Advances in the development of the Coastal Advances in the development of the Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM)

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Letcher, R.A., Ticehurst, J.L., Merritt, W.S.Letcher, R.A., Ticehurst, J.L., Merritt, W.S.

Integrated Catchment Assessment and Management Centre

Outline

What is CLAM? History of CLAM development CLAM uses and development approach Custodianship and accreditation

What is CLAM?

The Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) tool was developed to allow stakeholders, in particular Local Government Planners, to assess the social, economic and environmental trade-offs associated with development, remediation and use options for coastal lakes and estuaries

The tool consists of a software package which relies on a Bayesian Network approach to model the lake system • Uses a process that relies heavily on stakeholder and expert

feedback and open documentation of underlying assumptions and data sources

CLAM is not only a software system but an approach to model development and communication

CLAM Tools

Use methods developed in DNR funded pilot study which aimed to assess the sustainability of eight coastal lakes on NSW coast (Sustainability Assessments of NSW Coastal Lakes: 2004 to 2005)

Features of the CLAM tool• Simple representation of complex systems, including social, economic,

ecological and physical processes and their connection• Able to incorporate quantitative and qualitative data (e.g. observed data,

model simulation, expert knowledge)• Extensive internal documentation of model and data assumptions and

quality• Implicitly recognises the level of uncertainty in results and hence

confidence in the outputs by using conditional probabilities• Easy to update as new information becomes available

CLAM does not make decisions for you but can be used to aid in decision making by clarifying the trade-offs involved

History of CLAM2002: Healthy Rivers Commission Independent Inquiry into Coastal Lakes; Cabinet Office releases a Statement of Intent for implementation of the Coastal Lakes Strategy

2004: As part of the CCA program, iCAM contracted by DNR to develop sustainability assessment methodologies for 8 NSW coastal lakes

2006: Training workshops on application and tailoring of the Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) tools

2006: Economic component of Back Lake and Merimbula Lake CLAMs revised (DEC, Gillespie Economics)

2006+: CLAM project developing applications for 16 coastal lakes in northern NSW (NRCMA)

2005: iCAM contracted to develop prototype CLAM tools for Smiths and Wallis Lakes

2005: iCAM sub-contracted to complete parts of the HSC funded ICM Development project

What can CLAM be used for?

To understand the social, economic and environmental trade-offs associated with management of coastal lakes

To facilitate and promote discussion between planners and the wider community regarding the management of an estuarine system

As an educational and learning process for communities and government bodies

To support development of Estuary Management Plans

CLAM development process

The extent of model review in stages 7 and 8 depends on the available resources (time, money and/or information) and the level of response from stakeholders

Users should be aware of the aims, strengths and limitations of each CLAM tool when using its output to inform a decision

Stage Phase

1 Build understanding of constraints, issues and targets for lake and catchment health

2 Develop an initial conceptual framework for BDN and potential future scenarios

3 Review BDN framework with stakeholders

4 Revise initial framework

5 Populate BDN links with data

6 Incorporate the BDN model into a user friendly software platform

7 Review the interface and populated BDN with stakeholders

8 Revise interface and populated BDN to reflect stakeholder feedback

9 Distribute the sustainability assessment tool to relevant stakeholders with appropriate training in its use

How should CLAM be used?

CLAM aims to represent the best available knowledge on impacts in an integrated way

Knowledge of many key variables is frequently very poor• CLAM approach to is include these in the framework and use the

best available data• Reflect and document the poor quality information to provide

direction on where further monitoring or studies should be carried out

• Provide a framework for this information to be included in the assessment once it becomes available

CLAM results should always be actively questioned and should only be accepted after close consideration

Use CLAM as the basis of a communication process• Do people agree or disagree with the results?• Why?• Can they reach consensus on the nature of the impacts? Why/why

not?• Do these impacts matter and is there any action that could be taken

to reduce the impacts

CLAM Custodianship

Anyone can change model data:• This is the case with any model (not just CLAM)• How can users ensure the model can change and grow while

maintaining the quality assurance of the product?• Who will be allowed to have copies of the model and under what

conditions can they be used?

Who maintains the model and ensures proper documentation procedures are followed?

Our preferred approach:• CLAM management group to critically review and

manage changes into the future (data, nodes and scenarios)

• Central management & key contact person (local council, DNR, CMA or consultant) to maintain the ‘accepted’ CLAM

CLAM Roll-out

CLAM is moving from a development phase to an implementation phase• Creating a group of people outside ANU who can

develop, update and maintain CLAM tools to break the reliance on ANU researchers for these tasks

• Ensuring a modest income stream to enable maintenance and development of the software into the future

• Quality assurance of CLAM products

Roll-out approach

CLAM user training• Broad based training sessions for communities on the use of

individual CLAM tools • Aims to teach people the appropriate uses of the CLAM tool

and provide them with enough training to use CLAM for making decisions

• Focus has been on local council staff and Councillors, Estuary Management Committees and State Government staff

CLAM developer training and accreditation• Narrow and intense training in CLAM development and

methods• Focus has been on consultants to provide Councils etc with

a locally based and accessible group of CLAM developers• Accreditation process to ensure maintained quality of the

CLAM approach and products

Trained

Pass all modules

Refund training registration

costs

Accredited

Attend training workshop Registration

fee

CLAM projects managed by ANUE1st application

Management fee A

2nd application Management fee B

Future applications Future applications Future applications Management fee C

Current accreditations

Accredited

Mat Birch, BAES

Jennita Gay, ABER

Charlie Hewitt, Geolink

Verity Rollason, WBM

Tim Ruge, Geolink

Damon Telfer, GECO

Trained and currently undertaking 1st supervised project

Angus Fergusson, ABER Robert McKenzie, Ecotech

Group Robert Mezzatesta, Eco

Logical Australia David Pont, Ecotech Group

Trained Lachlan Whetham,

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