AquaBAMM

AquaBAMM is a decision support tool that utilises existing information and expert input to assess conservation value in aquatic ecosystems. It uses a robust and easily accessible analysis of ecological or conservation values associated with a catchment that is useful for subcatchment and regional planning.  It is applicable in freshwater riverine, freshwater non-riverine and estuarine wetlands.

The method is based on a review of national and international literature but tailored towards the local situation and a thorough assessment of data availability. It uses a database platform for data storage, manipulation and values assessment and outputs directly to a GIS platform for result presentation and interpretation. The output is an aquatic conservation Assessment (ACA) for the study area.

AquaBAMM was trialled in the Burnett River catchment. Detailed field truthing confirmed its results.

Note: An AquaBAMM assessment is a comparison of conservation values in the study area only and cannot be compared with values in other catchments.

• To assess the conservation values of stream ecosystems within a catchment.

An Aquatic Conservation Assessment (ACA) for the study area with a measure of ecological values for each spatial unit within the study area, calculated as an  'AquaScore'.

• Environmental Values and Water Quality Objective process
• Development assessment
• Coastal management
• Leasehold land review
• Water resource plans
• Resource operation plans
• Planning schemes
• Investment strategies
• On-ground works
• Priority setting

• Widely applicable.
• Cost effective, doesn't require any additional data collection.
• Data gaps have been accommodated in the assessment process.
• Uses expert opinion to overcome lack of data.
• Flexible with regard to scale and spatial unit.

• Can only be used for comparision within catchments, not between catchments.
• Results are 'best available' rather than definitive due to expert panel approach.
• Requires a wide range of data types which may be unavailable or unreliable.

Criteria from the most recent methods for assigning ecological or conservation values to aquatic ecosystems were reviewed.

Expert knowledge, expert panels for aquatic and riparian flora, aquatic fauna and riverine ecology, spatial and non-spatial data, AquaBAMM assessment tool.

A new assessment would take over 6 months.

For each spatial unit quantitative and qualitative data is needed.

Quantitative
Presence/absence of alien fish and exotic aquatic plant species, State of the Rivers aquatic vegetation condition, SIGNAL2 score, AUSRIVAS score - Edge, AUSRIVAS score -Pool, Index of macroinvertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), State of the River bank, bed and bar stability, presence/absence of dams/weirs, inundation by dams weirs (% by length), snag removal, annual proportional flow deviation, percent natural flows, percent no flows, mean annual extraction, median total phosphorous, nitrogen, turbidity, conductivity and pH, presence/absence of exotic plants in riparian zone, % remnant vegetation relative to preclear extent within buffered watercourses, % area of wetland REs within riparian areas relative to preclear extent, total number of REs within riparian areas relative to preclear number of REs within buffered watercourses, State of the River reach environs, State of the River riparian vegetation condition, % agricultural, grazing, vegetation and settlement land-use areas, farm storage surface area, richness of amphibians, native fish, native reptiles, native waterbirds and aquatic plants, number of macroinvertebrate taxa, riparian vegetation richness, State of the River channel diversity, richness of geomorphic features, presence of rare or threatened aquatic ecosystem dependent fauna and fauna species, % area of concern or endangered wetland REs relative to preclear extent.

Qualitative
Presence of aquatic ecosystem dependent priority fauna and flora species, habitat for, or presence of migratory species, habitat for significant numbers of waterbirds, presence of priority aquatic ecosystems, presence of distinct, unique or special geomorphic features, presence of distinct, unique or special ecological processes, presence of distinct, unique or special habitat that functions as refugia or other critical purpose, size of waterbody compared with others of same type, presence of distinct, unique or special hydrological regimes (e.g. spring), contribution upstream or downstream to the maintenance of significant species or populations, possibility of migratory or routine passage of fish and other fully aquatic species, contribution to maintenance of groundwater ecosystems with significant biodiversity values, contribution to maintenance of floodplain and wetland ecosystems with significant biodiversity values, extent to which waterbody retains critical ecological and hydrological connectivity with floodplains, rivers etc, contribution to maintenance of terrestrial ecosystems with significant biodiversity values, contribution to maintenance of estuarine and marine ecosystems with significant biodiversity values.

Natural resource managers including regional NRM bodies, State government agencies, Local government and water corporations.

Clayton, P.D., Fielder, D.P., Howell, S. and Hill, C.J. (2006). Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Method (AquaBAMM): a conservation values assessment tool for wetlands with trial application in the Burnett River catchment. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane.