Publications by Year
Removing filterable reactive P from highly coloured stormwater using constructed wetlands
Grappling with Filterable reactive P removal from highly coloured stormwater using constructed wetlands.
Bacteria and biofilm (periphyton) in constructed wetlands treating highly coloured nutrient enriched stormwater.
Nuisance midge (Chironomidae) plagues in urban wetlands: A catalyst for improved catchment management.
Perth has over 450 shallow urban lakes of which many have problems with nuisance midge plagues. Midges (Chironomidae) have aquatic larvae with non-biting adults emerging from the lake in the millions during…
Perth has over 450 shallow urban lakes of which many have problems with nuisance midge plagues. Midges (Chironomidae) have aquatic larvae with non-biting adults emerging from the lake in the millions during a plague. The sheer numbers severely impact on the quality of life for nearby residents. Lake Joondalup is a degraded urban lake that has experienced midge plagues over many years. Pesticide treatment is the only short-term solution currently available, however this is environmentally undesirable. Midge plagues galvanise, local communities, Politicians, Councilors and Agencies into dealing with the fundamental problem, as improved catchment management is the only long-term solution. Recent events at Lake Joondalup will be used as a case study of how plagues can result in improved catchment management.
Designing constructed wetlands for removal of filterable reactive P from stormwater/groundwater in areas of high water tables in a Mediterranean climate.
Using an environmental risk assessment approach in determining priorities related to the impact of irrigation return on river environments. A case study fo the Ord River Irrigation Area.
The National Program for Irrigation Research and Development has established a research project to develop and test a generic framework for assessing the ecological risks associated with irrigation return. Three irrigation areas…
The National Program for Irrigation Research and Development has established a research project to develop and test a generic framework for assessing the ecological risks associated with irrigation return. Three irrigation areas are involved in the study, Goulburn-Broken, Fitzroy (Qld) and the Ord River. This paper reports on the Ord River project. The aim of the study was to identify likely ecological risks associated with irrigation systems within the Lower Ord River catchment and rank the risks based on the use of conceptual models. The Ord River catchment under consideration was bounded by the Ord River Dam (Lake Argyle) and the upper extent of the salt wedge at Carlton Crossing. Despite limited availability of flow and water quality data for the irrigation area or the Ord River, a mass balance model was produced and general trends observed. A key finding was that irrigation return water was a substantial contributor of Phosphorus (P) and nitrate/nitrite to the Lower Ord River. Initial stakeholder meetings held in Perth and Kununurra identified weeds, channel infilling, biota kills, algal blooms and loss of biodiversity as key ecological consequences of irrigation. Two simple conceptual models were then produced. One shows the role water quantity plays in the risk of ecological consequences occurring. The other model takes a different approach and identifies what factors biota require for their continued health and looks at the risks irrigation poses to those factors. Risks were assigned and then averaged to produce a risk assessment matrix. Subsequent stakeholder meetings ranked the consequences in terms of priority, with biota kills and loss of biodiversity first, followed by weeds. Algal blooms and channel infilling were seen as being of least importance or not substantially impacted by irrigation. Plans for ongoing project work and how results from this study contribute to other community and research activities in the Ord will be discussed.