Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MF > MF09059
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 61(7)

Negotiating the turbulent boundary: the challenges of building a science–management collaboration for landscape-scale monitoring of environmental flows

J. Angus Webb A F , Michael J. Stewardson B , Yung En Chee C , E. Sabine G. Schreiber D , Andrew K. Sharpe E and Michael C. Jensz D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Resource Management and Geography and the eWater CRC, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.

B Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the eWater CRC, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.

C School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.

D Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne, Vic. 3002, Australia.

E Sinclair Knight Merz, Armadale, Vic. 3143, Australia.

F Corresponding author. Email: angus.webb@unimelb.edu.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 61(7) 798-807 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF09059
Submitted: 17 March 2009  Accepted: 29 December 2009   Published: 23 July 2010

Abstract

With drought and climate change leading to increased water scarcity at a time of increasing consumptive demand, the provision of environmental flows is a potentially divisive issue. Demonstrating the ecological effects of environmental flows is thus important for supporting policy and management decisions. We describe the development of a multi-basin monitoring and assessment program for environmental flows in Victoria, Australia. We examine the challenges associated with negotiating the turbulent boundary between water science and water management when building a partnership between multiple partners with differing priorities, expectations and responsibilities. We describe the mistakes made and corrective actions taken, and present a critical analysis of the lessons learned. Strong science–management collaboration will be aided by: explicit recognition of the importance of the engagement process, establishing the partnership at the outset, assessing and understanding the disparate needs of individual partners, frequent articulation of the shared vision that motivated the collaboration, and providing sufficient opportunities for information exchange among partners. Cullen first described the challenges to science-management collaboration twenty years ago, but to some extent, the same mistakes continue to be made. Our real-world example shows that it is possible to develop a strong partnership, even when such mistakes are made at the outset.

Additional keywords: adaptive management, Bayesian hierarchical modelling, capacity building, conceptual model, environmental water reserve, evidence-based modelling, VEFMAP.


Acknowledgements

VEFMAP could never have got off the ground without the strategic leadership of Jane Doolan and Paul Bennett from DSE. Peter Cottingham also played an integral role in the early stages of the program. We thank the scientific panel (Gerry Quinn, Angela Arthington, Mark Kennard, Barbara Downes, Alison King, Wayne Tennant) and other experts (Leon Metzeling, Terry Hillman, Jane Roberts, Paul Boon, Geoff Earl) for their careful oversight; and the EWR officers, without whom VEFMAP would just be a plan. VEFMAP is funded through a variety of channels, including DSE (Our Water Our Future), the CMAs and the eWater CRC. Y.E.C. was also supported by ARC Linkage grant LP0667891. Finally, we thank Moya Tomlinson, Darren Ryder, Andrew Boulton and an anonymous reviewer for their careful review of this manuscript, and Beth Wallis for producing Fig. 4.


References

Allan C., Watts R. J., Commens S., and Ryder D. S. (2009). Using adaptive management to meet multiple goals for flows along the Mitta Mitta River in south-eastern Australia. In ‘Adaptive Environmental Management: A Practitioner’s Guide’. (Eds C. Allan and G. H. Stankey.) pp. 59–72. (Springer: Dordrecht.)

Arthington, A. H. , Bunn, S. E. , Poff, N. L. , and Naiman, R. J. (2006). The challenge of providing environmental flow rules to sustain river ecosystems. Ecological Applications 16, 1311–1318.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Boulton A., Piégay H., and Sanders M. (2008). Turbulence and train wrecks: using knowledge strategies to enhance the application of integrative river science to effective river management. In ‘River Futures: An Integrative Scientific Approach to River Repair’. (Eds G. J. Brierley and K. A. Fryirs.) pp. 28–39. (Island Press: Washington, DC.)

Brooks, S. S. , and Lake, P. S. (2007). River restoration in Victoria, Australia: change is in the wind, and none too soon. Restoration Ecology 15, 584–591.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Burgman M. A. (2005). ‘Risks and Decisions for Conservation and Environmental Management.’ (Cambridge University Press: New York.)

Chatfield C. (1995). ‘Problem Solving: A Statistician’s Guide.’ (Chapman & Hall: London & New York.)

Chee Y., Webb A., Stewardson M., and Cottingham P. (2009). Victorian environmental flows monitoring and assessment program: monitoring and evaluation of environmental flow releases in the Broken River. The University of Melbourne and eWater CRC, Melbourne. Available at http://tinyurl.com/lltjma [Verified 25 May 2010].

Chen, Y. N. , Pang, Z. H. , Chen, Y. P. , Li, W. H. , and Xu, C. C. , et al. (2008). Response of riparian vegetation to water-table changes in the lower reaches of Tarim River, Xinjiang Uygur, China. Hydrogeology Journal 16, 1371–1379.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Cottingham P., Stewardson M., and Webb A. (2005). Victorian environmental flows monitoring and assessment program. Stage 1: statewide framework. CRC for Freshwater Ecology and CRC for Catchment Hydrology, Melbourne. Available at http://tinyurl.com/2feys3 [Verified 25 May 2010].

Cullen, P. (1990). The turbulent boundary between water science and water management. Freshwater Biology 24, 201–209.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Cullen P., Andrews K., Cottingham P., Doolan J., Edgar B., et al. (2001). Knowledge seeking strategies of natural resource professionals. Land & Water Australia, Canberra. Available at http://tinyurl.com/y975w64 [Verified 25 May 2010].

Davis, J. A. , Finlayson, B. L. , and Hart, B. T. (2001). Barriers to science informing community-based land and water management. Australian Journal of Environmental Management 8, 99–104.
DECC (2008). New South Wales RiverBank business plan part A: program plan 2006–2011. Department of Environment and Climate Change, Sydney. Available at http://tinyurl.com/nc358c [Verified 25 May 2010].

DEWHA (2008). Planned approach for restoring the balance in the Murray-Darling Basin. Water purchase program: 2008–09 and beyond. Available at http://tinyurl.com/yavrfgg [Verified 25 May 2010].

DNRE (2002). The FLOWS method: a method for determining environmental water requirements in Victoria. Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne. Available at http://tinyurl.com/yws84m [Verified 25 May 2010].

Downes B. J., Barmuta L. A., Fairweather P. G., Faith D. P., Keough M. J., et al. (2002). ‘Monitoring Ecological Impacts: Concepts and Practice in Flowing Waters.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

DSE (2004). Securing our water future together. Victorian Government White Paper. Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne, Available at http://tinyurl.com/mpvgdk [Verified 25 May 2010].

DSE (2007). Our water our future: the next stage of the government’s water plan. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne, Available at http://tinyurl.com/nnm6vm [Verified 25 May 2010].

Eberhard, R. , Robinson, C. J. , Waterhouse, J. , Parslow, J. , and Hart, B. , et al. (2009). Adaptive management for water quality planning – from theory to practice. Marine and Freshwater Research 60, 1189–1195.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | Gunderson L. H., and Holling C. S. (2002). ‘Panarchy: Understanding Transformations in Human and Natural Systems.’ (Island Press: Washington, DC.)

Hancock, P. J. , and Boulton, A. J. (2005). The effects of an environmental flow release on water quality in the hyporheic zone of the Hunter River, Australia. Hydrobiologia 552, 75–85.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | Humphries P., and Cook R. A. (2004). Campaspe flow manipulation project. Final report. Department of Environment and Heritage, Canberra.

Jakob, C. , Robinson, C. T. , and Uehlinger, U. (2003). Longitudinal effects of experimental floods on stream benthos downstream from a large dam. Aquatic Sciences 65, 223–231.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Moberg F., and Galaz V. (2005). Resilience: going from conventional to adaptive freshwater management for human and ecosystem compatibility. Stockholm International Water Institute, Sweden. Available at http://tinyurl.com/mtvnf7 [Verified 25 May 2010].

Montagna, P. A. , Kalke, R. D. , and Ritter, C. (2002). Effect of restored freshwater inflow on macrofauna and meiofauna in upper Rincon Bayou, Texas, USA. Estuaries 25, 1436–1447.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Pielke R. A.Jr (2007). ‘The Honest Broker: Making Sense of Science in Policy and Politics.’ (Cambridge University Press: New York.)

Poff, N. L. , Allan, J. D. , Bain, M. B. , Karr, J. R. , and Prestegaard, K. L. , et al. (1997). The natural flow regime. BioScience 47, 769–784.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Rogers K. H. (2007). ‘Complexity and simplicity: complementary requisites for policy implementation.’ Presentation, 10th International River Symposium; Brisbane, Australia; 3–6 September, 2007. Available at http://tinyurl.com/kodatv [Verified 25 May 2010].

Sabaton, C. , Souchon, Y. , Capra, H. , Gouraud, V. , and Lascaux, J. M. , et al. (2008). Long-term brown trout populations responses to flow manipulation. River Research and Applications 24, 476–505.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Schmidt, J. C. , Parnell, R. A. , Grams, P. E. , Hazel, J. E. , and Kaplinski, M. A. , et al. (2001). The 1996 controlled flood in Grand Canyon: flow, sediment transport, and geomorphic change. Ecological Applications 11, 657–671.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Siebentritt, M. A. , Ganf, G. G. , and Walker, K. F. (2004). Effects of an enhanced flood on riparian plants of the River Murray, South Australia. River Research and Applications 20, 765–774.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Souchon, Y. , Sabaton, C. , Deibel, R. , Reiser, D. , and Kershner, J. , et al. (2008). Detecting biological responses to flow management: missed opportunities; future directions. River Research and Applications 24, 506–518.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Speas, D. W. (2000). Zooplankton density and community composition following an experimental flood in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management 16, 73–81.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tharme, R. E. (2003). A global perspective on environmental flow assessment: Emerging trends in the development and application of environmental flow methodologies for rivers. River Research and Applications 19, 397–441.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Travnichek, V. H. , Bain, M. B. , and Maceina, M. J. (1995). Recovery of a warmwater fish assemblage after the initiation of a minimum-flow release downstream from a hydroelectric dam. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 124, 836–844.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Uehlinger, U. , Kawecka, B. , and Robinson, C. T. (2003). Effects of experimental floods on periphyton and stream metabolism below a high dam in the Swiss Alps (River Spöl). Aquatic Sciences 65, 199–209.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Valett, H. M. , Baker, M. A. , Morrice, J. A. , Crawford, C. S. , and Molles, M. C. , et al. (2005). Biogeochemical and metabolic responses to the flood pulse in a semiarid floodplain. Ecology 86, 220–234.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Walters, C. J. (2007). Is adaptive management helping to solve fisheries problems? Ambio 36, 304–307.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |

Webb, J. A. , and King, E. L. (2009). A Bayesian hierarchical trend analysis finds strong evidence for large-scale temporal declines in stream ecological condition around Melbourne, Australia. Ecography 32, 215–225.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Webb, J. A. , Stewardson, M. J. , and Koster, W. M. (2010). Detecting ecological responses to flow variation using Bayesian hierarchical models. Freshwater Biology 55, 108–126.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |