Water is a finite resource which is increasingly valued as a commodity. This thesis explores the use and appreciation of water, in the context of community response and exchange. Its focus is a community writing practice, and in particular a project entitled new dimensions in Water Conversation based in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. This project was a non-crisis driven investigation into a wide range of interests in water. The central proposition of the thesis is that techno-scientific and broader cultural world views on water rarely connect, and that bringing them together reveals awkward tensions between specialist and non-specialist standpoints. These disparities are shown in the group writings and outcome of the project, which bring water provision into closer perspective. A story emerges from the project and its influences. It is one of material relationships to water over testings, tastings and visits to a water treatment works. It suggests links which would not normally be anticipated, for example between a regional bulk water supplier and a group of water writers. The study combines fiction and contemplation with critical analysis and the thesis crosses disciplinary boundaries, drawing on insights from critical cultural theory and the philosophy of science. The writing is performative rather than accumulative in nature, yet is a concrete record of the interplay between water users and water specialists, in a local and global dimension which includes the Northern Rivers, Australia more generally and Varanasi in India. Using this transcultural approach, it decentres theory and locates value in the situated contexts and views of different stakeholders in water, which range from sacred values to indifference. The work calls out for a way of thinking about water that is not yet in the public discourse. Through the practical connection of the project with an Australian water instrumentality, it draws in developments in contemporary water management, and raises questions and doubts about how instrumentalist and market values have come to dominate imaginings of a global water future. At the same time it points to the importance of putting the values of the arts and humanities into practice in the increasingly inter-disciplinary environment in which the resource of water is managed and maintained.

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Water is a finite resource which is increasingly valued as a commodity. This thesis explores the use and appreciation of water, in the context of community response and exchange. Its focus is a community writing practice, and in particular a project entitled new dimensions in Water Conversation based in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. This project was a non-crisis driven investigation into a wide range of interests in water. The central proposition of the thesis is that techno-scientific and broader cultural world views on water rarely connect, and that bringing them together reveals awkward tensions between specialist and non-specialist standpoints. These disparities are shown in the group writings and outcome of the project, which bring water provision into closer perspective. A story emerges from the project and its influences. It is one of material relationships to water over testings, tastings and visits to a water treatment works. It suggests links which would not normally be anticipated, for example between a regional bulk water supplier and a group of water writers. The study combines fiction and contemplation with critical analysis and the thesis crosses disciplinary boundaries, drawing on insights from critical cultural theory and the philosophy of science. The writing is performative rather than accumulative in nature, yet is a concrete record of the interplay between water users and water specialists, in a local and global dimension which includes the Northern Rivers, Australia more generally and Varanasi in India. Using this transcultural approach, it decentres theory and locates value in the situated contexts and views of different stakeholders in water, which range from sacred values to indifference. The work calls out for a way of thinking about water that is not yet in the public discourse. Through the practical connection of the project with an Australian water instrumentality, it draws in developments in contemporary water management, and raises questions and doubts about how instrumentalist and market values have come to dominate imaginings of a global water future. At the same time it points to the importance of putting the values of the arts and humanities into practice in the increasingly inter-disciplinary environment in which the resource of water is managed and maintained.

The overall objective of my thesis research was to develop methodologies for assessing effects of mining effluents on pristine and sensitive northern rivers. I used a multi-trophic level approach in field studies to evaluate current monitoring methods and to determine whether metal mining activities had affected two otherwise pristine rivers that flow into the South Nahanni River, NWT; a World Heritage Site. Upstream reference conditions in the rivers were compared to sites downstream and further downstream of mines. The endpoints evaluated included concentrations of metals in river water, sediments and liver and flesh of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus); benthic algal and macroinvertebrate abundance, richness, diversity, and community composition; and various slimy sculpin measures. Elevated concentrations of copper (p=0.002)and iron (p=0.001) in liver tissue of sculpin from the Flat River were associated with high concentrations of mine-derived iron in river water and copper in sediments that were above national guidelines. In addition, sites downstream of the mine on the Flat River had increased algal abundances (p=0.002) and altered benthic macroinvertebrate communities ((p<0.001) whereas the sites downstream of the mine on Prairie Creek had increased benthic macroinvertebrate taxa richness (p=0.050) and improved sculpin condition (males: p=0.008; females: p=0.001). Biological differences in both rivers were consistent with mild enrichment of the rivers downstream of current and historical mining activity. Although the effects of mining activities on riverine biota in these northern rivers are currently limited, results of this research show that there is potential for effects to occur with proposed growth in mining activities.<p> Laboratory exposures were conducted using slimy sculpin, identified as a sentinel fish species in pristine northern rivers, to identify alternative methods for assessing toxicity of contaminants of concern in mining effluents. Ammonia was selected for the exposures based on effluent characteristics of northern mining effluents. Ammonia is known to be an important toxicant in aquatic environments. Although ammonia toxicity has been well studied in many fish species, effects of chronic exposure of slimy sculpin, a critical biomonitoring species for northern aquatic habitats, are not well known. Slimy sculpin were exposed to six concentrations of un-ionized ammonia relevant to concentrations found in northern mining effluents: control (0 ppm), 0.278 ppm, 0.556 ppm, 0.834 ppm, 1.112 ppm, and 1.668 ppm. An LC50 of 1.529 ppm was calculated from mortality data. Histopathological examination of gills indicated significant tissue damage, measured as lamellar fusion and epithelial lifting, at 0.834, 1.112, and 1.668 ppm. Using gill endpoints, NOEC and LOEC were calculated as 0.556 ppm and 0.834 ppm respectively. An EC50 of 0.775 ppm was determined for lamellar fusion and an EC50 of 0.842 ppm for epithelial lifting. Hemorrhage of gills was present in mortalities which occurred at 1.668 ppm of un-ionized ammonia. A significant decrease in liver somatic index (LSI) was seen in both male and female fish at 0.834 and 1.112 ppm, respectively. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) in female fish significantly increased at 1.668 ppm un-ionized ammonia with an associated significant increase in total whole body testosterone concentrations. GSI in male fish also significantly increased at 1.668 ppm but no differences were seen in testosterone concentrations. No significant differences were seen in gonad histopathological assessments or condition factor. Results from this study indicate that ammonia concentrations commonly reported in northern mine effluents hold potential to affect the health of slimy sculpin including acute, chronic, histological and endocrine endpoints. <p> Results from both the field study and laboratory exposures provide direction for future monitoring programs in pristine northern rivers and emphasize the importance of monitoring tools to detect change in these ecosystems. I recommend that monitoring of northern pristine rivers focus on a multi-trophic monitoring approach including indicators in algal and benthic macroinvertebrate communities due to their responsiveness. Laboratory exposures using slimy sculpin should be considered to obtain toxicological information for northern contaminants of concern. Gill histopathology endpoints may be a more sensitive indicator for detecting effects in slimy sculpin exposed to ammonia than traditional chronic endpoints. I also recommend monitoring of metal burdens in periphyton and benthic invertebrates for assessment of exposure to mine effluent and causal association in areas of low fish abundance.

The overall objective of my thesis research was to develop methodologies for assessing effects of mining effluents on pristine and sensitive northern rivers. I used a multi-trophic level approach in field studies to evaluate current monitoring methods and to determine whether metal mining activities had affected two otherwise pristine rivers that flow into the South Nahanni River, NWT; a World Heritage Site. Upstream reference conditions in the rivers were compared to sites downstream and further downstream of mines. The endpoints evaluated included concentrations of metals in river water, sediments and liver and flesh of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus); benthic algal and macroinvertebrate abundance, richness, diversity, and community composition; and various slimy sculpin measures. Elevated concentrations of copper (p=0.002)and iron (p=0.001) in liver tissue of sculpin from the Flat River were associated with high concentrations of mine-derived iron in river water and copper in sediments that were above national guidelines. In addition, sites downstream of the mine on the Flat River had increased algal abundances (p=0.002) and altered benthic macroinvertebrate communities ((p<0.001) whereas the sites downstream of the mine on Prairie Creek had increased benthic macroinvertebrate taxa richness (p=0.050) and improved sculpin condition (males: p=0.008; females: p=0.001). Biological differences in both rivers were consistent with mild enrichment of the rivers downstream of current and historical mining activity. Although the effects of mining activities on riverine biota in these northern rivers are currently limited, results of this research show that there is potential for effects to occur with proposed growth in mining activities.<p> Laboratory exposures were conducted using slimy sculpin, identified as a sentinel fish species in pristine northern rivers, to identify alternative methods for assessing toxicity of contaminants of concern in mining effluents. Ammonia was selected for the exposures based on effluent characteristics of northern mining effluents. Ammonia is known to be an important toxicant in aquatic environments. Although ammonia toxicity has been well studied in many fish species, effects of chronic exposure of slimy sculpin, a critical biomonitoring species for northern aquatic habitats, are not well known. Slimy sculpin were exposed to six concentrations of un-ionized ammonia relevant to concentrations found in northern mining effluents: control (0 ppm), 0.278 ppm, 0.556 ppm, 0.834 ppm, 1.112 ppm, and 1.668 ppm. An LC50 of 1.529 ppm was calculated from mortality data. Histopathological examination of gills indicated significant tissue damage, measured as lamellar fusion and epithelial lifting, at 0.834, 1.112, and 1.668 ppm. Using gill endpoints, NOEC and LOEC were calculated as 0.556 ppm and 0.834 ppm respectively. An EC50 of 0.775 ppm was determined for lamellar fusion and an EC50 of 0.842 ppm for epithelial lifting. Hemorrhage of gills was present in mortalities which occurred at 1.668 ppm of un-ionized ammonia. A significant decrease in liver somatic index (LSI) was seen in both male and female fish at 0.834 and 1.112 ppm, respectively. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) in female fish significantly increased at 1.668 ppm un-ionized ammonia with an associated significant increase in total whole body testosterone concentrations. GSI in male fish also significantly increased at 1.668 ppm but no differences were seen in testosterone concentrations. No significant differences were seen in gonad histopathological assessments or condition factor. Results from this study indicate that ammonia concentrations commonly reported in northern mine effluents hold potential to affect the health of slimy sculpin including acute, chronic, histological and endocrine endpoints. <p> Results from both the field study and laboratory exposures provide direction for future monitoring programs in pristine northern rivers and emphasize the importance of monitoring tools to detect change in these ecosystems. I recommend that monitoring of northern pristine rivers focus on a multi-trophic monitoring approach including indicators in algal and benthic macroinvertebrate communities due to their responsiveness. Laboratory exposures using slimy sculpin should be considered to obtain toxicological information for northern contaminants of concern. Gill histopathology endpoints may be a more sensitive indicator for detecting effects in slimy sculpin exposed to ammonia than traditional chronic endpoints. I also recommend monitoring of metal burdens in periphyton and benthic invertebrates for assessment of exposure to mine effluent and causal association in areas of low fish abundance.