal growth and

nutrient release across the Norman R. estuary saltflats. However, there was a trend of

increasing algal biomass (chlorophyll a concentrations) across the nine days of the experiment.

Microscopic analysis showed that the algal community was two cyanobacterial genera highly

adapted to extreme environments, i.e. Phormidium and Schizothrix.

Water quality in the adjacent Flinders R. estuary

A sampling trip was undertaken to the Flinders R. estuary in the wet season of 2010 (February

2010). This estuary system is also in the southern Gulf and contributes juvenile prawns to the

southeast banana prawn fishery (NPF). The study aimed to determine how comparable the

water quality was between the Norman and Flinders R. estuaries during the wet season, and

whether inferences can be made about the effect of freshwater flows on the Flinders, and other

southern Gulf rivers, based on our understanding of the Norman River. Water quality sampling,

including TN, TP, NH4, NO2/NO3, PO4 and TSS, was undertaken in and beyond the estuary as a

comparison with the Norman R. estuary. TN, NH4, and TSS concentrations were similar

between the Flinders R. and Norman R. estuaries (samples taken within one week of each

other). However, TP, NO2/NO3 and PO4 concentrations were higher in the Flinders R. estuary

than the Norman R. estuary. This may also explain why higher TP and PO4 concentrations were

measured at the mouth of Russell Creek on the Norman R. estuary in the previous wet season.

Effect of freshwater flow on mudflat production in the Norman R. estuary

Melissa Duggan is undertaking a PhD project on the effect on freshwater flow on primary and

secondary production on intertidal mudflats in the Norman R. estuary. Previous studies have

found that meiofauna (small animals living in marine and estuarine sediments) are an important

food source for juvenile prawns (Wassenberg and Hill 1993), and her work has focussed on this

group of animals. The study aim was to examine the role benthic productivity plays in

supporting juvenile commercial prawn biomass in the estuary, and how seasonal changes to

freshwater inflow affect benthic communities.

The first year of sampling coincided with one of the largest floods on record for the Norman

River, resulting in a sudden decrease in estuarine salinity from hyper saline to freshwater in a

matter of days, and staying this way for almost three months. Such conditions had a drastic

impact on meiofauna and microphytobenthos (as measured by sediment chlorophyll a

concentrations), the two most important food sources of juvenile commercial prawns (Figs. 22,

23). Prior to flooding of the estuary, meiofauna abundance in the estuary had been declining and

microphytobenthic biomass increasing. This may be a result of juvenile commercial prawn diets

switching from mostly microphytobenthos to mostly meiofauna as they grew from juvenile to

adult size. It is also possible that steadily increasing salinity (>40) and air and water

temperatures may have had negative impacts on meiofauna and not microphytobenthos. Flooding of the estuary, on the other hand, resulted in a sudden drop in meiofauna numbers to

zero, as well as a significant drop in microphytobenthic biomass, thought to be a result of the

sudden and prolonged reduction in salinity. Experiments conducted on a number of sediment

cores where salinity was altered supports this theory.

Analysis of data from the second year of sampling shows that both meiofauna abundance and

microphytobenthic biomass peaks post-flood, possibly as a result of nutrients entering the


estuary on incoming tides after being transported through the estuary and off-shore during the

flood. High microphytobenthic biomass continues well into the dry season, with only small

reductions during estuarine flooding compared to the previous year.

These findings are significant in terms of the implications for food availability for banana prawns.

A contributing factor to prawn emigration from the estuary may, in fact, be the reduced food

availability in the estuary as salinities increased, then decreased during the wet season.

However, the negative effect of flooding is likely to be related to scale of flooding from year-to-

year as in the second year there was less evidence of a negative effect on estuarine productivity.

The implications of this research are that:

Flow resulted in increased nutrient loads originating from the catchment and saltflats. This is transported to the coastal zone and is likely to play a critical role in

promoting productivity. A proportion of these nutrients are likely to re-enter the

estuary on spring tides, supplementing estuarine productivity

Lack of food may be a key driver in causing prawn emigration, in addition to the

physiological cue of low salinity. As a result, prawns enter a zone of increased

productivity in the coastal zone. However, the degree to which catchment nutrients

stimulate productivity in the coastal zone remains unknown

Wet season flow is critical to causing floodplain and saltflat inundation, resulting in quantified increased nutrient and carbon loads to the coastal zone

Since the coastal zone is likely to be an area of high productivity, reduction in flow

will reduce nutrient loads and hence coastal productivity

Both the magnitude and duration of flooding are key elements, and either a reduction in wet season flows, or regulation of flow, will affect the productivity of

the system

Diagrammatic representation of the effect of freshwater flow on processes within the estuary and the

flow-on effects on the banana prawn

Wet season flow

Water volume

Flooding of

saltflats

Nutrient load

Catchment

nutrients

Nearshore

prim. Prod.

Food sources

(meiofauna)

Low salinity

Prawn physiol.

Prawn migration

+ve

+ve +ve

+ve

+ve -ve -ve

+ve

+vePrawns accessing

increased

nearshore prodn

+ve+ve


Effects of future catchment development

The southern Gulf of Carpentaria has been flagged by the Queensland State Government as a

region likely to have future agricultural development, including irrigated agriculture and the

potential for ponded pastures (Smith et al. 2005, Northern Australia Land and Water Science

Review 2009). The State Government has also developed a Water Resource (Gulf) Plan (2007).

An ecological assessment of the rivers for the Water Resource Plan found that the river basins

of the Gulf have had only limited development of water resources and contain an almost

negligible area of intensive land use (Smith et al. 2005). There has been, however, a range of

impacts associated with extensive land uses (predominantly rangeland cattle grazing), ecological

threats (predominantly weeds) and limited areas of intensive land and water resource use.

However, overall the rivers maintain a high level of natural integrity.

Future development of the southern Gulf could result in the following potential effects on the

river-estuary system:

Water flow regulation by building dams on or off the river system would reduce the

hydrological variability in flow essential to maintain the freshwater and estuarine

ecosystems

Water abstraction for agriculture, mining, etc. would reduce the scale of flooding during the wet season, and hence reduce the productivity of the system. Additionally, it would

reduce the refugial areas for freshwater ecosystems in the dry season

Increased intensity of agriculture would increase erosion and fertilizer application,

increasing nutrients and suspended sediment loads entering the rivers and transported

into the estuarine zones

Darwin Harbour - Buffalo Creek Hydrodynamic Model

The Buffalo Creek hydrodynamic model mesh has been redeveloped and extended to the south

of the Leanyer settlement ponds. A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was created by interpolating

survey data, which is limited due to field difficulties. Chart datum has been used for the model.

Fig.1 shows the Buffalo Creek model mesh.


Fig.1 Buffalo Creek model mesh.

Model results show that there is considerable build up of phosphorus in poorly flushed areas

close to the outfall. However the results show an artificial, radial dispersion pattern of the

contaminant.

The project quantified and ranked the biogeochemical processes most affected by sewage

nutrients in tidal creeks in Darwin Harbour. This is relevant to understanding the mechanisms underlying a reduction in water quality with sewage addition, and thresholds under which a

reduction in water quality occurs. Additionally it highlights that the compounding effect of the

biogeochemical responses, i.e. nutrients promote algal growth, which causes increased

sediment organic and nutrient loads, reducing oxygen levels, and resulting in nutrient releases

which promote algal growth.



applicable?


important? from a stakeholder/


The effect of sewage on the

ecological health of the tidal creeks

in Darwin Harbour depended both

on how much sewage was entering

the creek and how well flushed the

creeks were.

Tropical

urban centres

with sewage

discharges

into creeks

Further expansion planned for

sewage plants in Darwin is likely to

deteriorate ecological processes and

have flow-on effects to the animals

and plants living in the creek.

In Buffalo Creek, sewage had major

impacts on ecological health

Buffalo Ck,

Darwin

Provides key measures/indicators of

the effect of sewage

Model boundary

Leanyer settlement ponds

Waste water outfall and

approximate tide gauge

location.

Lee Point


of the system, as measured by a

range of biogeochemical processes

and markers.

Harbour

Major sustained flooding in the

southern Gulf of Carpentaria

dropped the salinity dramatically and resulted in migration of all

banana prawns out of the estuary.

This coincided with a reduction in

algae and meiofauna (an important

food source) on the tidal mudflats

Norman River Low salinity stress may not be the

only reason why banana prawns

emigrate out of the estuary. Reduction in food availability may

also play a role.

Saltflat experiments have shown

substantial release of nutrients as a

result of saltflat inundation, and

significant concentrations of

chlorophyll a

Norman River Maintaining floods that inundate

saltflats in important in affecting

coastal productivity. Therefore

diversion of flow/climate change may

negatively impact on inundation.

Much of the nutrient load into

Darwin Harbour as a whole is from

the ocean, due to the large tidal

exchange, rather than from river or

urban inputs. This is because the

rivers that flow into Darwin have

low nutrient concentrations with

little human impact.

Darwin

Harbour

Human impacts on nutrients in

Darwin Harbour are small on a

whole-of-harbour basis but important

in tidal creeks where there is less

flushing.


Media Reports

Press Releases

Darwin Harbour November 2007

Buffalo Creek, Darwin Harbour October 2009

Norman River, Gulf of Carpentaria study November 2009

Television Interviews

ABC News Darwin March 2008

Network 10 December 2009

Topic: Norman River, Gulf of Carpentaria study

Radio Interviews

ABC Darwin


Topic: Darwin Harbour biogeochemistry November 2007

Territory News FM November 2007

Topic: Darwin Harbour biogeochemistry

ABC Alice Springs March 2008

Territory News FM October 2009

Topic: Buffalo Creek & Darwin Harbour

Three ABC radio stations November 2009

Topic: Norman River, Gulf of Carpentaria research

Print/Newspaper

Northern Territory News November 2007

Northern Territory News November 2009

Topic: Buffalo Creek research

On-line

ABC News March 2008

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/19/2194004.htm


Presentations (Meetings/Conferences/Seminars)

Marine and Coastal Environment Day, 2008, A presentation was given at the Marine and

Coastal Environment Day at Geoscience Australia on the Darwin Harbour project. The

presentation included a brief outline of the project objectives, methods used and some

initial results. The Marine and Coastal Environment Day was held to inform GA staff of

research activities being undertaken in this field.

Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee, March 2008, Public forum - Charles Darwin University hosted by the Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee. Jodie Smith presented

initial results from Geoscience Australia, Griffith University and CSIRO from the dry

season survey. Michele Burford presented the results of a whole-of-system study done

in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Marine Science. They studied the

nutrient and carbon fluxes in Darwin Harbour.

Australian Rivers Institute, May 2008, Michele Burford gave a seminar at the Australian

Rivers Institute, Griffith University seminar series on the research conducted in Darwin

Harbour.

Coast to Coast Conference, August 2008, Michele Burford gave a synthesis talk on the

effect of rivers on tropical estuarine productivity at the TRaCK and MFSEF symposium

during the Coast to Coast conference in Darwin.

Horn Pt Laboratories, June 2009, Michele Burford gave a presentation at Horn Pt

Laboratories, University of Maryland, USA on Darwin Harbour research.

Australian Marine Sciences Association conference, July 2009, Jodie Smith gave a presentation on the Darwin Harbour studies at the Australian Marine Sciences

Association conference in Adelaide.




Raptis and Sons, August 2009, Michele Burford shared results on studies in the Norman

River estuary with Mike O‘Brien and Phil Robson of Raptis & Sons, industry

collaborators in FRDC/TRACK southern Gulf project.

Northern Gulf Resource Management Group, August 2009, Michele Burford conducted a conference call with Debbie Hanson, Northern Gulf Resource Management Group, to

provide advice and information on algal blooms in southern Gulf Rivers.

Northern Gulf Resource Management Group, October 2009, Michele Burford gave a

presentation on research in the Norman River estuary and Flinders River to the

Northern Gulf Resource Management Group AGM meeting in Mareeba (project 4.3).

Northern Prawn Fishery Management Committee, November 2009, Michele Burford gave a presentation in Brisbane on TRaCK research to the Resource Advisory Group,

Northern Prawn Fishery Management Committee (NORMAC).

River Symposium, September 2009, Michele Burford gave a presentation on the Darwin

Harbour study at River Symposium.

River Symposium, September 2009, Melissa Duggan (PhD student) gave a poster presentation on meiofaunal research in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria at River

Symposium.

MICE (Models of Intermediate Complexity Ecosystems) Workshop, March 2010.

Michele Burford and Melissa Duggan attended the MICE workshop at CSIRO Marine

and Atmospheric Research to aid in developing simple models linking flow with

foodwebs in the Norman River estuary.

Marine and Freshwater Student Symposium, May 2010, Melissa Duggan presented on meiofaunal research conducted in the Norman River estuary at the Marine and

Freshwater Student Symposium, Stradbroke Island.

American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, June 2010, Michele Burford

presented the Darwin Harbour research at the American Society of Limnology and

Oceanography conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

International Meiofauna conference, July 2010, Melissa Duggan presented at the 14th International Meiofauna conference in Ghent, Belgium on meiofaunal research being

conducted in the Norman River estuary.

North Queensland Community Groups, September 2010, Michele Burford presented on

the southern Gulf study to DERM and North Queensland community groups.

Raptis and Sons, August 2010, Michele Burford presented on the southern Gulf study to Raptis & Sons, industry collaborators in FRDC/TRACK southern Gulf project.

Scientific Publications/theses/reports

Burford, M.A., Alongi, D.M., McKinnon, A.D., Trott, L.J. 2008. Primary production and nutrients in a tropical macrotidal estuary, Darwin Harbour,

Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 79, 440-448

Smith, J., Burford, M.A., Revill, A.T., Haese, R.R., Fortune, J. 201… Effect of nutrient

loading on biogeochemical processes in tropical tidal creeks. Biogeochemistry, in review.

Muhammad Nawaz 201… Sediment Sources near the Extreme Ends of Catchment Continuum and Topographic Dependence of Denudation in a Global Context. PhD

thesis, submitted. Charles Darwin University.


Burford, M.A. Kenyon, R., Whittle, M., Curwen, G. 2010. River flow impacts on

estuarine prawns in the Gulf of Carpentaria. 2007/003. Fisheries Research and

Development Corporation Final Report, in review.

Other publications

Publication by Jodie Smith and Ralf Haese in the AusGeo News (Geoscience Australia) magazine, September, 2009, on the Darwin Harbour studies.

Article in The Gulf Chronicle written by Michele Burford, on the TRaCK project

activities on the Norman River published on 14 January 2009


PROJECT 5.5 FLOW-ECOLOGY RELATIONSHIPS FOR BIODIVERSITY AND

ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES.

TRaCK Theme: Food webs and Biodiversity

Project Number: 5.5

Project Title:

Flow-ecology relationships for biodiversity and ecosystem

processes

Project Coordinator: Peter Davies (UWA)


Danielle Warfe, Simon Townsend, Eric Valentine, Michael

Douglas (CDU), Stuart Bunn, Mark Kennard, Brad Pusey (GU),

Neil Pettit (UWA)


1. Project Summary

There is increasing interest in developing the water resources of northern Australia. However,

the ecological impacts of associated changes in flow regimes are poorly-understood for most tropical river ecosystems and this constrains the successful determination of environmental

water requirements. This project has investigated flow-ecology relationships for aquatic

biodiversity (fish) and ecosystem processes (primary productivity, carbon consumption and

food webs) across a natural flow regime gradient within three TRaCK focal catchments. This

information will be used to develop models to predict the impact of different water allocation

scenarios on aquatic biodiversity and fundamental ecosystem processes.


Improve understanding of the relationship between key attributes of the natural flow regime

and the protection and maintenance of important natural assets.

Evaluate the environmental consequences of flow alteration scenarios using risk-based assessment approaches.

Contribute to the development of environmental flow tools for northern Australian rivers.

3. Location

This project was undertaken in three of the TRaCK focal catchments: Initially in the Daly River,

and then in the Mitchell River and the Fitzroy River. It also undertook research in the Howard

River which is part of the Darwin Water Control District.

4. Target Audience(s)

State, Territory and Australian Government water resource and management agencies, e.g. QDNRW, WA DoW, NT NRETA, DEWHA, NWC

Regional NRM and planning groups, e.g. NT NRMB, Mitchell River Watershed Management

Group, Daly River Management Advisory Committee

Indigenous groups, e.g. Daly River Aboriginal Reference Group, Indigenous Water Facilitators Network


Conservation NGO‘s e.g. WWF, regional environmental centres


Seasonal food web sampling was conducted in three tributaries of the Daly River to investigate

how food webs change in response to changing flows over the seasonal hydrograph. These

rivers vary in their hydrology (from ephemeral to perennial) which provided an opportunity to

investigate how food webs and biotic assemblages change over a gradient of flow permanence,

and over the course of the annual hydrograph (i.e. over the wet and dry seasons).

Sampling was conducted in December 2008 (early wet), February 2009 (mid-wet), April-May

2009 (late-wet early-dry transition) and July 2009 (mid-dry), September 2009 (late dry),

December 2009 (early wet) and February 2010 (mid-wet). The sampling conducted during the

wet season (February 2009 and 2010) was logistically very challenging and not all sampling was

completed due to storm events and rapidly-changing water levels. Limited sampling was

conducted, focusing specifically on sampling fish movement, algal biomass, and food webs for

stable isotopes.

This research had two components: one aiming to quantify primary and secondary production

and identify times of the year where there might be peaks or troughs in this production. It

appears that the transition periods between the wet and the dry season are peak times for algal

growth, with greater biomass of benthic algae present at these periods. Invertebrate samples

were processed by CENRM (Albany, WA) and it seems that macroinvertebrate abundance also

peaks during these transition periods, but with a slight lag. Primary productivity is estimated from measurements of the metabolism (oxygen production and respiration) of benthic algae,

and appears to be highest in the late dry season, particularly in isolated waterholes – this finding

may be related to either flow isolation or may be a result of less shading at these sites.

Secondary production is estimated from the biomass (or weight) of macroinvertebrates, and

the collection of these data is completed, but analysis has not yet commenced.

The second component was to investigate patterns in the longitudinal movement of biota,

predominantly fish, that might be triggered by flow events and seasonal hydrology. It appears

that the transition periods between the wet and the dry seasons are key times for the

movement of fish, and that there is little movement during the mid-dry or mid-wet seasons.

Fish were found to move upstream in very high numbers at the beginning of the wet season,

and downstream in high numbers at the end of the wet season. This latter pattern was much

more marked in rivers which stopped flowing during the dry season. Together, these fish

movement data suggest that in tributaries, fish are able to move between refugia and habitats as

they are connected by flows.

In addition the project has achieved the following outcomes.

Workshop and report on agreed methodology for environmental flows


Conceptual and predictive models of the major factors (particularly flow regime) influencing

variation in fish assemblages in the Daly, Fitzroy and Mitchell rivers

Scientific publications on: the role of flow in determining fish communities in tropical rivers, and the role of flow in determining ecosystems processes in tropical rivers

Final workshop and report on methods, flow allocation rules

Increased knowledge on how flows influence in-stream primary production.

More comprehensive understanding of ecological water requirements of fish in the wet-dry

tropical rivers, and waterbirds on river-floodplains

Improved scientific basis for water allocation

Enhanced capacity for determining environmental water requirements for tropical rivers


Finding observation Where is

it

applicable?




90 species of fish have been

recorded from the Daly River: no

exotic species have been found, and

there are high conservation species

found on the escarpment, as well as

in downstream reaches of the main

channel. Predatory species are a

major and important component of

fish assemblages.

Daly River Fish assemblages in the Daly River are

intact and have high conservation

value.

Fish assemblages vary across the

catchment and are structured by

the interaction of landscape,

instream habitat and flow regime.

Daly River Modifications to existing flow regimes

and land-use may alter habitat diversity

and fish assemblage structure.

Habitat availability, particularly

water depth, is a key factor

structuring fish assemblages: deeper

reaches in waterholes and main

channels support large individuals

and larger species (e.g. barramundi),

whereas shallow riffle reaches

support juveniles of numerous

species (especially terapontids, e.g.

black bream)


can affect habitat availability and water

depth, and can alter fish assemblages.

Reductions in water depth can remove

key riffle habitats for juveniles, and can

reduce species diversity in deep

reaches.


Fish assemblages in intermittent

rivers and reaches are a subset of

assemblages found in perennial

reaches; intermittent reaches have

fewer species, fewer large-bodied

species, fewer large individuals and

fewer predators.


which introduce or increase the

occurrence and/or duration of

intermittency will reduce fish diversity.

Many fish species need to move

between riverine reaches for

migration, spawning and dispersal:

one third of species recorded need

to move between estuarine and

freshwater reaches for spawning

(e.g. barramundi, freshwater sole),

and one third need to move

between different freshwater

reaches for spawning (e.g. black

bream, plotosid catfish).

Daly River Structure and barriers which

disconnect river reaches and impede

the movement of fish along river

corridors will affect fish recruitment

and reduce fish abundance and

diversity.

The distance of upstream

movement by fish appears to be

limited only by flow intermittency.

Daly River Modifications to flow regimes which

introduce or increase the occurrence

and/or duration of intermittency, will restrict the movement of fish and

negatively impact on spawning and

recruitment.

Seasonal hydrology is important for

fish migration and spawning. There

are four migration ―guilds‖ of fish:

1) fish species whose juveniles

migrate upstream from estuaries

during the wet season (e.g.

barramundi, freshwater sole), 2)

species who migrate between

freshwater reaches to spawning

sites (e.g. black bream, plotosid

catfish), 3) species who migrate

between freshwater reaches during

the dry season (e.g. longtom, bony

bream), and 4) species that move

and spawn all year round (e.g.

rainbowfish, hardyheads).

Daly River Modifications to flow regimes which

introduce or increase the occurrence

and/or duration of intermittency, will

restrict the movement of fish and

negatively impact on spawning and

recruitment.

Structure and barriers which

disconnect river reaches and impede

the movement of fish along river

corridors will affect fish recruitment

and reduce fish abundance and

diversity.

Sampling over longer time periods

(i.e. more years) provides a far

more complete picture of

Daly River Multiple years of sampling are required

to properly understand fish assemblage

structure and how it varies over time


interannual changes in fish

assemblages: for example, the

abundance of predators has been

considerably greater in years 3 and

4 of sampling compared to the first

two years. Possible that fish

assemblages are returning to pre-

flood conditions after major

flooding in 2006.

and space.

Qualitative modeling of fish habitat

under future water use scenarios

indicates that water extraction will

increase the risk of habitat loss for

40 species, although some species

are at considerably higher risk than

others (e.g. black bream,

barramundi, both of which are

species of socioeconomic

importance).

Daly River Qualitative modeling of relative risk to

different species under future flow

scenarios is a useful tool for identifying

species most at risk. It is based on

available habitat-use information and

modeled flow and habitat from

selected river reaches.

Modification of flow regimes which

reduces fish habitat availability,

spawning and recruitment success,

and/or ability to move along river

corridors has the highest risk to

socioeconomically important species

such as black bream and barramundi.

Modeling of future water use

scenarios indicates that flow

reduction during the dry season will

double the risk of ―extremely low‖

abundances of black bream and

barramundi.

Daly River Scenario-evaluation modeling can

predict the risk of altered flows on

specific fish species.

Dry season flow reduction will

increase the risk of reduced

abundance of black bream and

barramundi (two socioeconomically

important species).

Wet season flows move large

amounts of woody debris,

redistributing around 50% of

aggregated wood, resulting in a high

degree of habitat turnover and

heterogeneity for instream biota

(e.g. fish, birds and crocodiles) from

year to year.

Daly River Wet season flows play an important

role in structuring habitat for instream

biota; modifications to wet season

flows can alter the turnover and

abundance of instream habitat.

The movement of fish in tributaries

is dependent on seasonal hydrology and flow regime: fish move

Daly River

tributaries

Upstream movement of fish during the

early wet season is potentially related to finding favourable habitat after the


upstream during the early wet

season, and downstream in the late-

wet/early-dry season. The

abundance of fish moving

downstream during the late-wet

season is greater in intermittent

tributaries without permanent

water, suggesting the movement is

related to finding refuge for the dry

season.

dry season. Instream barriers can

impede this movement, and

modifications to flow regimes which

delay the onset of upstream

movement, may both negatively affect

fish abundance and diversity by

reducing habitat availability.

Flows in perennial reaches go

through a clearwater phase during

the transition periods between the

wet and the dry seasons (and vice

versa) due to groundwater inputs,

particularly from calcareous

aquifers.

Daly River Clearwater phases in perennial

reaches is important for allowing the

growth of benthic algae and other

aquatic plants which provide food for

aquatic fauna including fish,

invertebrates and turtles.

The timing of the clearwater phase

depends on the ratio between the

volume of surface water and the

volume of groundwater.

Benthic algal biomass (chlorophyll a)

shows distinct seasonal peaks over

the transition periods between the

wet and the dry seasons (April) and

again between the dry and the wet

seasons (December). Algal biomass

was lowest during the mid-wet

season. Algal biomass was also

greater and sustained for longer in

perennial compared to intermittent

tributaries.

Daly

tributaries

Flowing water appears to be an

important factor regulating algal

production, which in turn is the

dominant energy source supporting

aquatic food webs. Periods of

transition between wet and dry

seasons (and vice versa) are critical

times of high algal productivity due to

clearwater phases and high light

availability. But when flows are high

and turbid during the wet season, algal

productivity is lowered.

Algal production is sustained for

longer in perennial reaches, so flow

modifications which introduce, or

increase, the occurrence of

intermittency will have negative effects

on algal production.

Benthic algal biomass is highly

variable over different current

velocities, resulting in

heterogeneous patchiness of

Daly River Benthic algae is an important energy

source for aquatic fauna. Flow

modifications which result in

narrowing of the range of current


growth over the riverbed, which

has been shown to support high

abundance and diversity of instream

fauna.

velocities (e.g. irrigation releases,

instream barriers, reduced flows) are

likely to decrease the patchiness, and

possibly the production, of benthic

algae in rivers.

Macroinvertebrate assemblages differ between patches of low and

high current velocity, with high

velocity areas (about 0.8 m/s)

supporting unique species which are

not found in other areas. However,

once velocities increase beyond

1m/s, there appears to be a decline

in macroinvertebrate abundance

and diversity.

Daly River Aquatic invertebrate fauna are sustained at high abundance and

diversity by a patchiness, or

heterogeneity, in current velocity.

Flow modifications which narrow the

range, reduce, or increase, current

velocities (e.g. irrigation releases,

instream barriers) can negatively

impact the abundance and diversity of

aquatic invertebrate fauna.


A number of papers on this project are currently being written up:

Warfe DM, Pettit NE, Garcia EA, Kyne P, Pusey BJ and Douglas MM. Seasonal hydrology and

the longitudinal movement of biota in streams of the wet-dry tropics.

Warfe DM, Pettit NE, Garcia EA, Kyne P, Douglas MM and Davies PM. Seasonal shifts in food

web structure in streams of the wet-dry tropics.

Pettit NE, Warfe DM, Garcia EA, Davies PM and Douglas MM. Shifts in benthic communities

and benthic production as a result of changing hydrology.

Pettit NE, Warfe DM, Garcia EA, Kyne P, Davies PM and Douglas MM. Material fluxes in

streams of the wet-dry tropics.

Garcia EA, Pettit NE, Warfe DM, and Douglas MM. Aquatic production supports terrestrial

food webs in the wet-dry tropics. (under Project 5.1)

Garcia EA, Warfe DM, Pettit NE, Novak P and Douglas MM. Seasonal invertebrate exchange

across the riparian-aquatic interface. (under Project 5.1)

Kyne P, Pettit NE, Warfe DM and Douglas MM. Seasonal shifts in riparian bird assemblages and

dependence on aquatic resources.

Pettit NE, Davies T, Fellman JB, Grierson PF, Warfe DM and Davies PM. Leaf litter breakdown

and the effect on stream biota and food web structure in two Australian tropical streams

(submitted to Marine and Freshwater Research).


Two visiting academics accompanied the project team on the June field trip to sample fish

assemblages in the Daly, providing a great opportunity to get insights from researchers in

related fields. Professor Kirk Winemiller (A&M University, Texas, USA) is a researcher with

many years experience in tropical rivers and floodplains in South America, and he presented

seminars at both CDU and Griffith Uni. Associate Professor Keith Gido (Kansas State

University, Kansas, USA) is a fish ecologist interested in the role of fish in riverine food webs,

and he spent two months at CDU and one month at Griffith University as part of his sabbatical.


In May 2010 a meeting took place with Kimberley Land Council field rangers in Derby to

discuss research results (see above) and possible future cooperation with the ranger groups. A

meeting was also held in Fitzroy Crossing with representatives of the Muludja, Bayulu, Bunuba

and Yiyili communities to discuss our work. Team members also presented their findings from

field surveys of the Fitzroy River to school children at the Kulkarriya Community School on

Nookanbah station in the Fitzroy River valley.

Project team members (Danielle Warfe, Doug Ward and Neil Pettit) conducted a ―roadshow‖ in the Fitzroy River catchment in May 2010, presenting the findings of the food web surveys

conducted in 2008 and the wet season 2009 as well as preliminary work on the Fitzroy River

floodplain inundation extent and duration. They presented their results to the communities

who assisted with this work including presentations to school children at Noonkanbah station,

to Australian Wildlife Conservancy field staff at Mornington Station, Kimberley Land Council

field rangers in Derby and to representatives of the Muludja, Bayulu, Bunuba and Yiyili

communities in Fitzroy Crossing.


PROJECT 5.6 FLOW IMPACTS ON ESTUARINE FINFISH OF THE GULF OF

CARPENTARIA


Project Number: 5.6

Project Title:

Flow impacts on estuarine finfish of the Gulf of

Carpentaria

Project Coordinator: Ian Halliday


QDPI&F (John Russell, Julie Robins) NT DPIFM (Blair Grace)

Griffith University (Michele Burford)

Research Organisation: Queensland DPI&F

1. Project Summary

The estuaries of Australia‘s tropical rivers support commercial fisheries for finfish and shellfish

valued at over $220 million per annum. There are also significant tourism-related and local

recreational and Indigenous fisheries for icon species such as barramundi. Development of water resources in Australia‘s Tropical Rivers region is being considered for the Flinders,

Mitchell, McArthur, Roper, Daly and Victoria catchments.

Greater knowledge of the freshwater requirements of tropical aquatic ecosystems, including

estuaries is crucial, so that the communities of catchments where water resource development

occurs can be assured that the downstream effects of such development are considered and

managed based on the best available knowledge.

Most research into the role of freshwater flows in aquatic ecosystems that support fish and

fisheries has occurred in freshwater reaches of southern Australian rivers, except for that in the

Fitzroy River Queensland, (a large dry tropical river). Conceptual models of the role of

freshwater in estuaries of the Gulf of Carpentaria (GoC) and the effects on estuarine-

dependent fisheries is based on available knowledge gained from research in the Fitzroy River

(Qld). However, these conceptual models lack confirmation of the underlying mechanisms,

mostly as a consequence of a lack of process understanding as it occurs in wet-dry tropical

estuaries. Greater knowledge of the role of freshwater flow in estuarine-dependent fisheries

production across northern Australia will allow for informed sustainable development of

tropical water resources, with minimal impacts on fisheries resources.


Analyse available datasets relevant to conceptual models, linking freshwater flow and

estuarine-dependent finfish fisheries for key catchments in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Conduct targeted research that will contribute to determining the role of freshwater in

supporting estuarine-dependent finfish fisheries in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Provide refined conceptual models and supporting information of the role of freshwater

flow in supporting estuarine-dependent finfish fisheries production to the integration

project.


Provide recommendations to water and fisheries managers on appropriate methods of

assessing the effects of flows on estuarine finfish production

3. Location

Biological samples were collected from the Flinders and Mitchell River estuaries in Queensland and the Daly and Roper River estuaries in the Northern Territory.


Queensland and Northern Territory water resources and fisheries managers ,

Regional NRM groups

Participants in the water allocation and management planning advisory panels,

Fishing and seafood industry representatives,

Scientists,

The wider community


The project found consistency amongst estuaries of higher freshwater flows being positively

correlated with fisheries catch and recruitment. This extends current research in Australian

estuaries showing the relationship to be consistent from tropical to temperate estuaries using a

number of different species.

Collections of barramundi and king threadfin have been made from the Daly, Roper, Flinders

and Mitchell rivers. Fisheries data has been fitted to hydrological data for all focus catchments.

Significant positive correlations between early wet season river flow (rainfall) and the year class

strength are evident for barramundi in the Daly River.

The project improved understanding of the influence river flows have on estuarine fish production; improved capacity to undertake valuations of the ecological assets of estuarine

reaches and freshwater related processes; and improved capacity for more sustainable water

and fisheries resource management for tropical rivers.

Outputs include conceptual models linking freshwater flow and estuarine-dependent finfish

fisheries for key catchments, and recommendations on appropriate methods of assessing the

effects of flows on estuarine finfish production.



applicable?




Coastal finfish production in terms

of catch is positively correlated with

flow through increased catchability

Tropical

north

Altered flow regimes through

anthropogenic effects such as water

infrastructure development may


within the year of the flow. impact of estuarine fisheries

resources

Recruitment of barramundi is

positively influenced by the timing of

flows.

Tropical

north

Altered timing of flow (for whatever

reason) may decrease the potential

recruitment strength of barramundi.

Early wet season flows (during

December) in the Flinders River

catchment provide the right

conditions for strong recruitment of

juvenile Barramundi spawned near

the end of the previous dry season.

Flinders Altered timing of flow (for whatever

reason) may decrease the potential

recruitment strength of barramundi.

Significant positive correlations

between early wet season river flow

(rainfall) and the year class strength

are evident for barramundi in the

Daly River.

Daly High flow events linked to increased

barramundi recruitment

No correlation was found for the

king threadfin year class strength in

the Daly River estuary.

Daly

Mercury levels from barramundi and

king threadfin from the Mitchell and

Flinders Rivers are below

recommended levels for food.

Mitchell and

Flinders

Rivers

Risk of high levels in the Mitchell

estuary due to historic gold mining.

Low levels of Hg indicates that these

concerns are currently not evident in

fish flesh.


Ian Halliday has given the following presentations:

July 2010 Presentation to water managers on climate change and barramundi populations of

the Fitzroy River with project update on Gulf of Carpentaria TRaCK project

July 2010 Australian Society of Fish Biology meeting Melbourne Wasted or Not?

August 2010 Mitchell River Traditional Custodian Advisory Group Kondaparinga, ―Flow

impacts on tropical estuarine finfish‖ 50 attendees

September 2010 Gulf of Carpentaria Commercial Fishermen Inc. Annual meeting Karumba

General Project update, 50 attendees.

November 2010 Northern Gulf Natural Resource Management Group Karumba, ―Flow

impacts on tropical estuarine finfish‖


An article ―Big Floods = Big Barras‖ on food webs and the connections to barramundi has been

printed in Australasian Science (Tim Jardine, Brad Pusey, Ian Halliday). Thor Saunders presented

project information to the NT Seafood Industry Council meeting in October 2010.


August 2010 Mitchell River Traditional Custodian Advisory Group Kondaparinga, ―Flow impacts

on tropical estuarine finfish‖ 50 attendees. This presentation was well received with many

attendees approaching me to discuss the methods (which were of most interest) and results of

the project.


PROJECT 5.7 ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW TOOLS FOR NORTHERN RIVERS

TRaCK Theme: Foodwebs and Biodiversity

Project Number: 5.7

Project Title: Environmental flow tools for northern rivers

Project Coordinator: Peter Davies (UWA) and Danielle Warfe (CDU)

Key Partner Personnel: Project leaders from Projects 2.2, 4.1-4.3, 5.1-5.7

Research Organisation: University of Western Australia

1. Project Summary

A significant focus of the biophysical research in TRaCK is to improve understanding of the

influence of natural flow regimes on natural and cultural assets and important ecosystem

processes in northern Australia‘s rivers and coasts. This project will co-ordinate and capture

data and outcomes from flow-related research across the TRaCK program. Workshops at the

outset of this project outlined approaches used in flow-related components of other projects. Regular meetings ensured ongoing co-ordination and consequently the outcomes from all

relevant TRaCK projects will be used to develop practical tools for setting environmental flows

for northern Australian rivers.


Improve understanding of the relationship between key attributes of the natural flow regime

and the protection and maintenance of important assets in tropical rivers and estuaries.

Develop practical tools for setting environmental flows for northern Australian rivers.

3. Location

This project has synthesised research from all case study catchments (Mitchell, Flinders, Daly,

Fitzroy rivers) and estuaries used in TRaCK projects, as well as drawing on information from

previous environmental flows studies in the region (e.g. Ord River EFI Project).


Territory and Federal government water management agencies, e.g. NRETA, DEH, DoW

Regional water planners, e.g. NRM, Caring For Our Country

Indigenous groups, e.g. Caring For Country, Ranger programs



This project is a synthesis project and due to similarities with synthesis and integration Projects

1.4 and 7, is included in a ―project cluster‖ with these projects. The project cluster was

designed to streamline the objectives of all three projects and prevent repetition by any one

project. The intended flow-tools of Project 5.7 were :

1. A map-based database of TRaCK flows-related work to allow access to metadata

and data by local and government agencies, NGOs and community groups. The map-

based database is being constructed under Project 1.4, and will be available as a

digital atlas which includes the locations of TRaCK work, the raw datasets, and the

metadata of all datasets to allow follow-up on individual research projects.

2. Conceptual models encapsulating the flow-ecology knowledge gained through the

TRaCK research. Initial conceptual models were designed at the beginning of the

TRaCK program, and updated at a workshop in Brisbane in December 2009, hosted

by Project 1.4. At that workshop, there was acknowledgement that flow-ecology

relationships vary according to season and position in the riverine landscape.

Consequently, the models were revised and separate models were constructed

according to season (wet season, wet-to-dry season, dry season, and dry-to-wet

season), particularly highlighting the transition periods between seasons. The models

were further split according to their spatial realm, whether they were representing

riverine reaches, floodplain reaches, or estuarine reaches. Splitting the models

allowed more information, specifically seasonal information, to be incorporated.

These models were updated at a final workshop in September 2010 (in Brisbane),

and Project 1.4 is currently readying them for delivery to end-users. Much of the

information from these workshops has been incorporated into a paper submitted to

Freshwater Biology (see below).

3. A brief statement of flows ―guidelines‖, to distill the flow-related TRaCK findings for

accessibility and use by water management and planning agencies. The major harvest of TRaCK findings, conducted by Project 7 during August 2010, was used as the

means for obtaining flow guidelines. As part of the harvest document, TRaCK

researchers were asked to translate their findings as if providing them to a water

management planning stakeholder panel. The intention here was to ensure clear-

English and correct translation of findings, and particularly, their relevance to

predictions of flow alteration. It is anticipated that these guidelines will assist water

scientists, managers and planners in appropriately addressing the ecological flow

requirements for tropical Australian rivers. The flows findings are being harvested

and will be compiled into a single document which will be accessible on the website

and in the digital atlas.

4. The ecological limits of hydrological alteration process (ELOHA) has been

determined as our integrative e-flows methods. For project 5.7, we had a workshop

in Brisbane in September 2010 on e-flows. We produced a template to facilitate

showing flow-hydrology linkages.



Much of the knowledge gained through the synthesis and integration activities of Project 5.7 has

been included in a paper describing the role of flow regimes in structuring tropical rivers and

their ecology. This paper has been reviewed and tentatively accepted by Freshwater Biology

(pending revisions).

Warfe DM, Pettit NE, Davies PE, Pusey BJ, Hamilton SK, Kennard MJ, Townsend SA, Bayliss P,

Ward DP, Douglas MM, Burford MA, Finn M, Bunn SE and Halliday IA. The ―wet-dry‖ in the

wet-dry tropics drives ecosystem structure and function of north Australian rivers.

Other publications on e-flows which have been published/submitted are:

Davies, P.M. (2010). Climate Change Implications for River Restoration in Global Biodiversity

Hotspots. Journal Restoration Ecology 18: 261-268.

Warfe D.M, Pettit N.E, Pusey B.J, Douglas M.M., Davies P.M., and Bunn S.E. (2010).

Environmental filters underpin strong spatial concordance among multiple species in tropical

Australian riverscapes. Ecosystems. Submitted September 2010.

Peter M. Davies, Stuart E. Bunn and Angela Arthington (2010). A building block approach for

environmental flows: the translation of methods. Submitted to River Research and Applications.

Danielle Warfe, Neil Pettit, Tim Jardine, Steven Hamilton, Brad Pusey, Stuart Bunn, Peter Davies and Michael Douglas (2010). Spatial variation in aquatic food web structure across

tropical riverine landscapes. Submitted to Ecology.


PROJECT 5.8 BIODIVERSITY AND HCVAE. BIOREGIONALISATION,

CONSERVATION PRIORITIES AND PREDICTIVE MODELS OF AQUATIC

BIODIVERSITY


Project Number: 5.8

Project Title:

Biodiversity and HCVAE. Bioregionalisation,

conservation priorities and predictive models of aquatic

biodiversity.

Project Coordinator: Jane Hughes

Key Partner Personnel: Brad Pusey, Mark Kennard, Arthur Georges, Damien Burrows,

Satish Choy, Damien Pinder, Chris Humphrey, Michael Douglas


1. Project Summary

Strong, cryptic patterns of biodiversity were detected in freshwater biota throughout northern Australia. In some cases these strong biodiversity patterns relate to new species our research

has discovered, whereas in other cases it relates to very genetically divergent populations

within species that have been isolated from one another for millions of years. These patterns

have been found within various species of fish, shrimp and mollusc. This means that the levels

of biodiversity, including endemism, in this region are much higher than previously recognised

and in many cases species distributions are narrower than previously recognised.

We have proposed modified freshwater bioregions for northern Australia, based on the

distribution of boundaries identified from genetic work, as well as distributional data. The

genetic approach offers the best possibilities as it informs about the amount of time that

biodiversity of particular river systems has been evolving independently.

We have assembled a comprehensive database with spatially explicit information on species

occurrence across northern Australia for a range of freshwater-dependent taxonomic groups

using data sourced from government agencies, the scientific literature, research scientists and

on-line databases. Using this data we have built predictive models of distributions of fish,

turtles, waterbirds and macro-invertebrates across northern Australia. This freshwater

biodiversity data has been used to assess conservation priorities across northern Australia.

Both the genetic and the distribution data have identified a number of areas with important

biodiversity values (e.g. high richness. endemism, genetic distinctness) which should be

prioritised for management to protect these values.


Identify indices and patterns of aquatic biodiversity

Determine the relationship between riverscape setting and patterns of biodiversity

Develop explanatory and predictive models of environmental drivers of natural patterns

of biodiversity


Produce a bioregionalisation based on aquatic vertebrate species distributions (fish and

turtles) and molecular analyses of selected vertebrates and invertebrates

Identify areas of high conservation value on the basis of biodiversity attributes

Identify the role of contemporary versus historical factors in determining patterns of

biodiversity

3. Location

This is a broad scale project that has covered as many catchments as possible across northern

Australia. For example, information on freshwater fish diversity is available for almost all major

catchments from the Kimberley to Cape York Peninsula.


National State and Territory government policy and program managers, Regional NRM groups,

regional water planners.


This project has developed a more sensible approach to bioregionalisation of northern

Australian rivers, based on aquatic biodiversity, for use by policy makers. It has identified

regions and rivers of high conservation value, on the basis of aquatic biodiversity, particularly high profile assets, such as turtles and fish, and developed models linking patterns of biodiversity

with environmental drivers.

The fish model has been be used in a conservation priority assessment of the Daly River (using

systematic conservation planning methods) and contributed to a river health assessment

(through FARWH)

Insights developed through the project fed into the Department of the Environment, Water,

Heritage and the Arts (Natural Heritage West), Workshop on Natural National Heritage

Values of Wetlands in Northern Australia, 22-23 March 2010, Darwin.

Species distribution data collated as part of this project is being used by the Queensland

Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) for an Aquatic Conservation

Assessment (ACA), using AquaBAMM and the Queensland Wetland Mapping, to assess

conservation priorities for focal catchments in the Gulf of Carpentaria Drainage Division.



applicable?


important?

Freshwater biodiversity attributes identified

using molecular methods indicate stronger

patterns of alpha and beta diversity than

currently appreciated (alpha diversity = no. species in an area, beta diversity = change in

Across

northern

Australia

Proposals to transfer water

among some catchments

represent extremely high

risks to biodiversity Potential impacts - significant


species diversity between ecosystems). In

some cases this cryptic biodiversity reflects

new species that our research has

discovered, whereas in other cases is

represents very genetically divergent

populations within species. Cryptic species

have been found within mouth almighty,

sooty grunter, hyrtl‘s catfish, glass shrimp

and mussels. Highly divergent populations

have been found within mouth almighty,

sleepy cod, spotted blue eyes, macculloch;s

rainbow fish.

loss of biodiversity through

hybridization (loss of

independent evolutionary

units), Extinction of endemic

species.

Similarly translocations of

many species between these

drainages poses significant

risks to biodiversity.

Predictive models of the distributions of

aquatic macroinvertebrates, fish, turtles and

waterbirds were developed so that complete

coverage of biodiversity data could be used

to assess and identify high conservation value

aquatic ecosystems across northern Australia

Predictive models provide

an accurate and objective

means of mapping the

distribution of aquatic biota

across northern Australia,

thus enabling conservation

value to be estimated for

areas for which little or no

data previously existed

A predictive model of fish species

distributions throughout the Daly River

catchment predicts the distribution of 41 fish

species based on relationships with key

environmental descriptors (e.g. describing

hydrology, catchment topography and

geology, climate, etc)..

Daly The model helps us to

understand the important

environmental drivers of

species distributions.

We evaluated existing regionalisation

schemes (NASY and Unmack‘s fish

bioregionalisation) . We used genetic and/or

species distribution data for fish, turtles,

waterbirds and macroinvertebrates Most

boundaries identified should be regarded as

‗fuzzy‘ boundaries, because not all species

have biodiversity break at all bioregional

boundaries. Furthemore, the bioregional

boundary at the northern catchment divide

of the Daly River should be regarded as an

‗ecotone‘ as multiple species have one or

more breaks in this area, but not always at

that exact point. Substantial heterogeneity in

biodiversity occurs within every bioregion

we identified. A new freshwater

Tropical

north

The present reserve system

(National Parks, Declared

Wild Rivers) may capture

only a subset of the major

elements of freshwater

biodiversity in Northern

Australia


bioregionalisation for northern Australia has

been performed, although there are still

significant knowledge gaps as to the location

of some bioregion boundaries, in the

Kimberley. Further work needs to be done

to extend this to other taxonomic groups.

We have used the species distribution

models to generate maps of biodiversity

attributes and identify conservation priority

areas.

Tropical

north

Genetic work identifies drainages, or groups

of drainages, that have high levels of

endemism, including the Daly River and

rivers of the northern Kimberley.

Tropical

north

Times of various population splits have been

dated, and most are much more ancient than

predicted by theories pertaining to the role

of Lake Carpentaria as a conduit for

freshwater fish dispersal during the last

glacial maximum.

Tropical

north

The following freshwater species distribution datasets have now been compiled for use in

predictive modeling, bioregionalisations and biodiversity assessments:

o Fish (280 taxa, 24,000 records, 5,300 locations)

o Turtles (23 taxa, 17,040 records, 1,770 locations

o Waterbirds (232 taxa, 320,000 records, 5,800 locations)

o Aquatic macroinvertebrates (123 taxa, 11,598 records, 343 locations)

The following environmental datasets have now been compiled for use in predictive modeling,

bioregionalisations and biodiversity assessments:

o Spatial units and Hydrosystems for which environmental data has been collated and attributed:

Nested catchments & subcatchments (based on the Pfafstetter coding system using

catchments derived from the 250k DEM, Fenner School of Environment and Society,

ANU)

Riverine (250k DEM derived and attributed drainage network (streamlines) (version 3),

Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU)

Lacustrine (GEODATA 250k)

Palustrine (GEODATA 250k)

o Environmental data (and sources of information) includes:


Climate (Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU)

Flow regime (Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU)

Geology/soils (GA surface geology, CRCH Soil Hydrological Properties)

Vegetation (NVIS)

Terrain/topography (Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU)

Hydrography (GEODATA 250k, Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU)

River Disturbance Index (updated from Stein et al 2002)


Publications:

Cook, B.D., Page, T.J. & Hughes, J.M. (in review) Molecular and conservation biogeography of

freshwater caridean shrimps in the Kimberley Region of north-western Australia. In

Schubert et al. (ed.) Phylogeography and Population Genetics in Crustacea.

Cook, B.D., Kennard, M.J., Pusey, B.J. & Hughes, J.M. (2010) Delineation of freshwater

bioregions in northern Australia. In Kennard, M.J. (ed) Identifying high conservation

value aquatic ecosystems in northern Australia. Final Report for the Department of

Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and National Water Commission. Charles

Darwin University, Darwin.

Cook, B.D., Kennard, M.J., Real, K., Pusey, B.J. & Hughes, J.M. (in press) Landscape genetic

analysis of the tropical freshwater fish Mogurnda mogurnda (Eleotridae) in a monsoonal

river basin: importance of hydrographic factors and population history. Freshwater

Biology.

Cook, B.D. & Hughes, J.M. (2010) Historical population connectivity and fragmentation in a

tropical freshwater fish with a disjunct distribution (pennyfish, Denariusa bandata). Journal

of the North American Benthological Society 29: 1119-1131.

Cook, B.D., Unmack, P.J., Theusen, P. & Hughes, J.M. (in preparation) Statistical tests of

vicariance within co-distributed freshwater fishes with disjunct distributions in northern

Australia: simultaneous or sequential isolation. For submission to Evolution

Cook, B.D., Adams, M., P.B. Mather, Hughes, J.M. (in preparation) Molecular biogeography of

the mouth-brooding freshwater fish Glossamia aprion (Apogonidae) in Australia:

statistical phylogeographic analyses of the ‗Lake Carpentaria hypotheses‘. For submission

to Systematic Biology

Cook, B.D., Georges, A., Kennard, M.J., Pusey, B.J. & Hughes, J.M. (in preparation) Molecular-

based bioregionalisation of tropical freshwater biota in northern Australia: linking

conservation units with evolutionary history. For submission to Diversity and Distributions.

Hughes, J.M., B.D. Cook, B. J. Pusey , M.J. Kennard and P.B. Mather. (in preparation)

Phylogeographic analysis of six widely distributed freshwater fish species across

northern Australia. For submission to Molecular Ecology


Kennard, M.J., Ward, D., Stein, J., Pusey, B., Cook, B., Hermoso, V. (2010). Key findings,

knowledge gaps and recommendations for future development of the HCVAE

framework. In Kennard, M.J. (ed) Identifying high conservation value aquatic ecosystems

in northern Australia. Final Report for the Department of Environment, Water,

Heritage and the Arts and National Water Commission. Charles Darwin University,

Darwin.

Olden, J.D., Kennard, M.J., Leprieur, F., Tedesco, P.A., Winemiller, K.O. & García-Berthou, W.

(2010). Conservation biogeography of freshwater fishes: recent progress and future

challenges. Diversity and Distributions. DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2010.00655.

Olden, J.D., Kennard, M.J., Poff, N.L. & Lawler, J.J. (2010). Challenges and opportunities for

implementing managed translocation to mitigate the threat of climate change to

freshwater biodiversity. Conservation Biology. In press.

Pusey, B.J. & Kennard, M.J. (2009). ―Chapter 3 – Aquatic ecosystems of northern Australia‖. In:

Northern Australia Land and Water Science Review (ed. P. Stone). Final report to the

Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce. CSIRO Publishing.

Presentations:

Cook, B.D. & Hughes, J.M. (2009) Landscape evolution and monsoonal ecology as drivers of

phylogeographic patterns in north Australian freshwater fish. Annual meeting of the

North American Benthological Society, Grand Rapids, Michigan. 2009.

Kennard, M.J. (2010). ―Northern Australia Aquatic Ecological Assets Project‖. Lake Eyre Basin

HCVAE Pilot Project: Technical Working Group Workshop. Alice Springs, Australia. January,

2010

Kennard, M.J. Chan, T., Hart, B.T., Douglas, M.D., Pusey, B.J. & Jackson, S. (2009).

―Environmental water requirements and ecological risk assessment of fish in the Daly

River‖. 12th International Riversymposium, Brisbane, Australia. September, 2009.

Kennard, M.J. (2009) ―Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment & Conservation planning‖.

Queensland Government Chief Scientist, Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge information

session, 3rd September, 2009, Brisbane, Australia


Sampling in the Kimberley was undertaken in conjunction with the KLC and at least ten local

Indigenous rangers. Ten Indigenous rangers were employed on this project to assist with field

sampling in the Kimberley.


PROJECT 6.1 ESTABLISHING WATER MARKETS IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA:

A STUDY TO ASSESS FEASIBILITY AND CONSEQUENCES OF MARKET-

BASED MECHANISMS OF WATER DELIVERY

TRaCK Theme: Sustainable enterprises

Project Number: 6.1

Project Title:

EXAMINING THE FEASIBILITY AND VIABILITY OF WATER

MARKETS IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

Project Coordinator: Professor Quentin Grafton, ANU

Key Partner Personnel: Dr William Nikolakis, post-doctoral fellow, ANU

Research Organisation: Australian National University

1. Project Summary

The project has examined institutional arrangements to water markets across northern

Australia, where we identified different approaches and pace of reform in jurisdictions. The

National Water Initiative has been a framework for improving water management in

jurisdictions with water trading as an important tool in reforms, however, the necessity and

conditions for markets were not always present. In saying this it was emphasised that getting

the institutional and policy conditions right up front it is important (as opposed to attempting

to retrofit policy and institutional framework to improve outcomes). The project also

examined stakeholder attitudes and values to water markets across northern Australia. 120

respondents were surveyed with consistent values such as environmental integrity, sustainability

and social justice important to stakeholders surveyed.


1. Understand present laws and other institutions for water management in north

Australian jurisdictions and analyse their implications for water trading.

2. Understand attitudes of stakeholders (including Indigenous stakeholders) and the values

they bring to water management systems and decisions.

3. Consider biophysical influences on design and scale of markets and their implications for

efficient trading.

4. Consider the implications of significant Indigenous entitlements in water which may not

be permanently tradeable.

5. Analyse present barriers to efficient markets and present ways of overcoming these

barriers where appropriate. 6. Analyse the socio-economic implications of open water markets in north Australia.

3. Location

Entire TRaCK region. Research was undertaken across all north Australian jurisdictions, their

capitals and some regional centres (such as Cairns, Katherine and Kununurra) and Canberra.


4. Target Audiences

The audience for all three reports includes academics (with an interest in water, regional and

Indigenous economic development and natural sciences), policy makers and resource decision

makers, managers in water dependent enterprise, Indigenous representatives, and NGO‘s.


Analysis of institutional arrangements for water markets: This report involved in depth

interviews with 42 experts and opinion leaders on the development of water markets. We

found that each jurisdiction is at different stages in developing water markets and that there is

very little (to no) trading across the north. Interviewees emphasised that consumptive uses and

water availability are not at a stage where markets are necessary (such as a situation of over-

allocation to consumptive uses). However, it was emphasised that it may be important to set

the market framework in place to avoid a situation (such as the Murray Darling Basin) where

water was over-allocated to consumptive users. This is reflected in the pre-cautionary approach

to the development of water markets and the emphasis on planning in the tropical belt.

Identify stakeholder attitudes and values to the development of water markets: This

work involved a mixed survey of 120 representatives from industry, Indigenous, government

and recreational user groups across, with structured interviews conducted in Cairns,

Burketown, Darwin, Katherine, Broome, Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing. We found that there

was general support for water markets across the north, but with caveats such as the

protection of the environment and cultural values, as well as meaningful involvement of

Indigenous groups. There were concerns about unbundling land and water and treating water as

a tradable commodity. It was also identified that respondents saw water management as

inefficient (but sustainable) as well Indigenous groups thought water management not to be

equitable.

An assessment of the potential costs and benefits of water markets across northern

Australia with consideration of efficiency, equity and effectiveness criteria. The

report provides that there are preconditions for a water market to be effective. Important is

for there to be low to medium transactions costs. The potential for high and increased

transactions costs is significant across northern Australia due to unresolved Indigenous rights

and interests to water. There is the potential in northern Australia for environmental impacts

from trade, including increased salinity in-stream; water logging from more on-farm use;

saltwater intrusion because of reduced flows; and during the dry increased nutrient loads could

threaten the health of rivers. These issues can be addressed through management efforts.

Efficiency is key aim of water markets.

Any assessment of efficiency of water markets, however, requires more than simply a

comparison of quantified private costs and benefits. Any assessment of efficiency in the north

must seek to integrate customary or ecological values, but it is acknowledged that this is

complex as these values are intangible and difficult to quantify. In the north, equity should be

given increased prominence because there is a significant Indigenous population in the region

who are subject to chronic socioeconomic disadvantage. Non market approaches may be more


appropriate in some areas than markets. A blend of approaches to allocating water may be

more suitable. There is a growing trend in water management for increased collaboration and

stakeholder driven governance approaches. Collaborative efforts provide a structure for

stakeholders to develop rules over allocation and management of water, as well rules for

enforcement and compliance. Efforts will be required to include Indigenous interests in

collaborative approaches to be successful.


Publications

Two reports have been completed and made available by TRaCK. The final report has been

submitted. Several drafts have been developed for journal articles. Information has also been

provided in NAILSMA and TRaCK publications.

Presentations

The work has been presented at TRaCK presentations, as well as a presentation at the

Crawford School entitled ―Stakeholder attitudes and values to water markets across northern

Australia‖ (5 Oct 2010 available at http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/media/video/ ) and a

presentation for Nov 22 at the Australian National University, entitled ― Assessment of the

costs and benefits of water markets across northern Australia.

Events

Field work was undertaken from February to June 2009 and Sept 2009 to Feb 2010 across

northern Australia and in capital cities of northern jurisdictions, and Canberra.


The project brief was developed with input from NAILSMA, informed by issues raised by the

Indigenous Water Policy Group. NAILSMA CEO Joe Morrison has provided important input

into the direction of the study, informing the design of survey and providing feedback on

preliminary results. NAILSMA staff and the Indigenous Community Water Facilitators Network

played an important role in facilitating community access and presenting results of the study to

communities.

http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/media/video/


PROJECT 6.2: INDIGENOUS RIGHTS IN WATER IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

TRaCK Theme: Sustainable enterprises

Project Number: 6.2

Project Title: Indigenous rights in water in northern Australia

Project Coordinator: Lorrae MacArthur

Key Partner Personnel: Michael O‘Donnell


1. Project Summary

This project covers the gamut of laws applicable in northern Australia that recognize and affect

Indigenous rights and interests in relation to onshore or inland waters both surface and

subterranean. This includes both Federal law and the law of the provincial jurisdictions of

Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.


1. Review and analyse the manner in which existing State, Territory and Federal law treat

Indigenous interests in water

2. Examine the compatibility of present State and Territory law to the National Water

Initiative, particularly as it relates to Indigenous interests and rights in water or assets

affected by water management.

3. So far as possible, consider implications of proposals for revision of water law in

northern Australian jurisdictions, especially provisions under consideration for treating

Indigenous interests and including potential for Indigenous allocations from the

consumptive pool. 4. Consider implications of recent and proposed amendments to the Aboriginal Land

Rights (Northern Territory) Act for Indigenous interests in water.

5. Where practicable and useful, illustrate analysis with at least one existing or emerging

water allocation scenarios (e.g. the Katherine Water Allocation Plan) and their legal

implications for owners of Indigenous lands and holders of native title interests within

water allocation districts.

6. Examine implications of recent court decisions, including the High Court‘s (August

2008) decision on Blue Mud Bay.

7. In conjunction with economic studies of the role of markets in management of water

entitlements, consider the legal implications of markets for Indigenous interests and

rights.

3. Location


The project was based out of Darwin but trips were undertaken to Indigenous Water Policy

Group meetings in Cairns, Broome, Kununurra and Darwin and a TRaCK Meeting in Brisbane,

which relevantly allowed access to the major government and Indigenous people relevant to the

terms of reference.


The key issues discussed and analysed by the project include:

the scope of the legal recognition by Australian law of traditional law and custom in relation to water with particular reference to native title law and land rights legislation

in northern Australia;

the relevance and impact of water management legislation; Indigenous heritage

protection laws, legislation that recognizes statutory rights of traditional usage of

waters and environmental legislation;

foundational legal issues concerning the legal status of ―natural‖ waters and the universal vesting in the Crown of the right to the use and control of water;

compliance with the National Water Initiative with respect to Indigenous interests;

the implications of recent amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory)

Act, 1976;

the implications for native title holders of new water plans in Katherine (NT) and the

La Grange area of the West Kimberley in Western Australia;

the implications of recent court decisions, including the High Court‘s (August 2008)

decision in Blue Mud Bay in the Northern Territory;

the legal implications of markets for Indigenous interests and rights; and

proposals for revision of water law in northern Australian jurisdictions especially in

relation to an Indigenous specific allocation from the consumptive pool.

Australian law currently recognizes in certain circumstances Indigenous rights to take and use

water for non-commercial purposes. There is an emerging native title jurisprudence concerning

a right to trade, which potentially could include water in the future. Native title law and land

rights legislation recognises an Indigenous right to control access to water but not the

ownership of water.

Amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act, 1976 in recent years have had

little practical impact on Indigenous rights to water. The Blue Mud Bay case in the Northern

Territory provides for Indigenous control over access to the waters and land of the inter-tidal

zone but only in relation to grants of freehold title made under the Aboriginal Land Rights

(Northern Territory) Act, 1976 in the Northern Territory. It does not apply in relation to

determinations of native title Implementation of the National Water Initiative with respect to

Indigenous interests is incomplete and not fully reflected in water management legislation.

A range of diverse legislation protects Indigenous cultural and subsistence interests in relation

to water mostly on a discretionary basis and includes Indigenous heritage protection laws,

legislation that recognizes statutory rights of traditional usage and environmental legislation.


There is an emerging consensus concerning the need to establish an Indigenous specific

allocation from the consumptive pool sometimes called a Strategic Indigenous Reserve (SIR)

and the recognition of the importance of the right to a cultural flow in water planning. The

practical and legal details of an SIR and right to a cultural flow remain to be worked out which

constitutes a significant barrier to the effective implementation of both concepts.

The project has assisted stakeholders in relation to the nature of Indigenous rights in water and

the ongoing implementation of the National Water Initiative, current reviews of water

management legislation in the Northern Territory and Western Australia and the Indigenous

Water Policy Group. This is especially so in relation to the recognition of native title rights to

water in water planning, a Strategic Indigenous Reserve (SIR) and an Indigenous right to a

cultural flow in water planning.


Final Report, Fact sheet, presentations at Indigenous Water Policy Group Meetings, NAILSMA

water facilitators conference, TRACK meeting with other theme groups and within theme and

at National Native Title Representative Bodies Conference June 2009, Melbourne. Peer review of report completed in publishable form. Further presentations of results and two articles

finalised will take place in 2011.

Potential beneficiaries of ―outputs‖ include Indigenous people, Land Councils, NAILSMA and

IWPG, Federal and provincial governments and academia. Specifically engaged with IWPG at a

number of meetings presenting findings and receiving feedback and involved in discussions

around recognition of Indigenous rights at practical and policy level.


The project will assist all stakeholders in relation to the nature of Indigenous rights in water

and the ongoing implementation of the National Water Initiative, current reviews of water

management legislation in the Northern Territory and Western Australia and the Indigenous

Water Policy Group. This is especially so in relation to the recognition of native title rights to

water in water planning, a Strategic Indigenous Reserve (SIR) and an Indigenous right to a

cultural flow in water planning.

Attendance at five Indigenous Water Policy Group Meetings to present research and findings as

the research proceeded and receive feedback; presentation at NAILSMA water facilitators

conference and presentation at the National Native Title Representative Bodies Conference

June 2009, Melbourne.


PROJECT 6.3 DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION AND

SUSTAINABLE USE ECONOMY IN ARNHEM LAND

TRaCK Theme: Sustainable Enterprises

Project Number: 6.3

Project Title:

Developing an effective conservation and sustainable

use economy in Arnhem Land: options for payment for

environmental services.

Project Coordinator: Jon Altman ANU - AEPR

Key Partner Personnel: Nanni Concu ANU-CAEPR, Jennifer Koenig ANU-CAEPR

Research Organisation: The Australian National University

1. Project Summary

Much of the Indigenous estate in north Australia is either thinly populated or unpopulated.

There is emerging evidence that, in situations where Indigenous people live on their country,

ecological and wider benefits are generated via favourable fire regimes, control over weed

infestations, and potentially through feral animal harvesting. When people are on country, they

generate economic benefit for themselves by harvesting wildlife for consumption and engage

with the market sector by using natural resources in commercial enterprise like arts and crafts

production.

This research project has quantified the environmental needs and costs of environmental

management in two contexts, the Mann-Liverpool riverine environment in central Arnhem

Land, where the Djelk IPA is to be declared in September 2009, and the coastal area of the

Dhimurru IPA.


The research assessed both prospects and time frames for developing a NRM-based economy in these habitats at a time when there is considerable policy debate about on-country and off-

country employment prospects.

This resulted in better informed decision-makers in community, business and government

regarding payment for ecosystem services to support regional economies.

The removal of many barriers to enhanced and innovative Indigenous participation in such

activities, and equitable public support, if required, should facilitate sustainable economic

development options that are compatible with Indigenous priorities, while ameliorating

Indigenous disadvantage.

3. Location

The project focused on a river catchment, the Mann-Liverpool in central Arnhem Land, near

Maningrida and a coastal area in the region of the Dhimurru IPA in north east Arnhem Land.

These regions are within the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Land Trust and falls under the


jurisdiction of Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation and its Djelk Land and Sea Rangers and the

Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation respectively.


Government agencies and departments;

Private businesses and commercial enterprises;

Non-governmental organisations and no-profit institutions;

Community organisations, local service providers and other non-commercial Indigenous

institutions such as Indigenous Rangers;

Scholars and research organisations.


The most important finding is the impressive range of environmental and cultural protection

activities Indigenous land managers in the study areas are carrying out. These activities span

from people management to feral animal control and prescribed early season burning.

Indigenous land managers are carrying out these activities on behalf of their kin and family,

hence fulfilling their cultural responsibility to take care of their country.

Some of these activities are also part of contractual arrangements Indigenous land managers

have stipulated both with public agencies and private companies. Indigenous land managers

provide services with direct and indirect environmental outcomes, and buyers commit to

purchase these services under different contractual schemes. For instance, the West Arnhem

Land Fire Abatement (WALFA) project is a 17-year contract between Indigenous land managers

and a private energy company for the provision of carbon offset through strategic fire

management in the Djelk and Warrdeken Indigenous Protected Areas. The Australian

Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), on the other hand, contracts Indigenous land managers

on a year-to-year basis for monitoring weeds, insects, and marine debris.

To transform protection and conservation activities into a set of sustainable commercial

opportunities, it is necessary to provide the scientific data linking these activities to measurable

environmental outcomes and hence ecosystem services that can be sold in the market. This

requires investing in basic scientific research as well as improvements in monitoring and

reporting. The WALFA project, for instance, is the result of long term studies in the effect of

fire in the tropical savannas. It is also supported by an advanced fire monitoring system designed

by the collaborative effort of several public agencies. Similar research and collaboration are

needed to establish baseline information on the impacts of Indigenous management on

biodiversity, target species, cultural conservation, and water quality.

Remarkable similarities and differences characterise the two IPAs. Both have a well-resourced

Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger organisation, but better information on the actual condition of the environment is needed in both IPAs.. While they have abundant Indigenous knowledge, this

needs to be integrated with non-Indigenous science to provide the baseline information

necessary to assess the environmental impacts of their activities.

Dhimurru Rangers focus mainly on managing non-Indigenous people residing in the mining town

of Nhulunbuy. Dhimurru‘s people management aims at protecting sites of cultural and


environmental significance. Djelk Rangers are mostly involved in weeds and feral animal control,

strategic fire management, and sea patrol for monitoring fishing activities.

For Dhimurru, the recreational sector is probably the best avenue for a sustainable use

economy; Djelk seem to be better equipped to expand their role as environmental service

provider, especially in the field of credit for biodiversity conservation.

For both Dhimurru and Djelk, the lack of a framework on environmental service provision,

such as a carbon trading scheme, is creating an uncertain commercial environment that hinder

or delay investments for sustainable use economies.

Indigenous land managers should improve their ability to monitor and report on environmental

outcomes; potential environmental service buyers need to be confident the activities they fund

are having quantifiable environmental outcomes.

Indigenous land managers need the government to support basic scientific research in the two

IPAs in order to create the baseline data to assess the impact of Indigenous management

activities.

A sustainable use economy needs a proper framework creating markets for environmental

services; a carbon credit trading scheme and a biodiversity credit scheme, for instance, are necessary for Indigenous land managers to invest in these sectors

Project outcomes include:

Description of the range of environmental and cultural assets requiring management in the study areas;

List of targets for condition of environmental and cultural assets, based on stated goals of

government, interested NGOs, and local organisations, including potential purchasers of

environmental services;

Assessment of existing and emerging influences/threats on/to status of ecosystem services and values;

Cost estimation for securing ecosystem services and values over the long term and on a

sustainable basis, assuming delivery by local people;

Description of benefits of delivering and protecting ecosystem services and other values in the study areas.

Model for strategic economic development on Indigenous held lands.

Guidelines for NRM based economic development and Indigenous engagement.

Improved communication leading to increased uptake by Indigenous people considering potential NRM based development on Indigenous lands.

Detailed case study linking development strategies with information on governance,

capacity development and existing or emerging NRM based initiatives.


Dr. N. Concu attended the TRaCK workshop on behalf of the team working on project 6.3.

Dr. Concu presented the findings of the project, and participated in the discussion of options

for integration and synthesis of the TRaCK findings.


Dr. Concu completed three publications that currently are under reviews. The first publication

titled ―Indigenous development through Payments for Environmental Services in Arnhem Land,

Australia: a critical analysis‖, was submitted to the journal ―Development and Change‖ in

December 2010. A second paper under review was submitted to ―The Geographical Journal‖

also in December 2010. This paper titled ―A scale analysis of Australia‘s Indigenous Protected

Areas‖ was written in collaboration with K. May from CAEPR. A third paper has been

submitted in June 2010 to the editors of the Indigenous Participation in Australia‘s Economies

Conference Proceedings.

Dr Concu presented the results of the study at two international conferences: the International

Conference of the Ecological Economics Society in Bremen-Oldenburg, Germany (23rd-26th

Aug) and the Littoral 2010 Conference in London (21st-23rd Sept).

On the 12th Oct 2010, Dr. Concu gave a seminar presentation about the findings of the TRaCK

project 6.3 at the Crawford School, ANU. A paper from the presentation is undergoing final

revision for submission for publication.


The research team closely worked with Indigenous Rangers and Traditional Owners to refine

data collection procedures, develop the visitors‘ survey, and coordinate data gathering.


TRaCK PROJECT 6.4: DEVELOPMENT OF A HOLISTIC SUSTAINABLE

INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOODS PLAN FOR THE ARCHER RIVER BASIN CAPE

YORK

TRaCK Theme: Sustainable Enterprises

Project Number: 6.4

Project Title:

Development of a holistic sustainable Indigenous livelihoods

plan for the Archer River Basin, Cape York

Project Coordinator: Lorrae McArthur

Research Organisation: NAILSMA

1. Project Summary

The Archer River is found on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. Recent

community consultations reveal widespread support among Archer River Basin Traditional

Owners and their supporting organisations for TRaCK to co-ordinate a participatory, action-

based research project that will lead to the development of a holistic basin-wide sustainable

Indigenous livelihoods plan.

The plan has been developed in a step-wise process, in the first instance engaging with a

number of sub-basin, local, capacity-building initiatives:

1. In the upper reaches. The Coen area and Toolka Land Trust, focusing on supporting the

Working on Country ranger group being facilitated by Balkanu to define opportunities,

priorities and direction in relation to sustainable Indigenous livelihoods focusing on


2. In the middle reaches. Mungkan Kandju National Park, focusing on supporting the

Indigenous people involved in the joint management negotiations to define

opportunities, priorities and directions for sustainable Indigenous livelihoods focusing on


3. In the lower reaches. The Aurukun Wetlands, focusing on documenting and supporting

partnership-building and local governance for the area and defining opportunities,

priorities and directions for sustainable Indigenous livelihoods in co-operation with

various initiatives relevant to the Aurukun Wetlands such as the Aurukun Waterways,

Wetlands and Coastal Management Plan that is being facilitated by Wik Projects Ltd.


The Case Study, through a participatory, action-based research approach, developed strategies

to:

Support best practice management of country;

Support sustainable Indigenous livelihoods on country; and

Develop a whole-of-basin sustainable livelihoods plan through a step-wise process.


3. Location

The project focused on the Archer River on Cape York Peninsula.


Indigenous people and organisations

Government agencies and departments;

Non-governmental organisations and no-profit institutions;

Community organisations, local service providers and other non-commercial Indigenous

institutions such as Indigenous Rangers;

Scholars and research organisations.

5. Project Achievements and Outcomes

The project has achieved the following outcomes:

Support of local capacity-building initiatives that contribute to sustainable Indigenous

livelihoods.

Exploration of other sustainable Indigenous livelihood opportunities.

Facilitation of partnerships to enhance local capacity-building initiatives.

Identification, capacity development and enhancement of Indigenous decision making structures at the various levels including the basin wide level.

Development of a holistic basin-wide sustainable Indigenous livelihoods strategic plan.

Documentation of local capacity-building initiatives contributing to sustainable Indigenous livelihoods

Strategies to contribute to sustainable Indigenous livelihoods through best practice natural

resource management

Identification, capacity development and enhancement of Indigenous decision-making structures at the various levels including the basin-wide level.

Lower Reaches

The Journey – getting on the road – small steps

A scoping report initiated by the Apalech clan of the Aurukun Wetlands area which was

completed in August 2009 and identified the Aurukun Wetlands area as a potential case study

site, and recommended support be focused on progressing the Draft Aurukun Wetlands

Management Plan. Traditional owners indicated that for the southern part of the wetlands they

had little involvement in the development of this draft plan. In workshops held in November

2009 traditional owners commenced discussing and formulating their own aspirations for

country, culture and livelihoods at smaller clan/country scale.


Based on this feedback in January 2010 Balkanu worked with traditional owners from Aayk, all

Apalech ritual clan group members, which is one of five clan country areas within the wetlands

to develop a scoping report for sustainable livelihoods options on their country.

As this report was being completed, traditional owners from Aayk discussed this process they

were embarking on with neighboring clan groups, and through these discussions the

neighboring families from the Wanam, Winychanam and Puch clans indicated their desire to

form an alliance and work as one to progress their collective sustainable livelihoods aspirations

and Indigenous-led caring for country programs. Based on this feedback the case study area of

interest was modified again to accommodate this broader group of traditional owners and their

estates.

The first property scale workshop based on this refined area of interest was held in early

October 2010 with Southern Wik Traditional Owners on country at a Winychanam homelands

site, Stoney Crossing. The workshop focused on further developing their ideas of an alliance

and in particular around the establishment of the local traditional owner enterprise Aak Puul

Ngantam (APN) as a vehicle for social, economic, cultural and environmental development that

incorporated appropriate governance and decision making processes. A community newsletter

was created communicating the outcomes of this meeting and other key activities called Yuk

Maak (message stick).

A follow up workshop and one on one interviews were conducted by the project team during

the week starting November 23rd in Aurukun and the Thum Noohm (fire management) Steering

Committee established comprised of one elder and one other family member from each family

within the Southern Wik Estates, consisting of 36 traditional owners. The Thum Noohm

Steering Committee.

Approximately 40 traditional owners attended the Stoney Crossing meeting, with 100+

traditional owners attending at least one of the evening meetings held in Aurukun in November

and a further 42 traditional owners (mainly elders unable to attend) met with the project team on a one on one basis. An outcome report and paper from these meetings has been drafted and

further discussions planned throughout April to discuss this draft with Thum Noohm Steering

Committee and develop clear guidelines for its release as a whole or in component parts as

public documents.

Critically at these meetings Traditional Owners decided to establish APN as a vehicle for social,

economic, cultural and environmental initiatives on their country. The Thum Noohm Steering

Committee was tasked by traditional owners to guide the establishment of APN. Once APN is

established Thum Noohm is envisaged by traditional owners to continue to play a key role as

navigator for the new organisation with the Board driving the institution.

In addition to guiding the establishment of APN the Thum Noohm Steering Committee was

also tasked with progressing key initiatives identified by the broader traditional owners

including:

- Land and Sea Management Ranger Service

- Country and Culture program

- A commercial cattle venture and


- A commercial tourism venture

A vehicle for the journey towards Southern Wik Sustainable Livelihoods - APN

Establishment

In January 2010 Business Mapping Solutions was contracted through the Archer River TRaCK

project to further build on their previous pro-bono support of Southern Wik Traditional

Owners relating to incorporation and governance.

At a Thum Noohm Steering Committee meeting held 16-17 March Traditional Owners started

discussing and developing draft rules/protocols for how they as families and clans will work

together and form a partnership through APN establishment.

This was followed by a further Thum Noohm Steering Committee Meeting at which Margot

Richardson from BMS, facilitated a discussion around a constitution for APN based on these

previous workshop the week before and the establishment of an interim board.

Discussions with the PBC and the Aurukun Shire Council as legal land holders for the Southern

Wik are being progressed in parallel to enable APN once established to have management

rights to their country for the range of activities identified in the planning work to date.

Land and Sea Management Ranger Service

With the support of Balkanu through the Archer River TRaCK project, a CFOC funded project

was secured providing the seed funding for the Ranger Service. This project commenced in

January providing resources for Southern Wik Traditional Owners to commence implementing

priority on ground management actions arising from the planning workshops relating to

improved management of the Holroyd High Conservation Aquatic Ecosystem.

This seed funding will provide critical resources for a casual ranger pool, under the direction of

the Thum Noohm Steering Committee and enable operationalising of emerging partnerships

with:

Cape York Sustainable Futures Initiatives in relation to Fire Biodiversity, and turtle predation

Cape York Weeds and Feral Animal Program in relation to Parkinsonia and feral pig

control

CSIRO in relation to biodiversity monitoring and reporting

NAILSMA Balkanu Fire and Carbon project.

Through the Archer River TRaCK project, the Thum Noohm Steering Committee have been

supported to meet and develop operational plan for the rangers, commence fire planning for

the 2011 dry season and further develop governance arrangements for the establishment of

APN.

Using this seed funding as a foundation combined with support provided by Aurukun Shire

Council, Archer River TRaCK Local Planning consultant and Southern Wik Traditional Owner

Bruce Martin has worked with Balkanu to develop a broad reaching ranger service proposal


based on the outcomes of the sustainable livelihoods meetings and following Thum Noohm

Steering Committee meetings.

The proposal is still in draft form, and through April will be considered and finalised by the

Thum Noohm Steering Committee. This proposal will be submitted through the Welfare

Reform Board to Federal Government Working on Country Program.

A partnership with UNSW is also being explored in relation to a climate change pilot project which if secured will provide additional resources to the establishment of the proposed ranger

service whilst engaging the Southern Wik community in critical climate change research of

benefit to the nation.

Country and Culture Program

Getting back to country and strengthening culture through this process is another priority for

Southern Wik clans within their sustainable livelihoods vision. In response to this, Bruce Martin

has also been successful in securing a partnership with CYAAA in Aurukun to provide the

resources for school camps within the school term this year enabling elders to take their

children onto country with teachers and teach them cultural practices and story relating to

country.

In addition to the school camps the Thum Noohm Steering Committee has also through their

recent meetings, planned for two elective culture camps in the school holidays in June and

September which they will contribute their time for free, with funding from the CFOC projects

traditional knowledge recording elements covering logistics costs.

These camps are scheduled for June and September and will provide a critical launching pad for

the Southern Wik country and culture program. The Thum Noohm Steering Committee has

expressed the importance of providing a number of structured, annual visits to country driven

by Thum Noohm and APN that will guarantee every child at least some time out on his/her

clan estate.

Commercial Cattle Venture

Re-establishing a commercial cattle venture with a domestic herd whilst also destocking the

Southern Wik estate of feral cattle is also a priority for 2011. A plan for this has been

developed with partner P&V Holdings and resources are being sourced to enable

implementation of this plan.

Commercial Tourism Venture

Tourism is also a key area of economic development that the Southern Wik Clans have

identified, and options for this are currently being explored.

Other sustainable livelihood activities on the Horizon

Discussions have also progressed with Middle Brook Honey regarding large scale Sugar bag

production, based on outcomes of feasibility project run in Aurukun over the last 2 years.

Ongoing participatory action research support


Through this process, a PhD candidate from the Institute of Environmental Studies, University

of New South Wales commenced working with Southern Wik families. Melissa Sinclair will fill

the role of researcher, community engagement and communications officer for the Thum

Noohm Steering Committee for the next 2 – 4 years at the direction of traditional owners

providing critical ongoing support to Southern Wik traditional owners to progress their

sustainable livelihoods aspirations and provide necessary research supporting appropriate

frameworks and governance processes in decision making.

Noting this substantial contribution, further support will be required around this to enable

adequate resourcing for development of good governance and ongoing adaptive management

and planning given the high expectations Southern Wik have set for themselves over the

coming years. It is a recommendation of this report that any further funding secured for TRaCK

2 continue to invest in this process as key component to enabling the realisation of the group‘s

vision.

Middle Reaches: Archer Bend


The second potential case study site identified in the Scoping report completed in August 2009

was the Mungkan Kandju National Park. Joint Management negotiations being conducted at the

time, were tracked through end 2009 and beginning 2010 to determine the best opportunity to

engage and commence the case study for this area.

In 2009 traditional owners requested State Government excise the Archer Bend Section of the

Park and divest this area to traditional owners, righting the injustice of 25 years ago when the

park was created to stop an elder from this land purchasing the then pastoral property on

behalf of his clan group, the Winychanam people. At this time traditional owners also requested

support to develop sustainable livelihoods opportunities if this excision was agreed to.

QPWS agreeing to the excision, then also agreed to work with Balkanu through the Archer

River TRaCK project to support the traditional owners of the proposed excision area to

progress sustainable livelihoods planning. Specifically QPWS agreed to co-fund the initial

workshop.

Substantial engagement with traditional owners was undertaken throughout August 2010 and a

date and agenda set for this. The TRaCK workshop for this area was held between 15th - 17th

of November in Weipa on request from traditional owners. It focused on supporting traditional

owners plan for the use of this new area of aboriginal freehold to maximise economic and

social benefits from this land.

A report from this meeting has been drafted. Further funding is required urgently to convene a

follow up workshop with Archer Bend Traditional Owners to enable their review and

endorsement of the report, establishing clear protocols for its release as a public document and

to further progress action planning associated with the aspirations identified in November 2010.

Upper Reaches: Toolka



Discussions have continued with Toolka Land Trust but a date for a workshop was not

finalised. Toolka Land Trust have an operational ranger program run by Kalan Enterprises.

Through the establishment of the Ranger program discussions have been held over the last 18

months around other sustainable livelihood options. Additional funding for the proposed

workshop is still needed to consolidate these into an agreed plan of action for the Trust.

Development of a basin wide strategic plan

Due to the embryonic nature of sustainable livelihoods exploration at the local scale, a basin

wide plan was considered premature. Part of the recommendations of this project is that local

level sustainable livelihoods opportunities and planning are further developed and implement for

at least another 12 months, before a basin wide plan is developed.


Eight reports/publications documenting key elements of the process have been developed

including:

- Archer River TRaCK Scoping Report

- Aayk Sustainable Livelihoods Scoping Report

- Yuk Maak Community Newsletter

- Southern Wik Summit 1 & 2 Report

- Improved Management of the Holroyd High Conservation Aquatic Ecosystem by

Southern Wik Clans

- Southern Wik Sustainable Livelihoods and Governance Scoping Report

- Archer Bend Sustainable Livelihoods Workshop Report

Each of these documents are at various stages of approval and discussion by the relevant

traditional owners. They are attached for reporting information only and should not be

circulated or referenced more broadly until traditional owners have cleared these documents

for public release. It is expected that direction on future use of this information will be

provided by Traditional owners by the end of April 2011.

Whilst recognising that documentation is required for funding purposes, the outputs for the

project(s) may be confidential in nature and commercial in confidence. As such no

documentation should be distributed or published except by the traditional owners themselves

and/or prior informed consent with appropriate documentation gained through appropriate

processes.


All activities focus on Indigenous engagement.


APPENDIX A: TRaCK TRANSITION HARVESTING PROGRAM

2010-11, FINAL REPORT

Project Title: CERF Transition Harvesting Project

Project Coordinator: Associate Professor Michael Douglas

Key Partner Personnel: Griffith Uni: Ruth Oconnor, Andrew Brooks, Bradley Pusey


1. Summary

The harvesting program has added considerable value to the TRaCK research program by

synthesising and analysing up-to-date information from the more the 27 current projects with a

focus on topics of particular importance to key end-users including biodiversity management

and policy development in northern Australia and ecological monitoring of rivers and wetlands.

The harvesting program also has a strong focus on ensuring enhanced communication of the research outcomes from the existing TRaCK program, both in face to face forums, on the web

and in hard copy printed materials. The harvesting program builds on the project-level

communication activities and provides opportunity for a higher level of program-wide synthesis

and communication.

The TRaCK Harvesting Program has focussed on higher-level (program-wide) synthesis around critical and emerging northern Australian issues including biodiversity management in the

tropics , river and wetland monitoring; and targeted communication activities to ensure

enhanced uptake of the research outcomes by end-users. The program supported face-to-face

knowledge exchange through a two-day TRaCK conference in Darwin and regional workshops

in jurisdictions in which TRaCK operates.

These meetings brought researchers together with end-users to focus on TRaCK‘s research

outcomes of significance (particularly for management and policy) to these regions. The

program also supported the development of a web-based Digital Atlas for northern Australia‘s

catchments. This has provided easy access to all of TRaCK‘s research outputs and digital

datasets as well as graphical conceptual models that summarise our current state of knowledge

of tropical rivers and estuaries.

The program has produce a book on the patterns, values and threats to freshwater biodiversity

in northern Australia and has worked with Indigenous Rangers to develop practical

recommendations for river and wetland monitoring that can be undertaken by the Working on

Country Program Rangers.

2. Location

The project worked across the entire TRaCK region.


3. Target Audiences

All the projects focus on enhanced delivery of synthesised and targeted outputs appropriate to

end-users. As such, we have attempted to include all key end-users in the development and

implementation of projects. Whilst the primary end-users identified are within DEWHA, the projects identify a range of State and Territory (particularly water management) agencies,

regional and Indigenous groups as key end-users and participants in product development.

In addition to organisations mentioned, the National Water Commission has provided input on

their strategic areas of interest. Delivery of the knowledge assets described in an accessible

manner has been of value to all those with an interest in management of northern rivers or

pursuing future research, management or policy development in the region.


The harvesting program has four components, all of which are aimed at ensuring greater uptake

of research outcomes by end-users.

The first project involves a 2-day conference and a series of regional workshops which will bring TRaCK researchers together with end-users to discuss the outcomes of the

research and to focus on its application to the management and policy development of

northern Australia‘s tropical rivers and estuaries.

The second project will develop a web-based portal that will provide easy access to the

research outcomes and spatial datasets from across the TRaCK program. The web

portal will also include graphical conceptual models that will summarise the current

state of knowledge of river and estuarine ecosystems in northern Australia.

The third project will synthesise information from a range of TRaCK projects and to further collaborate with Indigenous rangers and DEWHA staff to develop practical

recommendations for environmental monitoring that can be undertaken by the

Working on Country Program.

The fourth project will synthesise and analyse information from TRaCK research

projects and produce a book on the patterns, values and threats to freshwater

biodiversity in northern Australia.

TRaCK conference and regional workshops

TRaCK (Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge) is conducting research to provide the science

and knowledge that government, communities and industries need for the sustainable use and

management of Australia‘s tropical rivers and estuaries. However, conducting research alone

will not fully achieve this goal. There are many barriers to the uptake of research, and strategic

effort is required to avoid delays in research adoption.


The TRaCK approach has been to ‗manage knowledge for adoption‘. The TRaCK Knowledge

and Adoption (K&A) strategy describes several mechanisms including how we manage our

research, how we manage our relationships with stakeholders, and how we manage the

resulting outputs and delivery of knowledge.

TRaCK has employed a range of methods to implement our K&A Strategy. At the simplest end

of the spectrum, this activity has been in the form of information provision e.g. the TRaCK

website. The most targeted and interactive activities have been where stakeholders are actively

engaged in research e.g. project and program advisory committees, stakeholder participation in

the research itself, etc. Communication is in the middle of this spectrum and has included

targeted stakeholder workshops and a range of publications targeted at an appropriate level.

TRaCK‘s research has strongly contributed to the following important activities:

Policy – e.g. strategic directions for ―development in the north‖,

Practice – e.g. on-ground land management and conservation activity on both private

and public lands,

Planning – e.g. water allocation, e-flows, design of freshwater protected areas, whole of river planning frameworks.

This project has held a high-level National TRaCK conference to ―showcase‖ the outcomes

from the first phase of the TRaCK program in policy, practice and planning areas outlined above

and to reflect on the significance of our findings with end users, our consortium members and

other stakeholders. It also conducted a range of more targeted regional workshops in northern

Australia and in Canberra, Brisbane and Perth. These workshops were tailored to effectively

communicate the results and outcomes from the first phase of the TRaCK program for the

relevant jurisdictions. The conference and workshops generated media coverage, as well as

printed and audio visual outputs that capture and integrate key messages.

The TRaCK research program was developed with end-user input. The end user engagement in

the TRaCK program includes:

a) Key SEWPAC groups we worked with included:

Natural & Indigenous Heritage

Water reform (including NAWFA)

Indigenous policy group

Biodiversity conservation

Representatives were consulted about the most suitable format for learning more about key

TRaCK research outputs. SEWPAC staff were also invited to participate in the development of

a range of synthesis products and provide feedback on other appropriate legacy products (e.g.

policy briefings).

b) Jurisdictional water and natural resource managers and planners including:

NRETAS (Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts (NT)

Department of Environment and Resource Management (Qld)


Department of Water (WA)

Representatives from these agencies were invited to the conference and involved in the

planning for the regional workshops to ensure outcomes are targeted to local/regional needs.

c) Regional NRM groups

NT NRM Board, Daly River Management Advisory Group (NT)

Northern Gulf NRM, Southern Gulf catchments, MRWMG

Rangelands NRM (WA)

Representatives were invited to the regional workshops and involved in planning to ensure they

were targeted to local/regional needs. Representatives were invited to participate in the

conference.

d) Indigenous groups

NAILSMA (including Indigenous Water Facilitator Network)

Daly Aboriginal Reference Group (NT)

Mitchell River Traditional Custodian Advisory Group, Kowanyama Aboriginal Lands & Natural Resource Management Office (Qld)

Kimberley Land Council and Aboriginal corporations in the Kimberley where TRaCK

has conducted waterways research and training (WA)

Representatives were invited to the regional workshops and involved in the planning so they

were targeted to local needs. Representatives were invited to participate in the conference.

Objective Output

To share research findings

To ensure a legacy of TRaCK knowledge,

capacity and networks.

Two day TRaCK conference with all

research projects represented and with

broad stakeholder representation

To ensure TRaCK research is relevant and

useful for its stakeholders.

To provide opportunities to transfer skills and share knowledge between researchers and

stakeholders.

To ensure TRaCK research is relevant and

beneficial to Indigenous communities and

organisations

To effectively communicate research results and share knowledge with Indigenous people.

A range of tailored workshops in

northern Australia and Canberra,

Brisbane and Perth with subject matter

and presenters tailored to end-user

needs.

To ensure that information is at an appropriate level, publicly and readily accessible

To integrate and tailor research outputs to

address stakeholders needs

To provide an easily accessible legacy of

A range of printed and audio visual

outputs summarising and integrating

results in a format useful to end users and

available on the TRaCK website


TRaCK research

To build stakeholder awareness and the credibility of TRaCK

To share research findings

Media coverage of TRaCK conference and

regional workshops (in consultation with

participants)

Development of the TRaCK Web-based Knowledge Portal

This project developed a set of products that will be used to underpin a web-based knowledge

portal of information about northern Australia. It focused on developing (i) a digital atlas, (ii) a

river classification tool and (iii) a set of conceptual ecological models that describe how

northern rivers function.

Recently-completed initiatives from TRaCK have generated valuable digital data layers for the

tropical river catchments. These ―layers‖ include socio-economic profiles and physical

classifications of catchments based on soils, geomorphology, hydrological patterns and ground

and surface water availability. Most of these layers were available as static maps (i.e. fixed in

time and space), often in separate catchment-specific reports. There was an opportunity to

bring these datasets together in a web-based ―digital atlas of northern catchments‖.

The same data platform will also act as a central repository for all the spatial data (a digital

atlas) relevant to northern Australia, and will include existing spatial datasets administered by

organisations such as Geoscience Australia, as well as data layers generated within TRaCK and

other northern Australia programs (e.g. TRIAP, NASY etc). The atlas has provided a valuable

and very accessible way of summarising a variety of spatial datasets and will provide a useful

tool for cross regional comparisons.

The atlas also includes a classification tool hosted by Geoscience Australia, building on their

OzCoasts Web GIS system. Geosciences Australia, as the existing repository for much of the

Australian government‘s spatial datasets are the ideal organisation to host such a site.

A major focus of the TRaCK program has been improving our understanding of how tropical

river ―work‖ as ecosystems. There was an opportunity to synthesise the results from across most of the TRaCK projects to develop a revised set of graphical conceptual models. To reflect

the differences between river types, conceptual models were developed as part of the digital

atlas project so that they can be linked to classifications of different river types. This has

provided a highly-accessible product that synthesises the wealth of new knowledge produced by

the TRaCK program.

Objective Targeted Activity

Development of a web based Digital

Atlas of northern catchments

Compiled a full set of TRaCK derived spatial

datasets and conceptual models in a common

format

Development of a web based river Developed an on-line classification tool for spatial


classification tool. datasets in collaboration with Geosciences

Australia. This will provide access to series of

TRaCK defined classifications of biophysical and

socio -economic data.

Produced an on-line manual explaining how these

classifications were calculated and derived

including an explanation of the mechanics

underpinning the classification (and

benefits/limitations).

Development of a set of graphical

conceptual models that summarise

our knowledge of how different types

of tropical river systems work

Held a workshop to synthesis current knowledge

on ecological and socio economic processes.

Developed graphical conceptual models for

different types of river systems classification.

In addition to the provision of metadata to ERIN and the data layers that will be available

through the digital atlas, we have also made our raw aquatic species distribution data (turtles,

fish, birds, bugs) available to ANHAT, except where we may be restricted in doing so due to

Data Licence agreements with the original data holders (e.g. museums, State agencies, etc).

Biodiversity management in northern rivers and estuaries

This project has synthesised information from across the TRaCK program (and other relevant

sources) related to the management of northern Australia‘s freshwater biodiversity. The

project has produce a Plain English book and peer reviewed scientific paper that summarise the

current state of knowledge of the patterns of biodiversity (e.g. biodiversity hot spots), the

values of biodiversity and the management of threats to the region‘s freshwater biodiversity.

The publications include a synthesis of current and past research, management

recommendations and an analysis of knowledge gaps and identification o future research needs.

The project adds considerable value to the current TRaCK research effort by providing a cross-

cutting focus for knowledge harvesting and synthesis over and above project-level deliverables.

Objective Output

To synthesise the current state of

knowledge on key issues relating

to the patterns, values and

management northern Australia‘s

freshwater biodiversity

A focussed workshop that brought together key

TRaCK researchers involved in aspects of research

relevant to northern Australia‘s freshwater

biodiversity.

The Workshop determined the final structure and

outline of the content of for Plain English and more

scientific publications.

To produce a Plain English book Plain English book and scientific publication based on


and scientific papers on northern

Australia‘s freshwater biodiversity.

discussions from the workshop.

To promote key issues related to

freshwater biodiversity

management to a broad range of

end-users and the general public

Media coverage of biodiversity management plain

English publication.

River and wetland monitoring by Working On Country Rangers

The past few years SEWPAC has been a major investor in management initiatives in northern

Australia that have involved strong partnerships with Aboriginal people. This includes the

Working on Country Program which funds the employment of Indigenous people to manage

the cultural and environmental values of their land and sea estates.

This project used the results from the TRaCK program to improve the efficacy of Working on

Country environment management activities. TRaCK researchers came together with

knowledgeable and experienced Indigenous rangers and land managers to develop

recommendations on practical approaches that Working on Country Rangers can use to inform

to the development of environmental monitoring activities or strengthen their efforts where

monitoring is already underway. This project provided a focus for cross-project harvesting and

synthesis of TRaCK‘s research outcomes related to monitoring river and wetland environments

and a pathway for communicating this work by providing practical support for the Working on

Country Program.

The planning and approach has been developed jointly with TRaCK and SEWPAC and the

project was conducted in collaboration with the WOC Program staff and with the regional co-

ordinators and with the WOC Rangers and TRaCK researcher. This ensured that all key end

users will be active contributors to the project and will have a high level of ownership of

project outcomes, a key to good end-user engagement.

Objective Output

To make recommendations

Working on Country Rangers can

use to inform to the development

or strengthen environmental

monitoring activities for rivers

and wetlands.

Workshop that brought together WOC Rangers

from the NT, WA and Qld and TRaCK researchers

who have skills in environmental monitoring.

The workshop included a discussion of the types

management issues/threats that WOC Rangers are

facing and the management activities they are

undertaking to address these. Researchers drew

findings from across the TRaCK program (and

other relevant sources) and worked with the

Rangers to develop recommendations for practical

approaches for WOC Rangers to undertake


environmental monitoring.

Plain English recommendations for monitoring

being finalised.

5. Communication and Knowledge Transfer

All the projects focused on communication and knowledge transfer - from face to face

interaction at workshops to delivery of web-based tools and written outputs. The task of

knowledge uptake was made considerably easier by strategies, staff, existing relationships and

infrastructure already developed within TRaCK including:

The K&A strategy which provides a framework and processes for engagement and delivery

The presence of regional coordinators in northern Australia to help organise meetings

and disseminate information as well as researchers with existing relationships with end-

users

Existing arrangements with media, graphic design and web providers

The existing TRaCK website which is already well known among end-users

Documents

TRaCK Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge Final …...The valuation of riverine and coastal assets is essential for decision-making about the allocation of resources to different