Objectives
China is undergoing rapid economic development, which has placed great pressure on its environmental resources. Whilst the Chinese government is responding to these pressures, it is acknowledged that assistance is needed urgently to strengthen the national approach for ensuring river health and conducting environmental flow assessments.
The long-term goal of this project is to improve river conditions through advanced approaches to monitoring river health and the estimation of environmental flows. The objective is to successfully conduct field assessments and develop tools as well as where relevant draft national guidelines for river health and environmental flow assessments.
Key Activities / Components
The project comprised elements which trial and adapt Australian approaches to river health and environmental flows assessments and comprises both field elements and significant capacity building and communications elements focused on the Yellow River, Pearl River and Da Liao River Basin.
· Months 1-5: Project Inception and preparation of discussion papers. The papers will form the basis for initial discussion with pertinent Chinese agencies to ensure the project will deliver products that are relevant to the Chinese situation
· Months 6-18: Implementation of the 3 sub-projects, respectively at the Yellow River, Pearl River and Da Liao River Basin
· Months 19-24: Completion and dissemination of the findings of the three sub-projects.
Contribution to ACEDP Program Outcomes
The intervention will influence national policies that govern river health and environmental flow and provide capacity strengthening measures at both technical/scientific and institutional/managerial levels. Involvement of Australia’s DEWHA on the steering committee will maximise opportunities for developing lasting partnerships with Australian agencies.
Highlights