Lee Baumgartner

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Biography

I am an applied research leader and academic who has achieved substantial food security outcomes in countries working within the food-water-energy nexus. In many countries where I work, water is needed for life, but also provides an opportunity to grow crops using irrigation, and by generating hydropower. In these countries, fish are an important source of biodiversity, have cultural significance, supply animal protein, calcium and generate hard income but are declining because of river development. But the food and energy needs of countries is growing; necessitating expanded energy grids and irrigation systems.

My collaborative, high-impact, research focuses on the development and application of innovative technology, in the field of ecohydrology, to reduce pressure on fisheries systems and reverse declines. Specifically, my work focuses on irrigation and hydropower sustainability; applying innovation to ensure river communities can have food, water and energy. My work is multi-disciplinary; requiring collaboration with engineers, functional ecologists, social scientists, policy experts and water professionals.

Research
  • Freshwater fisheries
  • Fish passage and migration
  • Mitigating human disturbances
  • Sustainable Hydropower
  • Riverine ecology and Management
Publications
Full publications list on CRO

Recent  publications

    UN Policy Brief offers guidance to practitioners seeking to implement the irrigation systems
    Baumgartner, L., Conallin, J. and Turner, C. (2023). Modernizing irrigation for fisheries, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Next Generation Water Management Policy Briefs, No. 5. Bangkok, FAO.

  • Bretzel, J. B., Boys, C. A., Stocks, J. R., Rourke, M. L., Brauer, C., & Baumgartner, L. J. (2024). Destocking waterways: Evidence that stocked Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii) were extracted at pumped irrigation diversions within 24 hours of release. Ecological Management and Restoration, 25(2), 93-102. https://doi.org/10.1111/emr.12607
  • Vu, A. V., Baumgartner, L. J., Limburg, K. E., Gillanders, B. M., Mallen-Cooper, M., Howitt, J. A., Thiem, J. D., Doran, G. S., Kewish, C. M., & Cowx, I. G. (2024). Diverse migration strategies of ariid catfishes along a salinity gradient in the Mekong River. Fisheries Research, 279, 1-10. Article 107133. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2024.107133
  • Atminarso, D., Baumgartner, L. J., Watts, R. J., Rourke, M. L., Bond, J., & Wibowo, A. (2024). Evidence of fish community fragmentation in a tropical river upstream and downstream of a dam, despite the presence of a fishway. Pacific Conservation Biology, 30(1), Article PC22035. https://doi.org/10.1071/PC22035
  • Bretzel, J. B., Doyle, K. E., Vu, A. V., Watts, R., Galbusera, C., Boys, C. A., & Baumgartner, L. J. (2024). A touch too much – interactions of various species of freshwater fish and crustacea at a simulated fish protection screen. Ecological Engineering, 204(107281), Article 107281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107281
  • Bond, J., Pawsey, N., Conallin, J., Ning, N., & Baumgartner, L. (2024). Fish passage across Southeast Asia: key informant insights into motivations and triggers for water resource planning and policymaking. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2024.2330982

In the media