Visions of Tropical River Futures for Northern Australia

N. Collier, Coast 2 Coast Conference, Darwin 2008
Potential scenarios for the Daly River region are explored using a systems modelling approach engaging multiple stakeholders.
http://www.track.gov.au/publications/registry/144

TRaCK Project: 1.1: Scenarios for tropical rivers and coasts: integrating the TRaCK research program

Exploring scenarios for a tropical river catchment using systems dynamics modelling

River Symposium Conference, Brisbane 2008.
Potential scenarios for the Daly River region are explored using a systems modelling approach engaging multiple stakeholders.
http://www.track.gov.au/publications/registry/158
see TRaCK project 1.1 Scenarios for tropical rivers and coasts: integrating the TRaCK research program

River Stability Issues in Northern Australia

Valentine, Eric M. 2006, in 30th Hydrology & Water Resources Symposium: Past, Present & Future. p. 568 -575
The Northern Territory Government plans to convert pastoral leases in the Daly River region to agriculture. Prior to this development it is important to understand the sediment dynamics of the system and the potential impacts on the river of water abstraction for irrigation. There is considerable debate about the effects that potential development of the river basin may have on the river channel. It has been suggested that there has been considerable siltation in the estuary since 1880, and recent observations of the channel indicate that there are instabilities in the channel plan-form. The question as to whether these instabilities are driven by hydrological or anthropogenic influences is crucial to the decision on future development and how it should be managed.
Source: Informit Engineering Collection.

Daly River Catchment ? towards an integrated catchment management

Andrew S. Wygralak
ASEG Extended Abstracts Volume 2006 Number 1, ASEG2006 - 18th Geophysical Conference
The Daly River catchment has good soils and is earmarked for the future agricultural development. The NTG placed a Moratorium on major developments, pending completion of an Integrated Regional Land Use Plan. The aim, based on analysis of hydrological, biological, environmental and social studies, is to develop a balanced holistic catchment management approach. Most of the multidisciplinary studies of the catchment completed till now were conducted without sufficient attention paid to the interconnection between economic, environmental, social and cultural aspects of the river catchment management. As a result no integrated catchment management plan has as yet been proposed. Further research is needed to fill the existing knowledge gaps.

http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/267/paper/ASEG2006ab200.htm

Results from the SWIFTSYND trials on Improved and Native Pastures at Douglas Daly, NT.

L. J. Peel, M. Dilshad and J. A. Motha
Proc. 8th. Biennial Conference of the Australian Rangelands Society, 21-23 June 1994.

Evaluation of the USDA Curve Number Method for Agricultural Catchments in the Australian Semi Arid Tropics

M. Dilshad and L. J. Peel
Australian Journal of Soil Research, 32, 673-685, 1994

http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/84/paper/SR9940673.htm

Katherine Regional Weed Management Strategy 2005-2010

Department of Natural Resources,

Environment and the Arts Weed management is complex enough without trying to deal with coordination across layers of Government, land tenure and land uses in the Katherine region. This strategy will provide a common focus for all land managers and stakeholders to work towards common community issues while also addressing their own priority issues on a property, district or catchment basis through their own plans. It also provides the fundamental framework for succession planning so future land managers and government officers have a documented plan, which will provide direction and focus and prevention of “re-inventing the wheel”. The action plan will also identify gaps, which need to be addressed in the region if weed management is to be successful.
The Katherine Weed Management Strategy’s overriding purpose is to provide a healthier and more productive landscape where the impacts of weeds are minimised. The strategy is pro-active ensuring the Katherine region’s current weed status is maintained or enhanced.

Conservation tillage and levy farming in the semi-arid tropics of northern Australia - some economic aspects

G. W. M. Kirby, V. J. Hristova and S. Murti
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 36, 8, 1049-57,

This paper examines some aspects of the economics of conservation tillage and levy farming in the semi-arid tropics of northern Australia. The distribution, value and major trends in the enterprises comprising the agricultural sector of the semi-arid tropics are discussed in an industry context. The aim of this paper is to review the on-farm economic benefits arising from conservation tillage and to assess the short and long term economic benefits likely in the use of levy farming in the semi-arid tropics of northern Australia.

Daly Region Community Reference Group Executive Summary

This report identifies key issues for managing the values and natural resources of the Daly Region and recommends principles, guidelines, processes and actions for dealing with them.
This executive summary contains recommendations from the Community Reference Group, Northern Territory Agricultural Association, NT Cattlemen's Association (NTCA) and the Amateur Fisherman's Association of the NT Inc.

Wangamaty (Lower Daly River) Management Plan

P. van Oosterzee, F. Bob and N. Preece
ECOZ Environmental Services for Wangamaty (Lower Daly) Landcare Group Inc.,

This integrated catchment management (ICM) approach seeks to create close links with Government and have influence over decisions, which relate to this region. The approach has a long-term outlook and, as well as being developed on ICM, also embraces sustainability. Importantly it is a living plan developed on the principles of adaptive management. It aims to identify targets to be achieved over appropriate time frames.

This ICM has produced an adaptive management framework, has recorded in detail the assets and threats, and the key challenges for the Lower Daly area.

Commercial experience in developing levy farming systems for the Katherine-Darwin region, Northern Territory

T. P. Price, F. O'Gara, E. S. C. Smith, R. Pitkethley and P. Hausler
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 36, 8, 1057-67,

This paper examines the past, present and likely future commercial development and adoption of levy farming systems in the Katherine-Darwin region. Producers' current practices, adaptations and the extent to which they have adapted a systems approach are reported. Advantages of levy farming and the constraints til its more rapid adoption are described. Also discussed are aspects of crop, cattle and hay production; weed, insect and plant disease control, and management; on-farm demonstrations and the economics of crop production from the producer's perspective, in the context of levy farming.

Adaptive Management of Ecologically Sustainable Development in the Douglas-Daly Region: The Adaptive Management Plan

Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association
GHD, NTCA and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry
The plan provides a “blueprint” for the conduct of adaptive management in the Douglas-Daly. It documents the area of land and issues over which it has application. It identifies the stakeholders and the procedures they use in conducting management of the plan, in determining their priorities, in establishing adaptive management programmes and in disseminating improved management procedures.
The plan relates to: that area of land defined by the ADMA Farms Area, the Stray Creek blocks, the Tipperary Group of Stations and Jindare Station in the Douglas-Daly Region (Fig. 1); the support industries, residents and school of this part of the Daly River catchment; and the ecological, social and economic relationships between that land and the remainder of the Daly Basin, and the people who live on and/or have a material interest in ensuring the ecologically sustainable development of that land. The adaptive management plan is developed and implemented through consensus among stakeholders. The stakeholders are members of the Douglas Daly Community Development Association Inc.

Copy available for loan at NRETAS and DPI Library

Demographic Profile of the Daly River Region

D. A. Griffith

This Demographic profile of the Daly River has been produced for the Daly River Expert Reference Group. The data provided is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Population and Housing 2001 Census data. The report supplies data on the population, housing, household income, individual income, employment profile, workforce profile, industry profile, education profile and visitors and mobility profile.

The data presented provides a detailed understanding of the region and its inhabitants, which could be used to support the development of an integrated Regional Land Use Plan for the Daly River Region.

The extent of developed and undeveloped agricultural land in the Douglas Daly Region and the application of stream buffers

J. Hill
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, Natural Systems Division

The extent of arable land both developed and undeveloped in the Douglas Daly Region has been calculated from land resource mapping originally published by Aldrick and Robinson (1972). All land surveyed was allocated an agricultural capability rating from A to E. The extent of these classes both developed and undeveloped on selected portions has been calculated as well as the total across the study area. In accordance with the land clearing guidelines of the Northern Territory, native buffers have been allocated to various watercourses according to stream order and recommended width. The results are presented in a series of tables with interpretative comments.

This report provides useful information on the amount of area that has the potential to be developed into agricultural lands, which could be used to determine the future land-uses in the area.

Natural Resources and Development in the Daly River-Sturt Plateau Region of the Tropical Savannahs of the Northern Territory

V. J. Hristova and S. Murti
Department of Mines and Energy, Office of Resource Development,

The report was prepared as background for a study of conservation values. The study did not go ahead, but the report was still published as useful background information for the region that is again the subject of further development. This background paper sets out the known ecological status of the area. The wider impacts surrounding policy issues are also set up. Information is provided on climate, landforms, soils, vegetation types, impacts of humans, Aboriginal usage, current infrastructure and overviews of the two land uses competing for the area.

This report provides a good history into the settlement and infrastructure. The agricultural productivity is also included with future prospects.

Daly Region Community Reference Group Draft Report

This is a report of the Daly Region Community Reference Group, which has been prepared with the assistance of the Daly Region Expert Reference Group. This draft Report outlines the processes the Community Reference Group chose to follow in consulting people with interests in the Terms of Reference Area, an area of over 2 million hectares. It outlines the issues which were raised as being of concern to the community and sets out the ways in which the Group has dealt with identifying the values of the Focus Area and the interactions between them.
This report provides an overview of the Daly Region, Inventory, Values, risk assessment and management, key risks to ecological sustainability and adaptive management.

Comparison of genus and family level AUSRIVAS models for the Darwin-Daly region and relation to land use

G. Lamche and Y. Fukuda
NRETA, Aquatic Health Unit,

Genus and family levels of the AUSRIVAS model were compared based on the observed to expected ratio scores obtained. The genus level model was assessed as being more sensitive and allowed for some level of land use explanation. If resources allow the genus level model is recommended, however the family level model is acceptable for stream health assessment.

http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/water/aquatic/publications/index.html

The Fifth and Final Annual Report on the Land Management Strategies for the Semi Arid Tropics (LAMSAT) Project

M. Dilshad, P. B. Hairsine, D. M. Silburn and G. Jayawardhana
Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation.,

Analysis of policies, institutions and stakeholders as a tool in integrated assessment of wetlands in Northern Australia : a case study of Daly River

P. Shrestha
Wageningen University, April 2005
The present research explores the influence of institutions, particularly the policies, on the functions provided by wetlands by taking examples of the wetlands in Daly River and Mary River Catchments of the Northern Territory of Australia. It was observed that the wetlands in the research areas were subjected to multiple indirect policies and legislations, which varied across the modes of land use. The policies were categorised into primary and secondary policies with former being directly associated with a given function of wetland and the latter indirectly associated. The range of policies applicable to a given function of the wetland affected it in both positive and negative ways. Positive influence was when the policies promoted the use of a function, which could be by different provisions such as issuing of licenses, granting permits and prescribing mechanisms to conduct the activities. The negative influence existed when various rights to different policies were applicable to the same function and the inconsistencies between them suppressed or discouraged to proceed its use, characterised by the need of additional time, additional cost and extra procedures applicable to conduct the activity.

A comparison of two tillage systems on four soil types in the Douglas-Daly region of the N.T. 1986/87

H. R. M. Van Cuylenburg
Conservation Commission of the N.T.

http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/hpa-services/techreport?report_id=LRD89005