River Restoration Manual
This series of guidelines provides a guide to the nature, rehabilitation and long-term management of waterways in Western Australia. The chapters of the series collectively form the River Restoration Manual. The manual is based on the teachings of the successful river restoration courses, which have been run for river managers in the past (between 1996 and 2010).
These guidelines are intended to be used by river restoration group coordinators and other people who are actively involved with river restoration. For more general information on waterways management topics, the relevant Water notes are recommended.
The manual currently consists of 18 sections which can be downloaded individually (from links in right hand column) or the entire publication is available on disc from the Department of Water library.
Introduction
Introduction - Provides an introduction to the contents of the Manual, how to use it and why. It also provides a brief account of the nature of the rivers of south-west WA, typical problems and the need for restoration.
Catchment Processes
Catchment Processes - Stream and Catchment Hydrology - Describes and explains climate, the water cycle, how water Catchment Hydrology runs off a catchment and how we can measure this.
Stream Channel Processes
Fluvial Geomorphology - Discusses how the forces in flowing water shape a stream channel - how banks erode, how meanders form and the influences of the stream bed and its vegetation. Explains the basic physics and mathematics of water movement in a stream channel.
Recognising Channel and Floodplain Forms - Describes local to sub-catchment scale channel and floodplain forms, identifies the factors that influence these forms, and comments on why forms change over time. It provides suggestions on how to recognise sedimentary forms in your river, any changes in form, and how to apply this knowledge to improve river health
Stream Channel and Floodplain Erosion - Discusses the connection between the power of flowing water, its natural tendency to follow a winding path, and some of the specific erosion features we see along our rivers. It covers bed, bank and floodplain erosion and explains the characteristics of bends in streams and how erosion plays a natural part in their development. Understanding erosion and sedimentation processes helps us manage rivers better.
Stream Channel Analysis
Stream Channel Analysis-- Discusses surveying, collection of data and assessment of river channels, calculation of flow velocity and discharge and stream power to understand the form of a stream channel and the force of the water that shapes it.
Stream Ecology
Stream Ecology - Provides an introduction to some of the important ecosystem processes that 'drive' the structure of stream communities and highlights some of the pressures that threaten stream ecosystems in WA.
Revegetation
Revegetation of Riparian zones in south-west WA - Outlines the riparian zone and the process involved to revegetate it with native species. It gives a brief background of the general structure and importance of the riparian zone before moving onto site planning, weed control, species selection, plant establishment then finally monitoring and maintenance of the site.
Revegetatoin case studies from south-west WA - The case studies outline the processes, management, cost and general success of previous revegetation projects.
Using rushland sedges in revegetation - Describes the common species of rushes, sedges, bulrushes and submergents of the south-west of WA, the aim of revegetation, revegetation techniques and weed control.
Stream Stabilisation
Stream Stabilisation - Outlines techniques to control the riverbed, stabilise channel alignment, protect stream banks and rebuild habitat. Provides guidelines on managing erosion and sedimentation problems and practical techniques to integrate channel stabilisation engineering and ecological restoration.
Planning and Management
Foreshore condition assessment in urban and semi-rural areas of south-west WA - Outlines a simple stream assessment method (modified from Pen and Scott 1995) for use in semi-rural and urban areas. It includes the assessment of instream habitat, foreshore vegetation, presence of dominant species (native plants and weed species), channel stability, areas suffering or prone to bank erosion and disturbance to the riparian zone as a result of the surrounding intensive landuse.
Foreshore condiiont assessment in farming areas of south-west WA - Outlines a simple stream assessment method (modified from Pen and Scott 1995) for use in farming areas of south-west Australia. The methodology looks at the overall foreshore health - and grades the foreshore at various stages from pristine with good vegetation to a ditch or drain with weed infestation or no vegetation.
Planning for waterways management: An overview - Provides an outline of the principles by which planning for waterways management should occur and is the background to more detailed documents.
Guidelines for preparing a regional strategy for naturual resource management - Discusses regional planning, integrated catchment management, natural resource management, development of regional strategies, components of regional strategies and the incorporation of waterways management issues.
Guidelines for preparing a Waterways Management Program/Catchment Plan - Recommends a planning process, content and structure for waterways planning documents that focus at the catchment scale. Principally aimed at Waterways Management Authorities developing Waterways Management Programs, but the approaches and structures that are recommended are equally relevant to the development of catchment management plans.
Guidelines for preparing a River Action Plan - A guide to preparing a River Action Plan for community groups and people involved in on-ground river restoration activities. It assists the process of planning river restoration activities at the local level by outlining the major steps and actions required to develop a River Action Plan.
Determining foreshore reserves - Describes how to determine the extent of a foreshore reserve using biophysical criteria and the step by step process that will define and protect it. Also provides two case studies of the Hill River and the lower Collie and Brunswick Rivers.