1. Assessing estuary pressures and the relationships with catchment conditions Michaela Dommisse, Multi-regional projects (#203029)

2. Estuaries and human activities Kidneys of the sea 123 bays, inlets and estuaries Lifestyle, freshwater, fertile land, fish catch and shipping 9 41 17 18 23

3. Victoria in context of national landscape health Future population projection >10 people per km 2 in catchments = muddy estuary (Edgar, 2001)

4. Values of estuaries Ranging from short intermittent mouth microtidal open coast sheltered embayment macrotidal open mouth long Anglesea Cardinia 500 m

5. The Project in a nutshell 1 2 3 4 5 Link whole of ecosystem pressure to state Incorporate into management plans Make sure it happens outputs outcomes

6. Human activities and estuaries Catchment use Environmental flow Coastal development Harvest and use Mouth opening

7. Steps for science outputs Summarise information on estuary pressures in a GIS or tagged database - Barton PhD (31 estuaries, phyico/chem data) Develop conceptual models linking pressures to estuary condition (building on SERM and Ozestuaries) Validate methodology (in situ) Develop Interim guidelines

8. Cause-effect 1 Spatial comparison across estuaries with different catchment characteristics, mouth opening/closing regimes etc. –broad-scale correlation Barton PhD - EPA data –31 estuaries ranging from degraded (e.g. Curdies) through “pristine” (e.g. St George, Tidal Rivers)

9. Cause-effect 2 Evaluate response of estuaries to specific management actions –environmental flow releases (e.g. Coorong and Murray flows) –nutrient management schemes (e.g. regularly monitoring algal blooms) –estuary mouths artificially opened or closed (e.g. non-management action in Surry)

10. Microbial function- condition Minimally Intermediate Highly Stress 0.14 nMDS E W Em Diagram from Jan Barton (EPA, Flinders) Low

11. Steps to make it happen Consideration in broad strategies – regional catchments strategies (Advocacy group) Incorporation into existing plans and strategies as science becomes available (agency participation) – regional river health strategies

12. Time frames? Start Methods Aug 05 March 06 Pressures summary Dec 06 Biophysical classification Indicators and conceptual models March 07 Sept 07 Dec 07 Final report Increase the profile of Victoria’s estuaries Nov05 Sept 07 Housing the science April 06Feb 07Dec 07 Nov 05 www.dse.vic.gov.au