Willochra Creek Catchment Action Plan Introduction The Willochra Creek Catchment Action Plan (CAP) draws together information and feedback from a wide range of community members and summarises the most important features of the catchment and the issues that we face in managing them. This summary will be used to inform the strategic direction of Natural Resources Management (NRM) in the catchment and align with other planning and natural resource management actions occurring across the Northern and Yorke region. In the decade since the previous report, there has been a substantial shift in community knowledge, expectations and attitudes towards environmental and natural resources management issues. Natural Resources Northern and Yorke has worked with the community, natural resource management experts, scientists, government agencies, local government and non-government organisations to develop this plan and capture these changing attitudes. This collaboration has helped to ensure that the CAP reflects the priorities of a wide range of community and stakeholders, including investors such as the South Australian and Australian Governments. The CAP is not intended to encompass every possible issue or action, but to identify the high priority actions without which some of our most important assets will collapse. The Willochra Creek CAP provides a strategic way forward – a plan of action – for the community who will be managing the Catchment’s natural resources into the future. The Willochra catchment The Willochra catchment in the Southern Flinders Ranges covers an area of around 6425 square kilometres. Approximately 250 kilometres north of Adelaide it is bound to the west by the Southern Flinders Ranges; to the east by the Oladdie Hills; and to the north by the Yappala and Yourambulla Ranges. The topography of the Willochra catchment varies considerably from steep ranges to undulating hills to the Willochra Plain. Elevation varies from 965 m at Mt Brown in the southwest region of the catchment to 70 m near Lake Torrens in the northwest. All sub-catchments drain toward the central Willochra Creek. Major tributaries to the Willochra Creek from the south of the catchment include Yellowman Creek, Wild Dog Creek and Rotten Creek. Eastern tributaries include Booleroo Creek, Old Booleroo Creek, Coonatto Creek, Boolcunda Creek, and Wirreanda Creek. Western tributaries include Spring Creek, Beautiful Valley Creek, Mt Brown Creek, Pichi Richi Creek, Castle Creek, and Mt Arden Creek. Major land use across the catchment includes cropping and grazing rotation; grazing modified pastures; conservation areas; grazing native vegetation; and irrigated modified pastures. Average annual rainfall within the catchment varies from 650 mm in the southwestern region of the catchment and decreases northwards across the Willochra Plain to less than 250 mm. Potential annual evaporation varies from 2400 mm in the south of the catchment and increases to 2600 mm in the north. The catchment is located in a semi-arid to arid region with highly variable runoff and its main watercourse, the Willochra Creek, is a dry land ephemeral riparian ecosystem. A combination of permanent pools and flow events is critical to maintaining aquatic biodiversity in these types of waterways as it enables species to disperse, recruit and reproduce. Riparian vegetation varies across the catchment depending on topographical and climatic conditions. The gorge country downstream between Simmonston and Yadlamulka station is mainly Acacia shrublands. The central Willochra Plain is dominated by chenopod shrublands. The wetter western and southern tributaries are mainly Eucalypt woodlands dominated by the region’s iconic river red gums. Edited by: Jennifer Munro, Water Officer, Natural Resources Northern and Yorke, 2016. Photo credits: J Munro; A Brown; PIRSA; NRNY; The Willochra catchment is divided into 14 sub-catchments Your say More than 100 participants provided feedback on watercourse management issues and objectives through a survey (see appendix) posted to landholders and discussed at community workshops and meetings in the catchment. River red gums were consistently identified by the community as an important feature of watercourses across the catchment and were closely followed in priority by native shrubland, native grasses and groundwater. The community identified the main concerns as weeds, drying up of springs, falling water table and pool levels, degradation of riverine habitat and the impact of livestock. Boxthorn, Horehound and Bathurst burr were the highest priority weeds, closely followed by Onion weed and Caltrop. Not surprisingly, weed control; improving and/or maintaining areas of good native vegetation; fencing vulnerable assets; protecting vegetation; and managing livestock were the most important watercourse management objectives. The main barriers to managing these watercourse issues were rated by survey respondents and included conflicts between agricultural use and environmental needs; lack of funds; lack of people to undertake works; and outsides impacts, including upstream management impacting on downstream health. The watercourse management priorities and issues of each individual sub-catchment are presented in the following chapters and will inform the development of the new Northern and Yorke Strategic Plan, currently underway. River red gums are an important part of the Willochra Catchment. Beautiful Valley Creek sub-catchment – our natural resources and management priorities The Beautiful Valley Creek sub-catchment (29.35 km2) is relatively steep and ranges from 770 m to 340 m in altitude, decreasing from the west to east. Grazing modified pasture and livestock grazing (vegetation) are the main land uses in the catchment, covering 95% of the total catchment area. Beautiful Valley Creek and Stony Creek are the main watercourses in the Beautiful Valley Creek sub- catchment. Natural assets identified for protection in the Beautiful Valley Creek sub-catchment Sub-catchment assets have been identified through the last decade, since the initial Willochra Catchment Hydrological and Ecological Assessment in 2003, including river red gums; peppermint, white and grey box woodlands; Mt Remarkable National Park; and Wilmington. River red gums are an important part of the Beautiful Valley Creek sub-catchment. Local and State Government, community members, and landholders, rated the condition of some of these assets using the Conservation Action Planning process in 2013. Beautiful Valley Creek Very Key asset Indicator Poor Fair Good good Peppermint and Grey box Vegetation condition x woodlands River red gums Tree health x Wilmington Stormwater management x Beautiful Valley’s grey box grassy woodlands are considered to be in a fair condition but their understories are generally heavily grazed and there is limited tree regeneration. In 2014-15, a survey helped provide more details on what the community valued in the sub-catchment and what threats they saw to our natural resources. Declining river flow, springs drying up and weeds were identified as the biggest threats to watercourses by the community. weeds declining river flow springs drying exotic trees water table and pool levels reducing livestock pest animals habitat loss water quality salinity High priority erosion Medium priority dams Low priority lack of native vegetation riverine habitat degredation native habitat degredation pollution from septic tanks pollution from farm chemicals groundwater extraction cultivation flood irrigation Olives, Boxthorn and Horehound were identified as the most problematic weeds threatening watercourses. Community members were also given the chance to rate activities they thought would most help to manage rivers and creeks in the sub-catchment as well as the barriers that might prevent good management. insert pic of Enhancing the natural qualities and characteristics of the river system, allowing natural regeneration regeneration, controlling weeds and revegetating to conserve habitat were the highest community priorities for managing our river systems. Allowing natural regeneration Upstream management impacting on downstream health, lack of funds and a lack of community awareness were seen as the biggest barriers to effective management of watercourses in the Beautiful Valley Creek sub-catchment. Community awareness and information What’s next You can still contribute to our research by providing comment on our findings using the contact information below. We’ve had more than 100 participants so far and would like your support to get as much feedback as possible from the people who live, work and play in the Willochra catchment area. Your feedback will be used to help develop a new Strategic Plan for the Northern and Yorke region. For more information please contact: Natural Resources Centre – Clare Unit 2/17 Lennon Street, Clare SA 5453 Email: [email protected] Ph: (08) 8841 3400 Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm Spring Creek sub-catchment – our natural resources and management priorities The Spring Creek sub-catchment (52.80 km2) elevation ranges from 950 m to 350 m and the topography is steep. Conservation areas cover almost half of the sub-catchment, with the remaining area mostly used for grazing modified pasture. Spring Creek and Willochra Creek are the main watercourses in the sub-catchment, both flow north- easterly toward the Willochra Plain. Natural assets identified for protection in the Spring Creek sub-catchment Sub-catchment assets have been identified through