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BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY: DELIVERY OF A NATIONAL SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY: DELIVERY OF A NATIONAL SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA. R.H.Norris Institute for Applied Ecology and eWater CRC , University of Canberra, ACT, 2601. Don’t mess with my rivers!. National River Health Program. Why the Program?. The 1200 km Darling River

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BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY: DELIVERY OF A NATIONAL SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA

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  1. BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY: DELIVERY OF A NATIONAL SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA R.H.Norris Institute for Applied Ecology and eWater CRC, University of Canberra, ACT, 2601. Don’t mess with my rivers!

  2. National River Health Program Why the Program? The 1200 km Darling River Blue-Green algal bloom in 1991 brought the health of the nation’s rivers to prominence.

  3. NT Qld WA SA NSW ACT 1 Federal Government 6 State Governments 2 Territory Governments Vic Tas Australian Governments

  4. Rainfall variability HighèExtreme LowèModerate “Resolving Key Issues” Temporal variability in macroinvertebrate community composition Wet-Dry Tropics Aseasonal arid Summer rains Mediterranean (winter rains) Cool Temperate (winter rains)

  5. Regional Workshops and surveys O/E of SIGNAL scores O/E Number of taxa Bands A, B, C, D “Resolving Key Issues” Interpretable outputs for water resource managers (SIGNAL = Australian analogue of BMWP or SASS) (where A is > or < 80% of reference site O/E values)

  6. AUSRIVAS - Australian River Assessment System • Nationally standardized system • Some regionalization for climatic ranges but standard outputs • Easy to use and interpret outputs • Central management and access control • Aim: To demonstrate how the science behind biological monitoring has been packaged and delivered for easy use

  7. Standardized methods for sampling and data analysis METHODS Happy alliance between feds, states & researchers Internet based and managed with access to models password controlled SOFTWARE Central management and control over access >50 covering all of Australia - small derived data sets - final steps in analysis with client data MODELS AUSRIVAS: components

  8. User Data AUSRIVAS: Choose & run model AUSRIVAS Output AUSRIVAS: How does it work? AUSRIVAS AUSRIVAS SAS Raw Model Manager User Output Anonymous HTTP access Upload Models list & Bug/Chem codes AusRivAS Manager: ARM Model data file Upload selected model data AUSRIVAS Manager: LEG HTTP SITE List of available Models Password HTTP access Bug/Chem Codes List of valid Bug/ Chem codes AUSRIVAS Manager: TOE .

  9. ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: why ? Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology

  10. AUSRIVAS: Bug data input

  11. AUSRIVAS: Phys/chem data input

  12. AUSRIVAS: Outputs - taxa Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology

  13. AUSRIVAS: Outputs - predictions

  14. AUSRIVAS: Advantages • Standard method with nationally comparable results • Updates to software and models available immediately • Standardized methods approved for adoption by NATA & included in National WQ guidelines • Utilitarian platform to run complex analyses • Web site with troubleshooting and advice • Wide range of registered users • Manual with video clips included, training & accreditation

  15. Adoption & implementation of AUSRIVAS • AUSRIVAS formally adopted as a national indicator for State of the Environment Reporting at Federal and State levels in 1997-8 • AUSRIVAS being incorporated into new National Water Quality Guidelinesin 1998/9 • AUSRIVAS being progressively adopted into state licensing and catchment management legislation

  16. Conclusion • AUSRIVAS program and manual available via the Internet. Science packaged easy use. http://ausrivas.canberra.edu.au/ausrivas • Models by habitat, season & regions if necessary • Ultimately many users - agencies, Waterwatch, consultants etc. • Flexible management and up-dating needs • Updates easily done and immediately available • Troubleshooting and advice available • Widely adopted in legislation & management

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