Ruby Kernkamp’s Post

After many years of gestation I'm delighted that this key research paper has now been published: "Are environmental water requirements being met in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia?" The answer is largely no, so our findings challenge Australian governments to manage this river system better when they review the Basin Plan in 2026. Thanks to Prof. Fran Sheldon and Dr Eytan Rocheta who led this research. ABSTRACT: For full list of author affiliations and declarations see end of paper Context In implementing the Murray–Darling Basin Plan, jurisdictions have defined environmental water requirements (EWRs) for sites along Basin rivers. EWRs are the flows (frequency, magnitude,duration, and timing) required to achieve environmental outcomes; they are derived from flow-ecology relationships by using best available scientific knowledge. Aims. To assess EWR achievement across the Murray–Darling Basin over a 43.5-year period (1 July 1979 – 31 December 2022) that included periods of drought as well as widespread flooding. Methods. By using a published EWR assessment tool, we analysed the achievement of EWRs for small fresh, large fresh, bankfull and overbank flows for 23 sites. Key results. At 65% of stream gauge sites assessed, most EWRs evaluated had not been met. We also compared analyses of different time periods, namely, a 43.5-year period, and a 10-year period since the Basin Plan was legislated. This highlighted some improvement in EWR achievement for the small fresh EWR. Conclusions and implications. Despite some improvements, the continued lack of achievement in meeting EWRs is likely to be a major contributing factor to the ongoing poor health of channel, wetland (including Ramsar wetlands) and floodplain ecosystems across most of the rivers of the Murray–Darling Basin. https://lnkd.in/gtRSR5gD

Visiting various water utility companies is always a valuable experience. Observing how they monitor water quality firsthand provides the best insights into how we can support their efforts.

We have just released the report titled "Scenarios on Water Politics in the Euphrates-Tigris Basin 2040: Addressing the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus through Cooperation among Riparian States" from our recent closed-door workshop, "Water Politics in the Euphrates-Tigris Basin." This publication presents insightful scenarios and policy recommendations aimed at promoting sustainable water management and enhancing regional cooperation among riparian states up to 2040. Special thanks to our cooperation partner INWRDAM and to all the participants who contributed their expertise to this crucial discussion. Dive into the scenarios and recommendations and explore how collaborative efforts can address the critical challenges in the transboundary Euphrates-Tigris Basin. https://lnkd.in/etyeCqsZ

Governance for water as a public common is particularly challenging because of the necessity to consider different stakeholders but also various relevant levels: from watershed-wide to ultra-local considerations. This example of an old practice could help design modern-day relevant approaches. A crucial point is when water is shared across administrative jurisdictions and countries, making it truly a global commons.

This The Guardian article is very interesting on traditional communal resource management approaches but I found one point very unconvincing- the idea of adding a citizen assembly to the international commission on the Danube. Those of us interested in what the next generation of democracy looks like need to resist the temptation to tack a citizen assembly onto everything. Specifically in the context of difficult resource management decisions, and highly technical issues, an assembly is a bad format. It requires too much learning-in for participants, the questions will be highly technical and the complexities of multilingualism in the vast Danube basin add costs without benefits. Without there being a specific challenge or question, the most you would get a set of bland generalities about the importance of balancing the environment and commercial uses of the river. Deliberative approaches within stakeholder communities, the use of tools such as participatory budgeting for allocations, networked communication methods to identify issues and problems - all of these would be more interesting developments. We need multiple approaches to understand how the structures and certainties of current systems need to adapt to an era where people aren’t prepared to take things for granted. https://lnkd.in/eMHqz5k8

On May 1st the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council and SDS Capstone Students offered an enlightening and exploratory webinar, Assessing the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Water Quality: A Comprehensive Exploratory Analysis. The team delved into the analysis of water quality trends in the watershed over the years. “This study aims to bridge the gap between the Woonasquatucket Watershed Council’s assumed efforts and the actual measured effectiveness of their work. Integrating advanced statistical analysis and visualization techniques from a wide range of detailed data, we intend to create models that explain certain trends and help curate a more intentional framework for future conservation efforts.” This research has established a comprehensive dataset, revealing key correlations and trends in the Woonasquatucket River Watershed water quality. These findings serve as a foundational framework for environmental scientists and policymakers, providing valuable insights for further detailed studies. To uncover deeper insights, advanced analytical techniques are essential. By enhancing our understanding of the watershed’s dynamics and improving monitoring practices, we can effectively guide environmental policy. Join us as we work towards better managing and preserving water quality, ensuring the health and safety of the community and the environment. Watch the fully recorded webinar here: https://lnkd.in/epdHAdq3 Check out the Interactive Watershed Map here: https://lnkd.in/eiP2Gcrc View the full presentation PDF here: https://lnkd.in/ememibtT

What happens if you arrive to install a dam cover and find much less water in the dam than anticipated? We journeyed to the WA Wheatbelt town of Merredin and teamed up with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation for the Merredin Shire. Fitting dam covers on the Merredin No. 4 Dam might have been a challenge, but working hand in hand with the shire led us to finding a solution. Find out how it unfolded: https://bit.ly/3JL4Nli

Excited to gather in March! Get your abstracts submitted by this Sat., Dec. 30th to Sara Chudnoff, American Ground Water Trust for the AGWT Northwest Ground Water Conference in Pasco, WA on March 18th & 19th (tour on the 17th). Topics of interest are (but not limited to): - Groundwater management - Water quality - Groundwater/surface water interaction - Ag efficiency and incentivisation programs - Transboundary/water politics - Water policy - MAR/ASR - Water markets - Environmental Justice & Anything else groundwater

What happens if you arrive to install a dam cover and find much less water in the dam than anticipated? We journeyed to the WA Wheatbelt town of Merredin and teamed up with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation for the Merredin Shire. Fitting dam covers on the Merredin No. 4 Dam might have been a challenge, but working hand in hand with the shire led us to finding a solution. Find out how it unfolded: https://bit.ly/3JL4Nli

🔔Civil society meets Peru's environment minister to mark World Water Day tomorrow This Friday, March 22, 2024, at 11 AM (Peruvian time) Civil Society will meets with the Peruvian Minister of Environment to question him on several key issues in the country, such as: 💧How is the Peruvian government advancing its goals to give more water to more Peruvians while at the same time securing the sources? 💧How is multi-sectoral coordination of water governance in the country being strengthened? How have we advanced as a region in strengthening participatory management of transboundary waters? Are water sources going to be privatized? 💧What projects are there for the short term? The interview will be broadcasted live on the Facebook page of the International Secretariat for Water: https://lnkd.in/ea8-CbGZ ✨ Attendees will be able to ask questions from the webcast chat. The interview will be in Spanish 🇪🇸