Message from the Director 

It has been a whirlwind month – now into my fifth week as Flagship Director and having had the opportunity to get an overview of research progress I am impressed by what has been achieved in terms of research outcomes and the development of strong collaborations. I look forward to building on these achievements, while also strengthening and refining our research focus. Read more

Building a Water Resources Observation Network

Managing the competing demands on water supply looms as one of Australia's biggest environmental challenges. Enter the WRON, the Water Resources Observation Network, a new development that promises to transform national water resource management through harnessing high technology. Read more

Science supporting the Living Murray

One of the goals of the River Murray Theme within the Flagship is to provide the research to support the Murray-Darling Basin Commission’s Living Murray Initiative. Flood-dependent ecosystems along the Murray will soon begin to receive additional environmental water under the Initiative. Read more

Giving revegetation strategies the edge

Land clearing and loss of vegetation have significant impact on water quality and availability in a landscape. Plants and invertebrates both play an important role in filtering water running into watercourses, helping to retain water in a profile, reducing run-off and improving soil health. This research is providing the science needed to maximise the effectiveness of revegetation programs and developing holistic, complementary approaches that support the design and implementation of revegetation programs. Read more

Recreation in the Coorong

In the first week of January 2006 CSIRO deployed a small team to the Coorong, South Australia to survey people about their recreation habits. The research area extends from Goolwa Barrage to the 42 Mile Crossing, including the ocean beach and the North and South Lagoons.

The survey, by the Water for a Healthy Country, is one of a number to be undertaken in the first stage of a study into recreation along the Murray River. This research will specifically inform the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth project within the Flagship. Read more

Real-time monitoring helps irrigators to be water wise

The Gnangara Mound, north of Perth, is currently supplying up to 60% of Perth's drinking water. It also supports a peri-urban horticultural industry and water for private and public parks and gardens. As rainfall continues to decline, and demand for water increases, putting pressure on its reserves, better understanding of the Mound's water balance is required. Read more

Determining requirements for managed aquifer recharge in WA

This research is addressing knowledge gaps relating to managed aquifer recharge (MAR) enabling government regulators to develop more rigorous guidelines and advancing water recycling as a reliable alternative for safe new supplies of water.

Read more about our water reuse research in WA in partnership with the Premier's Water Foundation in Western Australia...

More information contact: Dr Simon Toze, CSIRO Land and Water
Ph: (08) 9333 6130, Email: Simon.Toze@csiro.au

Assessing land condition and sediment delivery in Great Barrier Reef catchments

Transport of water, sediments and nutrients from land to river, estuary and sea have important physical and ecological consequences in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Understanding the processes behind these consequences - how they vary and how they respond to other influences - is critical to better managing the system and monitoring water quality targets as outlined in the GBR Water Quality Protection Plan. Improved understanding and better monitoring are important steps in reducing the flow of sediments and nutrients to the GBR lagoon, one of the goals of the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship. Read more

A community creating its future options

In the first research of its kind in the Tully-Murray Floodplains of north Queensland, residents are being asked to be involved in building a picture of what they would like their community to look like in 2025.

Research undertaken by the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, in partnership with the Cardwell Shire Floodplain Program, aims to work with farmers, land managers, community groups, industry and local government to ensure that local knowledge and values are included in the area’s future developments. Read more

WaterSmart Irrigation in the Murray

Good progress has been made on rolling out system-based analyses of all the irrigation areas of the Murray. Using the  approach 
developed for the Murrumbidgee and Coleambally areas, similar analyses are nearing completion for the Murray Irrigation Ltd and West Corurgan areas in NSW; partially completed for the Goulburn Murray region in Victoria; underway in the Sunraysia region in Victoria, and under discussion with South Australia. We are most appreciative of the willingness of the many organisations to share data with us, and impressed by their readiness to collaborate in analyses which go beyond what each can achieve with their own "pieces of the puzzle". In return, we expect that our capacity to put together more complete accounts of water - in a regional irrigation context - will highlight hotspots for preventative action, opportunities for development and point to the most cost-effective ways for recovering water for various purposes. We expect to complete our analyses mid 2007. 

Reference:
Khan, S, Akbar, S, Rana, T, Abbas, A, Robinson, D, Paydar, Z, Dassanayke, D, Hirsi, I, Blackwell, J, Xevi, E and Carmichael, A 2005,
Off-and on-farm savings of irrigation water. Murrumbidgee valley water efficiency feasibility project, Water for a Healthy Country Flagship report, CSIRO, Canberra, 16 p.

Khan, S, Rana, T, Beddek, R, Blackwell, J, Paydar, Z and Carroll, J 2005, Whole-of-catchment water and salt balance. Identifying potential water saving and management options in the Murrumbidgee catchment, Water for a Healthy Country Flagship report, CSIRO, Canberra, 16 p.

Contact: Dr Sarah Ryan, 02 6246 5633, sarah.ryan@csiro.au
 

Update Home

Message from the Director

Building a Water Resources Observation Network

Science supporting the Living Murray

Giving revegetation strategies the edge

Recreation in the Coorong

Real-time monitoring helps irrigators to be water wise

Determining requirements for managed aquifer recharge in WA

Assessing land condition and sediment delivery in Great Barrier Reef catchments

A community creating its future options

WaterSmart Irrigation in the Murray

Meet some scientists from the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship

Meet Tom Hatton

Meet Wenju Cai

Meet some students from the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship

Meet David McCarthy

Meet Mirela Magyar

EARLIER UPDATES 

November 2004

April 2005

September 2005

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.

Please feel free to forward it to those in your organisation who would be interested in receiving future newsletters.

If you do not wish to receive this electronic newsletter from the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, please reply to this message with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line. Alternatively, please contact editor.healthycountry@csiro.au or telephone us on +61 2 6246 4565 to request the removal of your email address.

This E-Newsletter is a publication of CSIRO. It does not purport to be comprehensive or to render professional advice. All material in this publication is subject to copyright. For permission to reproduce any part or all of an article, please contact the editor.