Case studies

Managing Water Ecosystems Case studies

The Northern Australia has extensive ecosystems that are largely untouched with rich biodiversity and numerous unique inland and marine ecosystems that support conservation and cultural values and tourism and commercial industries.

Hume dam view form the air

Before human modification, floodplain riparian species established in relation to a natural flow regime where trees along river banks were inundated once every 1-2 years and floodplain trees, once every 3-5 years or even 10 depending on the species.

Man in a canoe using a pole to push along the water

Providing an understanding of riverine ecological indicators, building in-country research capacity and understanding the role of environmental flows are all fundamental to prevent future environmental degradation in Nepal.

Red Gums along a creek

In the past, estimates of water requirements of floodplain trees were based on past hydrology and inundation trends rather than quantitative measurements to understand how trees use water (when, where from in the soil profile) and the drivers of tree condition.

Red Gums along a creek

A tool based on ground observations of riparian woody vegetation evapotranspiration has been developed using remote sensing to aid water accounting and management in the Murray-Darling Basin.

mound spring in Northern Territory

Groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are at threat in areas where groundwater impacts are occurring as a result of over extraction.

Water with trees

Water scarcity is a guarantee into the future especially in semi-arid and arid environments and in riparian systems flow alterations open up the way for invasion of weed species.