Message from the Director 

It’s about 12 months since the Flagship was officially launched and our science teams across Australia have achieved some significant results - some examples are detailed in this newsletter. Read more.

Swings and roundabouts on the Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is an international icon of great economic, social and environmental importance. When it comes to managing and protecting this resource a complex web of interactions is played out. Dr Peter Roebeling is using an economic approach to unravel the web. 
Read more.

Finding the water in the Murrumbidgee

 “I had seen rivers cease to flow before me, and sheets of water disappear …” wrote explorer Charles Sturt in 1833.

As part of the Pratt Water Murrumbidgee water efficiency study, Water for a Healthy County researchers have been establishing the amount of water in the 84,000 square kilometres of the Murrumbidgee Catchment; where it is economically feasible to save water, where the water is going, and how much of it is being lost to evaporation and seepage. Read more.

Increasing water benefits - less water, more profit

Irrigators are under constant pressure to increase on-farm water efficiency due to reduced water supplies and higher prices for water. Deficit irrigation is one way for the farmer to save water and maximise profits. Read more.

Water security for C21st Perth

Underneath Perth a vast natural water resource – the Gnangara Mound – furnishes 60% of the city’s water. But with demands from city residents, industry, horticulture, timber plantations and the natural environment all growing, anxiety is also rising about how long ‘the Mound’ will last. Already the groundwater storage is declining with current demands and a reduced rainfall due to climate change. Read more.

From the mountains to the sea - Australian cities and their water

Without water a city cannot survive, and the survival of surrounding ecosystems also depends on the quality of the city’s water management. The Flagship’s Urban water team is developing Hydro Planner, a tool to help cities understand the interactions between the components of the urban water system and the surrounding environment. Read more.

Listen to all those fish

Fish are an important indicator of the health of river systems, and fishing is an important recreation along the Murray. Those people who are relinquishing water to improve the ecological outcomes of the Murray need to know that the water re-allocation is achieving outcomes such as improvements in fish populations. Using hydroacoustics, or sound waves, researchers have applied a technology that will greatly improve the confidence of measuring fish numbers and understanding how fish respond to changes in the River. Read more.

Planning for climate change in the Murray Darling Basin

Regional climate change scenarios have been completed for the Murray Darling Basin. The region produces much of Australia’s food and fibre and is highly dependant on irrigated agriculture. Changes in water availability as a result of climate change will have a significant impact on how water is managed in the region. Read more.

Update Home

Message from the Director

Swings and roundabouts on the Reef

Finding the water in the Murrumbidgee

Increasing water benefits - less water, more profit

Water security for C21st Perth

From the mountains to the sea - Australian cities and their water

Listen to all those fish

Planning for climate change in the Murray Darling Basin

Meet some scientists from the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship.

Meet Don McFarlane

Meet Matthew Inman

The Water for a Healthy Country Flagship is a CSIRO initiative and part of the National Research Flagships program that aims to deliver scientific solutions to advance Australia's most important national objectives. One of the largest scientific initiatives ever mounted in Australia, it aligns closely with the Federal Government's National Research Priorities. The initiative brings together our national research resources to deliver breakthroughs in fields ranging from healthcare to light metals and the environment.

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