Restoring and Protecting the Border Rivers 2017-18
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The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder acknowledges Australia’s traditional owners and respects their continued connection T: 1800 803 772 Commonwealth Environmental Water Office to water, land and community. We E: [email protected] W: www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo pay our respects to them and their RESTORING AND PROTECTING THE cultures and to their elders both past @theCEWH and present. BORDER RIVERS Postal address: GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 2017–18 SNAPSHOT Above: Booberanna Creek Cover: Upper Dumaresq River Back cover: Royal Spoonbills nesting in an inundated anabranch in the Border Rivers All images by Commonwealth Environmental Water Office unless noted otherwise. © Commonwealth of Australia, 2017 WAT412.0617 WAT412.0617 The Morella Watercourse, Boobera Lagoon and Recruitment means the survival of a We use environmental Pungbougal Lagoon complex is a nationally species through all life stages and into water to improve the significant wetland. Boobera Lagoon— the next generation. Successful considered one of the most important Aboriginal recruitment means that, over the long health of our rivers, places in eastern Australia—is one of the few term, the population of the species permanent waterbodies in the northern Basin, spans all age groups. This is particularly floodplains and providing important drought refuges. important in the Macintyre River from Mungindi to the junction of the Severn The lower reaches of the Severn River in wetlands River (New South Wales), the floodplain Queensland and the Severn River in New South lagoons between Goondiwindi and Wales are also significant areas, supporting a Throughout the Murray–Darling Basin, we deliver Boomi, and the Severn River large range of native fish and providing refuge water to key locations to support the health of (Queensland) in Sundown National Park. waterways and the many unique native animals, pools for these species in times of drought. Maintain the current species diversity plants, birds and fish that depend on them to Commonwealth environmental water is and increase abundance of waterbirds survive and thrive. managed in partnership with state and local by supporting breeding opportunities. delivery partners to improve connectivity across The Border Rivers region contains diverse and rich In the Border Rivers Valley, the catchment. In particular, delivery of natural environments that support domestic water Commonwealth environmental water environmental water may target sites that use, extensive agriculture and irrigated could be used to improve habitat and support nationally threatened species under the production, and the cultural values and practices foraging opportunities for waterbirds Environment Protection and Biodiversity of Aboriginal traditional owners, as well as tourism but is unlikely to significantly contribute Conservation Act 1999 and state legislation, and and recreational activities. to large-scale breeding events. wetlands of international and national Water is delivered to key environmental locations significance. This water contributes to achieving Maintain the current extent of river red to support the region’s many unique native environmental outcomes as outlined in the gum, black box and coolibah animals, plants, birds and fish that rely on healthy Basin-wide Environmental Watering Strategy— communities, along with improvements waterways, creeks and wetlands, including part of the implementation of the Murray– to condition and greater likelihood of nationally significant wetlands. Darling Basin Plan. young tree survival. These communities The Border Rivers region is abundant with native provide essential food and habitat for fish, supporting at least 16 species including the Summary of longer term outcomes many native animals across the Basin threatened Murray cod, silver perch, purple- under the Basin-wide Environmental and are culturally significant to local spotted gudgeon, olive perchlet and eel-tailed Watering Strategy Aboriginal people. catfish. After large floods, the region’s many Maintain the extent of non-woody billabongs, lagoons and wetlands support Maintain base river flows, and contribute to vegetation communities near or in waterbirds that are nationally and internationally increased flows in the Barwon–Darling system. wetlands and streams and on low-lying significant, including great egrets, brolgas, Prevent loss of native fish species by floodplains, and improve the condition Australian painted snipe, black-necked storks, supporting regular recruitment (for short-, of lignum shrubland communities of the magpie geese and royal spoonbills. medium- and long-lived species) and lower Border Rivers. increased movement and distribution. likely to have assisted fish recruitment by Depending on river operating rules, flow Water for the Border providing more areas for breeding and constraints and climatic conditions, increasing food availability. the Commonwealth Environmental Water Rivers environment Holder can decide to: During 2013–2016, conditions were generally to date dry in the Border Rivers. In 2013–14, catchment ■ use water to meet identified conditions were characterised by well below environmental demands Environmental demand and water availability average rainfall and higher temperatures. ■ hold on to the water and carry it over for influence the use and management of During this period, water for the environment use in the next water year (‘carryover’) environmental water. This water can be used for (NSW and Commonwealth water) was reasons ranging from avoiding environmental delivered as a stimulus flow for a second ■ trade (buy or sell water) for equal or damage to improving ecological health, successive year. In 2014–15 and 2015–16, greater environmental benefit. depending on how much water is available conditions remained dry but small local rainfall Planned environmental water is water that has and the environmental need of the system. events provided a series of small freshes been set aside for environmental purposes In 2016 and 2017 the Border Rivers region throughout the system. once the cap (maximum limit) on the experienced the largest flow events since In 2010–11 the Border Rivers catchment extraction amount for consumptive use has January 2013. These included a series of medium experienced very wet conditions, including been reached. This ensures that water remains to high flows in August to October 2016, with flooding as a result of significant rainfall. in the river to support a healthy river system. additional high flows in March and April 2017 This assisted ecological recovery of the system An unregulated flow event is when river flow following ex-cyclone Debbie. High flows following the millennium drought. Moderate to does not come from a controlled release of comprised both in-channel pulses and overbank wet conditions continued in 2011–12 and 2012–13 water from a dam or weir (government flows. An in-channel pulse is an increase in river in the lower Border Rivers. owned or operated water storages). levels beyond the base flow, filling the river Rather, the river flow reflects rainfall and channel and benefiting near-channel habitats. Supplying water for the run-off from unregulated catchment areas These flow events occurred when they were environment flowing unimpeded through the system. required by fish and waterbirds for breeding, Regulated flow is a river flow released from a and achieved multiple environmental dam or storage that has been ‘ordered’ by a The water acquired by the Australian outcomes across the catchment. In the customer who holds a water entitlement. Dumaresq River there was evidence of Government through investment in more large-scale breeding of Murray cod, while in the efficient irrigation infrastructure and other Severn River (New South Wales) a good number measures enables the Commonwealth of small- to large-bodied fish were recorded. Environmental Water Holder to provide river Flow connectivity between the wetlands and flows needed to restore and protect river floodplains in the lower catchment helped systems throughout the Basin’s irrigation districts. maintain native vegetation communities, This water is often used to supplement large which waterbirds used for nesting. Connectivity rainfall events and water provided to the between the main channel and wetlands is environment by the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage. ■ the Queensland Department of Agriculture The Commonwealth Environmental Water Our partners and Fisheries Office regularly engages with the local community. We attend community forums, ■ the New South Wales Office of Environment The best approaches to managing water for the events and committees in the catchment and Heritage environment involve local knowledge and the and continue to forge local partnerships to latest science. ■ the New South Wales Department of Primary ensure that community groups, including Commonwealth environmental watering is Industries Aboriginal traditional owners, have the planned, delivered and managed in ■ Local Land Services—Northern Tablelands opportunity to help shape the regional partnership with people and organisations in the planning and management of our delivery of ■ the Queensland Murray–Darling Border Rivers region in Queensland and New environmental water over the long term. Committee Inc South Wales. Partner organisations include: To learn more about our work or offer ■ WaterNSW suggestions for the use of environmental ■ the Queensland Department of Natural water locally, please