Run of the River

Introducing a healthy rivers board game

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A curriculum resource

• is suitable for Years 9-12 SOSE and Science students, and;

• can be played in full over a double class period, or alternatively one level per single class.

Full Classroom Run of the River kit includes:

• Four game sets to allow a class of up to 28 students to play simultaneously

• Teacher/Leader Instructions that include pre and post game activities to support more comprehensive study

• An evaluation survey that can be completed online or faxed back

Aims• To introduce students to key concepts about the

natural river flows of an ecologically healthy river; and

• To demonstrate to students the trade-offs involved in satisfying the human and environmental demands on water resources.

Key parts of the game

• incorporates three climate scenarios – drought, normal and flood years;

• provides examples for learner centred rule changes, and;

• can be played at 2 different levels for varying complexity, and;

• provides an introduction to the new concept of the Environmental Water Reserve.

Level OneIntroduces players to how a river works and

examines flows of an ecologically healthy river

Key concepts –• Natural river flows change with the seasons

and years• River flows affect native plants and animals• River flows affect habitat• River flows affect estuaries and terminal

lakes• High flows revive rivers• River flows shape the river

Level TwoChallenges players to balance human

demands on river water with the need for natural functions of the river to continue.

Key concepts (building on Level 1 Key concepts) –

• River flows affect water quality• River flows affect human uses• Dams and weirs control river flow levels

and timing• Dams and weirs affect river life

Important Game Concepts

An environmental flow is defined as: “the flow regime required to maintain a river in a healthy condition. This includes components of the flow regime (pattern) such as minimum flows, floods and flushing flows”.

Natural Flow characteristics of Southern Australian rivers

• Variable, typically high flows in winter, low flows in Summer in Victoria

• Flows vary in frequency, timing, duration and magnitude (daily, seasonally, inter-annually)

Typical Flow variability

Cease to flow

Low flow

Overbank flow

Freshes

High flow

Freshes

Bankfull

Diagram 6.1 – Victorian River Health Strategy

Flow variability is important• Geomorphologically

– defines channel structure, scouring pools, creates habitat diversity

• Ecologically – connectivity along the length of a

waterway (headwaters to estuary/terminal lake), as well as with adjacent wetlands & floodplains

– Triggers migration and breeding responses• Socially

– Recreational activities often require high levels of water

Water use and demand

Groundwater Bores

Farm Dams/ catchment Dams

Direct Pumping Annual/Summer Licences

On-stream DamOff-stream Winterfill Dam

Town Supply

Major Dam

Direct Pumping

Irrigation Area• Water rights• Sales Water• Unbundling

• Trade

Non Consumptive

Human demands stress flow

Winter Spring Summer Autumn

Most stressful period = Summer when human demand is high (urban and

rural) and flow is naturally low

New legislation

Created an Environmental Water Reserve

• a share of water set aside to maintain the environmental values of a water system and other water services dependent on the environmental condition of the system.

Concepts

Providing the EWR across Victoria is about acknowledging the range of values associated with a rivers’ flow.

The Environmental Water Reserve aims to provide a base level of environmental condition that maintains biodiversity and ecological functioning and protects water quality for continued sustainable water use.

It recognises that not all rivers can be pristine.

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