Adaptive Management of Environmental Flows: Using Irrigation Infrastructure to Deliver Environmental Benefits During a Large Hypoxic Blackwater Event in the Southern Murray–Darling Basin, Australia

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn J. Watts ◽  
R. Keller Kopf ◽  
Nicole McCasker ◽  
Julia A. Howitt ◽  
John Conallin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Management ◽  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Irrigation Infrastructure

A Ramsar wetland in crisis - the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth, Australia

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard T. Kingsford ◽  
Keith F. Walker ◽  
Rebecca E. Lester ◽  
William J. Young ◽  
Peter G. Fairweather ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Large River ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Freshwater Turtles ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Sulfate Soils

The state of global freshwater ecosystems is increasingly parlous with water resource development degrading high-conservation wetlands. Rehabilitation is challenging because necessary increases in environmental flows have concomitant social impacts, complicated because many rivers flow between jurisdictions or countries. Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin is a large river basin with such problems encapsulated in the crisis of its Ramsar-listed terminal wetland, the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth. Prolonged drought and upstream diversion of water dropped water levels in the Lakes below sea level (2009–2010), exposing hazardous acid sulfate soils. Salinities increased dramatically (e.g. South Lagoon of Coorong >200 g L–1, cf. modelled natural 80 g L–1), reducing populations of waterbirds, fish, macroinvertebrates and littoral plants. Calcareous masses of estuarine tubeworms (Ficopomatus enigmaticus) killed freshwater turtles (Chelidae) and other fauna. Management primarily focussed on treating symptoms (e.g. acidification), rather than reduced flows, at considerable expense (>AU$2 billion). We modelled a scenario that increased annual flows during low-flow periods from current levels up to one-third of what the natural flow would have been, potentially delivering substantial environmental benefits and avoiding future crises. Realisation of this outcome depends on increasing environmental flows and implementing sophisticated river management during dry periods, both highly contentious options.

Environmental flows and water quality objectives for the River Murray

2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 251-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Gippel ◽  
T. Jacobs ◽  
T. McLeod
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Flow Regulation ◽  
Environmental Flow ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Flow Management ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Ministerial Council ◽  
Water Quality Objectives

Over the past decade, there intense consideration of managing flows in the River Murray to provide environmental benefits. In 1990 the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council adopted a water quality policy: To maintain and, where necessary, improve existing water quality in the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin for all beneficial uses - agricultural, environmental, urban, industrial and recreational, and in 1994 a flow policy: To maintain and where necessary improve existing flow regimes in the waterways of the Murray-Darling Basin to protect and enhance the riverine environment. The Audit of Water Use followed in 1995, culminating in the decision of the Ministerial Council to implement an interim cap on new diversions for consumptive use (the “Cap”) in a bid to halt declining river health. In March 1999 the Environmental Flows and Water Quality Objectives for the River Murray Project (the Project) was set up, primarily to establish water quality and environmental flow objectives for the River Murray system. A Flow Management Plan will be developed that aims to achieve a sustainable river environment and water quality, in accordance with community needs, and including an adaptive approach to management and operation of the River. It will lead to objectives for water quality and environmental flows that are feasible, appropriate, have the support of the scientific, management and stakeholder communities, and carry acceptable levels of risk. This paper describes four key aspects of the process being undertaken to determine the objectives, and design the flow options that will meet those objectives: establishment of an appropriate technical, advisory and administrative framework; establishing clear evidence for regulation impacts; undergoing assessment of environmental flow needs; and filling knowledge gaps. A review of the impacts of flow regulation on the health of the River Murray revealed evidence for decline, but the case for flow regulation as the main cause is circumstantial or uncertain. This is to be expected, because the decline of the River Murray results from many factors acting over a long period. Also, the health of the river varies along its length, from highly degraded to reasonably healthy, so it is clear that different approaches will be needed in the various river zones, with some problems requiring reach or even point scale solutions. Environmental flow needs have been determined through two major Expert Panel reports that identified the ecological priorities for the river. The next step is to translate these needs into feasible flow management actions that will provide the necessary hydrological conditions. Several investigations are underway to recommend options for flow management. Two important investigations are described in this paper: how to enhance flows to wetlands of national and international significance, and how to physically alter or change the operation of structures (including a dam, weir, lock, regulator, barrage or causeway), to provide significant environmental benefits. Early modelling suggests that the only option which has a positive environmental effect in all zones of the River is a reduction in overall water consumption.

Freshwater, Fish and the Future: Proceedings of the Global Cross-Sectoral Conference

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Economic Valuation ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Fiscal Constraints ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Recreational Fishery ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
History Of ◽  
Harvest Data ◽  
Murray Cod

<em>Abstract</em> .—The collection and use of data to manage the freshwater fisheries of Australia’s Murray–Darling basin (MDB) has a poor history of success. While there was limited assessment data for early subsistence and commercial fisheries, even after more robust data became available during the 1950s its quality varied across jurisdictions and was often poorly collated, assessments were not completed, and the data were underutilized by management. The fishery for Murray Cod <em>Maccullochella peelii </em> is given as an example, where the fishery declined to the point of closure and then the decline continued to the extent that Murray Cod was listed as a threatened species and all harvest now only occurs through the recreational fishery. Lessons from such poor population assessments have not been fully learned, however, as there remains a paucity of harvest data for this recreational fishery. Without a proper assessment, a true economic valuation of this fishery has not been made. As the MDB is Australia’s food bowl, there are competing demands for water use by agriculture, and without a proper assessment of the worth of the fishery, it is difficult for Murray Cod to be truly considered in either economic or sociopolitical discussions. The poor state of MDB rivers and their fish populations (including Murray Cod) has, however, resulted in political pressure for the development of the sustainable rivers audit, a common assessment method for riverine environmental condition monitoring. This audit undertakes standardized sampling for fish and a range of other variables at a number of fixed and randomly selected sites on a 3-year rotating basis. While the sustainable rivers audit has provided a range of data indicating that the condition of rivers is generally very poor, these data have yet to be fully utilized to determine the potential state of the fisheries (such as Murray Cod) or to set targets for rehabilitation, such as for environmental flows. While, to date, data analyses have been somewhat restricted by fiscal constraints, more comprehensive use of data, together with full fishery valuations, should be seen as the way forward for improved management.

Managing waterway health in the Goulburn Broken Catchment, Victoria, Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 29-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Tennant ◽  
J. Sheed
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Effective Delivery ◽  
Improvement Programs ◽  
State And Local

Historically within most catchments, resource management programs have been planned and implemented in isolation of one another. This was once the case in the Goulburn Broken Catchment, a major catchment of the Murray Darling Basin, Australia. Although only 2% of the Murray Darling Basin's land area, the catchment generates 11% of the basin's water resources. Learning from the past, a cooperative and collaborative approach to natural resource programs has developed. This approach is the envy of many other catchment communities and agencies. Through a combination of “Partnership Programs”, “Operational Initiatives” and community involvement, significant programs have been implemented within the catchment, which will benefit not only the local community but communities further afield. The outcomes of the waterway health program highlight the benefits provided through the establishment of cooperative and partnership resource improvement programs. These programs were founded on the ability of the community to recognise the need for integration, base management decisions on best available science and an ability to work together. Their effective delivery has been provided through the resources provided, to the local community, by the Natural Heritage Trust with matching and State and local allocations. While programs have shown success, challenges still face the community. These challenges include verification and implementation of environmental flows, storage of the catchment's vital water resources, and maintaining community involvement and participation in on-going works programs. The Goulburn Broken Catchment community, with the support of Federal, State and Local Governments, is looking at opportunities for continued improvements in waterway health.

Quantifying water requirements of riparian river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia - implications for the management of environmental flows

Ecohydrology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 1471-1487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya M. Doody ◽  
Matthew J. Colloff ◽  
Micah Davies ◽  
Vijay Koul ◽  
Richard G. Benyon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Eucalyptus Camaldulensis ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
River Red Gum

Monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive management in the Murray–Darling Basin

2021 ◽  
pp. 227-249
Author(s):  
Ben Gawne ◽  
Katie A. Ryan ◽  
Matthew Coleman ◽  
Alex Meehan ◽  
Peter E. Davies ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Management ◽  
Murray Darling Basin

Dam Design can Impede Adaptive Management of Environmental Flows: A Case Study from the Opuha Dam, New Zealand

2012 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 459-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
JoAnna Lessard ◽  
D. Murray Hicks ◽  
Ton H. Snelder ◽  
David B. Arscott ◽  
Scott T. Larned ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Adaptive Management ◽  
Environmental Flows
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