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IWC
eBulletin |
October, 2006 |
Welcome to the October 2006 edition of the IWC eBulletin.
In this Issue
- Welcome
- Sha River wins International Thiess Riverprize
- IWC at IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition
- 9th International Riversymposium
- Science and research networking in the Pacific
- IWC welcomes new staff:
Danielle Pedi as Project Coordinator, Sabine Stolle as Office Coordinator
- Water Communications handbook launched
- IWC Masters progress
- Asia-Pacific Water Forum launched
- Level 4 water restrictions for South-East Queensland
- Griffith launch Australian Rivers Institute
- Monash launches rainwater garden
- UWA launches Centre for Eco Hydrology
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Welcome
Welcome to the October edition of the International WaterCentre’s quarterly newsletter.
It has been a busy and productive time for the Centre with new additions to our team, continuing development of our new Masters program and intense activity by several representatives of our partner Universities and members of the IWC core team presenting and working with global partners.
Visit our website at www.watercentre.org.
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Sha River wins International Thiess Riverprize
China’s Sha River restoration project was recently awarded the 2006 International Thiess Riverprize for excellence in river management.
International WaterCentre Chairman Professor Paul Greenfield, chaired the Thiess Riverprize judging panel and said the Sha River’s US$411 million integrated project had improved water quality, controlled flood flows and cleaned up pollution after years of rapid population and industrial growth.
“It has been a huge clean up project on a scale much larger than many other rivers and the reduction of pollution to the Sha River is a substantial achievement,” Professor Paul Greenfield said. “We encourage the Sha River Project to continue in the direction they are heading in terms of pollution abatement, sustainable water supplies, shoreline reforestation and redevelopment, amenity values and linking the river culturally to urban populations.”
The AUD $225,000 International Thiess Riverprize recipient was announced at the annual International Riversymposium’s gala award ceremony in September, attended by delegates from over 40 countries.
The Torbay Catchment in Western Australia was awarded the 2006 National Thiess Riverprize award for excellence in river and waterway management, for their outstanding catchment restoration project.
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IWC at IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition
IWC and its partner universities had a strong presence at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition where over 3,500 international delegates came together to network and exchange knowledge in all aspects of the water cycle. IWC Chairman Professor Paul Greenfield gave the Opening Plenary and profiled challenges facing the water industry, and opportunities for new technologies such as nanotechnology to meet these challenges.
There was strong interest at the stall hosted by IWC, Healthy Waterways Partnership and Wide Bay Water in integrated water management approaches in China.
The four day Congress saw more than 600 papers, 118 sessions, 33 workshops, an exhibition with 200 companies and much lively discussion and debate on critical water issues.
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9th International Riversymposium
Now in its ninth year, the International Riversymposium was its biggest yet, attracting over 700 delegates from around the world to share a vision for healthy rivers. IWC Chairman Paul Greenfield, Prof Stuart Bunn from Griffith University, Prof Helen Ross from University of Queensland and IWC’s Bronwyn Powell all presented sessions at the Symposium in Brisbane in September.
International WaterCentre CEO Mark Pascoe in conjunction with Thiess, also hosted a business to business lunch during the four day event, to encourage partnerships between industry, water organizations, funding bodies and governments.
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Science and research networking in the Pacific
Bronwyn Powell, the University of Queensland’s Professor Helen Ross, and Dr Terry Chan of Monash University participated in the regional South Pacific Geoscience Commission (SOPAC)’s STAR conference in Honiara in September.
The trio presented on the approach of the Australian Water Research Facility and IWC’s activities in the Solomon Islands, applying a conceptual framework for catchment risk management. In particular the team will work with counterparts to look at water supply for the capital Honiara and consider issues with customary ownership of land in ensuring sufficient supply.
Held in conjunction with the conference was the Pacific Partnership Initiative in Sustainable Water Management steering committee meeting. This was an excellent opportunity for practitioners, NGOs and researchers to share experiences and information on water management around the region. IWC is excited to be part of this initiative and thanks to the Solomon Islands Government and SOPAC for supporting the event.
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IWC welcomes new staff: Danielle Pedi as Project Coordinator, Sabine Stolle as Office Coordinator
IWC has welcomed two new members to the team.
IWC Project Coordinator, Danielle Pedi is responsible for the coordination of logistical and administrative aspects of IWC education and training projects as well as involvement in and facilitation of IWC research and consulting projects.
Danielle brings extensive experience in planning, management and evaluation of environmental and international development projects to her role.
She undertook watershed strategic planning with the Rhode Island State Department of Environmental Management in the US, and has done research for the Australian Conservation Foundation on environmental projects in Timor Leste and Papua New Guinea, and for World Vision Australia on HIV/AIDS-food security programming.
Sabine Stolle, Office Coordinator, assists the Executive Assistant in the coordination of the office support functions of the IWC. She has many years of experience in administration, office management, bookkeeping and finance management at several companies in Germany. From 1994 to 2001, she owned and operated a company evolving niche markets for clean photovoltaic energy and stand-alone power supplies. She was responsible for customer relationship management in the marketing department of Deutsche Bank Bauspar AG in Frankfurt before coming to Australia in 2005.
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Water Communications Handbook Launced
The International Water Association has published a handbook on science communication, co-authored by Dr Eva Abal, the Science Coordinator for Healthy Waterways Partnership and a member of the IWC Executive Group.
Communicating Science Effectively demonstrates how effective science communication has become an integral part of successful environmental science programs and provides techniques and principles for communicating in different media.
http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843391252
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IWC Masters progress
The IWC Masters of Integrated Water Management will commence in July 2007. For enquiries, contact: admin@watercentre.org
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Asia-Pacific Water Forum launched
Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori recently launched the Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF), a regional network dedicated to tackling the most pressing water related challenges facing Asia and the Pacific.
APWF will contribute to sustainable water management and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific.
One of the key roles of APWF will be to organize the Asia-Pacific Water Summit where leaders from government, private sector, and the community will share a common understanding of water issues and reaffirm their determination to address these issues.
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Level 4 water restrictions for South-East Queensland
Level 4 water restrictions will come into effect in South-East Queensland from 1 November 2006.
Independent statutory authority, the Queensland Water Commission, recently announced the upgrading of the water saving measures which include tougher restrictions on residential, government, business and industrial water users.
Twelve council regions are affected including Brisbane, Gold Coast and Ipswich.
For details on the restrictions – www.qwc.qld.gov.au
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Griffith launch Australian Rivers Institute
Griffith University has launched the Australian Rivers Institute (ARI) to provide a focus for Australia's largest group of university-based scientists with expertise in river, catchment and coastal research and education and builds on the University's long-standing reputation in environmental science.
ARI builds on the strengths of two influential Griffith Research Centres, the Centre for Riverine Landscapes and the Centre for Aquatic Processes and Pollution.
ARI, through its leaders and researchers, takes part in national and international water science planning and research bodies. Griffith University is a founding member of the International WaterCentre and is represented on international water management committees, such as the Global Water System Project, and DIVERSITAS.
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Monash launches rainwater garden
The Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry, Mr Matt Viney officially opened the Monash Carpark Biofilter at Monash University, Clayton campus on Tuesday 17 October.
He is pictured at the biofilter, or raingarden as it's called, with the head of the university's Facility for Advancing Water Biofiltration (FAWB), Associate Professor Tony Wong.
FAWB is a joint venture between Monash University and the consulting firm Ecological Engineering - under the auspices of the Victorian Government's Science Technology and Innovation Initiative.
Biofilter gardens collect and filter rainwater so cleaner run-off returns to the stormwater system and back into creeks, rivers and oceans.
Mr Viney said the biofilter, designed by Monash engineers, is an example of what can be achieved through innovative use of concepts and technology.
Rain gardens are already operating in new residential developments, including Melbourne's Docklands, and in inner urban areas such as Richmond. Averaging around five square metres in size, the gardens 'clean' storm water run-off as it passes through a bed of sandy loam soil which is filled with reeds and other water-friendly plants.
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UWA launches Centre for Eco Hydrology
In a joint venture arrangement, UWA and the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) have established a new Centre for Ecohydrology at the Crawley Campus of UWA.
Centre Co-directors are A/Prof Keith Smettem from UWA and Dr Neil Coles from DAFWA, with several staff from DAFWA co-locating at UWA and a further nine researchers from DAFWA in Waroona, Bunbury, Manjimup, Esperance and Albany, together with academics from UWA and Edith Cowan University are involved with the operation of the Centre.
This amalgamation provides the most concentrated critical mass of eco-hydrologic focused research in the world today.
The Centre creates an entirely new major strategic partnership under the auspices of the Agricultural Research Western Australia (ARWA) joint venture. The Centre will enable a more co-ordinated approach to research conducted in this research domain and provide a focus for industry and federal funding bodies. The presence of the Centre will also enable the development of a new post-graduate training program.
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