Restoring and Protecting the Namoi River Valley 2017–18 Snapshot

noted otherwise. noted All imagesby Commonwealth Environmental Water Officeunless Back cover: Juvenile Heron Cover: Peel River Above: River Namoi downstream ofKeepit eWater Damwith respects their continued connection their cultures and to their elders both to elders cultures and their their The Commonwealth EnvironmentalThe We respects to our pay and them Australia’s traditional owners and to water, community. and land Water acknowledges Holder past and present. and past

WAT412.0617 Commonwealth Environmental Water Office RESTORING AND PROTECTING THE THE PROTECTING AND RESTORING NAMOI RIVER RIVER NAMOI 2017–18 SNAPSHOT VALLEY Both sources of water are equally important to The delivery of water for environmental We use environmental the region—for towns, stock, domestic use purposes improves connections between water to improve the and irrigation. rivers, floodplains and wetlands, particularly at sites that support nationally threatened The Namoi region is famous for being one of the species and communities listed under the health of our rivers, richest agricultural areas in Australia. This fertile Environment Protection and Biodiversity country grows crops (both dryland and irrigated) floodplains and Conservation Act 1999 and state legislation, of cotton, wheat, barley, oilseeds and a variety and wetlands of national significance. wetlands of others, from grapes to peanuts. The Commonwealth Environmental Water While only a small area of the catchment Office designs environmental flows in Throughout the Murray–Darling Basin, (about 3 per cent) is irrigated, it contributes partnership with state and local delivery significantly to the regional economy. we deliver water to key locations to partners to improve connections between Grain crops, cereals, oilseed and legumes are support the health of waterways and rivers, floodplains and wetlands. In particular, grown under irrigation, in rotation with cotton. the many unique native animals, plants, water delivery may target sites that support Lucerne production for hay is significant, nationally listed threatened species under the birds and fish that depend on them to especially around Tamworth. Cattle and sheep Environment Protection and Biodiversity survive and thrive. grazing is also a large industry in the catchment. Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), state-listed There are numerous native species in the Namoi The Namoi River Valley contains diverse and rich threatened species and communities under River Valley. Many are protected under state natural environments that support domestic the Threatened Species Conservation Act and federal legislation, including 28 threatened water use, agriculture, and Aboriginal cultural 1995 (NSW) and endangered populations plant species and 66 threatened fauna values and practices, as well as tourism and under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 species—four amphibians, nine bats, 37 birds, recreational activities. (NSW). These flows contribute to achieving 11 mammals and five reptiles. environmental outcomes as outlined in The Namoi and Peel River catchments are within The region is also home to many ecologically the Basin-wide Environmental Watering the traditional lands of the Gomeroi/Kamilaroi important aquatic habitats. These include: Strategy—part of the implementation of the people. These first peoples have an ongoing Murray–Darling Basin Plan. connection to the Namoi River Valley. For example, ■ species protected under Australian or New golden perch (yellow belly), a fish found in the South Wales legislation, including silver perch, Namoi River, was traditionally fed to sick people to Australasian bittern, Australian bustard, black- improve their health. tailed godwit, Bell’s turtle and brolga; and a variety of plants including coolabah, river red The Namoi catchment covers around 4 per cent of gum and river cooba the Murray–Darling Basin and uses around 2.6 per cent of all surface water and 15.2 per cent of ■ large areas of anabranch and billabong groundwater in the Basin (excluding the confined wetlands downstream of Narrabri aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin). The amount of ■ six vegetation communities, groundwater extraction in the Namoi River Valley is including carbeen open forest and one of the highest of any Basin catchment. bimble box woodland. Summary of longer term outcomes Supplying water for the Our partners under the Basin-wide Environmental Watering Strategy environment The best approaches to managing Maintain base river flows The Commonwealth Environmental water for the environment involve Maintain the current species diversity and Water Holder delivers water to improve local knowledge and the increase abundance of waterbirds by river flows needed to restore and latest science. supporting breeding opportunities. In the Namoi River Valley, the use of water could protect river systems throughout the Commonwealth environmental watering is contribute to an increase in the habitat Murray–Darling Basin. planned, delivered and managed in and foraging opportunities for waterbirds partnership with people and organisations in but is unlikely to significantly contribute to Across the Basin, this water is used to the Namoi River Valley. Partner large-scale bird breeding events. supplement flow events, provide flows for fish organisations include: movement and spawning, and support the Pr event loss of native fish species by ■ the New South Wales Office of supporting regular recruitment (for short-, health of aquatic ecosystems. Environment and Heritage medium- and long-lived species) and Depending on river operating rules, increased movement and distribution. ■ the New South Wales Department of flow constraints and climatic conditions, Recruitment means the survival of a species Primary Industries through all life stages and into the next the Commonwealth Environmental Water ■ WaterNSW generation. Successful recruitment means Holder can decide to: that, over the long term, the population of ■ use water to meet identified ■ the Murray–Darling Basin Authority. the species spans all age groups. Regionally environmental demands important sites for native fish include the The Commonwealth Environmental Water Lower Namoi River (between Gunnedah ■ hold on to the water and carry it over for use Office regularly attends community forums, and Walgett), the Upper Namoi River in the next year (‘carryover’) events and committees in the catchment. (upstream of Keepit Dam), and the Peel ■ trade (buy or sell water) for equal or greater We continue to forge local partnerships to River (downstream of Chaffey Dam). environmental benefit. ensure that community groups, including Maintain the extent of vegetation Aboriginal traditional owners, have the communities and prevent any further opportunity to help shape the regional decline, particularly in or near the planning and management of our delivery of Namoi River. water for the environment over the long term. Maintain the current extent of river red To learn more about our work or offer gum and black box communities, along suggestions for the use of environmental with improvements to condition and water in the Namoi River Valley, please greater likelihood of young tree survival. contact your local engagement officer on These ecological communities provide 0437 141 495 or email [email protected] essential food and habitat for many native animals across the Basin and are culturally significant to local Aboriginal people. Walgett town weir with waterbirds also provided connectivity along the length of 2013–2016 Water for the the Namoi River as far as Walgett. This enabled Namoi River Valley fish to move between the Barwon and Namoi The dry conditions from 2013 to 2016 catchments, which helped with the survival of contributed to ecological damage resulting environment to date native fish that bred in the Barwon River in the in a high environmental demand for low to spring floods in 2016. medium flows to support recovery. Rainfall in 2016 provided much-needed flows and Following on from these Namoi River flows, Environmental demand and water connection along the Namoi River, 1,257 ML of Commonwealth environmental availability influence the use and and between the Namoi River and the water was delivered in the Peel River in management of environmental Barwon River. conjunction with the New South Wales Peel River water. This water can be used for environmental contingency allowance. The many reasons, ranging from avoiding ecological objectives of this flow were to: 2012–2013 environmental damage to improving ■ r eturn (mimic) the autumn/winter flows that At the end of January 2013, rainfall in the ecological health, depending on occurred before Chaffey Dam was built Mooki and Coxs Creek sub-catchments how much water is available and the (restore flow variability) created a good flow of water in the environmental needs of the system. Namoi River. In response to this, 7,728 ML of ■ incr ease the food supply for native fish by environmental water was delivered to ‘flushing’ nutrients off the low in-channel increase the duration of in-stream habitat and sediment bars 2016–17 support native fish by improving opportunities ■ r edress, in part, the inflow captured in for them to feed, breed and shelter. This water During this period, 7,852 ML of water was used Chaffey Dam in 2016 as the dam reached its provided benefits along the length of the for environmental outcomes in the Lower Namoi new full supply level Lower Namoi River and provided fish passage River. This water resulted in a more gradual drop into the Barwon River, with an estimated in river levels as other water deliveries receded ■ pr ovide the opportunity for silver perch and 6,500 ML reaching the Barwon River. and provided flows for native fish, including other native fish to move upstream into the silver perch. higher reaches of the Peel River, and maintain flows to support juvenile native fish. Silver perch were once common in the Namoi River Valley but are now listed as critically endangered. Efforts are being made to re-establish a sustainable population of them in the Namoi and Peel rivers. In April 2017 the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries undertook a conservation stocking of 50,000 silver perch fingerlings between Gunnedah and Narrabri. Environmental water, in conjunction with natural flows from the Peel River, helped maintain flows at Gunnedah to promote the survival of the young fish. Environmental water

Keepit Dam

NAMOI RIVER VALLEY Commonwealth Environmental Water Office

The Namoi River Valley Like all water managers, the Commonwealth extraction amount for consumptive use has Environmental Water Holder must consider been reached, and water that maintains a Responding to Commonwealth environmental water in 2016-17 catchment in northern New variable seasonal conditions. minimum flow in the Namoi River at Walgett during winter time. environmental South Wales stretches When considering the availability of water to meet environmental demands, it is important to An unregulated flow is when the river flow does demands in 2017–18 westward from the Great factor in unregulated flows and the water not come from a controlled release of water resources managed by other entities to achieve from a dam or weir (government owned or The use of Commonwealth environmental water Dividing Range to the environmental outcomes. This includes planned operated water storages). Rather, the river flow in the Namoi River Valley is foremost to support environmental water such as end-of-system reflects rainfall and run-off from unregulated freshwater ecology, including silver perch, floodplains of the north-west. flows and the New South Wales Government’s catchment areas flowing unimpeded through increase connection between pools in the Peel environmental contingency allowance. the system. Lower Namoi River, and improve connection 10,785 ML 12,042 The catchment is diverse in climate and Planned environmental water is water that is left Regulated flow is a river flow released from a between the fish populations in the Namoi and 1,257 ML 2016-17. ML landscape, ranging from cool, high-rainfall in the river to support a healthy river system. Two dam or storage that has been ‘ordered’ by a Barwon rivers. A areas in rugged terrain in the east to semi- examples of planned water include water left in customer who holds a water entitlement. The priorities for Commonwealth environmental arid, low-rainfall areas on extensive riverine the river once the cap (maximum limit) on the water in the Namoi River Valley in 2017–18 are: plains in the west. 16.8GL Providing water to Water for the environment helps to protect Lower Namoi River channel: contribute to habitat maintenance, and restore important environmental assets in connectivity, fish movement (dispersal) and the Namoi River Valley. spawning. This action aims to improve Planning for the best use of Commonwealth ecological condition and to help native fish since 2013. 105 ML populations to recover. 12,404 environmental water to achieve healthy river 11,042 ML systems and species must take into account ML Using water to contribute to 1,257 ML the amount of water available and the Peel River channel: base flows and in-channel freshes in conjunction demand for this water. The water available with other flows. A fresh is an increase in a river’s includes the yearly allocations, carryover and water levels beyond the base flow. It does not fill other water deliveries, and is affected by the the river or go over the bank. The base flow is climatic conditions (such as whether it is a dry the minimum amount of water needed to or a wet year). The environmental demand is maintain river flow. how urgently some parts of the system require 2016-17 9,109 ML 9,160 ML water to maintain ecological health, and is Wetlands/anabranches: Providing water to the affected by how dry or wet it was in past years. 2017–18 . Lower Namoi River to improve connection in 9,109 9,160 W parts of the river system and support native fish spawning and movement. This watering action ML 7,852 ML ML . requires water availability, a river flow event and 1,257 ML . appropriate conditions (water temperature, rate River Redgum Lower Namoi of water movement and season). 1 1000 For more information on our planning process, see the 2017–18 Portfolio Management Plan for Namoi River Valley Catchment Murray-Darling Basin the Namoi River Valley at www.environment. Water entitlements and water allocations Brisbane gov.au/water/cewo/publications ! ! ! A water entitlement is a permanent water holding for a set amount of water (100 ML, for example). It can be thought of in much the same way as owning a piece of land (in that you can also buy more or sell some).

Working together to A water allocation is a percentage of water that can be used against your entitlement as ! annually determined by the state government (and reviewed if water availability changes). ! Sydney ! improve river health

Adelaide !

! Canberra # Both water entitlements and water allocations can be traded on the water market.

! # and fish habitat

! ! To learn more, visit www.nationalwatermarket.gov.au

! Melbourne # The Namoi Fish Demonstration Reach, established in 2007, is an example of successful Walgett ! collaboration between catchment managers, Barwon River community groups, Aboriginal groups, recreational fishers, landholders, and the

Namoi River New South Wales and Australian governments. Narrabri # This project has improved river health and fish ! ver

i habitat along a 150 km reach of the Namoi R

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i River between Gunnedah and Narrabri. n

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Namoi River # Department of Primary Industries placed conservation stocks of 50,000 silver perch fingerlings into the demonstration reach between Gunnedah and Narrabri. This is part of

a five-year program to restock silver perch to #

M help create new populations in their former # a Gunnedah cd range, and will be monitored for the Basin Plan ! G Mo o ok o na

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# o after the fish were stocked in 2017. Water o

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i deliveries later in 2017 will help sustain these fish. v # r e

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! Town

# Weir # River # Irrigation area

Protected area # #

0 50 100km ## Namoi River Namoi – Barwon Junction