Indigenous Knowledge of Hydrologic Change in the Yukon River Basin: A Case Study of Ruby, Alaska

In the Arctic and Subarctic, the contribution of Indigenous knowledge to understanding environmental change has been established over the last several decades. This paper explores the role of Indigenous knowledge of water in understanding hydrologic change within complex social-ecological systems. Observations of hydrology in the Yukon River Basin, contributed by 20 community experts from Ruby Village, Alaska, in semi-structured interviews, are compared with findings from scientific literature to illustrate the commonalities and differences. Research findings reveal the contribution of Indigenous knowledge to understandings of hydrologic change in the Yukon River and its tributaries, which includes insights regarding alterations in sediment and river ice regimes. Recommendations for future research that incorporates Indigenous knowledge of water to gain insight into hydrologic changes in the watershed include combining multiple case studies that are distributed geographically. Our findings suggest 1) that using participatory research approaches to research will help ensure that it benefits the communities whose livelihoods are affected by hydrologic changes, and 2) that a multidisciplinary approach that combines qualitative and quantitative methods from the social and biophysical sciences would be most effective to help us understand and respond to hydrologic changes.Dans l’Arctique et la région subarctique, l’apport des connaissances indigènes à l’égard de la compréhension de l’altération de l’environnement a été mis au clair au cours des dernières décennies. Cette communication explore le rôle des connaissances indigènes relativement à l’eau dans la compréhension des changements hydrologiques touchant les systèmes socioécologiques complexes. Les observations hydrologiques dans le bassin du fleuve Yukon, émanant de 20 experts communautaires de Ruby Village, en Alaska et prélevées dans le cadre d’entrevues semi-structurées, sont comparées aux constatations publiées dans des documents scientifiques pour illustrer les points communs et les différences. Les résultats de recherche révèlent l’apport des connaissances indigènes en matière de compréhension des changements hydrologiques caractérisant le fleuve Yukon et ses affluents, ce qui comprend un aperçu de l’altération des sédiments et des régimes de glaces fluviales. Les recommandations de recherches futures faisant appel aux connaissances indigènes de l’eau afin de mieux comprendre les changements hydrologiques du bassin hydrographique préconisent le fait de combiner de nombreuses études de cas géographiquement réparties. Nos constatations suggèrent 1) que le recours à des méthodes de recherche participative aidera à faire en sorte que les collectivités dont le mode de vie est touché par les changements hydrologiques bénéficient des travaux de recherche, et 2) qu’une approche multidisciplinaire dans les domaines des sciences sociales et biophysiques faisant appel à la fois à des méthodes qualitatives et à des méthodes quantitatives s’avérerait plus efficace, et nous aiderait à comprendre les changements hydrologiques puis à y réagir

Using Optical Water-Type Classification in Data-Poor Water Quality Assessment: A Case Study in the Torres Strait

For many years, local communities have expressed concerns that turbid plume waters from the Fly River in Papua New Guinea may potentially deliver mine-derived contaminants to the Torres Strait, an ecologically and culturally unique area north of the Australian mainland. Information on suspended sediment transport and turbidity patterns are needed in this data-limited region to identify and manage downstream ecosystems that may be at risk of exposure from the Fly River runoff. This study used MODIS satellite time series and a colour-classification approach to map optical water types around the data-poor Gulf of Papua and Torres Strait region. The satellite data were supported by field data, including salinity and suspended sediment measurements, and used together in qualitative water quality assessments to evaluate the habitats that are likely exposed to Fly River discharge and/or derived sediments. It showed that the Fly River influence in the Torres Strait region is largely limited to the north-east corner of the Torres Strait. The drivers of turbidity vary between locations, and it is impossible to fully separate direct riverine plume influence from wave and tidally driven sediment resuspension in the satellite maps. However, results indicate that coastal habitats located as far east as Bramble Cay and west to Boigu Island are located in an area that is most likely exposed to the Fly River discharge within the region, directly or through sediment resuspension. The area that is the most likely exposed is a relatively small proportion of the Torres Strait region, but encompasses habitats of high ecological importance, including coral reefs and seagrass meadows. Satellite data showed that the period of highest risk of exposure was during the south-east trade wind season and complemented recent model simulations in the region over larger spatial and temporal frames. This study did not evaluate transboundary pollution or the ecological impact on local marine resources, but other recent studies suggest it is likely to be limited. However, this study did provide long-term, extensive but qualitative, baseline information needed to inform future ecological risk mapping and to support decision making about management priorities in the region. This is important for ensuring the protection of the Torres Strait ecosystems, given their importance to Torres Strait communities and turtle and dugong populations, and the Torres Strait’s connectivity with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

2017 Scientific Consensus Statement: land use impacts on the Great Barrier Reef water quality and ecosystem condition, Chapter 2: sources of sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other pollutants to the Great Barrier Reef

This chapter provides an up-to-date review of the state of knowledge relating to the source of sediment and nutrients as well as pesticides and other pollutants delivered to the Great Barrier Reef from adjacent catchments. The strengths and limitations of the various datasets are also discussed. Collectively, sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other pollutants (e.g. petroleum hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals) are described as ‘pollutants’. This chapter is focused on defining the major source areas of these pollutants across the Great Barrier Reef, how these sources have varied in space and time, the major processes (e.g. hillslope, gully and streambank erosion) delivering these pollutants, their relative loads to the Great Barrier Reef and a summary of the main drivers in terms of land use, land condition and agricultural practices. Plot- and paddock-scale studies, including the effectiveness of remediation approaches, are summarised in Chapter 4. Acknowledging that all forms of data used to estimate pollutant loads to the Great Barrier Reef have constraints and limitations, this review uses a ‘multiple lines of evidence’ approach and draws on data from three main sources. These include the Queensland Government load monitoring data, the latest Queensland Government whole of Great Barrier Reef Source Catchments modelling results (which underpin the Report Card 2015) as well as a summary of the numerous individual research projects and synthesis reports published over the last four years. Data and information are included that was published, publicly available and that had undergone a peer review process. In a few cases, grey literature (e.g. consulting reports) and journal publications currently in review are included. A synthesis of the broad findings of this chapter are outlined below and in Table 1. A detailed description of what has changed since the last Scientific Consensus Statement is provided in Table 20

2017 Scientific Consensus Statement: land use impacts on the Great Barrier Reef water quality and ecosystem condition

This report provides the 2017 Scientific Consensus Statement for the Great Barrier Reef – a review of the significant advances in scientific knowledge of water quality issues in the Great Barrier Reef to arrive at a consensus on the current understanding of the system. The consensus statement was produced by a multidisciplinary group of scientists, with oversight from the Reef Independent Science Panel, and supports the development of the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017–2022

2017 Scientific Consensus Statement: land use impacts on the Great Barrier Reef water quality and ecosystem condition, Chapter 5: overview of key findings, management implications and knowledge gaps

To support the development of the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022, a multidisciplinary group of scientists, with oversight from the Reef Independent Science Panel, was established to review and synthesise the significant advances in scientific knowledge of water quality issues in the Great Barrier Reef to arrive at a consensus on the current understanding of the system. For the 2017 Scientific Consensus Statement, the information and findings in these assessments and in other scientific publications were reviewed and synthesised in four supporting chapters. This fifth and final chapter provides a synthesis of the key findings of these four chapters and, based on this evidence, makes recommendations for future management of water quality in the Great Barrier Reef. The overarching consensus is that: Key Great Barrier Reef ecosystems continue to be in poor condition. This is largely due to the collective impact of land run-off associated with past and ongoing catchment development, coastal development activities, extreme weather events and climate change impacts such as the 2016 and 2017 coral bleaching events. Current initiatives will not meet the water quality targets. To accelerate the change in on-ground management, improvements to governance, program design, delivery and evaluation systems are urgently needed. This will require greater incorporation of social and economic factors, better targeting and prioritisation, exploration of alternative management options and increased support and resources

2017 Scientific Consensus Statement: land use impacts on the Great Barrier Reef water quality and ecosystem condition, Chapter 3: the risk from anthropogenic pollutants to Great Barrier Reef coastal and marine ecosystems

In this chapter, we applied an ecological risk assessment approach to assess the likelihood of exposure and potential risks from land-based pollutants to Great Barrier Reef coastal (floodplain wetlands and floodplains) and marine (coral reefs and seagrass meadows) ecosystems. Ecological risk is defined as the product of the likelihood of an effect occurring and the consequences if that effect was to occur

Linking Indigenous Knowledge and Observed Climate Change Studies

We present indigenous knowledge narratives and explore their connections to documented temperature and other climate changes and observed climate change impact studies. We then propose a framework for enhancing integration of these indigenous narratives of observed climate change with global assessments. Our aim is to contribute to the thoughtful and respectful integration of indigenous knowledge with scientific data and analysis, so that this rich body of knowledge can inform science, and so that indigenous and traditional peoples can use the tools and methods of science for the benefit of their communities if they choose to do so. Enhancing ways of understanding such connections are critical as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment process gets underway

Extreme weather conditions in the Great Barrier Reef: Drivers of change?

Abstract. There has been a well-recognized link between declining water quality and the ecological health of coastal ecosystems. A strong driver of water quality change in the Great Barrier Reef (hereafter GBR) is the pulsed or intermittent nature of terrestrial inputs into marine ecosystems, particularly close to the coast. Delivery of potentially detrimental terrestrial inputs (freshwater, sediments, nutrients and toxicants, typically via flood plumes) will be exacerbated under modelled climate change scenarios and presents an on-going risk to the resilience and survival of inshore GBR ecosystems. This paper presents an overview of flow and water quality associated with extreme weather conditions experienced in the GBR over the 2010 -2011 wet season. Water quality data collected during this period within the Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program is presented, including the spatial and temporal extent of the water quality conditions measured by in-situ sampling and satellite imagery. The consequence of the long wet season has had profound impacts on the people living and working within the Queensland coastal area, but may also be the driver of large scale reported decline in the many inshore seagrass systems and coral reefs and species that rely on these habitats, with concerns for the recovery potential of these impacted ecosystems

Assessment of the relative risk of water quality to ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef. A report to the Department of the Environment and Heritage Protection, Queensland Government, Brisbane - Report 13/28

A risk assessment method was developed and applied to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) to provide robust and scientifically defensible information for policy makers and catchment managers on the key land-based pollutants of greatest risk to the health of the two main GBR ecosystems (coral reefs and seagrass beds). This information was used to inform management prioritisation for Reef Rescue 2 and Reef Plan 3. The risk assessment method needed to take account of the fact that catchment-associated risk will vary with distance from the river mouth, with coastal habitats nearest to river mouths most impacted by poor marine water quality. The main water quality pollutants of concern for the GBR are enhanced levels of suspended sediments, excess nutrients and pesticides added to the GBR lagoon from the adjacent catchments. Until recently, there has been insufficient knowledge about the relative exposure to and effects of these pollutants to guide effective prioritisation of the management of their sources