T He Impact of a Hydro-Electric Dam on the Stability of Meromictic

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

T He Impact of a Hydro-Electric Dam on the Stability of Meromictic Arch. Hydrobiol. 137 3 301-323 Stuttgart, September 1996 The impact of a hydro-electric dam on the stability of meromictic lakes in south west Tasmania, Australia Hodgson1, 2, Tyler3 D. A. and P. A. With figures and table in the text 13 1 Abstract: Three small meromictic lakes adjacent to the lower reaches of the Gordon River in the World Heritage Area of south west Tasmania have been of interest to the scientific community for almost twenty years on account of their unusual microbio­ logical communities. In 1977, a dam, the Gordon Power Development, was con­ structed in the middle reaches of the river. This modified the flow regime in the lower reaches to the extent that it inhibited the natural process maintaining meromixis in the lakes and their meromictic stabilities declined. Two of the lakes, Lake Morrison and Sulphide Pool, now vacillate between holomixis and meromixis and the third, Lake Fidler, maintains meromixis but its chemocline is located at greater depth. The decline in meromictic stability resulted in profound biological changes in all three lakes and the elimination of many of the micro-organisms associated with meromixis. In order to assess the impact of the Gordon Power Development remote data-loggers were installed in Lake Fidler and in the Gordon River catchment in 1992 to monitor the key hydrological variables. The results of this study identify the complex series of events necessary for maintenance of meromixis. They also show how minor changes in the operating regime of the Gordon Power Development could assist in the conser­ vation of these natural processes and help protect the unusual ecosystems of these meromictic lakes which are a biologically-significant component of the World Heritage Area of south west Tasmania. Introduction The Gordon River lies in the World Heritage Area of south-west Tasmania, Australia (Fig. 1). The estuary (Fig. 1) is the 39 km stretch of river from Mac- I Authors' addresses: Department of Plant Science, University of Ta smania, GPO Box 252C, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. 2 Address for correspondence: British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, United Kingdom. 3 School of Aquatic Sciences and Natural Resources Management, Deakin University, P. O. Box 423, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia. DOI: 10.1127/archiv-hydrobiol/137/1996/301 0003-9136/96/0137-0301 $ 5.75 © 1996 E. Schweizerbart'scheVerlagsbuchhandlung, D-70176 Stuttgart .
Recommended publications
  • 2007 Annual Report
    Hydro Tasmania Annual Report 07 Australia’s leading renewable energy business Achievements & Challenges for 2006/07 Achievements Ensuring Utilising Basslink Profit after tax Returns to Sale of Bell Bay Capital Further investment Targeted cost Slight increase in Hydro Tasmania Hydro Tasmania Integration of continuity of helps manage low of $79.4 million; Government of power site and gas expenditure of in Roaring 40s of reduction program staff engagement Consulting office Consulting sustainability electricity supply water storages underlying $57.8 million turbines to Alinta $54.2 million, $10 million as joint realises recurrent with Hydro opened in New achieved national performance to Tasmania in profit of • Dividend including Gordon venture builds savings of Tasmania among Delhi success as part reporting time of drought $19.5 million $21.2 million Power Station wind portfolio in $7.7 million the better of bid to receive better reflects • Income tax redevelopment Australia, China performing an $8.7 million operating result equivalent and Tungatinah and India businesses grant for a major and takes account $28.7 million switchyard nationally water monitoring of impact of low • Loan guarantee upgrade project inflows fee $5.1 million • Rates equivalent $2.8 million Challenges Operational and financial Protection of water Environmental risks Restructuring the Business response to Improving safety Increased greenhouse The direction of national Continuous improvement pressures as a result of storages as levels dipped as a result of low business
    [Show full text]
  • World Heritage Values and to Identify New Values
    FLORISTIC VALUES OF THE TASMANIAN WILDERNESS WORLD HERITAGE AREA J. Balmer, J. Whinam, J. Kelman, J.B. Kirkpatrick & E. Lazarus Nature Conservation Branch Report October 2004 This report was prepared under the direction of the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (World Heritage Area Vegetation Program). Commonwealth Government funds were contributed to the project through the World Heritage Area program. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment or those of the Department of the Environment and Heritage. ISSN 1441–0680 Copyright 2003 Crown in right of State of Tasmania Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any means without permission from the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. Published by Nature Conservation Branch Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment GPO Box 44 Hobart Tasmania, 7001 Front Cover Photograph: Alpine bolster heath (1050 metres) at Mt Anne. Stunted Nothofagus cunninghamii is shrouded in mist with Richea pandanifolia scattered throughout and Astelia alpina in the foreground. Photograph taken by Grant Dixon Back Cover Photograph: Nothofagus gunnii leaf with fossil imprint in deposits dating from 35-40 million years ago: Photograph taken by Greg Jordan Cite as: Balmer J., Whinam J., Kelman J., Kirkpatrick J.B. & Lazarus E. (2004) A review of the floristic values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Nature Conservation Report 2004/3. Department of Primary Industries Water and Environment, Tasmania, Australia T ABLE OF C ONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................................................................................................1 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Exclusive Deal Exposed: Cockle Creek East!
    TNPA NEWS TASMANIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION INC Newsletter No 3 Winter 2004 EXCLUSIVE DEAL EXPOSED: COCKLE CREEK EAST! pproval was given on the 25 June 2001 for David Marriner of Stage Designs Pty Ltd Ato construct a new road 800m into the Southwest National Park, to build a lodge and tavern, 80 cabins, a 50m jetty, boathouses and spas, parking for 90 cars and four bus bays. There was no development of the project over the following two Just how does David Marriner of Stage Designs get his hands years and the permit was extended in mid 2003 for another two years. on a prime coastal location that is rightfully protected in the A suspected hitch was the Catamaran bridge, which is unable to take Southwest National Park? Its natural and cultural values are so the load which would be required for construction vehicles. On the 28 significant that the area is managed in accordance with the March 2004 Premier Paul Lennon announced the Government would World Heritage Area Management Plan. spend $500,000 on the bridge upgrade, and that a development agree- Freedom of Information received on the Planter Beach ment had been signed with David Marriner of Stage Designs. development reveals communication sent in an email on 25 So it seems from this point the development will be full steam ahead. August 1999 from Glenn Appleyard (Deputy Secretary of However the community opposition is mounting very rapidly. The DPIWE) to Staged Development’s [now Stage Design] Project TNPA lunchtime rally on Friday 7 May drew a passionate crowd of a Manager Rod King.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphology, Ecology and Biogeography of Stauroneis Pachycephala P.T
    This article was downloaded by: [USGS Libraries] On: 31 December 2014, At: 08:19 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Diatom Research Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tdia20 Morphology, ecology and biogeography of Stauroneis pachycephala P.T. Cleve (Bacillariophyta) and its transfer to the genus Envekadea Islam Atazadeha, Mark B. Edlundb, Bart Van der Vijvercd, Keely Millsaek, Sarah A. Spauldingf, Peter A. Gella, Simon Crawfordg, Andrew F. Bartona, Sylvia S. Leeh, Kathryn E.L. Smithi, Peter Newalla & Marina Potapovaj a Centre for Environmental Management, School of Science, IT and Engineering, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Australia b St. Croix Watershed Research Station, Science Museum of Minnesota, Marine on St. Croix, USA Click for updates c Department of Bryophyta & Thallophyta, Botanic Garden Meise, Meise, Belgium d Department of Biology-ECOBE, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium e Department of Geography, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK f INSTAAR, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA g School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia h Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, USA i United States Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, USA j Academy of Natural Sciences Philadelphia, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA k British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, United Kingdom Published online: 20 Jun 2014. To cite this article: Islam Atazadeh, Mark B. Edlund, Bart Van der Vijver, Keely Mills, Sarah A. Spaulding, Peter A. Gell, Simon Crawford, Andrew F. Barton, Sylvia S. Lee, Kathryn E.L.
    [Show full text]
  • Biogeochemical Responses to Holocene Catchment-Lake
    Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences RESEARCH ARTICLE Biogeochemical Responses to Holocene Catchment-Lake 10.1029/2017JG004136 Dynamics in the Tasmanian World Key Points: Heritage Area, Australia • Aquatic dynamics at Dove Lake are modulated by climate- and fire-driven Michela Mariani1 , Kristen K. Beck1 , Michael-Shawn Fletcher1 , Peter Gell2, terrestrial vegetation changes 3 3 3 • A period of high rainforest cover Krystyna M. Saunders , Patricia Gadd , and Robert Chisari prior ca. 6 ka is linked to changing 1 2 dystrophic conditions, lower light School of Geography, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia, Faculty of Science and Technology, penetration depths, and anoxic Federation University, Mt Helen, Victoria, Australia, 3Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, Lucas conditions in the lake bottom waters Heights, New South Wales, Australia • Increasing sclerophyll cover after ca. 6 ka is associated with lower nutrient input, lower dystrophy, more oxic Abstract Environmental changes such as climate, land use, and fire activity affect terrestrial and aquatic conditions, and higher light availability for aquatic organisms ecosystems at multiple scales of space and time. Due to the nature of the interactions between terrestrial and aquatic dynamics, an integrated study using multiple proxies is critical for a better understanding of fi Supporting Information: climate- and re-driven impacts on environmental change. Here we present a synthesis of biological and • Figure S1 geochemical data (pollen, spores, diatoms, micro X-ray fluorescence scanning, CN content, and stable isotopes) from Dove Lake, Tasmania, allowing us to disentangle long-term terrestrial-aquatic dynamics Correspondence to: through the last 12 kyear. We found that aquatic dynamics at Dove Lake are tightly linked to vegetation shifts M.
    [Show full text]
  • Gordon River System
    DEPARTMENT of PRIMARY INDUSTRIES, WATER and ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT GOALS for TASMANIAN SURFACE WATERS GORDON RIVER SYSTEM May 2000 1 Environmental Management Goals For Tasmanian Surface Waters: Gordon River System This discussion paper was used as the basis for community and stakeholder participation in the process of developing environmental management objectives for the waterways that are located within the Gordon River System. It was prepared by the Environment Division and the Land and Water Management Branch, of the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment and the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, Words and expressions used in this paper have, unless the contrary intention appears, the same meaning as defined in the State Policy on Water Quality Management 1997 and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994. Ecosystem refers to physical, chemical and biological aspects of the aquatic environment. 2 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................4 1.1 WHY DO WE NEED WATER REFORM?.........................................................................................4 1.2 WHAT ARE THESE REFORMS?.....................................................................................................5 1.3 WHAT WILL COMMUNITY INPUT ACHIEVE? .............................................................................5 1.4 WHAT INFORMATION DID WE RECEIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY?.........................................5
    [Show full text]
  • Cp-2017-31-Supplement.Pdf
    Table S1. All records identified within Australasia that span the Common Era. State refers to the political state, country, or geographic region where the record originates: NSW=New South Wales, VIC=Victoria, SA=South Australia, WA=Western Australia, NT=Northern Territory, QLD=Queensland, TAS=Tasmania, ACT=Australian Capitol Territory, TS=Torres Strait, INDO=Indonesia, NZ=New Zealand, PNG=Papua New Guinea, Pacific= Pacific Ocean Islands, ANT= Antarctica, BS=Bass Strait; Elevation is in meters above sea 5 level; Resolution refers to average number of samples per year, where indicated by the original authors or calculated from the published text. Record Name State Latitude Longitude Elevation Classification Oldest Year Youngest Year Resolution Reference Richmond River QLD -28.48 152.97 100 LakeWetland 5451YBP(+/-133) -57YBP(+/-1) NA Logan et al., 2011 Theresa/Capella Creek QLD -23.00 148.04 Various LakeWetland 791YBP(+/-69) -48YBP 10 Hughes et al., 2009 Mill Creek NSW -33.39 151.04 4 LakeWetland 10458YBP(+/-215) -40YBP NA Dodson and Thom, 1992 Mill Creek NSW -33.39 151.04 4 LakeWetland 684YBP(+/-106) -43YBP(+/-0) 7 Johnson, 2000 Yarlington Tier TAS -42.52 147.29 650 LakeWetland 10174YBP(+/-395) NA NA Harle et al., 1993 Rooty Breaks Swamp VIC -37.21 148.86 1100 LakeWetland 6249YBP(+/-309) NA NA Ladd, 1979b Diggers Creek Bog NSW -36.23 148.48 1690 LakeWetland 11817YBP(+/-573) NA 156 Martin, 1999 Nullabor - N145 SA -32.07 127.85 15 LakeWetland 24161YBP(+/-2219) NA NA Martin, 1973 Nullabor - Madura WA -31.98 127.04 27 LakeWetland 8708YBP(+/-846)
    [Show full text]
  • OZPACS: Recent Impacts on Australian Ecosystems Reference List
    OZPACS: Recent impacts on Australian ecosystems Reference List Users please note: Although we endeavoured to make this list as complete and up to date as possible, some references are incomplete in cases where the full information was not available using a range of search methods. Hopefully sufficient information is provided should you wish to undertake a more thorough search for a particular reference. K. Fitzsimmons, 31/8/2007 Adamson, K., Tibby, J., Kershaw, A.P., in prep. Long term water quality and vegetation patterns at Junction Park Billabong, Murray River, Australia, with special emphasis on European impact. Austral Ecology. Agnew, C.F., 2002. Recent sediment dynamics and contaminant distribution folloing a bushfire in the Nattai River catchment, NSW. Honours Thesis, University of Wollongong, Wollongong. Aitken, D., Kershaw, A.E., 1992. Holocene vegetation and environmental history of Cranbourne Botanic Garden. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 105, 67-80. Allan, T., 2006. Examining diatoms as biological indicators of water quality, within 2 coastal lakes. School of Environmental Science and Management, Southern Cross University, Lismore. Allen, V., Head, L., Medlin, G., Witter, D., 2000. Palaeo-ecology of the Gap and Coturaundee Ranges, western New South Wales, using stick-nest rat (Leporillus spp.) (Muridae) middens. Austral Ecology 25, 333-343. Anderson, P., 1986. A palaeoenvironmental and stratigraphic history from lowland swamp environments: Mulgrave River, north-east Queensland. Honours Thesis, Monash University, Melbourne. Anker, S.A., Colhoun, E.A., Barton, C.E., Peterson, M., Barbetti, M., 2001. Holocene Vegetation and Paleoclimatic and Paleomagnetic History from Lake Johnston, Tasmania. Quaternary Research 56, 264-274.
    [Show full text]
  • 2005 Annual Report
    HydroTasmaniaReport Our Vision is to be Tasmania’s world-renowned 05 renewable energy business Hydro Tasmania Annual Report 2004/2005 incorporating the inaugural Sustainability Report Sustainable Development: HydroTasmania Contact Hydro Tasmania development that meets Head Office: Adelaide: Papua New Guinea: the needs of the present 4 Elizabeth Street 176 Fullarton Road, PO Box 327 Hobart Dulwich Port Moresby, without compromising the Tasmania South Australia 5065 NCD 121 Papua New Guinea Postal Address: Phone: +61 8 8364 3111 Report ability of future generations GPO Box 355 Fax: +61 8 8364 3222 Phone: (675) 321 3252 Hobart Fax: (675) 321 1647 Melbourne: to meet their own needs. Tasmania, 7001 Australia Level 20 31 Queen Street Website: www.hydro.com.au (United Nations Brundtland Commission, 1987) Phone within Australia: 1300360441 Melbourne Phone international: +61 3 6271 6221 Victoria Fax: +61 3 62305823 Phone: +61 3 8628 9700 Fax: +61 3 8628 9750 Directors Statement To the Hon Bryan Green MHA, Minister for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources, in compliance with requirements of the Government Business Enterprises Act 1995. In accordance with Section 55 of the Government Business Enterprises Act 1995, we hereby submit for your information and presentation to Parliament the report of the Hydro-Electric Corporation for the year ended 30 June 2005. The report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Government Business Enterprises Act 1995. DM Crean Chairman Hydro-Electric Corporation 19 October 2005 GL Willis CEO Hydro-Electric
    [Show full text]
  • Late-Quaternary Vegetation History of Tasmania from Pollen Records
    14 Late-Quaternary vegetation history of Tasmania from pollen records Eric A. Colhoun School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW [email protected] Peter W. Shimeld University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania Introduction Vegetation forms the major living characteristic of a landscape that solicits inquiry into the history of its changes during the late Quaternary and the major factors that have influenced the changes. Early studies considered ecological factors would cause vegetation to develop until a stable climatic climax formation was attained (Clements 1936). The concept of an area developing a potential natural vegetation in the absence of humans was similar (Tüxen 1956). Both ideas held that the vegetation of an area would develop to a stable condition that would change little. However, the vegetation of a region never remains in stasis, but develops dynamically through time, influenced by changing dominant factors (Chiarucci et al. 2010). The structure of a major vegetation formation is usually dominated by a limited number of taxa of similar physiognomy. Although many taxa are identified at most sites studied for pollen in Tasmania, the major percentages in the records are represented by fewer than 10 pollen taxa. These are widely dispersed taxa, local taxa usually being under-represented in the records (Macphail 1975). The structures of fossil pollen-vegetation formations are interpreted with regard to modern vegetation even though abiotic and biotic conditions rarely remain the same through time, and identical replication is not expected. During the late Quaternary in Tasmania, the most important abiotic changes affecting vegetation were temperature and precipitation, and the most important biotic change was the impact of Aboriginals using their major cultural tool, fire.
    [Show full text]
  • The Holocene Palaeolimnology of Lake Fidler, a Meromictic Lake in the Cool Temperate Rainforests of South West Tasmania
    The Holocene palaeolimnology of Lake Fidler, a meromictic lake in the cool temperate rainforests of south west Tasmania by Dominic A. Hodgson BSc.(Hons.) University College London Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University ofTasn1ania. September 1995 DECLARATION This thesis contains no material which has been accepted. for the award of any other degree or diploma in any tertiary institution aoo that, to the best of the candidate's knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by anotheJ' person, except when due reference is made in the text of the thesis. AUTHORITY OF ACCESS This thesis may be made available fur loan and limited copying in accordance with the Copyright Act, 1968. ~- .... A~_ Dominic A. Hodgson, September 1995 ...... ' F allen trees in every direction bad interrupted our march, and it is a question whether human beings either civilised or savage had ever visited this savage lOOking counby. Be this as it may. all about us appeared well calculated to arrest the progress of the traveller, stcmJy forbidding man to traverse those places which nature had selected for its own silent and awful repose. Jorgen Jorgenson 19th MlIfch 1827. ABSTRACT Lake Fidler is situated adjacent to the lower Gordon River in the Franklin Lower Gordon Wild Rivers National Park of south west Tasmania It is the only stable meromictic lake in cool temperate rainforest in Australia and facets of its unique biology, phycology and limnology have been abwldantly published in over 20 scientific papers. T1lis study uses palaeolimnological techniques to place existing knowledge in the context of the long term history and evolution of Lake Fidler.
    [Show full text]
  • (Title of the Thesis)*
    Assessment of toxic cyanobacterial abundance at Hamilton Harbour from analysis of sediment and water by Miroslava Jonlija A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2014 © Miroslava Jonlija 2014 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract The western embayment of Lake Ontario, Hamilton Harbour, is one of the most polluted sites in the Laurentian Great Lakes and in recent years has seen a reoccurrence of cyanobacterial blooms. This study uses a multidisciplinary approach to examine the presences of toxic Cyanobacteria in the harbour in order to gain insight into these recurrent blooms. Microscopic analyses of phytoplankton samples collected during the 2009 summer-fall sampling season from two locations within the harbour showed the spatial and seasonal diversity of the contemporary cyanobacterial community. Microcystis colonies relative abundances in relation to total algal numbers were estimated. The lowest and highest relative abundances of Microcystis in the phytoplankton population were 0.6% and 9.7%, respectively, and showed seasonal variability between stations. Fourteen cyanobacterial genera comprising six families and three orders were identified and for which the most abundant filamentous genera during the summer-fall sampling season were Planktothrix, Aphanizomenon and Limnothrix. Potential microcystin producers Microcystis, Planktothrix, Aphanizomenon and Dolichospermum were also present and during the sampling period Microcystis was recorded at both stations on all dates, however, its relative abundance was below 10 % throughout the study period.
    [Show full text]