2024 Tender outcome
Outcome of the 2024 QWMN Research, Development and Innovation Tender
The QWMN is pleased to announce the following projects have been funded under the 2024 QWMN RDI Tender:
Streambank erosion and floodplain deposition modelling
The Paddock to Reef sediment models play a critical role in the management of the Great Barrier Reef catchments, measuring sediment erosion from stream banks and deposition on floodplains. These models influence where hundreds of millions of dollars are invested for landscape restoration by informing sub-catchment sediment loads and export rates.
The models face significant challenges due to a generalisation that overlooks the diverse behaviours of different river systems, leading to cost-inefficient project identification, particularly in upper catchments where sediment export rates are low.
To address this, the project proposes modelling using the DESI Queensland River Classification Scheme method to classify river links according to their geomorphic properties, tailoring the models to account for the diverse river types within GBR catchments. Refining bankfull flow estimates and improving how overbank flow to floodplains is calculated will also be implemented, which are essential factors in predicting sediment movements accurately.
These solutions will increase the precision of sediment load and export rate estimates, improving the efficacy of landscape restoration initiatives and alignment of investments. This will ensure that funding is directed towards interventions that are both cost-effective and have the most significant environmental impact.
Facilitating Traditional Owner led catchment repair using the Scenario Tool
There is currently inadequate consideration of the cultural values and aspirations of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji People within the western planning frameworks and decision-making processes. This disconnect is compounded by the tendency to involve Traditional Owners only at later stages of planning, limiting their influence on outcomes that affect their ancestral lands and waters.
This project in the Cairns region, traditionally known as Gimuy proposes a collaborative proof-of-concept study led by Alluvium Consulting, in partnership with Traditional Owners the Gimuy Walabura Yindinji People, Abriculture, Water Sensitive Cities Australia, Harc Services, and Cairns Regional Council.
The study aims to integrate Indigenous Knowledge with modern urban water and liveability planning approaches, using the Water Sensitive Cities Scenario Tool. This tool tests water management scenarios with the aim of producing outcomes where multiple benefits can be realised, including those of cultural significance - something the tool has not previously been adapted for. This will facilitate the protection of cultural values and empower First Nations People, fostering a shared language and vision for urban water management.
The proof of concept will enable Traditional Owners to have a seat at the planning table, using the visual outputs of the Scenario Tool for culturally informed dialogue surrounding urban water management. This can guide the prioritisation of catchment and landscape restoration, climate resilience, as well as urban design initiatives, ensuring they align with cultural, social, economic and environmental objectives.
A review of the science and modelling tools for improved assessment of aquaculture discharge
There is a need for informed decision-making regarding the management of impacts caused by aquaculture developments, particularly in the coastal zones. Aquaculture operations can lead to increased nutrient loads in the environment due to feed and waste production, which could have significant effects on marine ecosystems. Existing models and tools for policy and regulatory decisions fail to sufficiently communicate the potential consequences to the environment.
This project proposes a solution involving enhancing the assessment of aquaculture developments through the refined use of modelling. This will be achieved through stakeholder engagement, a review of contemporary science, and an assessment of the capabilities of current modelling tools in projecting the effects of aquaculture discharges. Stakeholders, ranging from government departments, potential developers, community groups, and researchers, will be involved to ensure that the models serve varied purposes, from screening and compliance to development assessments and water quality monitoring.
The benefits expected from this project include a clearer understanding of modelling purposes to align aquaculture practices with the water quality needs of sensitive areas like the GBR. The project will culminate in a report and guidance documents that critically review relevant models and contribute to improved decision support systems, identifying gaps, and promoting sustainable aquaculture expansion while safeguarding environmental values.
Resilience of K’gari’s lake systems to climate variability
This is a collaborative project with a strong focus on understanding K’gari’s unique lake and groundwater systems and assessing their resilience to climate variability and human activity. Recognising the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation's rights and interests as Native Title holders, the project presents a strategic water resource management framework that respects Butchulla heritage and promotes sustainable management directions for land managers’ considerations.
The project's approach integrates Traditional Owner knowledge and modern science, leading to co-author outputs and involve stakeholders and land managers through capacity-building initiatives, knowledge-sharing workshops, and co-designed research methods. Outputs such as detailed lake bathymetry, groundwater surveys, and the development and calibration of climate models will support and empower the Butchulla community in K’gari World Heritage Area management collaborations.
Through this, the Consortium, consisting of The Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation, CSIRO, the Burnett-Mary Regional Group and the University of Adelaide, aims to establish robust data sets that contribute to the management of the island's ecosystems, upholding the region's environmental legislation and World Heritage status, thus ensuring sustainable water management that harmonizes cultural values and scientific understanding for the benefit of K’gari and its people.
Developing a process to determine cultural flows in needs for Queensland water planning
Many existing water management plans and frameworks in Australia lack clear consideration for First Nations knowledge and cultural values of water. This project aims to develop a conceptual cultural flow model for the middle and upper - Wawu budja - Mitchel River to integrate cultural flow assessments into Queensland's water planning frameworks. This is in line with recent reforms to the Water Act (2000) which means there is a critical need to link Queensland Government water planners and QLD First Nation’s groups to develop a process for including guidelines such as these in Queensland water planning.
Spearheaded by researchers from Griffith University, and the Mitchell River Traditional Custodians Advisory Group (MRTCAG), this project will establish a collaborative approach uniquely, and respectfully blending Western and Indigenous Knowledge systems for the ecohydrological management of Queensland rivers. Developing a cultural flow model is the first step to enhancing First Nations participation in the water planning process. It enables not only the protection of Indigenous knowledge and the revitalization and maintenance of cultural landscapes and management of Country and practices related to water, but also equips local communities with the means to partake authentically in environmental stewardship.
The culmination of this project will be a draft conceptual flow model for the middle and upper Mitchell River with an associated report documenting the process of its development. In the future this can form the foundation for the creation of innovative guidelines that will harmonize the management of water resources with the cultural values and rights of First Nations peoples across the state, driving policy reform and ecological harmony.
View the 2024 Challenge Statements .