Professor Robyn Watts

Professor Robyn Watts conducts research on the ecology, management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems. Her major interests include biodiversity, connectivity, flow-ecology relationships and river rehabilitation through altered flow management practices, especially through changing the operation of weirs and dams and delivery of environmental water. She has led multidisciplinary research teams and with colleagues has obtained over $9M funding of competitive research grants and consultancies from a range of different funding organizations including the Australian Research Council, National Water Commission, Land and Water Australia, Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office and state government and catchment management agencies. Her research has helped improve the management and restoration of regulated river systems.

She is leader of the Monitoring Evaluation and Research - Edward/Kolety-Wakool program

The CEWO FlowMER website

Research Interests

• Ecology, restoration and management of river and floodplain environments
• Socio-ecological systems
• Ecohydrology
• Adaptive environmental management

Bachelor of Science (Hons), University of Western Australia, 1986 
PhD, University of Western Australia, 1992

External Appointments & Memberships

Edward-Wakool Environmental Water Reference Group (member)

Murray and District Dissolved Oxygen Group (member)

Edward-Wakool Operations Advisory Group (member)

Australian Society of Limnology (member)

Australian Ecological Society (member)

International Society of River Science (member)

Editorial roles on journals

Guest Editor Environmental Management special issue ‘Adaptive management of environmental water’ published in 2018

Full Publications List CRO Research Output

Selected Publications

Peer Reviewed Papers

Thiem, J.D., Wooden, I.J., Baumgartner, L.J., Butler, G.L., Taylor, M.D. & Watts, R.J. (2020) Hypoxic conditions interrupt flood-response movements of three lowland river fish species: Implications for flow restoration in modified landscapes. Ecohydrology; e2197.

Forbes, J.P., Todd, C.R., Baumgartner, L.J., Watts, R.J., Robinson, W.A., Steffe, A.S., Murphy, J.J., Asmus, M.W. & Thiem, J.D. (2019) Simulation of different fishery regulations to prevent population decline in a large freshwater invertebrate, the Murray crayfish (Euastacus armatus). Marine and Freshwater Research. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19109

Watts, R. J., Kopf, R. K., McCasker, N., Howitt, J. A. , Conallin, J., Wooden, I. & Baumgartner, L. (2018) Adaptive Management of Environmental Flows: Using Irrigation Infrastructure to Deliver Environmental Benefits During a Large Hypoxic Blackwater Event in the Southern Murray–Darling Basin, Australia. Environmental Management 61: 469-480 DOI 10.1007/s00267-017-0941-1

Svozil D., Kopf R.K., Watts R.J., & Nichols N. (2018) Temperature-specific larval growth and survival differences among populations of Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii). Marine and Freshwater Research. https://www.publish.csiro.au/MF/justaccepted/MF18178

Thiem, J. D., Wooden, I. J., Baumgartner, L. J., Butler, G. L., Forbes, J., Taylor, M. D., & Watts, R. J. (2018) Abiotic drivers of activity in a large, free-ranging, freshwater teleost, Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii). PLOS ONE, 13(6), e0198972

Kopf, R. K., Humphries, P., Bond, N. R., Sims, N. C., Watts, R. J., Thompson, R. M.,  Hladyz, S., Koehn, J.D., King, A.J., McCasker, N., McDonald, S. (2018) Macroecology of fish community biomass-size structure: effects of invasive species and river regulation. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. doi:10.1139/cjfas-2017-0544

Allan, C. & Watts, R. J. (2018) Revealing Adaptive Management of Environmental Flows. Environmental Management 61: 520-533 DOI 10.1007/s00267-017-0931-3

Watts, R. J., Kopf, R. K., McCasker, N., Howitt, J. A. , Conallin, J., Wooden, I. & Baumgartner, L. (2018) Adaptive Management of Environmental Flows: Using Irrigation Infrastructure to Deliver Environmental Benefits During a Large Hypoxic Blackwater Event in the Southern Murray–Darling Basin, Australia. Environmental Management 61: 469-480 DOI 10.1007/s00267-017-0941-1

Webb, J. A., Watts, R. J., Allan, C.  & Conallin, J.C. (2018) Adaptive Management of Environmental Flows. Environmental Management 61: 339-346 DOI 10.1007/s00267-017-0941-1

Forbes, J., Watts, R.J.,  Robinson, W.A., Baumgartner, L.J.,  Allen, M.S.,  McGuffie, P., Cameron, L.M. & Crook, D.A. (2015) System-Specific Variability in Murray Cod and Golden Perch Maturation and Growth Influences Fisheries Management Options, North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 35:6, 1226-1238, DOI: 10.1080/02755947.2015.1094153

Forbes, J. P.,  Watts, R. J.,  Robinson, W. A., Baumgartner, L. J., Steffe, A. S.&  Murphy. J. J.(2015). Recreational fishing effort, catch, and harvest for Murray Cod and Golden Perch in the Murrumbidgee River, Australia. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 35:649-658.  dx.doi.org/10.1080/02755947.2015.1032452

Davis, J., O'Grady, A., Dale, A., Arthington, A.H., Gell, P.A., Driver, P.D., Bond, N., Casanova, M., Finlayson, M., Watts, R., et al.,(2015) When trends intersect: The challenge of protecting freshwater eco- systems under multiple land use and hydrological intensification scenarios. Science of the Total Environment http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scito- tenv.2015.03.127

Kopf, S. M., Humphries P., Watts, R.J. (2014) Ontogeny of critical and prolonged swimming performance for the larvae of six Australian freshwater fish species Journal of Fish Biology doi:10.1111/jfb.12399

Small, K., Kopf, R.K., Watts, R.J., Howitt, J. (2014) Hypoxia, blackwater and fish kills: experimental lethal oxygen thresholds in juvenile predatory lowland river fishes. PLOS ONE 9(4), e94524

Zukowski, S., Whiterod, N., Watts, R.J. (2013) Comparing Murray crayfish (Euastacus armatus) population parameters between recreationally fished and non-fished areas. Fisheries Research 19(2) 153-160.

Nielsen, D. L., Podnar, K., Watts, R.J., and Wilson, A.L. (2013) Experimental evidence linking increased hydrologic stability with decreased biotic diversity within wetlands. Hydrobiologia 708(1), 81-96.  DOI 10.1007/s10750-011-0989-5

Zukowski, S., Watts, R.J., Curtis, A. (2012) Linking biology to fishing regulations: Australia's Murray crayfish (Euastacus armatus). Ecological Management & Restoration 13 (2), 183-190

Watts, R.J., Richter, B.D, Opperman, J.J., & Bowmer, K.H. (2011) Dam reoperation in an era of climate change. Marine and Freshwater Research 62, 321-327.

Technical Reports

Watts, R.J., Trethewie, J., McGrath, N., Healy, S., McCasker, N., Thiem, J., Howitt, J., Liu, X., Grace, M.& Bond, N. (2019) Long Term Intervention Monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 20, June 2019. Charles Sturt University, Institute for Land, Water and Society. Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.

Watts, R.J., Trethewie, J., McCasker, N., Howitt, J., Liu, X., Healy, S., Thiem, J., Grace, M. & Bond, N. (2019) Long Term Intervention Monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 19, March 2019. Charles Sturt University, Institute for Land, Water and Society. Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.

Watts, R.J., McCasker, N., Thiem, J., Howitt, J., Healy, S., Trethewie, J., Liu, X., Grace M. & Bond, N. (2018) Long Term Intervention Monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 18, December 2018. Charles Sturt University, Institute for Land, Water and Society. Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.

Watts, R.J., Trethewie, J., Liu, X. (2018) Long Term Intervention Monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 17, September 2018. Charles Sturt University, Institute for Land, Water and Society. Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.

Watts, R.J., McCasker, N., Thiem, J.D, Trethewie, J., Healy, S., McGrath, N., Liu, X. (2018) Long Term Intervention Monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 16, June 2018. Charles Sturt University, Institute for Land, Water and Society. Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.

Watts R.J., Healy S, McCasker N., Trethewie, J. (2018) Long Term Intervention Monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 15, March 2018. Charles Sturt University, Institute for Land, Water and Society. Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office

Watts R.J., Healy S, McCasker N., Thiem J., Trethewie, J. (2018) Long Term Intervention Monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 14, December 2017. Charles Sturt University, Institute for Land, Water and Society. Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.

Watts, R.J., Healy, S., Howitt, J., Kopf, R.K., McCasker, N., Thiem, J. (2017)  Long Term Intervention Monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 11, March 2017.  Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.

Watts, R. & Howitt, J. (2016) Updates #1,#2, on water quality monitoring in the Edward-Wakool system.

Watts, R., Howitt, J. & Abell, J. (2016) Monitoring of the algal bloom in the Edward-Wakool system, update #3.

Watts, R., Howitt, J., McCasker, N., Abell, J. & Liu, X. (2016) Monitoring of the algal bloom in the Edward-Wakool system 2016, Update #4. All reports prepared for Commonwealth Environmental Water

Watts, R.J., Thiem, J., Howitt, J., McCasker, N., Kopf, R., Healy S and Abell, J. (2016). Long term intervention monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 7, March 2016. Prepared for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.

Watts, R.J., McCasker, N., Thiem, J., Howitt, J.A., Grace, M., Kopf, R.K., Healy, S., Bond, N. (2015). Commonwealth Environmental Water Office Long term Intervention Monitoring Project: Edward-Wakool Selected Area Synthesis Report, 2014-15. Prepared for Commonwealth Environmental Water.

Watts, R.J., McCasker, N., Healy S., Howitt, J., and Abell, J. (2015). Long term intervention monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 6, December 2015. CSU, ILWS. Prepared for CEW

Watts, R.J. and Healy S. (2015). Long term intervention monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 5, September 2015. CSU, ILWS. Prepared for CEW

Watts, R.J., Kopf, R.K., McCasker N. & Thiem, J. (2015) Long term intervention monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 4, June 2015. CSU, ILWS. Prepared for CEW

Watts, R.J., Kopf, R.K., McCasker N. & Thiem, J. (2015) Long term intervention monitoring project, Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area, Progress Report number 3, March 2015. CSU, ILWS. Prepared for CEW

Monitoring the ecosystem responses to Commonwealth environmental water delivered to the Edward-Wakool river system, 2013-14 - Final report

Monitoring of ecosystem responses to the delivery of Commonwealth environmental water in the Edward-Wakool river system 2012-13 - Report No. 2

Conference Papers

Humphries, P., Kopf, S., Kaminskas, T., Keckeis, H., McCasker, N., Stoffels, R., Bond, N. & Watts, R. (2015) Integrating life history theory and dispersal in riverine fishes. Presented at the 39th Annual Larval Fish Conference, Vienna, July 12-17

Commentary

Webb, A., Ryder, D., Dyer, F., Stewardson, M.,  Grace, M., Bond, N., Frazier, P., Ye, Q., Stoffels, R., Watts, R.J., Capon, S., Wassens, S.  It will take decades, but the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is delivering environmental improvements.  The Conversation May 1 2018 https://theconversation.com/it-will-take-decades-but-the-murray-darling-basin-plan-is-delivering-environmental-improvements-93568

Current Projects

Basal Food Resources. Watts, R., Liu, X.  (2019-2020) NSW Department of Industry, $32,735

Contribution of Koondrook-Perricoota floodplain runoff to the productivity of the Wakool River. Watts, R. & Liu, X.  (2019-2020), Forestry Corporation NSW, $39,610 Project details

Monitoring, Evaluation and Research – Edward/Kolety-Wakool. Watts, R., Howitt, J., McCasker, N., Liu, X. & Trethewie, J.  (2019-2022) CEWO, $3.15M Project webpages FlowMER webpages

Monitoring productivity outcomes of the 2019 River Murray Channel multi-site water for the environment event. Watts,R., & Liu, X. (2019-2020) MDBA through CSIRO, ILWS-sub contract, $39,196 Project details

River Murray Channel productivity Monitoring 2020-2021. Watts, R., Liu, X. (2020-2021) CEWO. Led by CSIRO, $48,051

Completed Projects

Vegetation Monitoring in the Colligen Creek System, Watts., R. (2015-2018) Murray Local Land Services, $70,000 Project details

Long Term Intervention Monitoring project - Edward-Wakool Selected Area. Stage 2. Watts,R., McCasker,N., Howitt,J., Kopf,K with NSW Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries), Monash University (Water Studies Centre), Griffith University, NSW OEH, and Murray LLS. (2014-2019) CEWO, $3.36M Project Webpage

Koondrook-Perricoota Floodplain Runoff project. Watts, R., Howitt, J. (2016-2017) Forestry Corporation of NSW ($49,501), ILWS and CSU's Faculty of Science Project details

Blue-green algal monitoring in the Edward-Wakool River System. Watts, R., Howitt, J. & McCasker, N. (2016) CEWO, $106,476 (Contract variation for the LTIM project) Project Details

Monitoring the ecological response of Commonwealth environmental water delivered in 2013-14 to the Edward-Wakool river system. SEWPAC, Watts, R., McCasker, N., Kopf, K., & Howitt, J. (2013-2014) Partners Department of Primary Industries – NSW Fisheries, Murray Catchment Management Authority, Monash University, and NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. $753,656 Project details

Long Term Intervention Monitoring Project - Stage 1 - Edward-Wakool System, Watts., R. McCasker, N., Howitt, J., & Kopf, K.  Funded by CEWO. Partners -  NSW Fisheries, Murray Local Land Services, Monash University, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. $120,000.

Monitoring the ecological response of Commonwealth environmental water delivered in 2012-13 to the Edward-Wakool river system. SEWPAC, Partners Department of Primary Industries.  Watts, R., Wassens, S. & Howitt, J. .(2012-2013) NSW Fisheries, Murray Catchment Management Authority, Monash University, Wakool River Association and NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. $910,935 Project details

Monitoring the ecological response of Commonwealth environmental water delivered in 2012-13 to the Murrumbidgee River. Wassens, S., Hall, A., & Watts, R. (2012-2013). SEWPAC, Partners Department of Primary Industries – NSW Fisheries, Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and University of NSW.  $776,222  Project details

Internal Grants

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) for water research. (2016) Watts, R., Baumgartner, L., Wassens, S., Hall, A. CSU RIBG Grant, $49,919

Ecological responses to environmental flow microscopy, Watts, R., Wassens, S., Jenkins, K., & McCasker, N. (2015) Research Infrastructure Block Grant (RIBG), $30,660