Annual Research Update

In 2020, the Annual Research Update is being delivered as an online event. A series of short (< 15min) presentations have been recorded to provide an update on the progress and direction of research projects, as well as a synopsis of the delivered (and expected) management impacts.

Use the list of projects below to jump to the presentation(s) of interest, or scroll down to see all available

The presentations provide only a brief account to the project – further information on the research projects can be obtained by contacting the researchers directly (contact details are provided in each video), on the waterways partnership website (mwrpp.org) or for Melbourne Water staff, through the Research Hub. These presentations can also be watched direct on the Waterway Research YouTube Channel, which includes other videos produced by the partnership.

A1 Prioritisation:

Spatial prioritization of management actions for biodiversity outcomes in streams and wetlands.

A2 MERI:

Testing critical assumptions of interventions and outcomes, and designing effective, efficient biodiversity monitoring to support strategy implementation.

A2 MERI: Billabongs

Birrarung’s billabongs: vegetation response to environmental watering.

A2 MERI: Riparian Revegetation

Riparian Revegetation.

A3 Channel Prediction:

Geomorphic change & disturbance thresholds for the protection or recovery of stream form in urban catchments.

B1 Stream Ecology:

Investigating relationships between flow, channel form, vegetation and ecosystem function.

B2: Sediment Budget

Major sources and fate of sediments in streams, wetlands, estuaries and bays to inform management opportunities.

B3: Constructed Wetlands

Optimizing constructed wetland design, management and performance prediction.

B4: Ground Water

Understanding the interactions between groundwater, surface water and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems.

C1: Urban Flows

How can retention, use and treatment of urban stormwater protect or provide natural flow regimes for waterway health?

C5: Street Trees

Redesigning streetscapes to protect streams and grow the urban forest.

D1: Headwaters

Understand the role of small headwater streams in urbanizing catchments for supporting waterway health.

D2: Deer

Understanding and managing the impacts of deer on riparian vegetation.

D4: Yellingbo

Yellingbo hydrology works MERI program.

D5: Revegetation Risk

Modelling the Risk of Key Revegetation Species to a Changing Climate.

E1: Citizen Science

The impacts of ‘next generation’ citizen science programs.

E5: Blue Spaces

Community engagement with Melbourne’s blue spaces before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

A1 Prioritisation: Spatial prioritization of management action for biodiversity outcomes in streams and wetlands

[youtube url=”https://youtu.be/4cKG8Gk1vrg” width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”]

This project builds on existing spatial planning tools used for the new Healthy Waterways Strategy that allow different planning options and their associated costs and outcomes to be evaluated and prioritized. It will develop Habitat Suitability Models for wetlands to provide a similar level of rigour to wetland planning decisions, as well as strengthening the existing stream models with the incorporation of new spatial datasets and environmental predictors.

A2 MERI: Testing critical assumptions of interventions and outcomes, and designing effective, efficient biodiversity monitoring to support strategy implementation

[youtube url=”https://youtu.be/MV4Ii_s1vhU” width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”]

This project will support the overarching Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) plan for the Healthy Waterways Strategy. It will help identify critical assumptions between management interventions, environmental conditions and key values. The focus will be on interventions where there is high investment by MW but low confidence in the outcomes. This project will also investigate approaches and methods for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of biodiversity monitoring in waterways.

A1 Prioritisation: Spatial prioritization of management action for biodiversity outcomes in streams and wetlands

This project builds on existing spatial planning tools used for the new Healthy Waterways Strategy that allow different planning options and their associated costs and outcomes to be evaluated and prioritized. It will develop Habitat Suitability Models for wetlands to provide a similar level of rigour to wetland planning decisions, as well as strengthening the existing stream models with the incorporation of new spatial datasets and environmental predictors.

A2 MERI: Testing critical assumptions of interventions and outcomes, and designing effective, efficient biodiversity monitoring to support strategy implementation

This project will support the overarching Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) plan for the Healthy Waterways Strategy. It will help identify critical assumptions between management interventions, environmental conditions and key values. The focus will be on interventions where there is high investment by MW but low confidence in the outcomes. This project will also investigate approaches and methods for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of biodiversity monitoring in waterways.

Theme B: Waterway hydrology and geomorphology.

[youtube url=”https://youtu.be/4cKG8Gk1vrg” width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”] [youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sFuKLcelmk&w=450&h=253″ width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”]

Theme C: Urban stormwater and rural runoff management for waterway health.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBOVKFC_oIE&w=450&h=253″ width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”] [youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sFuKLcelmk&w=450&h=253″ width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”]

Theme D: Riparian and wetland vegetation management.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBOVKFC_oIE&w=450&h=253″ width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”] [youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sFuKLcelmk&w=450&h=253″ width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”]

Theme E: Community participation in waterway management.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBOVKFC_oIE&w=450&h=253″ width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”] [youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sFuKLcelmk&w=450&h=253″ width=”460″ height=”260″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”]