Project Name:
Stream Monitoring Data Needs Analysis
Client:
Department of Sustainability and Environment
Project Description:
Four surface water monitoring partnerships exist in Victoria which are co-ordinated by the Department of Sustainability and Environment. These partnerships, based on four regions (Gippsland, North East, North West and South West) enable cost effective and better coordinated monitoring of stream flow and water quality throughout Victoria. The partnerships also have the objective of sharing the assets and costs more equitably based on data needs. The members of each Partnership have entered into formal signed agreements to share costs and management of the monitoring contact. The agreements outline how the Partners share the costs of monitoring operation and maintenance, as well as monitoring and water quality data collection and delivery and water quality analysis requirements for sites in which they have an interest.
The existing contracts expire in February 2009. Work has commenced to prepare new partnership contracts. As part of this work, all partners have been asked to reconsider, and where necessary revise, their current monitoring needs. This review was undertaken by Hydro-Environmental and aimed to:
- identify and confirm existing data collection arrangements within the partnership on a partner by site basis
- survey partners to identify, on a site-by-site basis, their monitoring data requirements for the new regional surface water monitoring contracts and for the partners to, where possible, allocate a reason and priority for their existing monitoring
- document all results from the partner surveys.
The results from this review will be used by DSE to feed directly into the specifications for the future procurement of monitoring services via the new monitoring contracts and will assist in reviewing the cost sharing model to be included in revisions of the new Partnership Agreements.
Key Skills Applied:
Knowledge management, water planning, stakeholder engagement, water accounting, tender management, probity management, contract management, project management, communication, consultation, and water quality and quantity monitoring knowledge.