Australian Leadership Award Fellowship - integrated river basin management

The group came for a six-week integrated river basin management program. The program consisted of classes and workshops on climate change, environmental science and natural resources, and study tours to:

• Murray Darling basin - looking at integrated river basin management & Climate Change, salinity, trade and entitlements, Irrigation, sedimentation and so on
• North Stradbroke Island - considering pressures on water such as mining operations and groundwater extraction and balancing these with environmental protection 
• Brisbane River and Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine dams - catchment modification water storage and treatment and water recycling for human consumption, quality and quantity management and monitoring 
• Mary River - catchment management and water resource planning, Traveston Dam and recycled water and community participation including indigenous community members.
  

The Program adopted a continuous learning approach where students were introduced to integrated water management concepts in both theory and practice.

Students were actively guided in the integration of the content, processes, and skills presented from diverse disciplinary areas. They were introduced to ways of understanding how relevant bodies of theory from diverse disciplines may inform the practice of IWM. Understanding these interactions assisted them as professionals making decisions, or providing advice to decision makers.

Students were encouraged to guide their own education by identifying key areas of professional interest and knowledge that would assist them to view water management from a range of perspectives.

Research partner

• Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC)