A consortium of Queensland organisations, led by the Australian Rivers Institute at Griffith University, has developed a major research project Building Catchment Resilience. The project aims to create and pilot world-leading investment prioritisation models, tools and animations to guide investment that maximises the net benefits of catchment works in terms of flood mitigation, biodiversity, water quality and assimilative capacity.
Catchments in South East Queensland are in poor and declining condition. Vegetation clearing, modification of streams and channels, and frequent burning and overgrazing in headwater catchments have had significant impacts on catchment resilience. In large rainfall events, streams and rivers break their banks causing extensive damage to homes and infrastructure and shifting millions of tonnes of high quality topsoil from agricultural areas. Eroded sediment is transported downstream, affecting water treatment plants and decreasing water storage capacity before settling in shipping channels or smothering marine habitats.
The project aims to develop an analytical tool that can be used to explore cost effective options for the optimal on-ground investment to reduce sediment and nutrient loss, minimise flood risk, and maximise biodiversity outcomes. An innovative digital technology interface will enable realistic visual representations to facilitate discussions with investors and the community to run scenarios and explore trade-offs and synergies.
We are advertising for three postdoc positions (links are to pdf position descriptions):
- Research Fellow, Nitrogen Processing and Transport
- Research Fellow, Environmental Economics
- Research Fellow, Modelling (Multi-objective Planning Tool)
See those links for further details and contact people for if you have any questions. Applications close 19th April 2018.