Triggers and initiatives for rehabilitation

Flood events

Can result in risk to land and infrastructure from flood water, erosion and deposition.

Flood mitigation

Rehabilitation may be undertaken to reduce the impact of flooding downstream by reconnecting floodplains, increasing channel and floodplain roughness with vegetation or reinstating or reconnecting wetlands.

Legal obligations

Can include the requirement to remove an invasive weed or maintain a protected species. It can also include the need to rehabilitate an area due to illegal actions.

Loss of native vegetation

Can cause a change in the services provided by the site.

Habitat reinstatement for biodiversity purposes

Providing or improving habitat for a species or range of species, may remove threats and reinstate components and processes.

Better delivery of ecosystem services (e.g. Blue Carbon)

Improving the components and processes to optimise the delivery of ecosystem services such as the sequestering and storing of carbon. 

Investment

External funding from investment and insurance companies can proactively initiate rehabilitation projects.

Wildfire events

Can result in the loss of catchment vegetation combined with an increase in sediment and organics into aquatic ecosystems and may require intervention to reduce future impacts.

River re-adjustment after disturbance

The channel of a river may change during a flood event then adjust subsequent to the event. The components and processes may need to be managed during this re-adjustment period.

Changed hydrology (timing, frequency, magnitude, velocity)

Water use can result in changes to the water regime of an aquatic ecosystem (e.g. becomes fresh, permanent, less tidal influence, less scouring events) requiring for rehabilitation to maximise services.

Changed vegetation structure and composition in an aquatic system

Vegetation changes can reduce ecosystem services and trigger rehabilitation (removal of weeds, thinning etc.).

Monitoring findings

Monitoring can reveal whether degradation has occurred or is in the process of occurring.

Land use changes

A change in land use, such as urban development or town planning processes, may require improved ecosystem services from an aquatic ecosystem. This may include aesthetics and/or water quality improvement. 

Climate change assessments impact

Anthropogenic and natural climate changes can impact processes or components driving ecosystems, prompting rehabilitation activities (such as nature based solutions).

Water quality improvement requirements

Rehabilitation activities include attempts to reduce sediment or nutrient inflow to aquatic ecosystems and valuable downstream assets like Moreton Bay and the Great Barrier Reef.

Channel widening/narrowing/ deepening/aggradation

A change in the rates of these processes can often trigger investigation and rehabilitation actions. 

Loss of land (e.g. a change in channel position such as an avulsion)

Action may be needed to reduce actual or predicted land loss.

Loss or risk to infrastructure (e.g. roads, bridges, buildings)

Action may be needed to minimise future risks to infrastructure (note: actions such as relocating infrastructure rather than investing in rehabilitation of the existing site need to be considered).

Loss of social values

Rehabilitation can maintain, improve or enhance aesthetic values. 

Loss of heritage sites (e.g. Traditional owner sites and artifacts)

Burial or erosion of heritage sites can mean that actions need to be managed.

Threat or loss of water supply (agricultural, industrial, or potable)

A change in the volume or quality of water impacting water supplies can trigger rehabilitation actions. 

Environmental offsets

Development approval may require compensation for impacts on Matters of Environmental Significance (national, state or local) where impacts are unavoidable.