Department for Environment and Heritage Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Region Estuaries Information Package Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Region - Estuaries Information Package Page a www.environment.sa.gov.au Contents Overview ...............................................................................................................................................................1 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................3 2. What is an estuary? ..........................................................................................................................................3 3. Estuaries of the AMLR NRM region ..................................................................................................................4 3.1 Estuary classification ..................................................................................................................................4 3.2 Regional NRM Groups ...............................................................................................................................4 3.3 Coastal councils ........................................................................................................................................4 4. Surface water, groundwater and marine areas ...........................................................................................9 4.1 Environmental flows ...................................................................................................................................9 4.2 Groundwater influence.............................................................................................................................9 4.3 Marine bioregions and biounits ...............................................................................................................9 5. Habitats of the AMLR NRM region’s estuaries ..............................................................................................13 5.1 Floodplains ................................................................................................................................................13 5.2 Saltmarshes ...............................................................................................................................................13 5.3 Intertidal mudflats ....................................................................................................................................13 5.4 Mangrove communities ..........................................................................................................................14 5.5 Seagrass communities .............................................................................................................................14 6. Internationally and nationally protected bird species ..............................................................................14 7. Fish of the AMLR NRM region’s estuaries................ .....................................................................................16 8. Other fauna and flora ....................................................................................................................................16 9. Protection arrangements for the AMLR NRM region’s estuaries ................................................................17 9.1 Parks and reserves ...................................................................................................................................17 9.2 Directory of Important Wetlands ...........................................................................................................20 9.3 Register of the National Estate ...............................................................................................................20 10. Cultural assets...............................................................................................................................................22 11. Economic and social regional importance ..............................................................................................24 12. Activities and pressures associated with estuaries of the region ...........................................................25 13. Case studies .................................................................................................................................................30 14. Current management initiatives .................................................................................................................32 15. Future developments ...................................................................................................................................34 16. Potential directions.......................................................................................................................................34 References and relevant reading ....................................................................................................................35 Referenced and recommended websites ......................................................................................................37 Relevant legislation......... ...................................................................................................................................37 Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................................................38 Appendices .......................................................................................................................................................39 Figures Figure 1 The AMLR NRM region and identified estuaries in South Australia ............................................ 1 Figure 2 Estuaries of the AMLR NRM region ................................................................................................. 5 Figure 3 Estuaries located within coastal council areas............................................................................ 8 Figure 4 Groundwater watertable depth and groundwater basins ...................................................... 11 Figure 5 Marine bioregions and biounits ................................................................................................... 12 Figure 6 Habitats within and surrounding estuaries .................................................................................. 15 Figure 7 Conservation areas and aquatic reserves including estuaries .............................................. 19 Figure 8 Aboriginal heritage sites associated with estuaries ................................................................... 23 Figure 9 Activities occurring in and around estuaries .............................................................................. 26 Figure 10 Petroleum, mining and geothermal exploration licences and applications ......................... 27 Tables Table 1 AMLR NRM region estuary classification and size ........................................................................ 6 Table 2 Estuaries and their associated catchment size ........................................................................... 7 Table 3 Environmental flow information ................................................................................................... 10 Table 4 Saltmarshes and mudflats mapped in the National Land and Water Resources Audit ...... 13 Table 5 Protection arrangements and management plans.................................................................. 17 Table 6 Estuaries included in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia .................................. 20 Table 7 Sites including or associated with estuaries in the Register of the National Estate............... 20 Table 8 Some of the infrastructure, activities and issues within estuaries ............................................. 28 Table 9 Current management initiatives .................................................................................................. 32 Appendices Appendix 1 A sample of bird species associated with the AMLR NRM region’s estuaries ....................... 39 Appendix 2 A sample of fish species recorded in the AMLR NRM region’s estuaries ................................ 41 Appendix 3 Criteria for determining important wetlands in Australia.......................................................... 43 Overview The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management region (AMLR NRM region) is one of eight NRM regions within the State (see Figure 1). The region covers nearly 4,000 km2 and includes urban plains, ranges and coast and marine ecosystems. Thirty seven estuaries have been identified in the region. These provide substantial environmental, economic and social values to the community. Environment • The estuaries identified in the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA) are either wave or tide dominated, with the exception of the Onkaparinga River estuary that is river dominated. • Groundwater appears to be a significant input into several of the estuaries. • All of the estuaries and their catchments have been modified to some degree. (eg weirs, dams, channel modifications), impacting environmental flows. • The Gawler River, Port River Barker Inlet and the Onkaparinga River estuaries contain extensive saltmarshes. • The Gawler River estuary and Port