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Barmah Forest: a Review of Its Values, Management Objectives, and Knowledge Base

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Barmah Forest: a Review of Its Values, Management Objectives, and Knowledge Base Barmah Forest: a review of its values, management objectives, and knowledge base Nick Abel1, Jane Roberts2, Julian Reid3, Ian Overton1, Deborah O’Connell1, Judith Harvey1, Sophie Bickford1 1 2 3 CSIRO Consultant CSIRO Visiting Fellow Report to the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority May 2006 Barmah Forest Review May 2006 Enquiries should be addressed to: Nick Abel ph: 02 6242 1534 email [email protected] CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Important Notice The results and analyses contained in this Report are based on a number of technical, circumstantial or otherwise specified assumptions and parameters. The user must make its own assessment of the suitability for its use of the information or material contained in or generated from the Report. To the extent permitted by law, CSIRO excludes all liability to any party for expenses, losses, damages and costs arising directly or indirectly from using this Report. Use of this Report The use of this Report is subject to the terms on which it was prepared by CSIRO. The Report must not be used as a means of endorsement without the prior written consent of CSIRO. The name, trade mark or logo of CSIRO must not be used without the prior written consent of CSIRO. Page 1 Barmah Forest Review May 2006 Table of Contents TABLE OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................ 7 TABLE OF TABLES.............................................................................................................................. 8 ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................................... 10 MANAGERS’ SUMMARY................................................................................................................ 12 1. Purpose and scope of this report ............................................................................................12 2. Barmah Forest in its Regional and Historical setting............................................................. 12 3. Values from Barmah Forest ...................................................................................................14 4. Objectives for environmental water use................................................................................. 18 5. Classification of Floodplain Vegetation Communities .......................................................... 19 6. Floodplain Vegetation Responses to Water Regime, Grazing and Fire................................. 19 6.1 River flows and floodplain inundation .......................................................................................... 19 6.2 Evaluating the vegetation objectives in management plans.......................................................... 20 6.3 Plants and Water Regime.............................................................................................................. 20 6.3.1 The scientific basis for water-related objectives................................................................... 21 6.4. The effects of grazing and fire....................................................................................................... 22 7. Waterbird Responses to Water Regimes................................................................................. 22 7.1. Evaluating waterbird management objectives .............................................................................. 22 7.2. The Scientific Basis for Waterbird Management........................................................................... 23 8. Evaluation of the 1998 and 2000 Environmental Water Allocations..................................... 25 9. Water Management Options ................................................................................................... 27 9.1. Managing Water Within Barmah Forest....................................................................................... 27 9.1.1 Improving the precision of water management .................................................................... 27 9.1.2 Trade-offs in the allocation of water..................................................................................... 27 9.1.3 Getting water to higher elevations........................................................................................ 28 9.1.4 Groundwater......................................................................................................................... 28 9.1.5 Water Quality ....................................................................................................................... 28 9.1.6 Erosion rate........................................................................................................................... 28 9.2. Availability of water and threats to supply.................................................................................... 28 9.2.1 Options for getting water to Barmah Forest and managing and adapting to adverse river flows ............................................................................................................................................... 29 10. Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................... 30 10.1 Values.......................................................................................................................................... 30 10.2. Objectives for Environmental Water Use....................................................................................30 10.3 Classification of floodplain vegetation communities................................................................... 31 10.4 Floodplain Vegetation Responses to Water Regime, Grazing and Fire...................................... 31 10.4.1 Objectives for Vegetation Management ............................................................................. 31 10.4.2 Improving the Vegetation Management and Hydrological Knowledge Base..................... 31 10.5 Waterbird Responses to Water Regimes......................................................................................32 10.5.1 Objectives and Water Regimes........................................................................................... 32 10.5.2 Improving The Waterbird Management Knowledge Base ................................................. 32 10.6 Evaluation of the 1998 and 2000 Environmental Water Allocations .......................................... 33 10.7 Water management options......................................................................................................... 33 10.7.1 Allocating Water Within Barmah Forest............................................................................ 33 10.7.2 Getting water to Barmah-Millewa Forest and Managing Unseasonal Flows ..................... 34 10.8 Water and the Future of Barmah Forest .....................................................................................34 Page 2 Barmah Forest Review May 2006 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................. 35 1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THIS REPORT............................................................................ 36 2. BARMAH FOREST IN ITS REGIONAL AND HISTORICAL SETTING.............................. 40 2.1 Location ............................................................................................................................... 40 2.2 Drainage............................................................................................................................... 41 2.3 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................ 41 2.4 Surface Hydrology ............................................................................................................... 42 2.5 Groundwater......................................................................................................................... 42 3. VALUES FROM BARMAH FOREST ...................................................................................... 46 3.1 Use Values ........................................................................................................................... 50 3.1.1 Direct use Values ....................................................................................................................... 51 Marketed Outputs ........................................................................................................................... 51 Un-marketed Outputs ..................................................................................................................... 52 3.1.2 External Ecological Function Values......................................................................................... 53 3.2 Non-use Values.................................................................................................................... 54 3.2.1 Existence Values......................................................................................................................... 54 3.2.2 Option Values............................................................................................................................. 54 3.2.3 Bequest Values ........................................................................................................................... 55 3.3 Assessment of the Values at Different Scales.....................................................................
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