Sustainable Rivers Audit
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Sustainable Rivers Audit SRA Report 1 A report on the ecological health of rivers in the Murray-Darling Basin, 2004–2007 Peter Davies, John Harris, Terry Hillman and Keith Walker June 2008 Prepared by the Independent Sustainable Rivers Audit Group for the Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council SRA Report 1 Independent Sustainable Rivers Audit Group Peter Davies John Harris Terry Hillman Keith Walker June 2008 Published by Murray–Darling Basin Commission Postal Address GPO Box 409, Canberra ACT 2601 Office location Level 4, 51 Allara Street, Canberra City Australian Capital Territory Telephone (02) 6279 0100 international + 61 2 6279 0100 Facsimile (02) 6248 8053 international + 61 2 6248 8053 E-mail [email protected] Internet http://www.mdbc.gov.au For further information contact the Murray–Darling Basin Commission office on (02) 6279 0100 This report may be cited as: Davies PE, JH Harris, TJ Hillman and KF Walker 2008. SRA Report 1: A Report on the Ecological Health of Rivers in the Murray–Darling Basin, 2004–2007. Prepared by the Independent Sustainable Rivers Audit Group for the Murray– Darling Basin Ministerial Council. MDBC Publication No. 16/08 ISBN 978 1 921 257 56 8 © Copyright Murray–Darling Basin Commission 2008 This work is copyright. Graphical and textual information in the work (with the exception of photographs and the MDBC logo) may be stored, retrieved and reproduced in whole or in part, provided the information is not sold or used for commercial benefit and its source SRA Report 1: A Report on the Ecological Health of Rivers in the Murray–Darling Basin, 2004–2007 is acknowledged. Such reproduction includes fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. Reproduction for other purposes is prohibited without prior permission of the Murray–Darling Basin Commission or the individual photographers and artists with whom copyright applies. To the extent permitted by law, the copyright holders (including its employees and consultants) exclude all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this report (in part or in whole) and any information or material contained in it. The contents of this publication do not purport to represent the position of the Murray–Darling Basin Commission. They are presented to inform discussion for improvement of the Basin's natural resources. iii Dedication Peter Wray Cullen AO 1943 – 2008 A visionary scientist and one of the architects of the Sustainable Rivers Audit iv Contents Dedication ......................................................................................................................................iii Contents .........................................................................................................................................iv Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................ix Acknowledgements.....................................................................................................................xiii 1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................1 1.1 Overview --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.2 Program design ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 1.3 Links to regional and national programs ----------------------------------------------------------- 3 1.4 Links to international programs----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 1.5 Reporting schedule-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 2. The Audit Framework.............................................................................................................5 2.1 Nature of the ecosystem ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 2.2 Elements of the Audit ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 2.2.1 Condition and Ecosystem Health .............................................................................6 2.2.2 Reference Condition.................................................................................................7 2.2.3 Reporting scale.........................................................................................................7 2.2.4 Sample site selection................................................................................................8 2.2.5 Sample frequency.....................................................................................................8 2.3 Linking the Audit to ecosystem health -------------------------------------------------------------- 8 2.3.1 Ecosystem components and Themes ......................................................................8 2.3.2 Data relationships and integration using Expert Rules...........................................11 2.4 Reporting data in statistical terms ------------------------------------------------------------------14 2.5 Attributes of healthy and unhealthy systems-----------------------------------------------------15 3. Themes ..................................................................................................................................18 3.1 Selection of Themes -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------18 3.2 Hydrology -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------18 3.2.1 Background.............................................................................................................18 3.2.2 Data sources...........................................................................................................19 3.2.3 Reference Condition for Hydrology ........................................................................20 3.2.4 Variables, metrics and indicators............................................................................20 3.2.5 Aggregation and integration methods for hydrology...............................................24 3.3 Fish---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------25 3.3.1 Background.............................................................................................................25 3.3.2 Sampling methods ..................................................................................................25 3.3.3 Reference Condition for Fish..................................................................................26 3.3.4 Variables, metrics and indicators............................................................................26 3.3.5 Diagnostic metrics ..................................................................................................27 3.3.6 Aggregation and integration methods for fish.........................................................28 3.4 Macroinvertebrates -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------29 3.4.1 Background.............................................................................................................29 3.4.2 Sampling methods ..................................................................................................30 3.4.3 Reference Condition for Macroinvertebrates..........................................................30 3.4.4 Variables, metrics and indicators............................................................................31 3.4.5 Aggregation and integration methods for macroinvertebrates ...............................32 v 3.5 Proposed Themes --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------33 3.5.1 Physical Form .........................................................................................................33 3.5.2 Vegetation...............................................................................................................33 4. Operations.............................................................................................................................34 4.1 Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------34 4.2 Sample Plans --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------34 4.3 Sampling compliance ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------35 4.3.1 Overview.................................................................................................................35 4.3.2 Implications for the Fish Theme .............................................................................35 4.3.3 Implications for the Macroinvertebrate Theme .......................................................35 4.4 Hydrology Theme ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------36 4.5 Data management --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------36 4.5.1 Data returns ............................................................................................................36 4.5.2 Data quality.............................................................................................................36