Murrumbidgee MER Program Team
The Murrumbidgee MER Program is funded by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office and is being undertaken from 2019 to 2022. The program is being delivered as a collaborative partnership led by Charles Sturt University (Institute for Land, Water and Society) with NSW Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries), University of NSW, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Environment, and Riverina Local Land Services.
| Name | Project Role | Responsibility | Organisation |
|---|---|---|---|
Project Leader CSU Team Leader | Wetland fish, frogs | Charles Sturt University | |
CSU team member | Hydrology and ecosystem type | Charles Sturt University | |
CSU team member | Frogs, reptiles, waterbirds and community engagement, | Charles Sturt University | |
| CSU team member (Technical officer) | Fieldwork, logistics, equipment maintenance, stakeholder engagement | Charles Sturt University |
| NSW DPIE team leader (assistant project leader) | Waterbird diversity and breeding, assistant project leader | |
| Dr Carmen Amos | NSW DPIE team member | ||
Ms Rachael Thomas | NSW DPIE team member | Hydrology and ecosystem type | |
NSW DPIE team member | Stream metabolism, return flows, wetland nutrients | ||
Dr Yoshi Kobayashi, ILWS Adjunct | NSW DPIE team member | Stream metabolism | |
| NSW DPIE Team leader | Riverine Fish, larval fish and fish movement | |
| UNSW team leader | Data analysis, process modelling and synthesis | |
UNSW team member | Waterbird breeding | ||
Ms Erin Lenon | CEWO Community Liaison Officer | Community liaison, vegetation diversity |
Ms Gaye Bourke
Dr Jennifer Spencer
Dr Jason Thiem, ILWS Adjunct
Dr Gilad BinoStakeholders
There are a diverse range of stakeholders in the Murrumbidgee region. The MER team is committed to providing clear and up to date information on monitoring activities and outcomes and sharing information and resources with stakeholders. We use a range of forums to distribute information including newsletters, reporting, community forums and engagement activities.
There are currently two key groups involved in the development of the MER program and communication of ongoing monitoring activities, the Murrumbidgee Working Group and the Murrumbidgee Environmental Water Allowance Reference Group (EWARG).
Murrumbidgee Working Group
The Murrumbidgee Working Group has existed as an informal group for a number of years and was formalised as part of the earlier Murrumbidgee LTIM Project. The working group includes members from key stakeholder groups including environmental water managers and ecologists in NSW OEH (including NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service), NSW Office of Water, State Water, CEWO Delivery team members, and team members from CSU, NSW OEH, Riverina LLS, UNSW and DPI. The group's primary function is to provide support and advice in relation to the strategic direction of the Murrumbidgee MER program, advice and comment on annual flow planning, day to day operations of Commonwealth environmental water and adaptive management. The working group also provides a forum for the rapid exchange of information relevant to environmental watering actions throughout the Murrumbidgee.
Murrumbidgee Environmental Water Allowance Reference Group (EWARG)
It is recognised that monitoring and evaluation is the primary means for understanding the outcomes from the use of Commonwealth environmental water, and the ability to communicate these outcomes back into established management groups is vital for successful management at several scales, including:
- real time improvements to event management,
- annual water use options planning, and
- longer term strategies (e.g. five year time scales).
The role of the Murrumbidgee Environmental Water Allowance Reference Group (EWARG) is to draw together the knowledge and experience of key stakeholders to inform active management of environmental water in NSW. Membership of the group includes representatives from the Riverina LLS (Chair), NSW OEH, DPI, NSW Office of Water, State Water, Indigenous communities, Lowbidgee League, Murrumbidgee Customer Service Committee, Murrumbidgee Field Naturalists and the Nature Conservation Council.