Understanding how toxicants impact waterway and wetland function.
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. 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.
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.
Began Oct 2023
2028
For more information, please contact the project lead:
At Melbourne Water:
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.