Understanding how toxicants impact waterway and wetland function.
Background
The objective of this project is to understand how toxicants impact waterway function to support monitoring, reporting and interpretation of measures of waterway function as an environmental value for the Healthy Waterways Strategy (HWS). Additional objectives relate to understanding how toxicants affect stormwater wetland performance.
This research is important because the Healthy Waterways Strategy 2018 defines a healthy waterway as one that maintains its ecological structure and function over time. However, Melbourne Water only assesses changes to ecosystem structure. This project will enable Melbourne Water to consider function alongside structure in monitoring programs and to assess the impacts of toxicants to ecosystem function. Functional indicators can also assist in understanding the impacts of toxicants on the performance and maintenance of Melbourne Water’s stormwater wetland asset base.
Approach
This research will be delivered through a collaboration between A3P and MWRPP. Initially a literature review of toxicant impacts on waterway functional indicators will be undertaken. Based on the literature review, a suite of candidate functional indicators will be selected for field trials in selected waterways, including stormwater wetlands.
Progress to date
Began Oct 2023
Expected Outcomes
- Guidance to Melbourne Water on the impacts of toxicants on waterway function to support the inclusion of waterway function as a value in the next HWS.
- Identify where actions to improve water quality are necessary to support healthy waterway function.
- Guidance to Melbourne Water on how toxicant data collection can complement assessments of waterway function as part of the HWS MERI.
- Recommendations for improving the design and maintenance of stormwater wetlands to reduce the risk of toxicants on reduced stormwater wetland performance
Expected Completion
2028
Contact
For more information, please contact the project lead:
- Dr. Sara Long, sara.long@rmit.edu.au
At Melbourne Water:
