AN INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE OPTIONS IN THE BURDEKIN CATCHMENT FINAL REPORT To Department of Natural Resources – Regional Infrastructure Development Program, North Region Report 99/29 December 1999 Prepared by: Damien W. Burrows With Contributions by: Dr. Brad Pusey (River Research Pty. Ltd.) – aquatic fauna and ecosystems Garry Werren (ACTFR) – vegetation/fauna for BFD/Broken River Kerry Walsh (ACTFR) – vegetation for BFD and Broken River Alex Kutt (ACTFR) – vegetation and fauna for Mt. Douglas Russell Cumming (EPA) – upper Burdekin vegetation Dr. Martin Cohen (EPA) – upper Burdekin fauna Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research James Cook University, Qld. 4811 Phone: (07) 47814262 Fax: (07) 47815589 Email: [email protected] Environmental Scoping Study – Burdekin Dams ACTFR Report 99/29 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................1 2.0 THE BURDEKIN CATCHMENT ......................................................................................2 2.1 VARIABILITY OF WATER FLOWS IN THE BURDEKIN CATCHMENT ........................................2 2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EXISTING BURDEKIN FALLS DAM..........................2 3.0 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY....................................................................................5 4.0 THE REMAINING DAM OPTIONS .................................................................................8 4.1 UPPER BURDEKIN SUB-CATCHMENT ...................................................................................8 4.2 BELYANDO-SUTTOR SUB-CATCHMENT ...............................................................................9 4.3 BOWEN/BROKEN SUB-CATCHMENT.....................................................................................9 4.4 LOWER BURDEKIN .............................................................................................................10 5.0 VEGETATION AND TERRESTRIAL FAUNA ASSESSMENT..................................11 5.1 VEGETATION ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................11 5.2 PLANT SPECIES OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE ............................................................12 5.3 TERRESTRIAL FAUNA ASSESSMENT ...................................................................................14 6.0 AQUATIC FAUNA AND ECOSYSTEMS.......................................................................17 6.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE ECOLOGY OF FISHES IN THE BURDEKIN RIVER .......17 6.1.1 Species Complement and Distribution......................................................................17 6.1.2 Flow Related Changes to Fish Populations .............................................................18 6.1.3 Reproductive Styles and Spawning Phenology.........................................................18 6.1.4 Spawning Requirements............................................................................................19 6.1.5 Movement..................................................................................................................19 6.1.6 Larval Habitat...........................................................................................................19 6.1.7 Flow Dependency......................................................................................................20 6.2 ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VARIOUS OPTIONS .......................20 6.2.1 Greenvale..................................................................................................................20 6.2.2 Mt Fullstop and Hells Gates.....................................................................................21 6.2.3 Mt Foxton..................................................................................................................21 6.2.4 Mt Douglas................................................................................................................22 6.2.5 Mt Sugarloaf and Urannah.......................................................................................22 6.2.6 Raising the Burdekin Falls Dam (BFD) ...................................................................23 6.3 OTHER AQUATIC ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH DAM CONSTRUCTION ON THE BURDEKIN RIVER ........................................................................................................................................23 6.3.1 General Issues...........................................................................................................23 6.3.2 Fish Stocking.............................................................................................................25 Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research Page i Environmental Scoping Study – Burdekin Dams ACTFR Report 99/29 7.0 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES .........................................................33 7.1 UPPER BURDEKIN SUB-CATCHMENT .................................................................................33 7.1.1 Greenvale..................................................................................................................35 7.1.2 Mt. Fullstop...............................................................................................................36 7.1.3 Hells Gates................................................................................................................36 7.1.4 Mt. Foxton.................................................................................................................36 7.1.5 Upper Burdekin Irrigation Area ...............................................................................37 7.2 BELYANDO-SUTTOR SUB-CATCHMENT .............................................................................38 7.2.1 Mt. Douglas...............................................................................................................38 7.3 BOWEN/BROKEN SUB-CATCHMENT...................................................................................40 7.3.1 Urannah ....................................................................................................................40 7.3.2 Mt. Sugarloaf............................................................................................................41 7.3.3 Bowen River Irrigation Area ....................................................................................42 7.4 LOWER BURDEKIN SUB-CATCHMENT ................................................................................42 8.0 EVALUATION AGAINST MODSS CRITERIA............................................................46 8.1 NET BIODIVERSITY CHANGE..............................................................................................46 8.2 RARE AND THREATENED ECOSYSTEMS, HABITATS AND TAXA ..........................................47 8.3 RESILIENCE OF IMPACTED ECOSYSTEMS............................................................................48 8.4 ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES ...................................................................................................48 8.5 RIVERINE AND COASTAL FLUVIAL DYNAMICS...................................................................50 8.6 UNIQUENESS OF IMPACTED AREA ......................................................................................52 8.7 CAPACITY TO MANAGE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS .............................................................52 8.8 DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS ....................................................................................................52 8.9 AESTHETICS.......................................................................................................................54 8.10 ON-FARM EFFECTS ........................................................................................................54 9.0 CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................................56 9.1 TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC FLORA AND FAUNA ..............................................................56 9.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MODSS EVALUATION.............................................57 9.3 ASSESSING COMBINATIONS OF OPTIONS AND TOTAL CATCHMENT WATER EXTRACTION .60 9.4 MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION OPTIONS ........................................................................61 9.5 OVERALL CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................64 10.0 RESEARCH NEEDS AND FURTHER WORK..........................................................67 11.0 REFERENCES................................................................................................................69 APPENDIX A List of Regional Ecosystems for Each Potential Impoundment Area APPENDIX B Plant Species Located During Field Survey in Upper Burdekin APPENDIX C Plant Species Located During Field Survey of BFD and Broken River Sites APPENDIX D List of Fauna For Each Potential Impoundment, Held at Qld Museum APPENDIX E Bird Species Located During Field Survey in Upper Burdekin APPENDIX F Bird Species Located During Field Survey of BFD and Broken River Sites APPENDIX G Fauna Habitat Assessment Notes for BFD and Broken River Sites Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research Page ii Environmental Scoping Study – Burdekin Dams ACTFR Report 99/29 EXECUTIVE