Review of EES for the Level Crossings near Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands ..1 To: Andrew Sherman, Russell Kennedy Lawyers From: Lance Lloyd, Lloyd Environmental Pty Ltd Date: 27th May 2018 Title: Review of EES for the Level Crossing near Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands Reviewers Details: Lancelot Neil Lloyd, BSc, MSc. Master of Science, University of Adelaide, 1987 Bachelor of Science, University of Adelaide, 1981 Lloyd Environmental Pty Ltd PO Box 348, Somers, Victoria, 3927 Australian Society of Fish Biology (Member, 1981 to present) Australian Institute of Biology (Member since 1989; President, 2005 to 2016) Australian Freshwater Sciences Society (Life Member, 1981 to present) River Basin Management Society (Member, 1990 to present [Honorary Life Member since 2015]; President, 1999-2002) Lloyd Environmental Pty Ltd is a specialist consulting practice providing quality services to water and environment sectors in Australia. The company was established in 1998 and is led by Lance Lloyd, BSc, MSc, who has 30 years’ experience and provides: o a detailed knowledge of and experience in the Ramsar Convention Obligations and the National and State responsibilities relating to Ramsar sites; o vast experience in wetland management and planning (and specifically of Ramsar wetlands); o high level knowledge of the majority of South Australian, Victorian and Tasmanian Ramsar sites; o substantial expertise and experience in ecosystem restoration and rehabilitation; and o high level and strategic analytical skills, including community and landholder consultation. Lance has been an innovator in the Ramsar process, having been appointed by the Department of the Environment (then SEWPaC) to a panel for ‘The Development and Technical Review of Ramsar Wetland Documentation’, working closely with the Department to update and refine the Guidelines for the preparation of Ecological Character Descriptions (ECD), preparation of ECDs and Ramsar Information Sheets (RIS), and reviewing multiple ECDs, RISs and Ramsar Management Plans. Lance has undertaken ecological or environmental studies at each of Victoria’s Ramsar sites over the last 24 years. He has published in an international scientific journal on the Ramsar process in recent years. He has undertaken EPBC Act assessments for the Dept of Environment and Energy (Commonwealth Govt) at Ramsar and other wetlands to assess possible impacts on Ramsar and EPBC values. He is currently completing a Ramsar Management Plan for Cape Barren Island in Tasmania. Further details are found in the attached curriculum vitae. Review of EES for the Level Crossings near Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands ..2 Scope: Russell Kennedy Lawyers have retained my services, on behalf of Kingston City Council in order to: o provide an expert opinion in relation to the Edithvale and Bonbeach Level Crossing Removal Project Environmental Effects Statement ("EES") and to appear to give expert evidence at Planning Panels Victoria ("PPV"). o provide expert advice on the potential impacts of the level crossing removal at Edithvale and Bonbeach stations on the Ramsar Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands ("Wetlands"). o assess any implications under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth of Australia) with respect to any potential cumulative impact on the Wetlands, listed threatened species and migratory species, as well as any impact on Matters of National Environmental Significance under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Therefore my comments and assessments only relate to the wetland and Ramsar values of the Ramsar listed Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands ("Wetlands") and not any other sites affected by the works. Background and Methods: In undertaking this review, I have read all the relevant documents within the Edithvale and Bonbeach Level Crossing Removal Projects Environment Effects Statement (EES) and Technical documents necessary to assess what impacts the works may have upon wetland ecosystems, ecological character and Ramsar status of the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands. I have reviewed the Ramsar documentation for the Site to understand these values fully and conducted a site visit in mid-May 2018 to gain a first-hand knowledge of the site and confirm my understanding from the literature already undertaken. In particular, I have focussed upon the sections of the EES, which are particularly relevant to my advice: EES Chapter 2: RATIONALE AND PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS EES Chapter 3: KEY FINDINGS EES Chapter 5: MODELLING THE WATER ENVIRONMENT EES Chapter 6: EDITHVALE-SEAFORD WETLANDS AND GROUNDWATER DEPENDENT ECOSYSTEMS EES Chapter 9: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK EES Chapter 10 SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE EES TECHNICAL REPORT A Groundwater Impact Assessment, LXRA-LX31-00-GE-EES- 0001 Revision: 1. February 2018 EES TECHNICAL REPORT B: Ecological Impact Assessment: Wetlands and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems. LXRA-LX31-00-PA-EES-0006 Revision:0. February 2018 EES TECHNICAL REPORT D Ecological Impact Assessment: Project Areas. LXRA-LX31- 00-PA-EES-0001 Revision: 0. February 2018 EES TECHNICAL REPORT E Surface Water Impact Assessment (LXRA-LX31-00-HW-EES- 0001) EES Attachment II. Environmental Risk Report. LXRA-LX31-00-PA-EES-0011 Revision: 0. February 2018 EES Attachment III: Matters of National Environmental Significance Review of EES for the Level Crossings near Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands ..3 Also additional reports such as the Ramsar Site ECD addendum and the Ramsar Site Management Plan were reviewed to ensure these documents were considered by the EES and additional information on the sites were understood: Hale, J. and Butcher, R. (2017) Addendum to Ecological Character Description for the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands Ramsar Site. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. East Melbourne. Quinn, D., Sutton, F., Hale, J., and McMahon, A. (2016). Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands Ramsar Site Management Plan. Melbourne Water, Melbourne, Victoria. Site Details: The area under consideration of this review is the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands Ramsar Site, which is located southeast of the Melbourne bounded suburbs of Edithvale, Chelsea Heights and Aspendale Gardens. The Ramsar Site consists of two separate wetlands: Edithvale (104 ha) and Seaford (158 ha) which are both predominantly owned by Melbourne Water with some sections of Seaford Wetlands being owned by the City of Frankston (Quinn et al. 2016). The Ramsar Site, being in an urban setting, has been altered and impacted by historical disturbance of water regime, water quality and vegetation, which has resulted in a modified ecological condition (Quinn et al. 2016). Despite this, ecological values are still significant, although the ecosystem components are in a constant state of flux, primarily responding to water levels and salinity (Quinn et al. 2016). The Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) present at the Wetlands are: o Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland (EVC 3); o Swamp Scrub (EVC 53); o Tall Marsh (EVC 821); o Brackish Aggregate Wetland (EVC 656); o Brackish Aquatic Herbland (EVC 537); o Plains Sedgy Wetland (EVC 647); o Aquatic Herbland (EVC 653); o Brackish Herbland (EVC 538); and o Wet Saltmarsh (EVC 9). There are four Ramsar wetland types within the Wetlands. In order of dominance, these are: Ts - Seasonal / intermittent freshwater marshes/pools on inorganic soils; Ss - Seasonal/intermittent saline/brackish/alkaline marshes/pools; Xf - Freshwater, tree-dominated wetlands; P - Seasonal/ intermittent freshwater lakes (Quinn et al. 2016). Review of EES for the Level Crossings near Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands ..4 In Ramsar Sites, the major value of the site, and the triggers for EPBC Act referrals, are determined by the ecological character of the Site and this is defined by the listing criteria and the Critical Components, Processes and Services (CPS) identified for the Site. Hale and Butcher (2017) updated the Ecological Character Description with the CPS and the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) for the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands Ramsar Site, which are now used to assess any changes to ecological character at all Ramsar Sites (Table 1). Table 1. The Critical Components, Processes and Services (CPS) and Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) for the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands Ramsar Site (these were all meet in 2016; Hale and Butcher 2017). Critical CPS Limit of Acceptable Change Physical habitat for Wetland habitat that comprises open water, emergent native waterbirds vegetation (sedges, rushes and reeds) and exposed mudflats. Waterbird diversity Abundance of waterbirds will not decline below the following and abundance (calculated as a rolling five-year average of maximum annual count): o Total waterbirds – 2500 o Migratory waders – 900 o Australasian waders - 125 o Ducks - 650 o Fishers - 200 o Large wading birds - 100 o Herbivores – 450 Abundance of sharp-tailed sandpiper will not decline below 0.5% of the population as stated in the most recent Wetlands International population estimate (based on a five-year rolling average of annual maximum counts). Waterbird breeding Breeding of the following species at least once every five years: o Black swan o Blue-billed duck o Chestnut teal o Dusky moorhen o Purple swamphen o Swamp harrier Threatened species: Presence of Australasian bittern in at least three out of every five birds years. Presence of curlew sandpiper in at least one out of every five years. 2 This represents 3.9% of the 2016 population estimate of Hansen et al. (2016). Discussion: The following discussion examines