Oral Presentation Australian Freshwater Sciences Society Conference 2022

Monitoring Ecological Outcomes of Environmental Flows: Lateral connectivity (#24)

Jessica Heath 1 , Rachael Thomas 1
  1. Department of Planning and Environment, Jordan Springs, NSW, Australia

Monitoring ecological outcomes of wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin (NSW) has been undertaken by DPE EHG as part of the Environmental Water Management Program. Core wetlands monitored include the Gwydir Wetlands, Macquarie Marshes, Lower Lachlan, Lower Murrumbidgee Floodplain, and the Mid-Murray (Millewa Forest only). Key themes monitored include flows and connectivity (inundation), wetland vegetation, waterbirds and other species (frogs). Environmental flows are designed to increase and maintain inundation extents across the selected floodplain wetlands to create diverse aquatic habitats for various frog, fish and water bird species. Inundation extent and distribution is monitored as an indicator of lateral connectivity in the wetlands, with inundation patterns being spatially variable across the landscape. Environmental flows have successfully increased lateral connectivity between wetlands, with inundation reaching new areas across the landscape which have not been witnessed prior to environmental flows. This hydrological connectivity has also inundated a mosaic of habitat types across these wetlands and have likely to of provided opportunities for biotic movement and dispersal in each system. Preliminary assessment of floodplain vegetation inundated using long term inundation data (5-10 years) is demonstrating that wetlands are on track to meet their long-term ecological water requirements. Environmental flows will continue to be managed within these systems to ensure the required inundation regimes are met and Long Term Water Plan (LTWP) objectives are achieved.