Infrastructure Engineering - Research Publications
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ItemManaging risks associated with environmental water delivery: a case study of the Goulburn River, Australia(ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2024-01-01)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableBalancing observational data and experiential knowledge in environmental flows modeling(Elsevier BV, 2024-02-01)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableCultural water and Indigenous water science Australia shows the need for more sustainable and just water management(AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE, 2023-08-11)Australia shows the need for more sustainable and just water management.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableExploring the role and decision-making behavior of irrigation water supply authorities in Australia(ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2023-03-04)
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ItemCommunity perceptions of environmental water: a review(Cambridge University Press, 2023)Allocation of water specifically to the environment (often dubbed ‘environmental water’ or ‘environmental flows’) can be contentious within government, among irrigators and between community members. The reduction in supply of fresh water has led to questions surrounding the efficiencies and ecological value of securing these adequate flows for waterways. This literature review examines the evidence on these perceptions of environmental water allocations, focusing foremost on general public, irrigator, Indigenous and decision-maker perspectives. Existing studies are predominantly in Global North areas such as Australia, Canada and the USA. Two themes featured strongly in the papers: the importance of personal values in the acceptance of environmental water and the perception of fairness in environmental water allocation processes. Although the research area has been expanding, there is still limited representation in types of study, disciplinary backgrounds and study locations, and as such many research opportunities remain.
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ItemNo Preview AvailablePerhaps, perhaps, perhaps: Navigating uncertainty in environmental flow management(FRONTIERS MEDIA SA, 2023-02-21)Uncertainty can be an impediment to decision making and result in decision paralysis. In environmental flow management, system complexity and natural variability increase uncertainty. Climate change provides further uncertainty and can hinder decision making altogether. Environmental flow managers express reluctance to include climate change adaptation in planning due to large knowledge gaps in hydro-ecological relationships. We applied a hybrid method of hypothetical scenarios and closed ended questions within a survey to investigate ecological trade off decision making behaviours and cognitive processes of environmental flow managers. The scenarios provided were both similar to participants’ past experiences, and others were entirely unprecedented and hence unfamiliar. We found managers were more confident making decisions in situations they are familiar with, and most managers show low levels of confidence in making trade off decisions under uncertain circumstances. When given a choice, the most common response to uncertainty was to gather additional information, however information is often unavailable or inaccessible–either it does not exist, or uncertainties are so great that decisions are deferred. Given future rainfall is likely to be different from the past, environmental flow managers must work to adopt robust decision making frameworks that will increase confidence in decision making by acknowledging uncertainties. This can be done through tools developed to address decision making under deep uncertainty. Adapting these tools and methods to environmental flow management will ensure managers can begin to consider likely, necessary future trade-offs in a more informed, transparent and robust manner and increase confidence in decision making under uncertainty.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableThe time of emergence of climate-induced hydrologic change in Australian rivers(ELSEVIER, 2023-04)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableApplying and Assessing Participatory Approaches in an Environmental Flows Case Study(SPRINGER, 2023-10)Environmental flows (e-flows) management takes place within a complex social-ecological system, necessitating the involvement of diverse stakeholders and an appreciation of a range of perspectives and knowledge types. It is widely accepted that incorporating participatory methods into environmental flows decision-making will allow stakeholders to become meaningfully involved, improving potential solutions, and fostering social legitimacy. However, due to substantial structural barriers, implementing participatory approaches can be difficult for water managers. This paper assesses the effectiveness of an e-flows methodology that combines elements of structured decision-making and participatory modeling, whilst constrained by project resources. Three process-based objectives were identified by the group at the start of the process: improving transparency, knowledge exchange, and community ownership. We evaluated the success of the approach according to those objectives using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. In evaluating how well the participatory approach achieved the process objectives, we found that at least 80% of respondents expressed positive sentiment in every category (n = 15). We demonstrate that the values-based process objectives defined by the participant group are an effective tool for evaluating participatory success. This paper highlights that participatory approaches can be effective even in resource-constrained environments when the process is adapted to fit the decision-making context.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableSmall artificial impoundments have big implications for hydrology and freshwater biodiversity(WILEY, 2022-04)Headwater streams are critical for freshwater ecosystems. Global and continental studies consistently show major dams as dominant sources of hydrological stress threatening biodiversity in the world’s major rivers, but cumulative impacts from small artificial impoundments (SAIs) concentrated in headwater streams have rarely been acknowledged. Using the Murray Darling River basin (Australia) and the Arkansas River basin (US) as case studies, we examined the hydrological impacts of SAIs. The extent of their influence is considerable, altering hydrology in 280–380% more waterways as compared to major dams. Hydrological impacts are concentrated in smaller streams (catchment area <100 km2), raising concerns that the often diverse and highly endemic biota found in these systems may be under threat. Adjusting existing biodiversity planning and management approaches to address the cumulative effects of many small and widely distributed artificial impoundments presents a rapidly emerging challenge for ecologically sustainable water management.