Peter Wheeler

Geographical Information Systems in Victorian Secondary Schools: Current Constraints and Opportunities.

Whilst widespread diffusion and adoption of spatial enabling technology, such as geographic information systems (GIS), is taking place within Australian public and private sectors, the same cannot be said for GIS within Australian secondary schools and state-based geography curricula. In the Australian state of Victoria, information regarding the status of GIS diffusion within secondary-school geography departments is currently limited, and in this setting, its adoption and use is recognised as relying upon the individual drive of committed geography teachers and schools, rather than any policy innovation. This paper reports the findings of a survey regarding the current state of GIS-based geography education in Victorian secondary schools, which was administered to Victorian secondary geography teachers via an anonymous online survey instrument during 2008. Results show that there are many barriers and constraints affecting adoption and use of GIS for geography teaching and learning in Victorian secondary schools. They include “bottom-up” resistance that might be overcome by GIS-based geography teacher training and “top-down” failure to support GIS-based education in secondary geography curriculum. In recognition of policy documents and statements by lead agencies in favour of GIS-based geography curriculum in Australian and Victorian secondary schools (including documentation relating to a proposed National Geography Curriculum), the survey results reported here can be regarded as important baseline information prerequisite to consensus-building regarding the place of GIS-based geography teaching and learning.

Flood-tide Delta Morphological Change at the Gippsland Lakes Artificial Entrance, Australia (1889–2009)

Abstract Analysis of historical survey and navigation charts, aerial imagery, and digital hydro-data (representing a time-series of 1889–2009) allows the morphological evolution of a flood-tide delta at the artificial entrance to the Gippsland Lakes (Victoria, Australia) to be visualised and quantified. Analysis shows that flood-tide delta growth has imposed progressively greater demands upon port managers for publicly funded maintenance dredging. This flood-tide delta growth corresponds with a progressive diminution of Gippsland Lakes catchment river discharge volumes, and dampening of flow variability, due to both regional precipitation pattern changes and changes in catchment water resource allocation. Future climate change predictions for the Gippsland Lakes catchment and coastal area suggest both further decreases in catchment river discharge, and changing sediment flux along this sector of the Ninety Mile Beach. Thus, scope for flood-tide delta nourishment will probably increase, as will the demand for mitigation of the inevitable effects upon entrance channel navigability. Information derived from the analysis of time-series bathymetry used for this study offers baseline information in support of stakeholder consensus building regarding options for maintaining navigability. Analysis points to the merit of considering (and testing via morphological modelling) alternative options for navigation channel maintenance than those in present practice. We argue that the circumstances prevailing at the artificial entrance call for consideration of engineered configuration changes practised elsewhere by entrance managers faced with similar issues.

Exploring Stakeholder Views Regarding Spatial Information and Enabling Technology Use for ICZM: A Case Study from Victoria, Australia

“Integrated” approaches to coastal management (known as integrated coastal zone management—ICZM) have been adopted widely since the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Decision-support for ICZM demands that policy align with practice such that stakeholders can access a range of time-series information across the entire catchment–coastal–marine continuum. Such access, implemented in spatial enabling technology (e.g., Geographic Information Systems—GIS), can enable stakeholders to make assessments of the dynamics of changing environmental, social, demographic, and economic circumstances with more detail than otherwise possible. However, the level of government at which there is failure to recognize the potential for up-grading decision-support in these terms dictates the extent to which innovation is adopted. In Victoria, Australia, ICZM stakeholders are not yet served by any form of dedicated spatial information–sharing framework, despite ICZM policy having been implemented in 1995, and since refined on a regular basis. In this article, we use semi-structured interviews to explore the outlook of Victorian coastal managers regarding the adoption of spatial information and enabling technology use in support of ICZM initiatives. Results indicate that the optimal integrated use of the technology among Victorian ICZM stakeholders is constrained by a lack of relevant policy implementation, and a lack of supporting stakeholder capacity-building programs. Illumination of these issues provides information that can be used to guide future research, policy development, and capacity-building regarding development of an effective spatial information–sharing and use framework for Victorian ICZM.

GA-SVM Based Framework for Time Series Forecasting

A framework (hereby named GA-SVM) for time series forecasting was formed by integration of the particular power of Genetic Algorithms (GAs) with the modeling power of the Support Vector Machine (SVM). The proposed system has potential to capture the benefits of both fascinating fields into a single framework. GAs offer high capability in choosing inputs that are relevant and necessary in predicting dependent variables. With these selected inputs, SVM becomes more accurate in modeling the estimation problems. Experiments demonstrated that the integrated GA-SVM approach is superior compared to conventional SVM applications.

Morphological Change at the Snowy River Ocean Entrance, Victoria, Australia (1851–2008)

Abstract Analysis of data, including historical documentation, survey and navigation charts, and aerial imagery, representing a time series of 1851–2008 for the Snowy River ocean entrance area (located in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia) shows that much morphological change has occurred, including entrance channel migration along 8000 m of Holocene sandy barrier formation. Increasingly frequent episodes of Snowy River entrance channel closure to Bass Strait is apparent from reference to the 1981–2008 record. The deployment of GIS technology allows such long-term coastal zone change to be visualised and documented, and, to some extent, quantified. Explanations for this change relate primarily to altered stream flow regimes. Within the Snowy River catchment, hydrological processes have been irretrievably altered after the development of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electricity Scheme (SMHS) from 1951, which currently appropriates the vast majority of annual discharge from the high rainfall and snowfall areas of the upper Snowy River catchment. Loss of Snowy River discharge volume in the post-SMHS period also refers to a steady diminution of stream flow yield from the unregulated sub-catchments, due to a reduction in catchment rainfall. Whilst ebb-flow augmentation via stream flow discharge is essential to the maintenance of the Snowy River entrance, both long-term below-average catchment rainfall and snow coverage, together with future climate change predictions, leave provision of legislated flow targets for the lower Snowy River in question. Thus, the Snowy River entrance is likely to remain ephemeral in the future as a direct consequence of inter-regional water transfer and climate change.

Channel Dredging Trials at Lakes Entrance, Australia: A GIS-Based Approach for Monitoring and Assessing Bathymetric Change

Abstract Dredging trials using trailing suction hopper dredging (TSHD) equipment were carried out across both flood- and ebb-tide deltas at the artificial entrance to the Gippsland Lakes (Victoria, Australia) during March to July 2008. These trials were designed to evaluate options for future sediment management at this location. Regular hydrodata capture before, during, and after the TSHD trials period allowed geographic information systems (GIS)–based monitoring of TSHD performance and overall flood- and ebb-tide delta bathymetric evolution. Results show that the TSHD dredging approach is far more effective in terms of net flood- and ebb-tide delta volumetric reduction, and navigation channel maintenance, than previously used maintenance dredging approaches (which relied upon the use of side-cast and cutter-suction dredging equipment). However, after the culmination of the trials, channel infill quickly took place. The information derived from analysis of the time-series bathymetry used for this study offers baseline information in support of future stakeholder consensus building regarding options for maintaining navigability and, thus, port viability.

Spatial Decision Support for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in Victoria, Australia: Constraints and Opportunities

Abstract Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992), the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) concept has been adopted by Australian states, including the state of Victoria, as the framework vehicle to guide coastal management. Conceptually vital to the ICZM process is that appropriate environmental, social, demographic, and economic information should be available to all stakeholder groups, such that informed decision making can be supported across the entire catchment–marine–coastal continuum. It has been noted, both internationally and in Australia, that spatial information and related enabling technologies (e.g., geographical information systems –) have much potential to enhance the level of decision support for ICZM practitioners. However, despite much policy innovation regarding ICZM and spatial information infrastructure in Victoria since the early 1990s, stakeholders within the Victorian ICZM program are not yet served by any form of coordinated spatial information provision framework or any capacity-building initiatives vis-à-vis the application of spatial enabling technologies for ICZM. In this paper, we report the findings of an anonymous online survey (responses n = 342) administered to all Victorian ICZM stakeholder groups, which aimed to obtain baseline data regarding spatial information and enabling technology use. Survey results show that despite policy development and innovation at state government level, the current deployment of spatial information and its associated stakeholder-focussed decision-support technology does not meet its potential for decision support in bringing ICZM policy to practice. Results indicate that the initiation of targeted capacity-building programs, aimed specifically at increasing the capability of ICZM practitioners regarding the application of spatial information and enabling technologies, should be considered by lead agencies in order to provide an enhanced level of decision support within the Victorian ICZM program.

Interactive flood hazard visualisation in Adobe Flash

Advances in analytical flood modelling need to be accompanied by similar advances in the means by which model results can be disseminated across a wide range of stakeholder groups. In this paper, we exemplify the use of Adobe Flash as a means to design interactive flood mapping methods that can portray a wide range of potential flood levels, and place them into a context of flood frequency. We apply this methodology to a coastal flood-prone locality in Australia, integrating a range of flood-related information into a single intuitive interface. We demonstrate how a temporal dimension can be incorporated to represent future changes to inundation probability based on climate change projections of sea-level rise. The resulting visualisation is accessible directly via the web, and is designed for ease of use and understanding for all stakeholders. Such flexible methods of representing flood hazard can foster education on flood issues, support community decision-making and assist emergency response when floods eventuate. In this way, such mapping methods can play a vital role in integrated coastal zone management initiatives.