Science-backed tools enhance water catchment management

This research quantifies the relationship between burn severity and the probability of water quality impacts in excess of water treatment thresholds in Australian catchments. The methods included model development, surveys of extreme erosion events and field experiments to quantify the relationships between fire severity and hillslope hydrologic and erosion properties. The project sought to help fire managers answer the question “What are the real risks to uninterrupted water supply if this catchment is burnt by wildfire, and can I reduce this risk with prescribed fire?”

The project delivered two key outputs for utilisation. The initial output was an Australia-wide assessment of post-fire erosion risk accompanied by generic guidelines for evaluating risk to water quality. This was followed by the development of a suite of GIS tools, funded, managed and successfully trialled in 2016. The tools generate post-fire risk assessments of erosion, flooding and water quality and build on other collaborative work by the researchers.

This case study examines the key factors that enabled this complex research to be utilised effectively. The researchers and end users agreed that the key success factor was their partnership approach, which was built on mutual trust and commitment to deliver practical, science-backed resources. The partnership enabled the researchers to understand and address the problem as well as the different operating contexts of end user agencies.

AFAC. March 2017. Science-backed tools enhance water catchment management. AFAC Case Study. AFAC, Melbourne, Vic.