Presenter: Dr Heather McGinness
This research project is tracking the movements of waterbirds using satellite transmitters. The information being gathered is improving our understanding of how waterbirds move across the MDB and beyond, in response to e-water or flooding. In addition, we gain the knowledge on which habitats they are choosing, how connected our waterbird populations are, and the implications for environmental water management to prevent further population declines.
Presenters: Paul McInerney and James Hitchcock
As part of the Flow-MER Food Webs and Water Quality theme, we are developing a bioenergetic food web model by incorporating a range of existing and new data relating to food web dynamics in wetlands, flood channels and rivers during Commonwealth environmental watering. In this webinar, we talk about the model and how we plan to use it to demonstrate rates of carbon transfer and production in food webs under different environmental flow scenarios.
Presenter: Dr. Joanne Bennett
Deep waterholes in intermittent streams, perennial waterbodies, areas that receive cool groundwater inputs and shady riparian areas, are all examples of refugia – places that stay wet and cool when it’s hot and dry. They are important because they enable flora and fauna to persist during low/no flow and then recover, disperse and recolonise following the return of flow. This webinar video looks at the work being undertaken to locate refugia and identify how these habitats change over time.
Presenters: Assoc Prof. Bradley Moggridge and Dr Emma Woodward
In this webinar, we look at how the Flow-MER project frames options and avenues for the engagement of Indigenous people across the seven Flow-MER Selected Areas, and incorporate their perspectives on Australian water management, with a particular focus on environmental water. It draws on current knowledge and practice in regard to approaches and tools (including Protocols and Seasonal Calendars) for engaging with Indigenous water knowledge, values and interests.
Presenters: Jason Thiem, Brenton Zampatti, Charles Todd, Ivor Stuart
Using existing field data, the Flow-MER fish projects will apply cutting-edge techniques including: population modelling, acoustic fish tracking data and otolith (i.e. ear bones) microchemistry, to answer questions about where and why fish move, and how best to provide environmental water to support key life-history processes. In this video, we discuss fish population models and integrated analysis of fish movement data to illustrate river system connectivity.
Presenters: Dr. Tanya Doody
In this project we are using field collected water use data (evapotranspiration) for River red gum and Black box to calibrate the outputs of a Basin-scale remote sensing evapotranspiration model. Evapotranspiration is a surrogate for vegetation condition, and outputs of this model allow us to observe trends in vegetation condition from 2001 to current time, for each remote sensing pixel in the Murray-Darling Basin, and plan where, when, and how long, to target environmental water to specific locations in order to maintain ecosystem function.
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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.
We recognise their 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 focussed.
Artwork credit: Wiradjuri Artist Rebecca Salcole
Artwork credit: Wiradjuri Artist Rebecca Salcole
The Goulburn River is known by several names as it travels first through Taungurung country in the hilly upper and middle reaches. Here, the river is called Waring.
As the river meanders downstream of Murchison and into the northern flatlands, the river winds through Yorta Yorta country and is called Kaiela, meaning ‘father of waters’. Eventually, the river flows to a confluence with the River Murray near Echuca. This confluence of rivers is known as Koninner.
We acknowledge and respect the Traditional Owners of the country this story has been written about, Taungurung and Yorta Yorta, and all the countries through which the Goulburn river flows. This story was written on Ngunnawal country. Sovereignty was never ceded, and we pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.