Flow-MER Annual Forum 2023

Presentation Recordings now available below

On the 15th and 16th of August 2023, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s (CEWH) Flow-Monitoring Evaluation and Research Program was pleased to host its first in-person annual forum since 2019. Over two-days at Old Parliament House in Canberra, scientists joined water managers and state government agencies to share the latest monitoring and research from across the Murray-Darling Basin.

The event acknowledged and celebrated the insights and knowledge gained to date, and reflected on how this can inform future practice.

The videos below share the presentations from both days, including opening plenaries, spotlight sessions and Flow-MER ‘Fresh Eyes’, a series of talks from our emerging leaders. Day 2 included plenary talks from the Flow-MER Reasearch Team Leader and senior staff from the CEWH and MDBA.

Day 1 Plenary Presentations
Dr Simon Banks, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
Dr Carmel Pollino, Research Director, Water Security, CSIRO

Day 1 Presentations: Spotlight Session
Dr Mark Southwell – A day by the Warriku
Dr Heather McGinness – Waterbirds on the wing
Dr Geoff Vietz – Drones doing the dirty work
Dr Zeb Tonkin – Fish at the Basin scale
Dr Shane Brooks – Dancing to the beat of the Murray-Darling Basin
Dr Tanya Doody – Trajectories of change in riverine tree ecosystems
Dr Siwan Lovett – Principles and science underpinning communications and engagement – how to make MER relevant and impactful

Day 1 Presentations: Flow-MER Fresh Eyes
Sam Lewis – Using mobile hydroacoustic sonar to monitor environmental watering outcomes
Thom Gower – Vegetation responses using drone-based monitoring
Anna Turner – Timing of environmental water for chytrid infected amphibian populations
Xiaoyan (Diana) Dai – Enhancing monitoring and environmental flows management
Dr Sicong (Steve) Gao – Assessment of floodplain vegetation responses to floods
Cherie Campbell – Managing for non-stationarity in floodplain-wetland systems
Dr Wim Bovill – When all else fails, just go with the flow
Lindsey Frost – Getting the biggest bang for your duck
George Giatas – Ontogenetic (simple to more complex) diet shifts by Murray cod in the Lower Murray River

Day 2 Plenary Presentations
Professor Ross Thompson – Director of the Centre for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra
Mr Hilary Johnson – Engagement, Monitoring and Southern Delivery Branch, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
Dr Tony McCleod – Ag Executive Director, Basin Strategy and Knowledge, Murray Darling Basin Authority
Dr Michelle Bald – Director, Evaluation and Reporting, Murray Darling Basin Authority

‘None of us is as smart as all of us.’

Ken Blanchard

The Flow-MER program team acknowledge and respect the Traditional Owners as the First Peoples of the lands and waters of the Murray Darling Basin. The Flow-MER Annual Forum 2023 was held on Ngunnawal Country.

We recognise the Traditional Owners’ unique ability to care for Country and their deep spiritual connection to it. We honour Elders past and present whose knowledge and wisdom has ensured the continuation of culture and traditional practices.

We are committed to genuinely partner, and meaningfully engage, with Traditional Owners and Aboriginal communities to support the protection of Country, the maintenance of spiritual and cultural practices and their broader aspirations in the 21st century and beyond. In particular we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the seven Selected Areas where Flow-MER research is focused.

Artwork credit: Wiradjuri Artist Rebecca Salcole

Day One – Welcome Plenaries

Welcome from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder

Dr Simon Banks
Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (DCCEEW)

Status of Flow-MER three years in with findings informing e-water policy and practice.

Dr Carmel Pollino
Research Director – Water Security, CSIRO Environment

Day One: Spotlight Sessions

Talks and presentations from some of Flow-MER’s leading researchers, with new insights from the latest monitoring, evaluation and research, exploring how we can better use Flow-MER information and inviting discussions between water managers and scientists.

A day by the Warriku
Sharing observations and learnings from a Culture to Science Day held on the banks of the Warriku (Warrego) River that brought together different ways of knowing and understanding our rivers.