Ecological Assessment Ecological Assessment Report Report Boondooma Dam Spillway Repair Boondooma Dam Spillway Repair Project WE16036 WE16036 Prepared for SunWater 09 June 2016 Ecological Assessment Report Boondooma Dam Spillway Repair Project Document Information Prepared for SunWater Project Name Boondooma Dam Spillway Repair Project File Reference \\aubnecfs05\env$\WE Jobs 2016\WE16036 - Boondooma Dam Ecology\wp\Reports\Boondooma Dam_Ecological Assessment Report_V1_FINAL.docx Job Reference WE16036 Date 09 June 2016 Contact Information Cardno (Qld) Pty Ltd ABN 57 051 074 992 Level 11 Green Square North Tower 515 St Paul’s Terrace Locked Bag 4006 Fortitude Valley Qld 4006 Telephone: 07 3369 9822 Facsimile: 07 3369 9722 International: +61 7 3369 9822 www.cardno.com.au Document Control Author Reviewed Date Description of Revision Signature Signature Version Author Initials Reviewer Initials A 27 May 2016 Draft SC / CB DW 1 09 June 2016 Final SC DF Approved Approved Reason for Issue / Stage of Deliverable Signature Release Date Version Approver Initials A Draft for client comment DW 27/ May 2016 1 For issue and use SC 09 June 2016 © Cardno 2016. Copyright in the whole and every part of this document belongs to Cardno and may not be used, sold, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or form or in or on any media to any person other than by agreement with Cardno. This document is produced by Cardno solely for the benefit and use by the client in accordance with the terms of the engagement. Cardno does not and shall not assume any responsibility or liability whatsoever to any third party arising out of any use or reliance by any third party on the content of this document. WE16036 Cardno 09 June 2016 Prepared for SunWater Version 1 Page ii Ecological Assessment Report Boondooma Dam Spillway Repair Project Table of Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Methodology 2 2.1 Terrestrial Ecology 2 2.2 Aquatic Ecology 3 2.3 Limitations 5 3 Results 6 3.1 Terrestrial Ecology 6 3.2 Aquatic Ecology 9 4 Conclusions 16 5 References 17 Tables Table 2-1 Weather during field survey 2 Table 2-2 GPS coordinates (WGS84 datum) of aquatic sites visited during the field inspection 4 Table 2-3 Fish habitat assessment criteria developed by Fairfull and Witheridge (2003). 4 Table 3-1 Regional Ecosystems mapped within the survey area 6 Table 3-2 Regional Ecosystems mapped within the survey area 7 Table 3-3 Weed species recorded within the survey area 8 Table 3-4 Habitat description scores for all sites using the modified RCE inventory. 11 Table 3-5 Macrophyte species present at sites. 11 Table 3-6 Observations or capture of non-threatened fish species. O = observed; C = captured by rod and reel or in baited traps. 13 Table 3-7 Likelihood of occurrence of threatened fish species 14 Table 3-8 Channel Stability Index for locations upstream and downstream of crossings A and B and for the Pond 15 Figures Figure 1 Survey Site Figure 2 Ecological Features Appendices Appendix A Quarternary Results Appendix B Flora Species List Appendix C Fauna Species List Appendix D Watercourse Crossing Data WE16036 Cardno 09 June 2016 Prepared for SunWater Version 1 Page iii Ecological Assessment Report Boondooma Dam Spillway Repair Project 1 Introduction Boondooma Dam was built in 1983 to supply water to the Tarong Power Station. It is located on the Boyne River and is within the South Burnett Regional Council Local Government Area and the Brigalow Belt Bioregion. It is situated approximately 220 km north-west of Brisbane and 20 km north of Proston. Damage to the spillway during the flood events in 2011 and 2013 has resulted in the need for repair works to stabilise and reinforce damaged areas. The repair works will result in disturbance to approximately 6 ha of land adjacent to existing infrastructure and will involve: > the repair and upgrade of two watercourse crossings; > excavation and clearing adjacent to the eastern edge of the spillway; and > the establishment of a laydown area. Cardno was commissioned to undertake an ecological assessment of the terrestrial and aquatic environment to identify features of high ecological significance that may be impacted as a result of the repair works. The ecological assessment specifically targeted five sites being: > Crossing A; > Crossing B; > The Spillway; > Excavation and Clearing; and > Laydown Area. Combined, the above noted sites are henceforth referred to as the survey area. The location of the sites and the survey area is shown in Figure 1. WE1603609 June 2016 Cardno 09 June 2016 Prepared for SunWater Version 1 Page 1 Ecological Assessment Report Boondooma Dam Spillway Repair Project 2 Methodology All terrestrial and aquatic field survey components were undertaken by three Cardno ecologists over a two day period between 4 May 2016 and 5 May 2016. Weather conditions during the survey period are shown in Table 2-1. Table 2-1 Weather during field survey1 Date Min. Max. Total Rain Humidity 9am Humidity 3pm Temperature Temperature (mm) (%) (%) (°c) (°c) 04 May 2016 13.9 27.0 0 80 29 05 May 2016 7.0 26.4 0 83 36 2.1 Terrestrial Ecology The field methodology for each of the terrestrial components is described within the following sections. 2.1.1 Regional Ecosystems The State’s regional ecosystem mapping was confirmed and refined at an approximate scale of 1:10,000 through the collection of quaternary sites. Quaternary plot data was collected generally in accordance with the methodology described by Neldner et al. 2012. The dominant species in each strata, strata height and approximate cover were collected at each quaternary site. The location of the quaternary sites is shown in Figure 1. 2.1.2 Flora During the quaternary assessments all flora species encountered were recorded and compiled into a cumulative site species list. Targeted searches for threatened plant species, including Acacia grandifolia, and weed species declared under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route. Management) Act 2002 (LP Act) were also undertaken. These searches were conducted as random meanders when moving through the survey area and between quaternary sites. Where dense populations of threatened species were identified, abundance was calculated using the ‘Point- centred Quarter’ technique. A randomly selected centre point was used to measure the distance to the nearest threatened species in each of the four 90° quarters or quadrants. The distance was measured in a straight line in meters. Average distance to each threatened plant was calculated for each sample point. Density was then calculated and expressed as average density per hectare using the following formula: Density (Plants/ha) = 10,000m2 / (average distance to plant in meters)2 2.1.3 Fauna The fauna survey aimed to detect the presence and/or likelihood of native species and pests within the survey area. The fauna surveys utilised the following methods: > 10 camera traps were baited with universal bait (i.e. peanut butter and oats) and deployed for a single night; > bird survey was completed through a visual encounter and aural census of avian species using a random meander survey method, the survey was completed over one dawn chorus with incidental observations made during other periods; > active diurnal searches for herpetofauna were conducted in areas of within suitable microhabitats with search techniques including turning woody debris, rocks and artificial debris, raking leaf litter beneath trees, and looking beneath peeling bark for reptiles or their sloughs; > spotlighting was completed over a single evening for a total of 4 person hours; 1 N.B. Climate observations shown in Table 2-1 are from the nearest weather station located at Kingaroy, approximately 80km east of Boondooma Dam (BoM Station Number 040922). WE1603609 June 2016 Cardno 09 June 2016 Prepared for SunWater Version 1 Page 2 Ecological Assessment Report Boondooma Dam Spillway Repair Project > opportunistic searches were completed whilst moving through the survey area. These searches aimed to locate signs of wildlife including scats, scratches, nests and burrows; and > Habitats assessments were completed whilst moving through the survey area including the identification and recording of significant habitat features such as notable hollow bearing trees. 2.2 Aquatic Ecology A qualitative assessment of aquatic and riparian habitat features, biota and geomorphology was made at three of the sites in the survey area. Specifically: > Crossing A; > Crossing B; and > the Spillway) The location of the sites has been illustrated on Figure 1. The assessment methodology is described within the following sections. 2.2.1 Description of Habitats Visual assessments of in-stream aquatic habitat, substratum and biota in reaches upstream and downstream of the sites were undertaken by an experienced aquatic ecologist. GPS coordinates of the sites are provided in Table 2-2 and their relative position is shown in Figure 1. The condition of the aquatic habitat at each site was assessed using a modified version of the Riparian, Channel and Environmental (RCE) inventory method (Chessman et al. 1997). This assessment involves evaluation and scoring of the characteristics of the adjacent land, the condition of riverbanks, channel and bed of the watercourse, and degree of disturbance evident at each site. The maximum score (52) indicates a stream with little or no obvious physical disruption and the lowest score (13) indicates a heavily channelled stream without any riparian vegetation. This methodology was developed by Peterson (1992) and modified for Australian conditions by Chessman et al. (1997) by combining some of the descriptors, modifying some of the associated categories and simplifying the classifications from 1 to 4. The RCE method provides an objective method of assessing aquatic habitat and facilitates comparisons between locations and potential changes through time. It provides a simplified description of the aquatic habitat and does not fully represent its complex and changing nature.