A living stream is a waterway that exhibits and supports a healthy ecosystem. They may be purely natural, retrofitted or constructed. It may be a stream or river that runs all year round, intermittently or only in winter.
Julie Robert has 20 years of experience in successfully transforming urban drains into living streams. Bannister Creek, in Lynwood, Western Australia, is one of a number of waterways that she has assisted to transform into a healthy ecosystem from a deep sided and 'V' shaped urban drain. Click here to view photos.
Services Offered
Transforming Drains to Living Streams
Julie can help you assess, design, gain funding and implement the conversion of drains into Living Streams. She brings a practical, common sense and integrated approach to the science of developing living streams.
Conversion of Drainage Infrastructure into Living Ecosystems
In most urban drainage circumstances there are opportunities to retrofit, redesign and/or restore some or all of the landscape into some form of living ecosystem. These ecosystems offer an improved visual amenity, usually a healthier environment, and often a safer landscape. Julie offers you the first on site visit (1 hour) free if it is within the Perth metropolitan area.
Development of Living Streams/Wetlands Design
In many new and older development sites there are requirements for living streams and/or wetland systems. They may already be in the form of waterway, detention or compensating basin, existing wetland/s, stormwater drains, aesthetic lakes or simply direct drainage connections to rivers. Julie can help you to problem solve your design if you have one or simplify the design for construction of living ecosystems and give you a feel for what may be possible within your waterway or wetland system.
Review of "Living Streams" Design
Have you got a design for a "Living Stream" to be constructed but are unsure if it is suitable or even achievable in the site selected? Julie brings a highly experienced view of "Living Streams" design directly to you. She can help you develop short and long term management plans with a view of the long term maintenance perspective. She has a strong and positive local communication network within the Living Streams, river restoration, landcare and community environment sector.
Implementation of Living Stream/Wetland Design
Julie can help you to make sure your Living Stream/wetland design gets done properly. She has 20 years of highly successful experience in managing and supervising on ground works in Living Stream and wetland development. From her past experience, she knows that any design can go wrong if the communication with the on-site machine operator/s is not constant and up to date. A simple error in plan reading or verbal understanding can be catastrophic. Don't let that happen to your project!
Stream and River Restoration
Julie is a qualified River Restoration Technologist with 20 years of Swan Coastal Plain Living Streams experience, and was involved in the design and implementation of one of the most successful and highly studied Living Streams in Australia, the Bannister Creek Living Streams in Lynwood. Julie is happy to travel anywhere in the state of WA to help you plan, design and implement your project. She consulted on the Yakamia Creek in Albany a number of years ago, prior to any works being undertaken. The resulting Living Stream is an amazing success, after she suggested some very subtle changes to the thinking being applied in the section of waterway first considered for restoration. A catchment approach has opened up many more opportunities and partnerships.