Environmental monitoring

Lake Tuggeranong south of Canberra is a popular place for recreation but also often suffers from toxic algal blooms in summer. This made it a good candidate to test a new water quality monitoring system called AquaWatch. Image: Allan Sharp / Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

AquaWatch: the ‘weather forecast for water quality’ that’s an Australian world first

Satellites and high-tech sensors are revolutionising the way water quality challenges will be monitored and responded to into the future.

Underwater view of a reef looking up toward sunlight.

Revolutionising environmental monitoring using eDNA

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a game-changer for monitoring biodiversity. New Australian/New Zealand guidelines for working with eDNA will support end-users taking up this exciting technology.

man in hard hat beside river inserting device into pipe

Tapping into water monitoring with Vesi™ sensor technology

CSIRO’s automated real-time in-situ groundwater monitoring system Vesi™ has funding to dive into new territories to revolutionise the way industries and utilities can manage water quality.

Revegetation and pile fields on the Mary River in January 2022, prior to recent flood events. Photograph by Caitlin Mill, Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee.

Researchers trust their tools when it comes to looking after the Great Barrier Reef

Deteriorating water quality is one of the biggest threats to the Great Barrier Reef. Vital protection and recovery efforts are taking place in the catchments adjoining this national treasure's coastline.

A black and white seabird flying over the ocean.

State of the Environment report highlights pressures on our coasts and oceans

CSIRO researchers have again played a major role in the latest Australia State of the Environment report as lead authors on both the Marine and Coasts chapters. In a first, Indigenous knowledge and perspectives have been included, thanks to some of their work.

Indigenous authors front and centre of latest State of Environment Report

For the first time, the five-yearly State of the Environment Report includes an entire Indigenous-led theme, Indigenous co-lead authors on most chapters, and Indigenous-specific case studies.

A health check for our natural wealth

With the release of the latest scientific report card on the state of Australia’s environment, we look at the underpinning science tools that have enabled the assessment, and how they can support our environmental restoration efforts.

Earth Observation images show the mouth of the Clarence River before the flood on February 9 (left) and after, on March 3, with a sediment plume calculated to be 10km extending well off the coast into the Tasman Sea. Credit: European Union. Modified data from Copernicus Sentinel-2, processed with the Sentinel Hub EO Browser.

Using satellite data to unlock water quality knowledge

Data cubes built using decades of satellite images reveal how the quality of estuarine and coastal waters changes after weather events, and over time.

The International Space Station was orbiting above the Northern Territory of Australia when this photograph was taken of the Gulf of Carpentaria including (from bottom left to right) the Pellew Islands, Wellesley Islands and South Wellesley Islands. One of the station's main solar arrays drapes the left side of this photograph.

Monitoring our vast and varied coasts

Human advancement is testing the resilience of our coasts, from the molecular level to the planetary. CSIRO's technologies are helping manage our changing coasts.

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