What is a translucent flow? Environment and Heritage, as well as water Lachlan long-term monitoring site monitoring long-term Lachlan Environmental water use used for irrigation and domestic purposes. , NSW-listed threatened threatened NSW-listed , Conservation Act 1999 Act Conservation Under the state rules that govern management of Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Biodiversity and Protection Environmental the also important to maintain the common common the maintain to important also Depending on river operating rules, flow in the Lachlan to date water in the regulated Lachlan river, if a certain that support nationally threatened species under under species threatened nationally support that Lachlan River and Willandra Creek. It is is It Creek. Willandra and River Lachlan constraints and climatic conditions, the amount of water (250,000 ML since 1 January of Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder floodplains and wetlands particularly, to those sites sites those to particularly, wetlands and floodplains of vegetation communities in, or near, the the near, or in, communities vegetation of Delivery of held environmental water into each year) flows into the Wyangala Dam over the can agree to: partners to improve connections between rivers, rivers, between connections improve to partners Maintain and prevent any further decline decline further any prevent and Maintain period 15 May to 15 November, water from in partnership with state and local delivery delivery local and state with partnership in this region is planned and managed by ■ use water to meet identified environmental waterbirds found throughout the Basin. the throughout found waterbirds tributaries is allowed to flow the length of the river, Commonwealth environmental flows are designed designed are flows environmental Commonwealth the Commonwealth Environmental Water demands region, which are important habitats for for habitats important are which region, or a volume is released down the river from Holder and New South Wales Office of woodland, blackbox woodland and lignum. lignum. and woodland blackbox woodland, on the shrublands in the Lower Lachlan Lachlan Lower the in shrublands the on storage. This is called a translucent flow and is a ■ hold on to the water and carry it over for feature areas of valuable river red gum forest and and forest gum red river valuable of areas feature lignum communities particularly focusing focusing particularly communities lignum Environment and Heritage in consultation type of planned environmental water event that is use in the next water year (‘carryover’) endangered silver perch. These wetlands also also wetlands These perch. silver endangered Maintain and improve the condition of of condition the improve and Maintain with local land and water managers and intended to restore natural medium to high flows, ■ trade (sell water or buy in another a range of native fish including the critically critically the including fish native of range a communities, as part of Murray-Darling seasonality, and flow variability. Translucent flows catchment) for equal or greater increased numbers of young trees. trees. young of numbers increased painted snipe, osprey and blue-billed duck, and and duck, blue-billed and osprey snipe, painted are an important contributor to the health of the environmental benefit. with improvements to condition including including condition to improvements with Basin Plan implementation. straw-necked ibis, glossy ibis and egrets, Australian Australian egrets, and ibis glossy ibis, straw-necked Lachlan catchment because water from tributary gum and blackbox communities, along along communities, blackbox and gum wetlands provide habitat for birds including including birds for habitat provide wetlands inflows is generally richer in nutrients than water Maintain the current extent of river red red river of extent current the Maintain In recent years, high natural flows and large-scale region’s river system, floodplains, swamps and and swamps floodplains, system, river region’s released from the dams. environmental watering events have improved the unique native animals, plants, birds and fish. The The fish. and birds plants, animals, native unique conditions in the lower Lachlan catchment. In throughout the Valley to support the region’s many many region’s the support to Valley the throughout not fill the river or go over the bank. the over go or river the fill not 2015-16, conditions were moderate due to above Environmental water is delivered to key locations locations key to delivered is water Environmental of the river beyond the base flow, but does does but flow, base the beyond river the of average rainfall. However, the catchment has Commonwealth 36.02 GL A fresh event describes an increase in levels levels in increase an describes event fresh A generally experienced persistent dry conditions of Commonwealth and practices. practices. and since 2013. environmental water environmental water was used in activities and Aboriginal cultural values values cultural Aboriginal and activities the Lachlan Valley events. In 2015-16 an in-channel fresh was planned and supply agriculture, tourism and recreational recreational and tourism agriculture, in 2015-16. experiencing more bank-full and ‘fresh’ ‘fresh’ and bank-full more experiencing initiated targeting the Great Cumbung Swamp supply for domestic water use, diverse diverse use, water domestic for supply Maintain base river flows, with the region region the with flows, river base Maintain using NSW and Commonwealth environmental The water acquired by the Australian natural waterways are a source of water water of source a are waterways natural water. During this event, high natural flows triggered 26.25 Watering Strategy Watering Government, including through and rich natural environments. Its Its environments. natural rich and the translucent flow rules of the Lachlan Regulated 142.28 GL under the Basin-wide Environmental Environmental Basin-wide the under investment in more efficient irrigation The Lachlan Valley contains diverse diverse contains Valley Lachlan The River Water Sharing plan, and the environmental GL Summary of longer-term outcomes outcomes longer-term of Summary infrastructure and other measures, 26.25GL of communities. communities. water action was suspended to allow passage of Commonwealth genetic diversity and health of their their of health and diversity genetic the translucent flow. At the completion of the enables the Commonwealth wetlands. Approximately environmental Murray-Darling Basin Plan). Plan). Basin Murray-Darling areas and improve the age ranges, ranges, age the improve and areas translucent flow, the Commonwealth and NSW Environmental Water Holder to help 142.28 GL of water was the of implementation the of (part encourage fish to move between between move to fish encourage environmental water action was resumed to allow carried over floodplains and and floodplains bring back some of the river flows Commonwealth Basin-wide Environmental Watering Strategy Strategy Watering Environmental Basin-wide for use in Create the right conditions that that conditions right the Create for a slower recession phase to minimise the risk of environmental water needed to restore and protect the 2016–17 environmental outcomes as outlined in the the in outlined as outcomes environmental bank slumping and black water. When the was used in the the health of our rivers, rivers, our of health the by supporting breeding opportunities. breeding supporting by natural system throughout the Basin’s Lachlan working toward the achievement of of achievement the toward working combination of held environmental water and between and increase abundance of waterbirds waterbirds of abundance increase and irrigation districts. 2010-11 and 2015-16. We are also also are We . 1994 Act Management Fisheries dedicated to improving improving to dedicated translucent flow reached the end of the system it Maintain the current species diversity diversity species current the Maintain and endangered populations under the under populations endangered and spread through the Great Cumbung Swamp, Commonwealth environmental water often To date, there have been no specific 1995 Act Conservation Species Threatened plant) in the Great Cumbung Swamp. Cumbung Great the in plant) Environmental water is is water Environmental wetting over 9000 hectares and providing signals for complements natural events and environmental requirements for sale or purchase of the under communities and species reed and Cumbungi (a semi-aquatic semi-aquatic (a Cumbungi and reed native fish and waterbird breeding. water provided by New South Wales Office of Commonwealth environmental water in the Lachlan Valley. Please contact your local engagement officer, The Commonwealth Environmental Our partners Erin Lenon, to learn more about our work or offer Water Holder acknowledges suggestions for the use of environmental water Australia’s traditional owners and The best approaches to environmental locally. water management involve local respects their continued connection T: 1800 803 772 Commonwealth Environmental Water Office knowledge and the latest science. to water, land and community. E: [email protected] Erin Lenon Local engagement officer – Leeton, We pay our respects to them and W: www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo Commonwealth environmental water is New South Wales RESTORING AND PROTECTING THE planned, delivered and managed in partnership their cultures and to their elders both @theCEWH P: 02