Waterlines reports
Waterlines is a series of works commissioned by the National Water Commission on key water issues.
Surface and/or groundwater interception activities: initial estimates - No 30 - June 2010
Documents the location of estimated water use and potential rates of expansion of significant intercepting activities that fall outside the current entitlement framework.
Water issues in jurisdictional planning for mining - No 29 - May 2010
Assesses the extent to which state and territory mining and environmental assessment processes are consistent with the National Water Initiative (NWI) objectives and consider the cumulative effects of mining on groundwater.
Incorporating climate change in water allocation planning - No 28 - May 2010
Examines the potential impacts of climate change on water allocation planning under Australia's blueprint for water reform, the National Water Initiative (NWI).
Quantitative chemical exposure assessment for water recycling schemes - No 27 - March 2010
Provides high-quality technical guidance on the management of chemicals in recycled water.
Recycled water use in Australia: regulations, guidelines and validation requirements for a national approach - No 26 - March 2010
Reviews the institutional requirements for approving re-use schemes and provides guidance for regulators, policy makers and practitioners to implement the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling
The importance of headwater streams - No 25 - December 2009
Examines the environmental importance of headwater streams for downstream watercourse health and develops prospective practices for good headwater stream management.
Water efficiency plans for businesses: an examination of national experiences and policy challenges - No 24 - December 2009
Recommends a process of Federal Government-facilitated national harmonisation of water efficiency plans and suggests paths for short and medium-term improvements.
A national synthesis of river restoration projects - No 23 - November 2009
Recommends the collection and synthesising of information on Australian river restoration efforts - a national database would be useful to a wide range of audiences.
Floodplain ecosystems: resilience, value of services and principles for diverting water - No 22 - October 2009
Examines the application of resilience thinking to the social and economic elements of floodplain systems, including the role of managers and social and political connectivity.
Resilience and thresholds in river ecosystems - No 21 - September 2009
Explores the principles underpinning resilience thinking, and their potential application for improved management of Australian river ecosystems.
Improving environmental sustainability in water planning- No 20 - September 2009
Explores the reasons why a consistent national approach to achieving environmental sustainability in water planning has been difficult
Exploring the regulatory framework and governance of decentralised water management systems: a strata and community title perspective - No 19 - September 2009
Explores the regulatory framework and governance issues associated with community-owned water.
Water and the electricity generation industry: Implications of use - No 18 - August 2009
Examines potential impacts of changed water availability on the Australian electricity industry and water-management options for the sector to manage these supply risks.
Gap analysis and strategy development for national level estuary environmental flows policies - No 17 - July 2009
Provides a clear picture of the existing practice, legislation, regulation protocols, institutional and governance models and management regimes regarding estuary environmental flow management.
Pulsed flows: Environmental costs and benefits and best practice - No 16 - May 2009
Examines whether pulsed flows achieve ecological benefits, and if so, how they might be implemented in river management.
Recovery pathways after flow restoration in rivers - No 15 - February 2009
Identifies and describes current work on recovery pathways after flow restoration in rivers, so that knowledge gaps and directions for future investment can be identified.
Bayesian modelling for risk-based environmental water allocation - No 14 - February 2009
Reviews the application of Bayesian models for use in the determination and management of environmental flow allocations.
Managed aquifer recharge: An introduction - No 13 - February 2009
Summarises information needed to consider managed aquifer recharge, alongside other alternatives, as a prospective new water supply for drinking or non-potable uses.
New water entitlement products for Australia, a thinkpiece - No 12 - November 2008
Examines options for developing water-entitlement products for emerging sources of water, and the implications of these new sources entering the water market.
Identification and management of refuges for aquatic organisms - No 11, November 2008
Summarises what is known about threats and refuges for different ecosystems, refuges for diverse aquatic taxa, refuges for biodiversity, principal refuges and rehabilitation and restoration in the refuge context. The report also identifies knowledge gaps and sets out principles for managing refuges for freshwater biota.
Requirements for rainwater and greywater systems in Australia - No 10, November 2008
This report, and associated specialist handbooks, is a 'how to guide' that will help Australian households boost their re-use of stormwater and greywater.
Emerging trends in desalination: A review - No 9, October 2008
Reviews the latest research and emerging trends in desalination technology from across the globe.
Subsurface groundwater-dependent ecosystems - No 8, October 2008
Summarises what is known about biodiversity in groundwater, the ecological processes in groundwater environments and the ecosystem goods and services provided by subsurface groundwater-dependent ecosystems in Australia.
Approaches to urban water pricing - No 7, July 2008
Assesses alternative approaches to charging for urban water services.
Water allocation planning in Australia - current practices and lessons learned - No 6, April 2008
Analyses of current practices and lessons learned in water planning, drawn from 11 case studies of water plans across Australia.
Approaches to, and challenges of, managing interception - No 5, February 2008
Reviews current measurement and management practices for the determination of run-off interception, and the implications for the implementation of the National Water Initiative (NWI).
The need for improved water data and water data sharing - No 4, January 2008
Analyses current arrangements, potential benefits, impediments and requirements for an improved water data sharing system.
Improving market confidence in water intermediaries - No 3, July 2007
Investigates issues associated with the conduct of intermediaries and reports on options for governments and industry to improve the confidence of market participants in the future.
Using recycled water for drinking - No 2, June 2007
Explores the use of recycled water to supplement drinking water supplies in Australian towns and cities.
The cost-effectiveness of rainwater tanks in urban Australia - No 1, April 2007
Reviews the cost efficiency of installing rainwater tanks as a substitute for reticulated or 'scheme' water use.