hydrology envrionmental flows

Question 1

what are the basin states

Answer 1

NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, ACT

Question 2

what are sustainable diversion limits

Answer 2

amount of water that can be extracted from rivers and groundwater that is still sustainable

Question 3

how much water is needed for the environment

Answer 3

~3000 GL

Question 4

has the MBD plan provided enough water for the environment

Answer 4

since implementation, there is more water in the wetlands relative to the inflow however because of the variability of the flow a big-time series is needed to understand the effects which is not yet available

Question 5

what are key environmental assets

Answer 5

hydrological indicator sites, idea that through providing water directly to these key assets other subsequent assets will also be provided with water (key asset is usually far away from dams, therefore, other places will be provided with water along the way)

Question 6

how is water released to key environmental assets

Answer 6

water is released from dams to mimic natural flow duration curve (timing, magnitude and frequency) at the wetlands

Question 7

what is the water ACT 2007

Answer 7

provides legislative framework ensuring the MBD is managed in the best interest of the environment and economy

Question 8

what is the MBD plan and what are the 6 key elements of the plan

Answer 8

a plan to manage the basin as a whole system

1. sustainable diversion limits
2. water resource plans
3. water for the environment
4. water trade
5. compliance
6. monitoring and reporting

Question 9

what is an environmental water holder

Answer 9

a federal body that can buy and sell water, it focuses on buying water licences in the market to provide water for the environment

Question 10

what are transmission losses

Answer 10

also considered environmental water, water released (conveyance) from dams for irrigation travels through system and losses occur along the way.

Question 11

how long can you store water under a license

Answer 11

2 years

Question 12

what are the 2 types of environmental water

Answer 12

1. HEW (held environmental water - licenses from all environmental holders)
2. PEW (planned environmental water - water sharing
3. RMIF (river Murray increased flows)

Question 13

what is the difference between a licence and an allocation?

Answer 13

a licence is the right to extract your share of water

allocation is the amount of water available for a given year (dependent on availability and precipitation etc)

Question 14

what are the 5 different types of water licences

Answer 14

1. domestic and stock: guaranteed water not used for irrigation
2. town supply water: drinking guaranteed
3. conveyance: government water
4. high-security first priority water, guaranteed regular, more expensive, less volume than general
5. general security: not guaranteed related to available water. everyone has this and the environment

Question 15

what is supplementary water

Answer 15

how much water is allowed if the water is flooding

Question 16

what is water accounting

Answer 16

understanding the flows and stores of water in a catchment

Question 17

how do you assess a river

Answer 17

hydrology, ecology and geomorphology

whole river approach needed to give overall score however things change quickly.

Question 18

how to identify a threshold value

Answer 18

impact/disturbance over health defines threshold value when resilience is breached

Question 19

method to assessing environmental flows (FDC) limitations

Answer 19

before and after of flow duration curve (or FDC impacted/nonimpacted

1. high variability before and after is difficult
2. setting point of change difficult
3. what type of flow (eg low, high) to compare

Question 20

method to assessing environmental flows (index of hydrological alteration) limitations

Answer 20

there are 33 indies to describe the analysis of FDC therefore need complete flow data including
monthly means, annual magnitude, timing, frequency and duration
1. doesn’t include climate variability therefore need large time series

Question 21

what is the hydrological alteration factor

Answer 21

HAF

positive or negative comparing post to pre flows

Question 22

what is the range of variability approach

Answer 22

RVA
how 3 parts of flow have changed
lower, middle and upper

Question 23

what is AUSRIVAS

Answer 23

habitat simulation program of healthy unaltered sites that become the benchmark to compare against similar sites to establish targets.
linked to citizen science

Question 24

what is piggybacking

Answer 24

adding environmental flows to irrigation releases to account for conveyance losses

Question 25

what are water managers concerned about when discussing agricultural flows in relation to drinking water at warragamba dam

Answer 25

1. total suspended solids (turbidity)

2. associated nurtients ie N, P, salinity

Question 26

what are 3 management actions that could be implemented to secure clean drinking water for sydney

Answer 26

1. related to source, mobilization and delivery of pollutant/ concern, therefore, managers can change the source (fertilisers), mobilisation (groundcover) and delivery (riparian zones)

Question 27

how does residence time impact water quality

Answer 27

higher residence time of runoff increases infiltration therefore transformation and uptake by plants to decrease centration of pollutant into surface water

Question 28

what are riparian zones

Answer 28

areas that border a stream (vegetation)

Question 29

what are the positive impacts of riparian zones

Answer 29

1. filter hillsope (uptake of nutrients)

2. slows velocity (heavy particles drop out) =more inflitration