Publication (Annual report): CRCFE Annual Report 1998-1999

Publication Type:	Annual report
Publication Name:	CRCFE Annual Report 1998-1999

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CRC for Freshwater Ecology (1999) CRCFE Annual Report 1998-1999, CRCFE, Canberra.

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ANNUAL REPORT 1998-1999

Warning: The pdf file attached above is 6mb.

Chairman’s Foreword
Not only were many research projects being finalised, published and disseminated to the water industry, but the Centre had to undergo its Five Year Review and the development of the new bid simultaneously. The enormous effort involved was only accomplished through the outstanding commitment of the Centre’s staff and supporters. The successful outcomes of the review and the new bid stand as hallmarks of the maturity of the Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology. The levels of teamwork and cooperation continue to increase each year as more people discover the power and enjoyment of working in collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams.

There is an increasing awareness in the Australian water industry that a strong ecological knowledge base is fundamental to sustainable management of our land and water resources. This is clearly demonstrated by the decisions of the Department of Natural Resources in Qld, the Department of Land and Water Conservation in NSW and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Victoria to join the new Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology as full members. All these agencies are under considerable budgetary pressure, and it is exciting that they have seen the need to be part of the new Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology (CRCFE). We are also delighted that the Sydney Catchment Authority and Griffith University have decided to join the new Centre. These organisations worked closely with other parties to develop the rebid proposal for the new Centre, which was granted funding for a further seven years.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology is developing a portfolio of integrated research projects to address the issues of flow-related ecological processes, restoration ecology, conservation ecology and ecological assessment.

Achievement of the Centre’s vision of improving the condition of Australia’s inland waters is supported by the development of specialist knowledge brokers using innovative approaches to disseminate knowledge. The knowledge brokers have expanded the Centre’s capacity to deal with requests from partners and others.
The future of the Centre is based on this ability to add value to our partners who both generate and use knowledge.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology has also developed its role as a contributor to public debates on water issues and works hard to raise the profile of water issues in Australia. The Centre attracts extensive media coverage, and is frequently sought after to provide comments on water issues. The Centre has also developed the capacity to advise Governments about water policy issues and provide ecological insights into the development of these policies.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology goes from strength to strength, generating valuable ecological knowledge to underpin sustainable water management in Australia, a country with big decisions to make about its water resources.

I would like to thank my fellow board members for their commitment and hard work during the year. The boundless energy, enthusiasm and leadership skills of the Director, Peter Cullen, have been vital in the success of the Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology. As Board Chairman I would like to congratulate Peter on the success of the rebid: it was a great achievement. I would like to conclude with a special thank you to the staff of the Centre whose commitment and hard work have contributed so much.

Director’s Report
This year was an exciting one for the CRCFE. Many of our research projects came to an end and were reported and transferred to our industry partners. Both the Five Year Review and the bid for a new CRC were highly successful, and we were delighted to welcome five new partners to the Centre.

The Five Year Review

Dr Gene Likens from the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York, Professor Colin Townsend from the University of Otago in New Zealand and Ms Christine Forster from the Land and Water Resources Research Development Corporation conducted the first stage of our Five Year Review. Three quotes from their report indicate the results of this international benchmarking:
‘The CRCFE vision is to improve the condition of Australia’s inland waters... It is the Panel’s firm belief that the Centre is making major contributions toward its vision by conducting significant and relevant scientific studies, the results of which form the basis for all smart management, restoration and conservation efforts on critical freshwater resources.
(page 4)
...the Panel noted the following substantive outcomes of the research program:
• improved understanding of how freshwater biota respond to flow variability
• indicators to measure ecosystem change in response to the provision of
environmental flows
• understanding of the importance of flows linking rivers and floodplains
• understanding of the impact of river regulation on downstream communities
• improved understanding of reservoir processes and cyanobacteria blooms
• understanding of the important processes driving phosphorus release from
sediments
• awareness of the ‘health’ of many of our aquatic ecosystems
(page 14)
...We met with five PhD students...and were enormously impressed by their enthusiasm for their research and the esteem in which they held the CRCFE. They clearly benefited from being part of a vigorous and diverse network of researchers because of the breadth of skills, resources and data-rich study sites that are available to them. They valued the opportunity of being part of teams, where genuine team work and intellectual excitement are the norm.’
(page 12)

Mr Graeme Kelleher from Graeme Kelleher and Associates, Mr Peter Millington from Peter Millington and Associates and Dr Sue Meek from the Science and Technology Division of the WA Department of Commerce and Trade conducted the second stage of the Five Year Review in September 1998. Some quotes from this review include:
‘This CRC is of immense importance to Australia, focussing as it does on the Murray-Darling Basin and two important urban river systems.

The Centre is assessed as being of a very high standard generally and outstanding in many respects, including the performance of integrated research, communication and collaboration, the development of leadership skills in its staff and public relations.’
(page 2)

These outstanding reviews confirmed that our collaborative research approach was working effectively. Everyone in the Centre made a great effort – both to deliver their research, and to help present it in ways that the panels could appreciate.

The New CRC for Freshwater Ecology

While the review was in process, we were developing the teams and concepts that would support a bid for a new CRC. We were delighted to have the three East Coast land and water management agencies, the Qld Department of Natural Resources, the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation and the Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment, as well as Griffith University and the Sydney Water Corporation all join the CRCFE. The newly established Sydney Catchment Authority subsequently took up the Sydney Water Corporation membership following legislation changes in NSW. NSW Fisheries decided to withdraw from the CRCFE following the move of most of their freshwater staff to Port Stephens.

A number of teams worked hard to develop the new CRCFE research agenda that was presented in our submission and at interview. We were delighted to succeed in our bid, and look forward to building on the foundations we have already established.

Other Activities

During the year, the Lake Eyre community asked me to act as interim chair of the Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group. I was happy to help establish the group and find a suitable Chair, Mr Don Blesing. I have now reverted to my role as scientific adviser to the group.

As a member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC), I was invited to lead a working group looking at dryland salinity in Australia. The group’s report has now been published and was presented to the PMSEIC. I am still involved looking at implementation options.

The CRCFE continues to support the CSIRO-BHERT training program on leadership of R&D teams and several staff have completed this program.

In Conclusion

It has been another busy and exciting year for the Centre. Our successes would not have been possible without the wisdom, experience and support of our Board and in particular, our Chair, Dr John Langford.

I would like to thank all the staff and students of the CRCFE for their commitment to complete the research projects. I greatly appreciate the energy, enthusiasm and unfailing good spirits shown by staff and students in the face of many demands, especially during the review and new bid process.

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