Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation and Safety Upgrade Project
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Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation and Safety Upgrade Project Prepared by Phil Spark North West Ecological Services For WaterNSW Decemeber 2015 The information presented in this report is based on an objective study undertaken in response to a brief provided by the client. While every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of the report, the variability of the natural environment and the paucity of comparative research data may require that professional judgement be applied in reaching conclusions. Any opinions expressed in the report are the professional opinions of the author Philip Spark of North West Ecological Services. They are not intended to advocate any specific proposal or position. Philip Spark____________________ ___24 December 2015__ Author Date Philip Spark North West Ecological Services 112 Back Nundle Rd Tamworth 2340 Ph. 02‐67642245 Mob. 0427642245 Email: [email protected] Cover photo shows the Booroolong Frog at hotspot 4 in the offset property Rhuvieg, such wide rocky riffles zones are ideal habitat for the Booroolong Frog. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was prepared with the assistance of Dr Andrew Stauber and Dr Elizabeth Broese van Groenou, and comments from the review committee of Tim Watts North West Local Land Services, Andrew Cruckshank Public Works, and Jubrahil Khan WaterNSW. This report should be cited as North West Ecological Services (2015). Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation and Safety Upgrade Project. Prepared for WaterNSW Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation_Rev3 24 December 2015 Page 2 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 9 1‐0. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 14 Decline of the Booroolong Frog ........................................................................................................ 15 Planning to Protect the Booroolong Frog ......................................................................................... 16 Objectives of this Plan ....................................................................................................................... 17 The Study Area ‐ Current Proposed Booroolong Frog Offset Plan. .................................................. 17 Table 1. Booroolong Frog abundance recorded January – February 2013 at the impact section and proposed offset sections. ....................................................................................................... 17 Figure 1. Three Nundle sections and the two Bowling Alley sections that were assessed and found not to be an adequate offset, the impact area is in the red circle, the offset areas are the four sections in the yellow circles ................................................................................................. 19 Figure 2. Shows the final proposed offset; three Nundle sections, two Bowling Alley sections, the middle section between the two large circles, and the impact area in red ........................... 20 Booroolong Frog Habitat Requirements ........................................................................................... 21 Table 2: Summary of Booroolong Frog habitat requirements (Anstis 2002, NWES 2009b, OEH 2012) ............................................................................................................................................. 21 Table 3: Habitat preferenced an value ......................................................................................... 22 Background to the different Booroolong Frog Offset Plans proposed until now ............................. 23 Comparison of the Booroolong Frog Offset Plans Proposed 2013 ‐ 2015 ........................................ 24 Comparison of the Previously Approved Offset, the next Proposed Offset and the current Proposed Offset ................................................................................................................................ 24 Table 4: Comparison of three offset proposals ............................................................................ 25 2‐0. METHODS .............................................................................................................. 26 Booroolong Frog Habitat Assessment............................................................................................... 26 Table 5: Categories of field data collected ................................................................................... 27 Vegetation Survey ............................................................................................................................. 28 3‐0. RESULTS ................................................................................................................. 29 Site Description ................................................................................................................................. 29 Figure 3. The Proposed Offset Study Area Divided Into Sections of Similar Habitat .................... 29 Description of Each Section .............................................................................................................. 30 Comparison of Impact and Offset Sites ............................................................................................ 33 Table 6: Number of Booroolong Frogs recorded in the impact and offset sections (2013 survey) ...................................................................................................................................................... 33 Table 7. Summary of the major differences observed between the impact and proposed offset sections. ........................................................................................................................................ 34 Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation_Rev3 24 December 2015 Page 3 Comparison of Habitat Values .......................................................................................................... 34 Table 8: Comparison of the habitat values of each section ......................................................... 35 Table 9: Comparison of the habitat values for each section and the previously approved offset area ............................................................................................................................................... 37 Table 10: Summary of river bed habitat data collected along the length of the impact section and six offset sections. .................................................................................................................. 38 Habitat Types .................................................................................................................................... 40 Table 11: Areas and the number of occurrences for each habitat type for each of the six sections of proposed offset ........................................................................................................................ 40 Substrate Types ................................................................................................................................. 42 Riparian Vegetation .......................................................................................................................... 43 Table 12. Comparison of the extent of riparian tree cover for each section of river ................... 43 Namoi Vegetation Types in Impact and Offset sections ................................................................... 44 Threats to the Booroolong Frog ........................................................................................................ 48 Table 13: Threats to the Booroolong Frog ................................................................................... 48 Results from vegetation assessment of the Impact and Offset areas entered into the BioBanking Calculator .......................................................................................................................................... 53 Figure 4. Map showing the Vegetation Communities and Transect Locations in the impact section ........................................................................................................................................... 55 Figure 5. Map showing the Vegetation Communities and Transect Locations in offset section 1 ...................................................................................................................................................... 56 Figure 6. Map showing the Vegetation Communities and Transect Locations in offset section 5 ...................................................................................................................................................... 57 Figure 7. Map showing the Vegetation Communities and Transect Locations in offset section 6 ...................................................................................................................................................... 58 Figure 8. Map showing the Vegetation Communities and Transect Locations in offset section 2 ...................................................................................................................................................... 59 Figure 9. Map showing the Vegetation Communities and Transect Locations in offset section 3 .....................................................................................................................................................