Eureka! The winner is CSIRO, for sediment research

By August 22nd, 2006

Three CSIRO scientists who helped develop new guidelines for the responsible management of contaminated sediments in our harbours, estuaries and rivers have won the Land & Water Australia Eureka Prize for Water Research.

Dr Graeme Batley, Dr Stuart Simpson, Dr Jenny Stauber have been working with other CSIRO scientists and researchers from the University of Canberra, the NSW Department of Environment & Conservation and the University of Wollongong to improve the assessment and regulation of contaminated sediments..

“Sediments are often overlooked, but are really important as food sources and breeding grounds for aquatic organisms. Our research protects Australia’s aquatic ecosystems,” Dr Batley says.

“The Eureka Prizes are Australia’s premier science awards and largest single national award scheme for research into critical environmental and sustainability issues facing Australia.”

While water quality is effectively regulated in Australia and New Zealand, until 2000 there was no available guidance to industry or regulators on how to assess the impacts of contaminated sediments.

“The situation really had to be rectified, considering sediments are the ultimate repository of most water-borne contaminants,” Dr Batley says.

Dr Batley is co-director of CSIRO’s Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research (CECR), and his team was largely responsible for the interim Australian and New Zealand sediment quality guidelines released in 2000.

CECR has undertaken extensive research to provide the appropriate new science and protocols to underpin these guidelines. This culminated in last year’s publication of the Handbook of Sediment Quality Assessment, which has been downloaded from the web more than 25,000 times.

CECR provides guidance to regulators and industries on emerging contamination issues and investigates the likely impacts of contaminated sediments in many Australian harbours and estuaries, in particular from harbour dredging activities.

The Australian Museum Eureka Prize winners were announced this evening at the Eureka Prize awards dinner in Sydney (Tuesday 22 August). The Eureka Prizes reward outstanding achievements in Australian science. The prizes are awarded in four categories: Research, Leadership and Innovation, Education and Science Communication.

The Eureka Prizes are Australia’s premier science awards and largest single national award scheme for research into critical environmental and sustainability issues facing Australia.

Fast facts

  • Three CSIRO scientists Dr Graeme Batley, Dr Stuart Simpson, Dr Jenny Stauber have won the Land & Water Australia Eureka Prize for Water Research
  • Winners were announced this evening at the Eureka Prize awards dinner in Sydney (Tuesday 22 August)
  • The Eureka Prizes reward outstanding achievements in Australian science