Framework for Assessment of River and Wetland Health (FARWH)

The Framework for the Assessment of River and Wetland Health (FARWH) is a system that should allow comparable reporting of river and wetland health across all parts of Australia.

The FARWH built on more than a decade of river and wetland health assessments that had been conducted at a jurisdictional level.

The Framework for Assessment of River and Wetland Health (FARWH) was a federal government initiative that aimed to introduce a nation-wide river and wetland health assessment and reporting system. By using a consistent scoring methodology across Australia, it is possible to compare the degree of modification across various wetland and river systems. FARWH was originally developed to assess riverine health; however there are provisions for assessing riverine, palustrine and lacustrine wetland types at a surface water management area (SWMA) scale.

The initial development was followed by trials of the FARWH between 2005 and 2011. The trials were designed to test the framework across a variety of wetland and river types, climatic zones and jurisdictions. The trials assessed a number of technical and feasibility questions to guide the national framework’s future implementation. 

A review of the Framework and the trials demonstrated that an effective national approach to river and wetland assessments was possible with some modifications. The general themes (termed indices) for river and wetland health appear to be relatively consistent across the country for both river and wetland systems, although an additional theme of wetland extent was added (7 indices). The trials found that a two-tiered approach would be useful to identify specific areas (site assessment) for greater field sampling effort, based on an overall broad scale assessment (regional). The modified system arranged the themes in terms broad scale desktop assessment and a more detailed condition assessment. The modified system resolved that FARWH river and wetland condition assessment scores should not be combined into a single scores. It also determined that index-level integration to a single overall score should not be encouraged.

This page is based on and includes the recommendations of the final review report.

FARWH assesses and scores seven main themes: wetland extent, catchment disturbance; hydrological disturbance; water quality and soils; physical form; fringing zone; and aquatic biota. Four of these (wetland extent, catchment and hydrological disturbance and fringing zone) are assessed under the broad scale desktop assessment whereas all 7 are assessment under the detailed condition assessment.  Sub-indicators are used to score each theme on a scale of 0-1 (in increments of 0.1.).  Wetland scores can range from "largely unmodified" to "severely modified". The sub-indicators used to inform each theme are highly dependent on site-specific characteristics, and are typically derived from the results of local jurisdictional assessment programs. No specific sub-indicators are prescribed within current FARWH technical documents. The FARWH depends on knowledge of the specific environment being monitored and the selection of system appropriate sub-indices. Importantly, the general themes (termed indices) for river and wetland health appear to be relatively consistent across the country for both river and wetland systems.

Physiochemical and biological indicators, as well as hydrological and physical form assessments allow users to accurately assess the condition of wetland systems. Land-use and management criteria give insight into disturbance and modification of wetland systems. Seven themes are defined under FARWH under which metrics are categorised: Wetland extent, catchment disturbance; hydrological disturbance; water quality and soils; physical form; fringing zone; and aquatic biota. Four of these (wetland extent, catchment and hydrological disturbance and fringing zone) are assessed under the broad scale desktop assessment whereas all 7 are assessment under the detailed condition assessment.

• Spatial datasets
• Habitat extent
• Hydrological data
• Indicator scores
• Physiochemical data
• Biomonitoring data
• Vegetation condition
• Soil properties.

High level expert knowledge of ecological systems. Expertise in spatial (GIS) and non-spatial data analysis and assessment. Expert panel experience. Field assessment and ground truthing expertise as required.

A database platform for data storage, manipulation and values assessment, a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform for result presentation and interpretation. Field equipment as and if required.

FARWH requires the assessment of seven main index themes scored 0-1: These are wetland extent, catchment disturbance; hydrological disturbance; water quality and soils; physical form; fringing zone; and aquatic biota. A FARWH assessment requires that a minimum of three of the seven themes be assessed. Each theme is scored from 0-1, and these scores are integrated into a final score using standardised Euclidean distance, producing an overall FARWH score from 0-1. Four of these (wetland extent, catchment and hydrological disturbance and fringing zone) are assessed under the broad scale desktop assessment whereas all 7 are assessment under the detailed condition assessment.  Sub-indicators are used to score each theme on a scale of 0-1 (in increments of 0.1.).  Wetland scores can range from "largely unmodified" to "severely modified".

• National, State and Local Government reporting
• Decision support
• Action prioritisation.

The method is to be used by those with GIS and analysis expertise.

Outputs relevant to natural resource managers including regional NRM bodies, Federal, State and local government agencies and water corporations.

• Standardised nationally
• Locally relevant sub-indicators
• Comparison of assessment sites across state
• well trialled and tested
• reviewed and updated method allows for broad scale assessment with finer scale in high risk areas.

• Sub-indicators not prescribed
• High level of expertise and resources required.

FARWH: New South Wales wetlands (NSW-FARWH)

FARWH: Queensland rivers (QLD – FARWH)

FARWH: South-west Western Australia rivers (SWWA-FARWH)

FARWH: Tasmanian rivers (Tas-FARWH) and Victorian rivers (Vic-FARWH)

FARWH: Wet/dry tropical rivers (Tropics-FARWH)

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2019) Framework for Assessment of River and Wetland Health (FARWH), WetlandInfo website, accessed 18 March 2024. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/resources/tools/assessment-search-tool/framework-for-assessment-of-river-and-wetland-health-farwh/