ENVIRONMENTAL WATERING IN 2008/09

Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 | 1 Environmental Watering Sites 2008/09 CONTENTS

Lindsay, Wallpolla and Mulcra islands

MILDURA Basin 1 Cardross Hattah Lakes Woorinen North McDonald Swamp Ouyen Gunbower Forest Reedy Swamp INTRODUCTION 2 Swan Hill MacKenzie River Barmah Forest Black Swamp Barmah Forest 6 Round Lake Kerang Rainbow Numurkah ALBURY 8 Echuca WODONGA Black and Reedy Swamps Shepparton Kaniva Little Lake Boort Wangaratta Dimboola BENALLA Glenelg River 10 Rushworth HORSHAM St Arnaud BENDIGO Macalister River Glenelg River Campaspe River Bright Maryborough Edenhope Castlemaine 12 Stawell Mansfield Omeo Gunbower Forest Alexandra Halls Gap Ararat Daylesford 14 Marysville Hattah Lakes BALLARAT Cann Bacchus River Mallacoota Hamilton Orbost Marsh Bairnsdale Werribee Lakes Entrance Lindsay, Wallpolla, Mulcra 16 Warragul Sale Frankston Heywood GEELONG Moe TRARALGON Portland Colac Leongatha Little Lake Boort 18 Warrnambool Anglesea Cows Yarram Lorne Port Campbell Foster Apollo Bay MacKenzie River 19 McDonald Swamp 20

Published by the Victorian Government ISBN 978-1-74242-262-6 (print) Accessibility Murray Hardyhead 21 Department of Sustainability and Environment ISBN 978-1-74242-263-3 (online) If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible Melbourne, February 2010 For more information contact the DSE Customer Service format, such as large print or audio, please telephone 136 186, © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability Centre 136 186 1800 122 969 (TTY), or email [email protected]. and Environment 2010 Disclaimer This document is also available in PDF format on the Internet at Other Water Sources 23 www.ourwater.vic.gov.au. This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced This publication may be of assistance to you but the by any process except in accordance with the provisions State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee of the Copyright Act 1968. that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and Partners 25 Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne. therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any Front cover: Chris Woods Printed by Stream Solutions information in this publication. 2Printed | Environmental on 100 per cent Watering recycled in paper Victoria 2008/09 Back cover: Matthew O’Brien, Glenelg Hopkins CMA Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 | 1 INTRODUCTION

In 2008/09, Victoria endured its twelfth year The Situation What is Being Done Where the Water Comes From 2. The Living Murray program Throughout history, Victoria has Waterways and wetlands in Victoria are Environmental water in Victoria comes The Living Murray program, run by the of drought. Like everything that relies on experienced droughts and wet years. But managed according to priorities in regional from a range of sources. Murray-Darling Basin Authority, provides the drought that began in late 1996 is and statewide strategies. These are set environmental water to some Victorian In all cases, its use does not impact the worst on record. In 2006/07, rainfall by catchment management authorities sites. water, the environment struggles in prolonged farmers’ water allocations or town water and inflows had never been so low, with and the Department of Sustainability and supplies. In drought, environmental water The program aims to restore and protect no sign of conditions easing to provide Environment (DSE), in consultation with drought and retreats to survival mode. allocations are reduced along with other six Icon Sites along the Murray River. relief to farmers, towns, waterways and communities and stakeholders. users’ allocations. In Victoria this includes Barmah Forest, wetlands. Managing environmental water – water set Gunbower Forest, Hattah Lakes and In times like this, the Victorian Government’s 1. Victorian environmental entitlements The year that ran from July 2008 to aside for the environment – is part of this. Lindsay-Wallpolla and Mulcra islands. environmental watering program also focuses June 2009 was another record dry year. In Victoria, environmental water is referred In very dry times, the environmental 3. The Commonwealth Environmental The impact of the drought on Victoria’s to as the Environmental Water Reserve watering program focuses on survival so Water Holdings on survival. Read on to find out about the natural assets, including its vast network (EWR). A small share of the reserve is that plants and animals can recolonise of national parks, rivers, wetlands and made up of environmental entitlements, The Australian Government continues and recover when conditions improve. 2008/09 program and its results so far. floodplains, is increasingly evident. which operate in the same way as to build a portfolio of environmental Thousands of hectares of river red gum Therefore, the program manages key entitlements held by farmers or other water holdings to protect and restore trees along the southern banks of the sites. In the drought, these are identified water users. As such, the amount of water the environmental assets of the Murray- Murray River are dead or dying. Key using three objectives: available from the entitlement is subject to Darling Basin. The newly operational wetlands are dry and significant bird seasonal allocations, which are dependent holdings received allocations for the first • Avoid critical loss of threatened species/ breeding events are less frequent. Some on rainfall and inflows. time in 2008/09, and water from these communities of the State’s most valuable natural assets holdings was made available to two • Protect drought refuge areas, including This includes the Victorian River Murray and species are relying on a system of Victorian sites that year. maintaining river reaches and protecting Flora and Fauna Bulk Entitlement, which drought refuges to survive. wetlands has water allocated to it the same as 4. Donated water • Where possible, avoid irreversible irrigators who have high reliability water People who hold water entitlements damage or catastrophic events, such as shares. sometimes donate water to their local a large scale native fish death The EWR also includes water set aside catchment management authority for for the environment as obligations on environmental use. In the prolonged consumptive entitlements that allow water drought this happens less frequently but corporations to take and supply water to communities have shown their support towns and farmers. for the environment even in these difficult times. The remainder of the EWR is provided by unregulated flows and spills from storages. This page: Royal Spoonbill. Photo by Chris Woods. Opposite page: Black Swamp

2 | Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 | 3 5. Other Water Sources Ongoing Management Water Sources and Volumes in 2008/09 In addition to environmental entitlements The environmental watering program is Drought Management Objectives there are other ways the environment part of ongoing waterway and wetland receives water. For example, water management in Victoria. intended for consumption can refresh The program adjusts to seasonal river reaches en route to its consumptive conditions so that in drought, the focus purpose, and in doing so, it can reduce is on survival. As conditions improve, the risk of a large-scale native fish death. the focus will shift to maintenance and Irrigation upgrades are also being eventually growth. Sites Victoria River Murray and Fauna Flora Entitlement The Living Murray Commonwealth Water Environmental Holdings Loddon Bulk Entitlement Wimmera-Glenelg Bulk Entitlement Goulburn-Murray Bulk Source Water Entitlement Water Donated Critical Loss of Avoid Species/ Threatened Communities Irreversible Avoid Loss or Catastrophic Events Areas Refuge Provide carried out throughout the State to make Conditions can improve naturally, from irrigation systems more efficient and save Barmah Forest • • • increased rainfall. In Victoria, they will also water that can be shared between the improve as more water becomes available Campaspe River • • environment, farmers and towns. for the environment from water-saving Glenelg River • • projects. Goulburn Broken Wetlands – Black Swamp • • The environmental watering program is integrated with river and catchment Goulburn Broken Wetlands – Reedy Swamp • • management activities to achieve the Gunbower Forest • • best possible environmental outcomes. Integrated management focuses on Hattah Lakes (Chalka Creek) • • • • • • achieving the best outcomes through a Lindsay, Wallpolla and Mulcra islands • • • • • mix of environmental water, structural works and restoration measures. Little Lake Boort • • • All environmental water will continue to MacKenzie River • • be used in an open, transparent and McDonald Swamp • • accountable way, with coordination between the organisations involved in its Murray hardyhead – Basin 1 • • • management, including DSE, catchment at Cardross Lakes management authorities, Parks Victoria, Murray hardyhead – Round Lake • • • the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the Australian Government. Murray hardyhead – Woorinen North Lake • • • Total Volume Delivered 2008/09 12,025 3300 3124 500 1390 * 116 (million litres - ML)

* Delivered as required to maintain suitable water quality and level Left: Gulf Creek. This page: Top Bottom Left: Gulf Creek. Ward Egret Opposite page: Great

4 | Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 | 5 BARMAH FOREST

Barmah Forest is a floodplain bordering the Murray River between Tocumwal and Echuca. Along with the adjoining Millewa Forest in New South Wales, The Need for Water The current drought has reduced it to Watering Aims Watering Details Outcomes Barmah forms the large areas of dry cracked earth. Tree Barmah Forest in Victoria and the In spring 2008, water was delivered to In spring 2008, 300 million litres (ML) of The watering maintained the conditions health is declining and only small pockets adjoining Millewa Forest in New South a small part of Barmah Forest. The aim water was gravity fed into Gulf Creek from of the targeted sections of stressed giant world’s largest river of wetlands are maintained under the Wales are recognised as wetlands of was to provide drought refuge for the the Murray River via regulators. The water rush, common reed and river red gum environmental watering program as international importance under the last known populations in the forest of was provided from The Living Murray trees. This provided habitat in the trees red gum forest. drought refuges for plants and animals. Ramsar Convention. southern pygmy perch and dwarf flat- program and was delivered over 1.5 days. and surrounding wetland for waterbirds In spring 2008, the forest was so dry that headed gudgeon, therefore keeping the It created a managed flood, which was and the two native fish – southern pygmy The two forests are also a Living Murray turtles were dying and native fish species native fish alive in the area. mostly confined to the waterway. perch and dwarf flat-headed gudgeon. Icon Site, earmarked for restoration and – southern pygmy perch and dwarf flat- protection. The watering also aimed to prevent large- A number of regulators were vandalised Turtles were maintained in the drought headed gudgeon – were likely to die out in scale death of native turtles, including the in late January 2009 – a couple of months refuge and monitoring (as shown above) The forests are ecologically important the local area. snake-necked turtle, and provide refuge following the water delivery. This caused showed their condition improved. because of their sheer expanse of river Furthermore, in its dry state, the forest for waterbirds, especially colonial breeding minor localised flooding in areas of red gum trees and wetland habitat, which White-bellied sea eagles and superb is unable to provide suitable habitat for birds, such as great, intermediate and little Barmah Forest, including Gulf Creek and have historically been home to a huge parrots were among the numerous other waterbirds, which have been in serious egrets. Boals Deadwoods but it did not affect the range of plants and animals – turtles, species observed following the water decline in south-eastern over environmental gains achieved from the native fish, frogs and waterbirds. delivery. the past seven years due to prolonged spring environmental water release. Barmah Forest relies on natural wet and drought. Kangaroos were especially prevalent, dry periods, with periodic large floods attracted to the newly created green giving it the resilience to cope with vegetation in the otherwise drought-

prolonged dry periods. Barmah Forest. Gulf Creek.Top: This page: Left: Turtle, Gulf Creek. Turtle left Barmah Forest, Opposite page: from Right: Barmah Waterhole Top affected landscape. 6 | Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 | 7 BLACK AND REEDY SWAMPS

The Need for Water caused a number of waterbird species Outcomes In total, nine threatened waterbird Historically, the catchment of the Goulburn to breed, including black swans, pacific species were recorded at Reedy Swamp: Wetlands are among the most productive Most importantly, the environmental water black ducks, Australian wood ducks, intermediate egrets, Australasian and important ecosystems in Australia. achieved its aim of preventing waterbirds and Broken rivers, in northern Victoria, has swamp harriers, whistling kite, grey teals shovelers, freckled ducks, eastern great They help maintain the general health from abandoning their nests due to and the threatened musk duck. egrets, glossy ibis, hardhead ducks, little of waterways and provide homes and dropping water levels. been a wetland haven for waterbirds. But egrets, pied cormorants and musk ducks. breeding grounds to frogs, fish and turtles. Watering Aims Furthermore, the environmental water Four frog species were recorded at prolonged drought means most of the They are also essential to waterbirds, deliveries caused waterbirds, frogs and In Spring 2008, environmental water was Reedy Swamp and five were recorded which rely on wetlands for the plant, fish even non-wetland birds to flourish at the delivered to Black and Reedy swamps in at Black Swamp. Monitoring techniques wetlands are dry. and invertebrate food that they live on. two wetlands. the Goulburn Broken wetland area. of acoustic recorders and set transects Flooded wetlands provide nesting and The aim of each watering was to sustain At both wetlands there was an increase in identified strong calling response in most protected resting sites that waterbirds the drought refuges created in 2007/08 the cover and diversity of native aquatic of the frog species and recorded a broad need to breed and raise their offspring. at these sites and top-up the remaining plants, such as common spike-rush, range of other species not detected by Waterbirds have been in serious decline water to keep alive young birds that moira grass, rush sedge, slender and normal daytime monitoring. in south-eastern Australia for the past were born following the previous year’s pale knotweeds and red water milfoil. The seven years, with aerial surveys showing watering. If water levels drop too much, threatened river swamp wallaby grass was numbers had dropped from about 500,000 waterbirds typically abandon their nests recorded at Black Swamp. in an average year to 160,000 in 2007. and leave their young to die. There was an increase in food sources In Victoria, the Goulburn-Broken Watering Details and significant bird breeding activity – 14 catchment, with more than 1800 and 10 waterbird species bred at Reedy wetlands, is one of the most important In 2008/09, about 540 million litres and Black swamps respectively, including places for waterbirds. However, 12 years (ML) was provided to Goulburn Broken swamp harriers, white-necked herons and of drought has left almost all the wetlands Wetlands from the Victorian River Murray musk ducks. A number of terrestrial bird without water. Flora and Fauna Bulk Entitlement. species also bred in the area, most likely due to the increase in food and water at In 2007/08 environmental water was Of this, 500ML was gravity fed into Reedy the wetland. delivered to three wetlands in the Swamp between October 2008 and May catchment, including Black and Reedy 2009 via irrigation channels and drains, to In addition, eight non-wetland bird species swamps, to provide critical drought cover about 130ha of wetland area. were observed breeding at Reedy Swamp refuge for plants and animals, especially The remaining 40ML was delivered to and 11 were observed at Black Swamp, waterbirds. Black Swamp in spring 2008. It was gravity including peregrine falcon and nankeen kestrel. The watering was successful. It stimulated fed via a channel connected to an adjoining growth of aquatic plants at the three sites creek and covered 16ha of the wetland. and attracted a wide variety of waterbirds and frogs. Most notably, the watering This page: From Left: Black-tailed Native Hens, Red-Kneed Plover, Left: Black-tailed Native Hens, Red-Kneed Plover, This page: From Whistling Kite. Swallow, Spoonbill Right: Azolla. Bottom right: Yellow Opposite page: Top

8 | Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 | 9 10 |Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 economic andenvironmentalattributes. It isaHeritageRiver, valuedforitssocial, to seaatNelsoninVictoria’s south-west. towns ofBalmoralandCastertonout mountainous Grampians,throughthesmall The GlenelgRiverwindsitswayfromthe GLENELG RIVER Biodiversity Act1999. under theEnvironmentProtectionand and recently nominatedfornationallisting Flora andFaunaGuaranteeAct1988 spiny crayfish,listedundertheVictorian It isalsohometotheendemicGlenelg pygmy perch andgrowling grassfrog. include yarrapygmyperch, variegated the riverandassociatedwetlandhabitat Threatened speciesknown toexistin refuge forplatypusandnative fish. keep theriveraliveandcreate adrought need ofwatertoprovide a baseflowto By late2008,theGlenelgRiverwasindire environmental watersince June2006. saline pools.Ithadnotreceived to adisconnectedseriesofincreasingly early winter2008,theriverwasreduced deteriorate significantly. Inlateautumn/ have seenthehealthofGlenelgRiver Ongoing drought andwater extraction The NeedforWater

This page: Glenelg. Opposite page: Bottom left: Glenelg. Top Right: Glenlg. Rocklands Reservoir. section oftheriver, downstream from create abase flowthrough ahigh-value Glenelg Riveroversummer2008/09, to Environmental waterwasreleased intothe Watering Aims into therivervia the12-mileoutlet. volumes ofwatercanbesafely released successful, showingthatinfuture greater range ofrelease conditions.Thetestwas day forashorttimeperiod,simulating a volumes ofupto200millionlitres per 2009 byreleasing arangeofwater The newchannelwastestedinMarch water deliverytotherivermore efficient. reinforcing itsconcrete chutetomake works includedrelining thechanneland Rocklands-Toolondo channel.Upgrade to testinfrastructure upgradestothe opportunity fortheGlenelg-HopkinsCMA The waterdeliveryprovided an BulkEntitlement. Wimmera-Glenelg from thewater, whichcamefrom the Channel. About25kmofriverbenefited outlet ontheRocklands-Toolondo The waterwasreleased from the5-mile and April2009. Glenelg RiverbetweenDecember2008 environmental waterwasreleased intothe About 900millionlitres (ML) of Watering Details a drought refuge foraquaticlife. oxygen sothatthereach of rivercouldbe control salinityandimprove dissolved injection intopools.Thefreshwater would water qualitybyproviding a freshwater native fishandplatypus,improve The aimwastoconnectkeyhabitatsfor two sites. growling grassfrog was alsoobservedat platypus andfrogs. Thethreatened The healthierriverattractedwaterbirds, levels byupto80percentatsomesites. at least2004,andareduction insalinity 2009 ledtothehighestriverflowssince water deliveryandnaturalrainfallinspring The combinationoftheenvironmental spring 2009. when inflowsnaturallyincreased viarainin life were inabetterpositiontorecover 2009. Therefore theriveranditsaquatic healthier headingintowinterandspringof 2008/09 madethesectionofriver The release ofabaseflow duringsummer 50 percent. point, salinitylevelsdecreased byabout Immediately downstream of therelease river. within asmall,high-valuesectionofthe salinity levelsandmaintainedrefuge pools for fishandotheraquaticlife,improved improved theconnectionbetween habitat two andahalfyears.Monitoringshowedit environmental flowtotheGlenelg Riverfor The deliveryofwaterprovided thefirst Outcomes Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 |11 12 |Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 GUNBOWER FOREST and GunbowerCreekinnorthernVictoria. ecosystem, setbetweentheMurrayRiver is alargeriverredgumforestandfloodplain Covering about20,000ha,GunbowerForest

This page: Black Creek, Kathryn Stansislawski, North Central Catchment Management Authority. Opposite page: Left: Black Creek, Kathryn Stansislawski, North Central Catchment Management Authority. Top right: Little Gunbower Regulator, David Kleinert. in danger. overall healthofthewetlandecosystemis cent ofthetrees are healthy, meaningthe large floodfor15years.Lessthan20per However, the wetlandforest hasn’t hada earmarked forrestoration and protection. and oneofsixLivingMurrayIconSites, significance undertheRamsarConvention It is also listed as a wetland of international asset forVictoria’s north-centralregion. Gunbower Forest isakey biodiversity The NeedforWater Bulk Entitlement. RiverMurrayFloraandFauna the Victorian regulator in2008/09.Thewaterwasfrom the siteviaLittleGunbower Creek environmental waterwasgravityfedinto About 3.5billionlitres (GL)of Watering Details breed. for waterbirds, nativefishandfrogs to watering wasalsoaimedatcreating areas for frogs, turtles,fishandbirds. The maintaining thearea ofhabitatavailable benefits from thatyear’s wateringby created in2007/08andconsolidatethe The aimwastosustainthedrought refuge spring 2008andautumn2009. the LittleGunbowerWetland Complexin Environmental waterwasdelivered to Watering Aims site. birds andnativefishseekrefuge atthe This wateringsawarangeoffrogs, turtles, area ratherthanfloodingthe wholeforest. creating arelatively smalldrought refuge the LittleGunbowerWetland Complex, environmental waterwasdelivered to when about7.7billionlitres (GL)of This wasdonesuccessfullyin2007/08, refuge areas intheforest. river red gumtrees toprovide drought needs totargetthesectionsofstressed When waterisdelivered to thesiteit froglet. marsh frog, plainsfroglet andcommon tree frog, barkingmarsh frog, spotted wetland inspring2009,including Peron’s Five frog specieswere alsosightedatthe teals were observed. recorded and pacific black ducks and grey black cormorantnestswithchickswere activity. About100activelittlepiedand in autumn 2009 led to significant waterbird The largerdeliveryofenvironmental water peregrine falcons. teals andblackducks,afamilyof little piedcormorants,anumberofgrey allowed babybirds tosurvive,including40 native fishandsixfrog species.Italso grow, whichprovided habitatforsmall 2008/09. Itallowedwetlandplantsto the drought refuge duringsummer The waterdelivered inspring maintained Outcomes complex. once againinundatingalargepartofthe year’s wateringandbuilduponitby autumn 2009tomaintaintheprevious The remaining 3GLwasdelivered in recently watered inthe2007/08year. 450ha ofwetlandarea that hadbeen delivered inspring2008to maintainabout About 500millionlitres (ML) –was Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 |13 14 |Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 Hattah-Kulkyne NationalPark. plants andanimals.Itispartofthe48,000ha system thatsupportsahugevarietyofnative renowned freshwaterlakesandwetland In theMalleeregion,HattahLakesisaworld- HATTAH LAKES occur infuture. it harder foranyecologicalrecovery to the sitewouldhavedeteriorated making another deliveryofenvironmental water lakes hadcompletelydriedandwithout By end2008,theremaining waterinthe health oftargetedred gumswasvisible. birds bred andtheimprovement inthe painted snipe,resting atthesite.Many and CAMBAagreements, includingthe bird specieslistedundertheJAMBA drought-stricken area, withmigratory This wateringsawlifereturntothe alive. gums urgentlyneededwatertokeepthem water in2006whenstressed riverred The lakeslastreceived environmental Murray program. one ofsixIconSitesunderTheLiving Convention. Thelakescomplexisalso of the20lakeslistedunderRamsar recognisedIt isalsointernationally with12 community amenity. red gumtrees, thesiteisanimportant of plantandanimallifeiconicriver anabundance waterbird species.With of water, itprovides habitatforupto47 When theHattahLakescomplexisfull The NeedforWater

This page: Lake Hattah. Opposite page: Bottom left: Regent Parrot. Top Right: Lake Hattah. • • • • summer forarangeofanimals,including: drought refuge headingintospringand The wateringaimedtocreate asignificant in stressed sectionsofriver red gumtrees. and animalstoprevent furtherdecline was toprovide adrought refuge forplants winter 2009.Theaimofthewaterdelivery provided toHattahLakesin autumnand Just under5billionlitres (GL) was Watering Aims hollows possum, whichare attractedtotree Carpet pythons,batsandbrush-tailed red gumtrees feed, nestandseekrefuge intheriver nationally threatened regent parrots that kingfishers, crimsonrosellas andthe Other birds, suchasred-backed waterbirds suchasthesetobreed The wateringwasexpectedtoprompt cormorants andlittleblackcormorants. herons, white-belliedseaeagles,great white-necked herons, white-faced Waterbirds, suchaslittleegrets, big-headed gudgeon carpgudgeonand such aswestern Small vegetation-dependentfish recorded. frog andspotted marshfrog were also egrets were observed. ThePeron’s tree shovelers, hardhead ducksandgreat the area. Waterbirds, suchasAustralasian The returnofwaterbreathed newlifeinto Yerang. Lake LittleHattah,Hattahand autumn/winter 2009,fillingLakeLockie, Water wasdelivered toHattahLakesin Outcomes LakeYerang –500ML • LakeHattah–1366ML • LakeLittleHattah–252ML • LakeLockie–1580ML • ChalkaCreek South–1200ML • volumes: Hattah Lakescomplexinthefollowing via pumpstocoverabout360haofthe The environmental waterwas delivered open market. water ratherthanchoosingtosellitonthe property holderdonated16ML ofthe Murray program. ANewSouth Wales andTheLiving Australian Government Flora andFaunaBulkEntitlement,the came from RiverMurray theVictorian system viaChalkaCreek South. Thewater delivered topartoftheHattah Lakes litres (ML)ofenvironmental waterwas In autumn/earlywinter2009,4898million Watering Details watering booklet. which willbereported inthe 2009/10 More results are expectedinlate2009 looking trunksandleaves. with increased canopiesand healthier trees thatreceived waterresponded well The targetedsectionsofriverred gum Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 |15 16 |Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 LINDSA Y , WALLPOLLA &MULCRAISLANDS or rest. on thefloodplainbarely anywhere tolive leaving theanimallifethatused toflourish in theMalleeregion were deadordying, showed 87percentofriverred gumtrees By 2007,MonashUniversityresearch since asmallfloodin2000. spring, butthishasnotoccurred naturally sustained byregular floods,normallyin Historically, riverred gumfloodplainsare across theriver’s north-westfloodplain. the healthofriverred gumcommunities farms hasresulted inaseriousdecline from theMurrayRiverfortowns and Prolonged drought andwaterextraction The NeedforWater Lindsay-Wallpolla IslandsIconSite. of TheLivingMurrayChowillaFloodplainand in farnorth-westVictoria.Theislandsarepart part oftheMurrayRiver’s extensivefloodplain Lindsay, Wallpolla andMulcraislandsare river red gumtrees alive. them asdrought refuges andkeepthe of environmental water needed to maintain for thesitestomaximiseongoing use regulators, weirsandfishways,isplanned dollar packageofworksinvolving Living Murrayprogram, amulti-million Under the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s plant andanimallife. the fewplacesleftonfloodplainwith Wallpolla andMulcraislandsare among As thedrought continues,Lindsay, feed andrest. that havesurvivedthedrought sofarcan refuges where fish,frogs, turtlesandbirds communities alsocreates wetlanddrought have beentargeted.Watering thesetree that haveagoodchanceofsurvival during thedrought, sections ofred gums limitedenvironmental wateravailable With

This page: Saline Pool. Opposite page: Left:Swans. Top Right: Saline Pool. birds, frogs, turtles andfish. maintain theislands asdrought refuges for The aimofthewatering wasalsoto manage watertothem. locations andtheabilitytodeliver and region –chosenbecauseoftheirstrategic per centofriverred gumsintheMallee 560ha oftrees were targeted –about2.5 past environmental waterdeliveries,about irreversible lossfortheenvironment. Asin are upto500yearsold,wouldbean years. Losingthesetrees, someofwhich 20m tallandcanliveformore than1000 river red gumtrees, whichgrow more than Firstly, toprevent furtherdeclineiniconic 2008/09 fortworeasons. Lindsay, Wallpolla andMulcraislandsin Environmental waterwasprovided to Watering Aims respectively. at MulcraIslandinspringand autumn in eachdeliveryand180ha 125ha 300ha ofLindsayandWallpolla islands It waspumpedtothesites,covering Australian Government. The LivingMurrayprogram andthe Murray FloraandFaunaBulkEntitlement, The watercamefrom River theVictorian in autumn/earlywinter2009. in spring2008andabout5.4GLdelivered 2008/09, with2billionlitres (GL)delivered was delivered tothethree islandsin Environmental waterfrom three sources Watering Details yabbies. marsh frogs andgoodnumbersof great egrets, Peron’s tree frogs, spotted Australasian shovelers,hardhead ducks, species were recorded inspring2009: Among otheranimals,thefollowing native fish. debris thatare favoured habitatof The waterinundatedlogsandwoody cormorants andlittleblackcormorants. herons, white-belliedseaeagles,great egrets, white-neckedherons, white-faced The siteattractedwaterbirds, suchaslittle animals afterwatering. significant refuge habitatforplantsand water delivery, thesitesprovided As intheprevious year’s environmental improvement. further declineratherthanstimulatingan environmental wateringonly prevented stressed statethatthefirst fewyearsof to improve. Thesystemwas insucha allowed thehealthoftargetedtrees was onlythe2008/09waterdeliverythat and possiblycontributedtothistoll.It the targetedtrees wouldhave declined water,monitoring beganin2005.Without areas hasincreased everyyearsince The numberofdeadtrees in unwatered from thetrees. managers observedagoodresponse Local catchmentandenvironmental water Outcomes Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 |17 18 |Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 LITTLE LAKEBOORT community asset. refuge andvalued an importantdrought during 2008/09.Itis area toholdwater Boort DistrictWetland the onlywetlandin Little LakeBoortwas The 83hafreshwater community. drought refuge wasrecognised by the as theimportanceofthiswetland asa maintained belowsafeboating levels The wetland’s waterlevelswere • • including: landscape forlocalandmigratoryspecies, an ongoingdrought refuge inthedry Lake Boortin2008/09wastoprovide The aimofproviding watertoLittle Watering Aims birds andotheranimals. quality, sustaining thewetlandhabitatfor needed tomaintainthewaterleveland water in2007/08.By2008/09,more was The wetlandreceived environmental – adistanceofabout128km. animals betweenLaanecoorieandKerang refuge forwater-dependent plantsand only remaining wetlandproviding drought Boort hasretained water, makingitthe flows intheLoddonRiver. OnlyLittleLake because ofthedrought and extremely low have beendryforthepastsixyears Most ofthewetlandsinBoortDistrict The NeedforWater provided onthelake’s southside crowned babblers, which like the habitat including bushstonecurlewsandgrey- Several threatened bird species, threatened waders A widerangeofwaterbirds, suchas region. community assetintheotherwise dry the sitetocontinueasanimportant during springandautumnalso allowed The bird lifeandwateratthewetland ibis andyellow-billedspoonbills. kneed dotterels, straw-neckedibis,white cormorants, hoaryheadedgrebes, red- native hens,black-wingedstilts,great dotterels, blackswans,black-tailed wood ducks,blackblack-fronted pelicans, Australianshelducks, the followingbird species:Australian continue providing drought refuge to This allowedLittleLakeBoortto aquatic vegetation. wetland levelandfloodedthefringing The environmental waterraised the Outcomes maintain itduringautumn. wetland productive through summerand spring 2008andautumn2009tokeepthe WaterGoulburn-Murray channelsystemin The waterwasgravityfedviathe Boort. community wasdelivered to LittleLake water from anallocationheld bythelocal Reserve BulkEntitlementand100MLof from theLoddonRiverEnvironmental In 2008/09,500millionlitres (ML)ofwater Watering Details

This page: Little Lake Bort, Bridie Velik-Lord. Opposite page: Top Right: Little Lake Bort, Bridie Velik-Lord. Bottom right: McKenzie catchment with platypus. was theonlylocationinWimmera upper stretch oftheMackenzieRiver Monitoring in2008indicatedthat the spiny crayfish. threatened speciessuchastheGlenelg including providing homestoseveral river withveryhighenvironmental values, have beenidentifiedasaflow-stressed The MacKenzieRiver’s mid-lowerreaches by 2009. storages haddropped toabout3percent experiencing severe watershortagesand In 2008/09,thecatchmentwas towns. drought andwaterextractionforlocal significantly deterioratedduetoongoing the MacKenzieRiver’s healthhas catchment, Like therest oftheWimmera The NeedforWater one oftheState’s largestwaterfalls. The riverisalsohometoMacKenzieFalls, inHorsham. Riverasatributary Wimmera Grampians mountainrangetojointhe The MacKenzieRiverflowsfromthe MacKENZIE RIVER of theriver. and afishway– maintaineda15kmreach The water–delivered vianewflumegates Entitlement. Bulk was from theWimmera-Glenelg 2008/09 untilearlyMay2009. The water the mid-MacKenzieRiverfrom summer environmental waterwasdelivered to Just under500millionlitres (ML)of Watering Details the rivernaturallyreceives higherflows. before winter/springwhenthisreach of to sustainthisthrough thehottermonths threatened platypus.Helpwasneeded for nativefishpopulationsandregionally reach oftheriver, providing drought refuge The aimwastosustainthehabitatinthis and intoautumn2009. mid-MacKenzie Riverinsummer2008/09 Environmental waterwasdelivered tothe Watering Aims survive andbreed inthedrought. threatened mammalmore opportunityto about 11kmto26km,givingthe regionally It alsoextendedplatypushabitatfrom perch. pygmy mountain galaxiasandsouthern communities, includingriverblackfish, and maintainedhigh-valuenativefish stressed vegetationalongtheriverbanks This provided alifelinetodrought- 2005/06. and intoautumnforthefirsttimesince water initoverthehotsummermonths the high-valuesectionofriverretained The environmental waterdelivery meant Outcomes Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 |19 20 |Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 on theLoddonRiverinnorthernVictoria. complex. Itisnorth-eastofKerang–atown marsh withintheKerangLakeswetland McDonald Swampisadeepfreshwater McDONALD SWAMP spring. stay atthesitefollowingwinter and flourish, attractingwaterbirds thatwould so thatvegetationandinsectlife could The aimwastoinundatethewetland feed andhopefullybreed inthedrought. provide waterbirds somewhere torest, McDonald Swampinautumn2009to Environmental waterwasdelivered to Watering Aims shovelers andhardhead ducks. spoonbills, great egrets, Australasian threatened speciesofglossyibis,royal refuge towaterbirds, includingthe would notbeabletoprovide drought environmental water,Without thewetland been dryforthree years. of theMurrayRiverbutby2008/09,ithad for waterbirdsfloodplain onthenorthern resting. Thesiteisakeydrought refuge for waterbird breeding, feedingand McDonald Swampisasignificantwetland The NeedforWater young riverred gumtrees flourishing. vegetation inand around thewetland,with The waterdeliveryalsorejuvenated lapwings. shovelers; chestnutteals;and masked shelducks andwoodducks;Australasian faced herons; blackswans;Australian harriers; hoaryheadedgrebes; white- hens; black-tailednativeswamp yellow-billed spoonbills;purpleswamp dotterels; hardhead ducks;royal and stilts; red-kneed andblack-fronted ibis; sacred ibis;glossyblack-winged white-bellied seaeagles;straw-necked waterbirds were recorded atthewetland: of waterbird species.Thefollowing broughtthat inturn agreat range The wetlandattractedarangeofinsects there duringwinterandinto spring2009. frogs andbird specieswere observed wetland followingthewatering.Turtles, Plants andanimalsflourishedatthe Outcomes sideofthewetland. eastern Watera Goulburn-Murray channelonthe The 366hawetlandwasgravity-filledvia May 2009. McDonald SwampbetweenApriland Fauna BulkEntitlementwasdelivered to from RiverMurrayFloraand theVictorian About 800millionlitres (ML) ofwater Watering Details

This page: McDonald Swamp. Opposite page: Bottom Left: Hardyhead Fish. Top right: Murray. locations inVictoria. atonlythreeprotected species survives Darling Basin.Ongoingdroughtmeansthe saline riverwetlandsofthesouthernMurray- threatened fishthatwasoncewidespreadin The Murrayhardyheadisanationally MURRA Y HARDYHEAD Lake and Woorinen NorthLake. – Cardross LakesBasin1(east),Round populations atthe three sites Victorian successfully used tomaintainthe environmental waterhasbeen Since theemergencyplanbegan, European settlement. the firstfishextinctioninAustralia since If thespeciesbecameextinct, it wouldbe the populationwillbelostforever. 18 months,soifbreeding failsoneyear, lifespan. Eachfishlivesforamaximumof emergency becauseofthespecies’short effectively watered, thesituationwasan onlythree sitesthatcouldbe With a captivebreeding program inMildura. environmental wateratthethree sitesand species from extinction.Thisinvolved launched anemergencyplantosavethe of SustainabilityandEnvironment since late2007whentheDepartment Murray hardyhead havebeen protected Victoria’s three remaining siteswith Australia. only smallat-riskpopulationsinSouth New SouthWales inrecent yearsand to thethousands,withnorecordings in numbers ofthesmallsilverynativefish Ongoing dryconditionshavereduced used tobeinthemillions. South AustraliaandNewWales Victoria, lowland riversystemsofnorthern The numberofMurrayhardyhead inthe The NeedforWater Environmental Watering inVictoria 2008/09 |21 OTHER WATER SOURCES

Watering Aims Watering Details Outcomes In Victoria’s increasingly dry climate, we Other sources of water for the Environmental water was provided to the Water set aside under the 2007/08 The top up water provided to the three environment three sites in 2008/09 under the ongoing allocation of the Victorian River Murray Murray hardyhead sites kept the fish have to find more ways to provide water As drought forces critical human recovery program to save the Murray Flora and Fauna Bulk Entitlement was populations alive during 2008/09. need to be the focus of many rivers in hardyhead from extinction. carried over into 2008/09 to sustain The population in Cardross Lakes Basin to the environment than just relying on Victoria, catchment managers and water Murray hardyhead populations at Round Each year the sites receive small amounts 1 (east) is doing well under the recovery corporations are working together to Lake and Cardross Lakes Basin 1 (east). of water with the aim of keeping the fish program, with the latest sample at environmental entitlements. Water and minimise the risks to the environment. populations alive by maintaining water Between spring 2008 and autumn 2009, the time of print showing a population environmental managers are working Where possible, they use innovative quality, salinity and habitat conditions 400 million litres (ML) of this carryover explosion – 500 adult fish were caught methods to protect sites identified under over the hot summer months and into the water was used at Round Lake and compared to an average of 40 from together to do this. the three environmental watering criteria. following year. 140ML was used to top up Basin 1 at sampling over the previous three years. Cardross Lakes Basin 1 (east), replacing One method is to keep a small amount One of the main aims is to keep water At Round Lake and Woorinen North water lost through evaporation and of environmental water in storage levels high enough in spring and summer Lake, the watering maintained dissolved maintaining target depth and salinity when environmental flows have to be to submerge the beds of water plant, oxygen, turbidity, salinity and depth to levels. Only a small section of the redirected to meet critical human needs Ruppia, protecting Murray hardyhead acceptable levels for Murray hardyhead. previously larger Cardross Lakes basin – during drought. The water is kept aside eggs laid there. This continued to keep the populations about 7ha – is protected for the fish. to respond to any water quality issues stable at both sites. that could arise from the reduction in Woorinen North Lake received water In addition, the captive breeding program environmental flows. in 2008/09 from a different source. at the Murray-Darling Freshwater Goulburn-Murray Water has to maintain Another method is to redirect consumptive Research Centre in Mildura has the lake as a condition of its bulk water to maintain fish habitat while successfully bred fish for the past two entitlement, allowing it to take and supply the water is on its way to fulfilling its years. The next step is to relocate these water in the area. consumptive purpose. fish into additional new sites in the wild. In Victoria, the State and Australian Governments are investing a lot of money in irrigation upgrades to make channels more efficient and save water that would otherwise be lost to leakage, seepage and system inefficiencies. This water can then be returned to the environment. left: Murray. This page: From Opposite page: Bottom left: Campaspe. Right: ? Top

22 | Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 | 23 Macalister River Campaspe River This clever use of a small amount of environmental water combined with The Macalister River in Gippsland provides The Campaspe River in north-central Goulburn-Murray Water’s delivery meant freshwater flows into the lower Thomson Victoria has suffered very low flows in an important section of the river received and Latrobe rivers, and to Gippsland the drought. It has high environmental a drink. Lakes and the surrounding wetlands. The values because of its connection to the river supports the Macalister Irrigation Murray River, banks of river red gum trees The water benefited 45km of the river District and urban water supplies to and relatively healthy fish populations, from just past Rochester to where it joins towns, such as Maffra. including Murray cod. the Murray River at Echuca. It reduced the surface salinity of the pools from over The river has begun receiving In the drought, environmental flows in the 10,000 EC to less than 1000EC, ensuring environmental water saved under the river have been qualified so that the water suitable fish habitat. It also maintained the Macalister Channel Automation Project. is used for critical human need – to supply aquatic vegetation, giving fish populations The $7.5 million project, led by the water-short towns in the area. By spring a good chance of surviving the hot Victorian Water Trust, is modernising 2008 the river was very low, meaning the summer ahead. parts of the channel system within the risk of a large-scale native fish death was Macalister Irrigation District to save at very high. least 5 billion litres (GL) of water for the To provide a fresh flow to the river, Macalister and Thomson rivers on average consumptive water was used on its each year. This water will be converted way to being delivered to water users. into an environmental entitlement in the Goulburn-Murray Water would normally near future. deliver water to its consumptive users on In June and July 2009, the Macalister the Murray River via the Lower Goulburn River received 4.5GL of water saved by River. In this case, an alternative route the project. It was delivered to replicate was used so that the water could freshen a natural high flow event to provide relief the lower reach of the Campaspe River in to the drought-stressed river system spring and summer 2008/09. and the native fish and eel species that To cover water lost along the way of the live there, including flathead gudgeon, alternative route, environmental water southern pygmy perch, Australian smelt, was set aside under the Victorian River short-finned eel and tupong. It was also Murray Flora and Fauna Bulk Entitlement, aimed at restoring populations of the long- ensuring that there were no impacts on ginned eel, river blackfish and threatened farmers’ water or town water supplies. Australian grayling. This page: Campaspe. Opposite page: Turtle.

24 | Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09 | 25 www.ourwater.vic.gov.au 26 | Environmental Watering in Victoria 2008/09