Delivery of Environmental Water by Water For Nature … · Delivery of Environmental Water by Water For Nature Program in the South Australian River Murray Valley 2013-16 October

Delivery of Environmental Water

by Water For Nature Program

in the South Australian River Murray Valley 2013-16

October 2016

Dr Anne Jensen

Environmental Consultant

Environmental Water Delivery 2013-16 Page ii

Acknowledgements

The Water For Nature Program grew from 168 ML in 2013-14 to 3.3 GL in 2015-16 primarily due to the energy,

pragmatic approach and irrigation know-how of CEO Ian Atkinson, Regional Project Managers Craig Ferber and

Matt Turner, generous project partners and sponsors, and the dedication of 186 on-site volunteers.

Data for watering sites Clarks Floodplain, Rilli Reach Stanitskis, Thiele Flat, Loxton Riverfront Reserve and

Ramco River Terrace has been collated and analysed by Dr Anne Jensen as part of the project Ecological

Responses to Environmental Watering in the South Australian River Murray Valley for Australian Water

Environments and SA Water, commenced in March 2015 and due to be completed in June 2017.

The very helpful advice on statistical analysis of data freely given by the late Assoc Prof Keith Walker, member of

the Water For Nature Technical Advisory Panel, is acknowledged gratefully and with deep regret at his untimely

passing in February 2016.

Delivery of Environmental Water by Water For Nature Program


Anne E Jensen Environmental Consultant ABN 34 930 978 273

Photographs by Anne Jensen

Cover photo: Environmental watering at Riversleigh Lagoon, South Australian Riverland in June 2016

Anne E Jensen


Anne E Jensen


Anne E Jensen


Anne E Jensen


Environmental Water Delivery 2013-16 Page iii

Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................... iv

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 1

Regional Hydrological Context ........................................................................................................................... 4

Recent Flood Sequence ................................................................................................................................. 4

Changes to Historic Floodplain Condition ...................................................................................................... 5

Vegetation Condition ...................................................................................................................................... 6

Salinity Impacts .............................................................................................................................................. 6

Location of Watered Sites ................................................................................................................................... 6

Ecological Priorities ............................................................................................................................................ 8

Water Requirements ...................................................................................................................................... 9

Watering for Environmental Outcomes ............................................................................................................. 11

General Ecological Targets for Water For Nature Watering ......................................................................... 11

Methods for Water Delivery .......................................................................................................................... 11

Guidelines for Application Rates .................................................................................................................. 12

Water For Nature Delivery of Environmental Water .......................................................................................... 12

Results from WFN Watering Projects ............................................................................................................... 16

Community Engagement and Support .............................................................................................................. 20

Lessons Learned from WFN Environmental Watering 2013-16 ....................................................................... 21

Future Watering Priorities ............................................................................................................................. 21

Recommendations for Future Monitoring for WFN Projects ............................................................................. 22

Scientific monitoring ..................................................................................................................................... 22

Increase Monitoring Capacity ....................................................................................................................... 23

Investigate Potential Electronic Tools........................................................................................................... 23

Citizen Science ............................................................................................................................................. 23

Social Science .............................................................................................................................................. 23

Appendix 1 List of Water For Nature Habitat Sites and Year Watered ......................................................... 24

Appendix 2 Clarks Floodplain complex and Water For Nature Watering Sub-Sites ...................................... 25

Appendix 3 Calperum Floodplain Complex and WFN/ALT Watering Sub-sites ............................................. 26

Appendix 4 Wetland Complexes and WFN Watering Habitats ...................................................................... 27

Appendix 5 Monitoring Parameters and Watering Objectives for WFN Riverland Sites ................................ 28

Appendix 6 Monitoring Parameters and Watering Objectives for WFN Mid-Murray & Lower Lakes Sites .... 34

Appendix 7 Use of Satellite Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Response .......................................................... 36

Environmental Water Delivery 2013-16 Page iv

Delivery of Environmental Water by Water For Nature Program


Executive Summary Under the Water Act 2007 and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (2013), water is being returned to the environment to mitigate the impacts of over-allocation of water from the river system. Water delivery at multiple South Australian sites is coordinated by Nature Foundation SA (NFSA), which has a 10 GL/y water allocation for 5 years (2012-2017) from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH).

This allocation is managed through NFSA’s Water For Nature initiative and overseen by the Water For Nature committee, which includes landholders, water, policy and ecology professionals, and government representatives. The Water For Nature initiative aims to deliver water effectively for demonstrable environmental, social and economic benefits, creating ‘green assets’.

The Water For Nature watered sites are located in the Lower Murray Valley, from the South Australian border with Victoria downstream to the Lower Lakes. The watering sites are selected from 1100 wetlands in 250 connected complexes along 680 km of the South Australian Murray Valley floodplain. The program works with private landholders, irrigators, community groups & local government on smaller sites to complement larger government watering projects.

The initial watering program in 2008-09 occurred under severe drought conditions, with four sites watered to maintain severely stressed habitats. A sequence of natural floods in 2010-12 ended the drought and restored water supplies on the floodplains, creating a new scenario for environmental watering with a focus on sustaining the benefits of the floods, which had triggered mass germination of key perennial floodplain plants, particularly red gum, black box and lignum. Survival of this new generation will be critical to replace the millions of trees and shrubs lost or seriously stressed during the Millenium drought.

Following the floods, in the period 2013-16, Water For Nature watered a total of 40 sites, starting with just 168 ML delivered to 12 sites in 5 complexes in the 2013-14 water year. This rapidly increased to 1.1 GL delivered to 16 sites in 10 complexes in 2014-15, and in the 2015-16 Water Year, Water For Nature delivered a grand total of 3.3 GL at 35 project sites in 20 complexes, totalling 4.57 GL over the three years. This report provides an overview of the watering projects in 2013-16 and observed responses to the application of environmental water.

Watering projects in the Lower Murray Valley in South Australia are limited by the need to lift water 2-3 m out of the river channel onto floodplain sites during normal regulated flows. There are only limited opportunities for gravity-fed flows, around mainstream weirs and structures on backwaters. It was found that irrigation techniques, including sprinklers, often were the most effective methods for delivering water to scattered seedlings and target sites.

The majority of opportunities for environmental watering by the Water For Nature program in 2013-16 aimed to sustain floodplain vegetation. There were fewer opportunities to flood temporary wetlands to provide habitat for waterbirds, fish, frogs or macroinvertebrates, although many micro-habitats were created within the vegetation communities, and some sites met multiple targets.

The watering projects covered 27 different types of ecological targets, ranging from black box and red gum seedlings to lignum shrubland, food sources and roosting sites for waterbirds, and mature red gum and black box woodland, and 12 types of habitats, such as elevated floodplain, flood-runners, temporary wetlands, incised floodplain creeks and shallow lagoons. A primary focus was on sustaining the mass germination of black box seedlings following the 2011 flood peak, with flows reaching 93,000 ML/d and inundating black box communities at intermediate elevations on the Lower Murray floodplain.

Environmental Water Delivery 2013-16 Page v

At 18 sites, watering improved the health of mature vegetation to provide reproduction and recruitment opportunities for riparian native vegetation (particularly river red gum, black box, lignum, shrubs and groundcovers). At 24 sites, watering supported and maintained black box and red gum juvenile regeneration from the 2010-12 floods. At five sites, flood watering filled temporary wetlands and provided improved habitat for waterbirds to assist maintenance of their abundance and diversity.

At watered sites floodplain vegetation showed significantly greater rates of growth and volumes of crops (buds, flowers and fruit containing seed) in mature trees, and stronger recovery from drought stress. Watered seedlings tended to be more than twice as tall as non-watered seedlings, while both groups were showing high survival rates. The background condition of vegetation communities across the floodplains improved due to the effects of the 2010-2012 series of flood events and heavy summer rainfall events in 2012 and 2014, although there was a drop in mature tree canopy condition in all trees during a hot dry period in summer 2015-16. Watered sites showed consistently higher canopy condition scores compared to non-watered sites.

Initial data from monitoring since March 2015 suggest that the primary response in healthy mature eucalypts to watering is increased growth rates and crop volumes of leaves, buds, flowers and fruit, and without a change in the natural timing of crops. In stressed mature eucalypts, there is an immediate response of epicormic leaf growth, where leaves grow directly from main branches, rather than from the tips. If the tree continues to access adequate water without further stress, the epicormic growth will gradually convert to normal tip growth in the following season, and the tree can develop a new canopy and produce buds within 2-3 years.

Selected sites have been monitored from March 2015 in a project sub-contracted to Australian Water Environments to monitor ecological responses to environmental watering within floodplain areas protected by Salinity Interception Schemes, and the data has been made available to Water For Nature. Data collected are designed to determine the key timing for watering to coincide with maximum seed fall, to confirm the working hypothesis that flowering and seed fall at Riverland sites occurs in summer months for red gums and most black box, while some individual black box trees flower in winter months. Initial results confirmed the expected pattern of mostly summer flowering for both red gum and black box. However, results from June 2016 found many black box trees in vigorous flower, departing from previous patterns, so further monitoring is required to confirm flowering timing (and thus timing of maximum seed fall).

Natural thinning has been observed in one marked quadrat of dense river red gum seedlings, although the remaining stand of saplings is still relatively dense (Plate 2). The primary response in lignum to watering has been growth of vertical branches, with only limited production of leaves and flowers. Non-watered lignum has remained mostly dormant.

Wetland sites which were filled showed rapid responses, with frogs and waterbirds arriving within days, and aquatic plants developing within weeks. At one site filled via irrigation pipes, a pelican was observed fishing successfully for more than 40 minutes, indicating that fish do survive the pumping process. No sites had any indication of issues with salinization or displacement of salt.

Delivery of these projects was made possible by the support of 186 volunteers, in-kind support and funding groups. These range from individual landholders, irrigators groups such as Pike River Land Management Group and Bookpurnong Lock 4 Environmental Association, Renmark Irrigation Trust, Central Irrigation Trust, community groups Loxton Landcare and Riverland West Landcare, indigenous groups at Raukkan and Mannum, District Councils of Renmark-Paringa and Loxton-Waikerie, and volunteer members of the Water For Nature Committee. A strong partnership has been developed with DEWNR staff, and the CEWO Local Engagement Officer. Support funding for project management and equipment during 2013-16 has been provided by grants from James N Kirby Foundation, John T Reid Charitable Trust, Thyne Reid Foundation, West End Community Fund, as well as funding from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to support delivery costs.

Environmental Water Delivery 2013-16 Page vi

Plate 1 Riversleigh Lagoon had been dry since April 2012, with flood-generated seedlings from 2011 dying along the outer edge of the lagoon, shown on 11 January 2016 (left); Riversleigh Lagoon began filling with environmental water on 15 January, photo taken on 24 January 2016 (right)

Plate 2 Watered red gum seedlings which germinated after 2011 flood peak grew from 20-30 cm tall in March 2012 (left)

to 4 m tall and self-thinned by September 2016 (right) in Clarks Floodplain main red gum flood-runner site

Environmental Water Delivery 2013-16 Page 1

Introduction Under the Water Act 2007 and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (2013), water is being returned to the environment to mitigate the impacts of over-allocation of water from the river system. Water delivery at multiple South Australian sites is coordinated by Nature Foundation SA (NFSA), which has a 10 GL/y water allocation for 5 years (2012-2017) from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH). This allocation is managed through NFSA’s Water For Nature initiative, and overseen by the Water For Nature committee which includes landholders, water, policy and ecology professionals, and government representatives.

The Water For Nature initiative aims to deliver water effectively for demonstrable environmental, social and economic benefits, creating ‘green assets’. The program works with private landholders, irrigators, community groups & local government on smaller sites to complement larger government watering projects (Figure 1). SA Water is a key partner in on-ground delivery of water.

The initial watering program in 2008-09 occurred under severe drought conditions, with four sites watered to maintain severely stressed habitats. A sequence of natural floods in 2010-12 ended the drought and restored water supplies on the floodplains, creating a new scenario for environmental watering with a focus on sustaining the benefits of the floods, which had triggered mass germination of key perennial floodplain plants, particularly red gum, black box and lignum. Survival of this new generation will be critical to replace the millions of trees and shrubs lost or seriously stressed during the Millenium drought.

Following the floods, in the period 2013-16, Water For Nature has watered a total of 40 sites, starting with 168 GL delivered to 13 sites in the 2013-14 water year. This increased to 1.1 GL delivered to 16 sites in the following year, and in the 2015-16 Water Year, Water For Nature delivered 3.3 GL at 35 project sites, giving a total of 4.56 GL over three years (Figure 2).

The Water For Nature watered sites are located in the Lower Murray Valley, from the South Australian border with Victoria downstream to the Lower Lakes (Figure 3). This report provides an overview of the watering projects in 2013-16 and observed responses to the application of environmental water.

Figure 2 Exponential growth of environmental watering sites and volume of environmental water delivered by the Water For Nature program in 2013-16

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Nature Foundation SA Delivery of Environmental Water

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SA River Murray Valley

1100 wetlands in 250 complexes

Government Priorities

managed by government agencies

3 Living Murray icon sites

major projects include Pike-Mundic, Katfish Reach,

Chowilla regulator, weir pool manipulation of

instream water regime and 30 connected wetlands,

40 temporary wetland sites watered

Environmental Watering Priorities

Complementary NFSA Priorities

100s of wetlands would benefit from environmental watering

NFSA selection criteria – willing landholders, capacity, feasibility,

ecological watering requirements to support regeneration, recovery of stressed

ecosystems, increased biodiversity and improved habitat condition

-- building on 35 wetland sites watered across 20 complexes in 2015-16

Figure 1 Water For Nature watering projects complement larger agency projects and target some of the 1100 wetlands in the South Australian Murray Valley which have been affected by changed water regimes and reduced water availability


MURRAY BRIDGE

SWAN REACH

BLANCHETOWN

MORGAN

WAIKERIE

LOXTON

BERRI

RENMARK

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Figure 3 Sampling sites are located on the Lower River Murray Floodplain, South Australia, ranging from the Chowilla floodplain near the South Australian border, through the Riverland and mid-Murray to the Lower Lakes

aquatic habitat


Regional Hydrological Context

The slow-flowing, turbid River Murray flows more than 2300 km from the Australian Alps through semi-arid lowlands to the Murray Mouth in South Australia. The river meanders through a broad valley up to 10 km wide from the border for 375 km downstream to Overland Corner, and then is contained within a narrow gorge 1-2 km wide (the Murray Trench) for 220 km to Wellington, before discharging into Lake Alexandrina and eventually reaching the sea through a series of five barrages between barrier islands.

The Lower Murray Valley from Mildura to the river mouth in South Australia is fully regulated by a series of weirs, as well as five barrages excluding seawater near the mouth. The impact of river regulation, coupled with extensive upstream storages and high levels of water diversions have had major impacts on the flow regime, with very significant reductions in flood frequencies, duration and extent of inundation of floodplains. Environmental impacts have included serious decline in vegetation condition and lack of regeneration, and environmental watering aims to address these problems.

These impacts were exacerbated by the severe Millenium drought from 2000 to 2010, with extensive die-back and death of millions of mature red gums and black box trees along more than 700 km of the Murray Valley.

Recent Flood Sequence

A sequence of flood peaks 2010-2012 dramatically altered conditions on the Murray Valley floodplain, ending 14 years without inundation and 10 years of severe drought conditions (Figures 4 & 5). Flows peaked in September 2010, rising again to a high peak in February 2011at 93,000 ML/d, followed by a further medium peak in April 2012. The unusually late timing of the latter two peaks meant that the floodplain did not dry out for 18 months, and very significant germination occurred. Summer rainfall peaks in 2012 and 2014 supported survival of seedling plants.

Figure 4 Inflows to the River Murray catchment including the flood flows of 2010-2012; the blue line indicates the long term average pattern of flows in the upper section of the river valley, with any flood peak normally occurring in spring. Extreme low flows occurred during the Millenium drought from 2000 to mid-2010, with the very lowest flows in 2006. A series of flood peaks broke the drought, with peaks in September and December 2010, February 2011 and April 2012.


Of particular interest is the mass germination of black box (Eucalyptus largiflorens) at multiple locations in the South Australian Murray Valley, the first significant regeneration event since the early 1990s and perhaps with the best chance of surviving to maturity since the 1955-56 floods.

Black box trees mark the outer limits of the floodplains of the Murray-Darling Basin, in locations naturally flooded once every 5-10 years. Successful regeneration of black box is associated with moderate river floods of >80,000 ML per day spreading across the floodplains. Suitable floods occurred in 1931, 1946-47, 1955-56, 1973-75 and 1989-1993, but the most recent surviving mature regeneration dates from the 1955-56 floods.

Changes to Historic Floodplain Condition

Under the Water Act 2007, the agreement to return water to the environment to compensate for changed flow regime acknowledges the impact of river regulation and water abstraction which has reduced over-bank flows and flood events. Over the past 90 years this altered water regime has resulted in lower-lying temporary wetlands becoming permanent, while also greatly reducing watering of higher elevation floodplain and wetland sites, and interrupting connectivity to the mainstream.

Regulated flows since the 1920s and upstream storages which continued to expand into the 1970s have had significant impacts in the Lower Murray Valley downstream of Wentworth, including:

• changed water regime -- flow peaks delayed one month, meaning hotter, drier conditions on floodplain for germination & breeding

• flow peaks much less frequent, shorter duration, less moisture • many wetlands permanently inundated by raised river levels, no longer temporary systems.

These changes in the water regime have had major negative impacts on the riverine and floodplain

ecosystems, including key floodplain plants not recruiting in sufficient numbers or in a full range of habitats, reduced diversity of waterbird, fish and frog species, more introduced and invasive species, and increased numbers of threatened, rare or locally extinct species.

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Figure 5 Daily flows to South Australia from August 2007 to November 2013, showing the last years of the severe drought period, followed by the series of peaks from September 2010 to September 2012. In South Australia, the peak in February 2011 was the highest, at 93,000 ML/d.


Vegetation Condition

A major impact of the changed water regime is the reduced frequency of flooding on the River Murray floodplain, which has caused very serious decline and death of floodplain vegetation. After fourteen years (1996-2010) without their key water source from flooding, river red gum and black box trees (Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. largiflorens) were stressed and dying. Mature red gums on the floodplain require inundation of the floodplain every 2-3 years, while black box can endure up to10 years without flooding, if there is local rainfall. During the drought years, lignum (Duma florulenta) was in a dormant state, with large areas of lignum communities appearing to be dead. These three species are the primary deep-rooted perennials of floodplain vegetation, and they are key indicators of ecosystem health.

Since the floods of 2010-2012, there has been significant regeneration of all three species, but it is patchy and its survival to reproductive age is dependent on continuing availability of water. Its value is heightened by the previous failure of regeneration which germinated following floods in the 1990s. It has become apparent that black box in particular has not had significant recruitment (survival to maturity) since 1956. There are few data to assess the status of lignum populations and their rate of recruitment. Red gum regeneration has occurred in association with previous flood events, but it occurs primarily at low elevations, particularly on river sand bars and along floodplain creeks, and there is almost no recruitment which could lead to the survival of scattered large spreading red gums on mid-level elevations on the floodplain.

Salinity Impacts

The Murray groundwater basin stores a very high volume of accumulated salt, and the River Murray is the natural drainage outlet for this salt to travel to the ocean. Water management actions and irrigation activities have mobilised significant quantities of this salt store and accelerated its movement towards the River. Salinity management has been a priority since the 1968 drought, when salinity levels exceeded the tolerance of salt-sensitive irrigated crops. Salinity interception schemes have been installed since the early 1980s to intercept and divert saline groundwater at a series of points along the length of the River in Victoria and South Australia.

The installation of these schemes has had the additional benefit of reducing the accumulation of salt on floodplains, thus improving the potential for recovery where environmental watering is applied to a floodplain protected by an adjacent salt interception scheme (SIS). While native floodplain plants have high tolerance for salinity, they cannot survive extended periods without fresh water, or with only extremely saline water as their only water source. Sites with rising groundwater levels and reduced fresh water flows have seen significant decline and death of floodplain vegetation.

Many of the Water For Nature environmental watering sites are protected by SIS projects, creating an opportunity to improve availability of fresh water in the root zones of mature trees and to increase the chances of seedlings surviving to maturity.

Location of Watered Sites

The watered sites are located on the Lower River Murray floodplain in South Australia (Figures 2 & 6). The flagship site at Clarks Floodplain (500 ha), near Weir No 4 (at river distance 511 km), has 8 watering locations and 17 watering sub-sites which have been watered since February 2013 according to seasonal conditions and environmental requirements. Water For Nature identified the Lock 4–Loxton reach as a coordinated group of sites, with a series of watering sites on the eastern floodplain of the River Murray Valley between Weir No 4 at Bookpurnong and the town of Loxton, located on sections of floodplain which are held in both public and private ownership (Figure 6). Environmental watering on these sites complements watering on the much larger government-funded Katfish Reach project on the western floodplain from Berri to Loxton.

Sites in the Murray gorge downstream of Overland Corner include Yarra Creek near Woolpunda, Ramco River Terrace downstream of Waikerie, and Riversleigh Lagoon downstream of Weir No 2. One site is at Teringie on Lake Alexandrina, and two sites have commenced in the mid-Murray reach near Swan Reach.


Clarks Floodplain

Rilli Reach

Rilli Lagoons

Thiele Flat

Loxton Riverfront Reserve

Figure 6 Water For Nature watering sites on the eastern bank of the River Murray, from Lock 4 at Bookpurnong downstream to Loxton township

WFN Environmental Water Delivery 2013-16 Page 8

Ecological Priorities

In 2010-2012, natural high flows provided relief from drought conditions, and triggered mass germination of red gum and black box seedlings (Figures 7 & 8) and vegetative and seedling growth in lignum (Figure 9). The coincidence of floods, the late timing of peaks and timely summer rainfall have all combined to support survival of most of these seedlings into 2015 (Jensen 2014). Their continued survival and growth is conditional on continued availability of relatively fresh water.

The flood flows reversed the decline in vegetation health but the river ecosystem is still far from recovered. The trees which died in the Millenium drought cannot be saved, but the mass germination of seedlings from the floods in 2010-2012 can be nurtured to ensure their survival to reproductive age and maturity, so that they can replace the dead trees and the missing age classes.

Black box regeneration triggered by the flood peak in February 2011 is particularly valuable, given the lack of surviving black box regeneration from the floods in the 1970s and 1990s. Many areas of black box on the outer floodplain did not get flooded in 2011, so the survival of the regeneration within the area inundated is even more important.

Figure 7 Watering site in red gum regeneration at Thiele Flat, Loxton (October 2015)

Figure 8 Watered black box seedlings at Thiele Flat, Loxton (October 2015)


Water Requirements

The water requirements of river red gums and black box have been identified from a range of sources and are summarised in Figures 10 and 11 (Jensen et al. 2008a,b, Telfer et al. 2015). The recommended water regimes are based on the natural hydrological cycle which delivered flood peaks to the Lower Murray Valley in late spring-early summer.

However, other factors to take into account include the pre-existing degree of water stress and tree health, antecedent conditions and likelihood of long term damage if water is not applied. Recent research has supplied some key information about the trigger points for stress and decline, for example more than five years without water for red gums from research by CSIRO on red gum watering at Yanga near Balranald (Baldwin et al., 2013, Wen et al., 2010). Watering trials for black box by DEWNR at Markaranka and Gerard in the SA Riverland have demonstrated the need for serial watering for 3 years or more to sustain improvement in condition (S. Gehrig, SARDI, T. Doody, CSIRO, pers comm, 2015).

Medium term watering cycles for red gum and black box are outlined in Figures 9 and 10, depending on the current health of the target trees, and the stage of the phenological cycle (buds, flowers or fruit) (Jensen et al. 2007). Lignum has been observed to flower profusely in response to above-average rain in spring, while its first priority in response to available water is vigorous vegetative growth (Figure 9; Jensen 2008, Jensen et al. 2006), so watering for lignum is recommended from early spring.

Waterholes and wetland water bodies would naturally have filled with high river flows, so these should also be filled in late spring-early summer, maintaining appropriate water levels for at least 8-10 weeks to support the life cycles of plants and aquatic animals. Watering to support frog species should be sustained until early December to allow metamorphosis of tadpoles (I. Wegener, DEWNR, pers comm. 2016).

Timing and duration of watering events should be keyed to the desired ecological objectives, whether for improving and sustaining health of existing mature trees and plants, or sustaining existing seedlings and saplings, or generating new germination of seedlings

The potential risk of increased numbers of carp can be managed by a combination of measures. Where possible, watering should be avoided which results in shallow inundation of grassy areas in October, to reduce the risk of mass carp spawning. Carp are unlikely to transfer into a wetland if water is pumped. Any carp which do enter a temporary wetland will be subject to predation from birds, and can be eliminated by a drying cycle before they reach breeding age at 2 years.

Figure 9 Lignum vegetative shoots growing from root nodes following 2011 floods (June 2012)


SA Riverland Mature River Red

Gum

Degraded woodland

Water in summer for 2 years, to generate seed, then 3 years to

support seedlings, then 1 in 2 y for 8 years for recovery

of mature trees

If seedlings present, water every

summer for 3 years or until established

Healthy woodland

Water to maintain health 1 in 3 y (including any natural floods)

If seedlings present, water every

summer for 3 years

Figure 10 WFN Guidelines for watering river red gum communities in the Lower Murray Valley

SA Riverland Mature Black Box

Degraded woodland

Water in summer for 2 years, to generate seed, then 3 years to

support seedlings, then 1 in 3 y for 9 years for recovery

of mature trees

If seedlings present, water

every summer for 3 years or until

established

Healthy woodland

Water to maintain health 1

in 5y (including any natural floods)

If seedlings present, water

every summer for 3 years

Figure 1 WFN Guidelines for watering black box communities in the Lower Murray Valley Figure 11 WFN Guidelines for watering black box communities in the Lower Murray Valley


Watering for Environmental Outcomes

Water For Nature is focused on maintaining natural regeneration and increasing survival rates of seedlings. Successful recruitment is defined as survival of seedlings to maturity, with capacity for reproduction. For example, river red gums need to be 10-20 years old before producing seed.

Environmental watering actions are designed to maintain the health of mature trees, with watering to boost flowering and seed crops (usually summer, but monitoring is required to confirm timing of flowering in order to set timing of watering). Targets include watering to:

• maintain minimum soil moisture in the unsaturated zone to support growth of seedlings (red gum, black box, lignum) until tap roots reach subsurface water sources (water through 2 summers)

• maintain pools of water long enough to complete life cycles in aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates, frogs, fish and waterbirds (8-10 weeks)

• replenish freshwater lenses over saline groundwater and flush accumulated salt out of soil in unsaturated zone above groundwater

• maintain healthy mature trees and shrubs to produce high volumes of seed.

General Ecological Targets for Water For Nature Watering

Annual watering regimes are selected from the following range of options, as appropriate to the site requirements, flow conditions in the river and feasibility of delivery.

Water to sustain regeneration at higher elevations

Water sites above 50,000 ML/d contour with reduced chance of future flooding in November-December, , to

sustain existing regeneration, especially regeneration triggered by 2010-2012 floods

Water for recovery of stressed mature trees and to promote new seed

Water in spring growth season to support mature buds, flowering and development of fruit1

Water to trigger new germination

Water to trigger new germination in areas with mature trees but lacking in seedlings – water when trees

have mature fruit crops1

Water to sustain regeneration triggered by WFN watering in previous year

Monitor survival rates in any regeneration triggered by WFN, water to sustain as needed

Fill Flood-runners

Fill suitable flood-runners and hold water for 2-3 months in spring to early summer, to replenish shallow

water tables, sustain existing germination and trigger new germination.

Fill wetland water-bodies

Fill wetlands and maintain appropriate water levels for 2-3 months in spring to early summer, to provide

temporary aquatic habitat, trigger growth of aquatic plants and animals, support frog breeding and provide

food sources for waterbirds.

Methods for Water Delivery

The aim of environmental watering is to simulate conditions created by minor floods, which no longer occurred due to the effects of river regulation. However, the River Murray in South Australia is fully regulated, controlled by a series of weirs from Mildura to the barrages at the Murray Mouth. This situation presents a particular challenge for delivery of environmental water to sites not connected to the river at pool level, as watering requires lifting water out of the river channel onto the floodplain. Very few sites in South Australia can be filled by gravity-fed flows, and these are limited to sites which can utilise the artificial head created by weirs in the mainstream or control structures on backwaters.

1 Initial monitoring results confirmed that flowering and seed fall at Riverland sites occurs in summer months for red gums,

and mostly in summer months for black box but some individuals flower in winter months; results from June 2016 found many black box trees in vigorous flower, so further monitoring is required to confirm flowering patterns


Many sites feature broadscale regeneration of black box seedlings under mature woodlands, which are most efficiently watered by sprinkler irrigation. This was the most effective delivery method because the elevated level of the woodlands on the floodplain made flooding impractical or otherwise required significant expenditure on structures to contain water at target sites. Drip irrigation would not have been effective because of the need to fill the unsaturated soil zone to 1.5 m depth, to wet large areas of the soil surface (to encourage seed germination) and the need to limit delivery costs.

The combination of pumps and sprinklers requires energy and incurs significant costs for electricity or diesel fuel to run pumps, as well as extra energy required for pressurised irrigation at most sites (Figure 12). Additional manpower is required to relocate sprinklers across sites. While these topographic and practical limitations increase the costs of delivery of environmental water in South Australia, all projects have been managed to achieve maximum environmental benefit from water applied.

Guidelines for Application Rates

Practical experience has led to the development of general guidelines for application rate, to ensure maximum penetration of water into the unsaturated zone and to enhance benefits of natural rainfall and flood events:

apply water as required at each site to maintain adequate soil moisture in the unsaturated zone and flush

any accumulated salts down through the soil profile (to 1.5m)

adjust rates according to soil type, transmissivity and absorption capacity, to avoid run-off and maximise

storage in soil profile

adjust timing and volume to take account of local rainfall events > 5mm and flood events >30,000 ML/d.

Water For Nature Delivery of Environmental Water

Water For Nature commenced delivery of environmental water in 2008, during the Millenium drought. Four small projects aimed to maintain stressed habitats during the severe drought.

Since 2008, Water For Nature has watered a total of 40 sites, starting with 168 GL delivered to 12 sites in 5 complexes in the 2013-14 water year (Table 1, Figure 13, Appendix 1). This increased to 1.1 GL delivered to 16 sites in 10 complexes in the following year, and in the 2015-16 Water Year, Water For Nature delivered 3.3 GL at 35 project sites in 20 complexes.

The watering projects cover 27 different types of ecological targets (Table 2, Figure 14) and 12 types of habitats (Table 3).

Figure 12 Members of the Raukkan Community operating the pump to water shorebird

habitat at Teringie South on the edge of Lake Alexandrina


Table 1 Volumes of Environmental Water Applied at Water For Nature Sites

site 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Total (ML)

Calperum Station 0.0 277.0 800.0 1077.0

Clarks Floodplain 35.8 329.0 105.5 470.3

Cobdogla 0.0 2.1 0.0 2.1

Gurra Complex Lyrup Lagoon 0.0 0.0 284.0 284.0

Johnsons Waterhole 104.0 91.4 116.5 311.9

Loxton Riverfront Reserve floodplain 0.0 13.3 18.8 32.1

Loxton Riverfront Reserve lagoons 0.0 0.0 30.0 30.0

Mid-Murray Greenways 0.0 0.0 38.6 38.6

Pike Floodplain Warnock/McDonald 0.0 0.0 32.1 32.1

Pike River Duck Hole 0.0 220.0 271.0 491.0

Pike River Mundic Creek 0.0 0.0 115.0 115.0

Pike River Inner Mundic Flood-runner 0.0 0.0 47.0 47.0

Ramco River Terrace 5.0 7.5 0.0 12.5

Rilli Lagoons Westbrooks 0.0 0.0 13.7 13.7

Rilli Reach Stanitskis flood-runners 13.2 17.9 27.2 58.3

Rilli Reach Stanitskis seedlings 9.8 7.2 12.1 29.1

Rilli Reserve 0.0 0.0 2.2 2.2

Riversleigh Lagoon 0.0 0.0 568.9 568.9

Schmitke flood-runner 0.0 0.0 5.0 5.0

Swan Reach Complex Sugar Shack 0.0 0.0 79.5 79.5

Teringie South 0.0 125.0 73.9 198.9

Thiele Flat 0.0 32.6 42.9 75.5

Waikerie Ferry 0.0 0.0 4.8 4.8

Yarra Creek 0.0 0.0 593.2 593.2

Total (ML) 167.8 1123.0 3281.9 4572.7

Figure 13 Filling of Duck Hole wetland on Pike River floodplain in December 2014


Table 2 List of Ecological Targets in Water For Nature Watering Program

Ecological Targets No of sites

1990s black box woodland 2

black box seedlings 7

floodplain shrubland 1

food production for waterbirds 7

fringing black box trees 2

fringing red gum 2

fringing red gum and black box woodland 1

lignum & chenopod shrubland 1

lignum and samphire shrubland 1

lignum shrubland 4

lignum wetland 2

open mature black box woodland 12

red gum & lignum wetland 1

red gum and black box woodland 1

red gum seedlings 4

red gum woodland 2

red gum, lignum and black box woodland 5

roosting & nesting sites for regent parrot 1

ruppia, samphire, shorebird food sources 2

stressed mature black box and seedlings 1

stressed mature red gum and black box woodland 1

stressed mature red gums 4

stressed tall dense black box & red gum woodland 2

tall dense black box & red gum woodland 1

tall dense black box woodland 2

understorey vegetation 2

Total Ecological Target Sites 71

Figure 14 Watering at Loxton Riverfront Reserve has three ecological targets: lignum & floodplain shrubland (with scattered black box), floodplain lagoons, fringing red gum & black box riparian zones


Table 3 List of Habitats in Water For Nature Watering Program

Habitats Watered No of sites

deep cliff lagoon 1

disconnected ephemeral wetland 1

elevated floodplain 19

floodplain lagoon 1

flood-runner 6

incised floodplain creek 1

riparian fringe 7

riparian zone bordering permanent floodplain creek 5

river terrace 4

shallow floodplain creek 2

shallow permanent saline lagoon 1

temporary wetland 9

Total Habitat Sites 57

elevated floodplain, pumped, sprinklers on black box seedlings

incised creek, pumped, flooded for red gum seedlings


Results from WFN Watering Projects

The majority of opportunities for environmental watering by the Water For Nature program in 2013-16 aimed to sustain floodplain vegetation. There were limited opportunities to flood temporary wetlands to provide habitat for waterbirds, fish, frogs or macroinvertebrates, although many micro-habitats were created within the vegetation communities, and some sites met multiple targets.

The watering projects cover 27 different types of ecological targets, ranging from black box and red gum seedlings to lignum shrubland, food sources and roosting sites for waterbirds, and mature red gum and black box woodland, and 12 types of habitats, such as elevated floodplain, flood-runners, temporary wetlands, incised floodplain creeks and shallow lagoons. A primary focus was on sustaining the mass germination of black box seedlings following the 2011 flood peak, with flows reaching 93,000 ML/d and inundating black box communities at intermediate elevations on the Lower Murray floodplain.

At 18 sites, watering achieved the target of improved health of mature vegetation in order to provide reproduction and recruitment opportunities for riparian native vegetation (particularly river red gum, black box, lignum, shrubs and groundcovers). At 24 sites, watering supported and maintained black box and red gum juvenile regeneration from the 2011-12 floods. At five sites, flood watering filled temporary wetlands and provided improved habitat for waterbirds to assist maintenance of their abundance and diversity.

Floodplain vegetation at watered sites showed significantly greater rates of growth and volumes of crops (buds, flowers and fruit containing seed) in mature trees, and stronger recovery from drought stress (Figure 16). Watered seedlings tended to be more than twice as tall as non-watered seedlings, while both groups were showing high survival rates (Figure 17). The background condition of vegetation communities across the floodplains also improved due to the effects of the 2010-2012 series of flood events and heavy summer rainfall events in 2012 and 2014, although there was a drop in mature tree canopy condition during a hot dry period in summer 2015-16 for non-watered sites.

Limited data from monitoring since March 2015 suggest that the primary response in healthy eucalypts to watering is increased growth rates and crop volumes of leaves, buds, flowers and fruit, but without a change in the natural timing of crops. In stressed eucalypts, there is an immediate response of epicormic leaf growth, where leaves grow directly from main branches, rather than from the tips. If the tree continues to access adequate water without further stress, the epicormic growth will gradually convert to normal tip growth in the following season, and the tree can develop a new canopy and produce buds within two years.

Selected sites have been monitored from March 2015 to determine the key timing for watering to coincide with maximum seed fall, to confirm the working hypothesis that flowering and seed fall at Riverland sites occurs in summer months for red gums, and mostly in summer months for black box but some individuals flower in winter months. Initial results confirmed the expected pattern of mostly summer flowering for both red gum and black box. However, results from June 2016 found many black box trees in vigorous flower, departing from previous patterns, so further monitoring is required to confirm flowering timing (and thus timing of maximum seed fall). The new data raise the question of whether this is a recovery from drought stress and a return to a ‘normal’ pattern, or a response to the unusual timing of the flood peaks in 2011-12 and recent summer rainfall events.

Natural thinning has been observed in one marked quadrat of dense river red gum seedlings, although the remaining stand of saplings is still relatively dense. The primary response in lignum to watering has been growth of vertical branches, with only limited production of leaves and flowers. Non-watered lignum has remained mostly dormant.

Wetland sites which were filled showed rapid responses, with frogs and waterbirds arriving within days, and aquatic plants developing within weeks. At one site filled via irrigation pipes, a pelican was observed fishing successfully for more than 40 minutes, indicating that fish do survive the pumping process. No sites had any indication of issues with salinization or displacement of salt.


Ecological responses overserved at watered sites included:

improved health of mature river red gum and black box woodland communities on floodplain

sustained survival of seedlings from 2010-2012 flood events, now reaching sapling stage at 4-5 years old

improved vigour of lignum and chenopod shrubland communities associated with wetlands and swales not filled naturally since the 2011-12 floods

provision of temporary waterbird habitat to provide feeding, resting and roosting habitat, to assist in maintaining species diversity and numbers

provision of temporary wetland habitat to sustain frog breeding.

Sites where watering improved health of mature vegetation to provide reproduction and recruitment opportunities for riparian native vegetation (particularly river red gum, black box, lignum, shrubs and groundcovers) were:

Mundic Wetland (black box woodland, understorey vegetation)

Inner Mundic Creek (black box woodland)

Johnsons Waterhole (riparian fringe, samphire shrubland)

Yarra Creek (lignum wetlands, black box woodland, fringing red gum)

Calperum Station (5 sites: lignum wetlands, black box woodland)

Pike River (Warnock/McDonald) (stressed mature red gum and black box woodlands)

Rilli Lagoons Rilli Reserve (red gum & black box woodland)

Rilli Lagoons Westbrooks (red gum woodland, lignum swales, black box woodland)

Thiele Flat (black box woodland, red gum woodland)

Ramco River Terrace (black box woodland and seedlings) (Figure 15)

Waikerie Ferry (black box woodland)

Rilli Reach Stanitskis (black box woodland, red gum flood-runners)

Clark’s Floodplain (5 out of 17 sub-sites: red gum woodland and incised creek, lignum wetland and red gum seedlings in shallow creek, lignum wetland and black box seedlings in shallow creek, mature black box woodland, tall dense black box & red gum woodland)

Loxton Riverfront Reserve (floodplain shrubland and black box seedlings, black box woodland)

South Teringie (samphire shrubland)

Riversleigh Lagoon (stressed mature red gums)

Swan Reach Complex Sugar Shack (red gum woodland, seasonal wetland, lignum shrubland)

Greenways Landing (lignum and samphire shrubland).

Lignum seedlings


Sites where watering supported and maintained black box and red gum juvenile regeneration from the 2011-12 floods:

Mundic Wetland (black box woodland, understorey vegetation)

Inner Mundic Creek (black box woodland)

Yarra Creek (lignum wetlands, black box woodland, fringing red gum)

Calperum Station (5 sites: lignum wetlands, black box woodland)

Pike River (Warnock/McDonald) (stressed mature red gum and black box woodlands)

Rilli Lagoons Rilli Reserve (red gum & black box woodland)

Rilli Lagoons Westbrooks (red gum woodland, lignum swales, black box woodland)

Thiele Flat (black box woodland, red gum woodland)

Ramco River Terrace (black box woodland and seedlings)

Waikerie Ferry (black box woodland)

Rilli Reach Stanitskis (black box woodland, red gum flood-runners)

Clark’s Floodplain (5 out of 17 sub-sites: red gum woodland and incised creek, lignum wetland and red gum seedlings in shallow creek, lignum wetland and black box seedlings in shallow creek, mature black box woodland, tall dense black box & red gum woodland)

Loxton Riverfront Reserve (floodplain shrubland and black box seedlings, black box woodland)

Riversleigh Lagoon (stressed mature red gums and seedlings)

Swan Reach Complex Sugar Shack (red gum woodland, seasonal wetland, lignum shrubland)

Greenways Landing (lignum and samphire shrubland).

Sites where watering provided improved habitat for waterbirds to assist maintenance of their abundance and diversity:

Lyrup Lagoon (freshet into saline lagoon to trigger food production for waterbirds)

Duck Hole (temporary wetland, aquatic plant community)

Johnsons Waterhole (temporary wetland, aquatic plant community)

South Teringie (temporary wetland, aquatic plant community)

Riversleigh Lagoon (temporary floodplain lagoon).

Figure 15 Watering by sprinkler commences at Ramco River Terrace, to support black box seedlings which germinated in the 2010-12 floods


0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

NW W

Mar-15

Apr-15

May-15

Jul-15

Sep-15

Nov-15

Dec-15

Jan-16

Mar-16

Jun-16

Sep-16

Dec-16

Mar-17

Jun-17

not atered atered

Figure 16 Canopy condition in mature black box in non-watered (left) and watered (right) zones at Clarks Floodplain, from March 2015 to September 2016. Trees which have been watered show significantly improved condition compared to those which have not been watered (Jensen, unpubl data, 2016)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Clarks Floodplain Transects Surviving Healthy Black Box Seedlings

Figure17 Counts of surviving black box seedlings under black box woodland and into an open area of dense regeneration. These seedlings germinated following the 2011 flood peak and have been watered three times during 2013-2016. Variations in numbers are due to the difficulty of accurate repeat placement of transects and counting in such dense populations, and indicate a very high survival rate, >95% (Jensen, unpubl data, 2016).


Community Engagement and Support

Delivery of these projects was made possible by the support of 186 volunteers, in-kind support and funding

groups. These range from individual landholders, irrigators groups such as Pike River Land Management Group

and Bookpurnong Lock 4 Environmental Association, Renmark Irrigation Trust, Central Irrigation Trust,

community groups Loxton Landcare and Riverland West Landcare, indigenous groups at Raukkan and Mannum,

District Councils of Renmark-Paringa and Loxton-Waikerie, and volunteer members of the Water For Nature

Committee (Figures 18 & 19). Strong relationships have been developed with key DEWNR staff, and the CEWO

Local Engagement Officer. Support funding for project management and equipment during 2013-16 has been

provided by grants from James N Kirby Foundation, John T Reid Charitable Trust, Thyne Reid Foundation, West

End Community Fund, as well as funding from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to support

delivery costs.

Figure18 Pike River Land Management Group at filling of Duck Hole wetland on the Pike River floodplain

Figure19 Landholders Steve Clark and Nick Stanitski inspecting flood-runners at Rilli Reach site in the Lock 4-Loxton Reach, with Water For Nature Committee members Peter Forward and Anne

Jensen, and WFN Project Manager Craig Ferber


Lessons Learned from WFN Environmental Watering 2013-16

From the diverse projects watered in the South Australian Murray Valley during the period 2013-16, Water For

Nature has noted a number of observations and conclusions which can inform future watering operations and

site selection:

the ecological ideal is watering in late spring-early summer (coinciding with the natural peak time for

floods in the Lower Murray)

however, any watering any time of the year has benefits, including maintenance of mature tree health,

priming wetlands ahead of seasonal filling, topping up soil moisture storage, support for development of

bud or fruit crops to maximise production

seasonal filling of wetlands has greater effect with top-up to extend period of inundation in the same

year

maintain inundation of vegetated wetland edges into December to support frog breeding

waterbirds have been observed fishing in wetlands where the water has entered via pipe systems,

indicating that fish can survive the pumping process

serial annual watering increases ecological benefits

germinated seedlings need watering 2-3 years in a row to reach self-sustainability

healthy vegetation responds with greater volume of crop production and growth rates on same seasonal

cycle

stressed mature trees need seasonal watering 2 years in a row for recovery, then 2-3 years to support

production of seed

stressed vegetation responds immediately with epicormic growth (direct from branches, as seen after

bushfires

without further stress, epicormic growth will normalise and growth will continue from the tips and buds

will develop; the tree can develop a whole new canopy if no further stress occurs, with adequate water

availability

watered floodplain sites within the zone of influence of a Salt Interception Scheme (SIS) have a good

chance of survival to reproductive age and recovery of mature trees

grazing can be allowed on sites where the target is sustaining stressed mature trees and promoting

seed production

stock should be kept off sites with regenerating seedlings until the seedlings are above stock-grazing

height.

Future Watering Priorities

Selection of future watering sites should consider the following guidelines:

target more lignum communities and monitor rates of reproduction

look for more wetland opportunities to support waterbirds, fish and frogs

aim to trigger regeneration by timing watering to match seed fall

continue to enhance and maintain naturally-occurring regeneration

maintain watching brief on black box regeneration and status of mature trees

look for more sites downstream of Overland Corner, in the Murray Gorge, mid-Murray and Lower Lakes

(aim to cover a representative sample of the 1100 wetlands in the SA Murray Valley)

aim for multiple sites in hydrologically linked complexes (aim to cover a representative sample of the

250 complexes)

find sites which can demonstrate watering on natural cues and/or flow return to river

investigate solar pumps and siphons as potential delivery tools.


Recommendations for Future Monitoring for WFN Projects

Key recommendations for design of monitoring programs for individual sites include:

monitoring needs to be targeted and effective and match the stated objectives

monitor only essential parameters as required to determine if management objectives are being met by

watering events

monitor quarterly, to cover all seasons, recommend March, June, September, December to maximise

chance of seeing flowering, regeneration and flooding

where possible, include a non-watered sample location for each site for comparison with watered

samples (not always practical)

evaluate annually and adjust watering regime as required.

Scientific monitoring

If the primary target is vegetation, as has been the case in 2013-16, monitoring should target the following

parameters:

score condition of mature eucalypts (5 trees per location, minimum 2 groups per site, take into account

different ages and elevations)

monitor timing of flowering in mature eucalypts (seed fall follows 12 months later)

mark and monitor patches of seedlings (minimum samples = 3), monitor condition by tagging individual

seedlings (minimum = 10 at each location), measure height and diameter at first leaves above ground

level.

As recommended for future site selection, extend watering of lignum and monitor its condition, growth and

regeneration:

score condition of adult lignum

monitor timing of flowering (seed fall within 4 weeks)

monitor survival and growth of any seedlings or regeneration by cloning.

At watered sites with temporary or ephemeral wetlands, monitor to match objectives, including:

frog calls in September

bird surveys (minimum quarterly, best if monthly during watered period), will give indication of food

sources such as aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates and fish

fish surveys or macroinvertebrates only if specifically required

water salinity, DO and turbidity only if relevant to objectives (eg site where off-site salinity impacts are

considered a risk).

At all watered sites, for every event:

monitor threshold-to-fill, extent, depth and duration

note any variations in subsequent events.


Increase Monitoring Capacity

Current monitoring efforts are severely limited by availability of funding and technical skills. Additional funding

should be sought to cover quarterly visits to nominated key sites (estimated $5,000 per quarterly visit covering

four sites within same region). A program should be developed through volunteer programs with university

students to increase the base of technical skills available, and for succession planning to develop additional

ecological skills to support the program into the future.

Investigate Potential Electronic Tools

WFN needs to be able to track watering events in real time, for a history of the event and understanding of the

hydraulics and hydrological connections at each site:

Investigate options for using/borrowing/in-kind sponsorship of electronic tools to monitor water

inundation and volume

Investigate options to produce standardised, more accurate site watering maps for CEWO. The current

use of hand-drawn polygons on Google Earth is useful, but the polygons have to be redrawn from

scratch if they need to be corrected, and rely on subjective interpretation by the person producing the

map

look for opportunities for automation of monitoring water events, covering area inundated, depth and

duration

look for opportunities for use of electronic tools to monitor responses to watering, eg NDVI images to

monitor vegetation response to watering (Appendix 7).

Citizen Science

Utilise resources of community partners and volunteers to gather more frequent data at more sites:

establish a Facebook page for each watered site and allow interested people to record observations

and upload photos from set photopoints, as well as interesting events and species sighted

put particular emphasis on tracking water levels, extent of inundation and duration for watering events

and floods

run field days to train interested people and report results

assess opportunities to create ‘Friends’ groups for watered sites.

Social Science

It is important to record social and economic benefits around watering events and watered sites. Data which

should be recorded include:

statistics on quantity and nature of in-kind contributions

statistics on numbers of volunteers and hours spent

nature of skills donated

number of stories and resource materials uploaded to relevant websites

number of stories and resource materials printed and provided to visitor outlets

number of visitors to watered sites

number of hits on related websites

number of tourism enquiries

number of media used to share stories.


Appendix 1 List of Water For Nature Habitat Sites and

Year Watered2

Site List 2008-2010 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2013-16

Calperum Argo Creek 1 1

Calperum Hunchee Crossing 1 1

Calperum Merreti inlet 1 1

Calperum Thookle Thookle 1 1

Calperum Wide Waters 1 1

Calperum Reny Lagoon 1 1

Clarks aquadam flood-runner 1 0 1 1

Clarks lignum & chenopod shrubland 1 1 0 1

Clarks lignum shrubland shallow creeks 0 1 1 1

Clarks main red gum flood-runner 1 1 0 1

Clarks mature open black box woodland 1 1 0 1

Clarks minor flood-runner 1 1 0 1

Clarks red gum incised creek 0 1 1 1

Clarks tall dense black box woodland 1 0 1 1

Eckerts Creek (Murray hardyhead) 1 0

Finniss River (purple-spotted gudgeon) 1 0

Gurra Gurra Lyrup Lagoon 1 1

Gurra Gurra Little Duck Lagoon temporary wetland 1 0

Hogwash Bend (regent parrot) 1 0

Loxton Floodplain lagoons 1 1

Loxton Floodplain lignum & floodplain shrubland 0 1 1 1

Mid-Murray Greenways Landing 1 1

Pike River Duck Hole 1 1

Pike River Inner Mundic flood-runner 1 1

Pike River Mundic Wetland 1 1

Pike River Warnock/McDonald floodplain 1 1 1

Ral Ral Floodplain Johnsons Waterhole 1 1 1 1

Ramco River Terrace black box 1 1 1 1

Ramco River red gum riparian zone 1 1

Rilli Lagoons Westbrooks black box terrace 1 1

Rilli Lagoons Rilli Reserve 1 1

Rilli Reach Stanitskis floodplain 1 1 1 1

Rilli Reach Stanitskis flood-runners 1 1 1 1

Rilli Reach Stanitskis flood-out 1 1

Riversleigh Lagoon & red gum fringe 1 1

Schmitke floodrunner 1 1

Swan Reach complex Sugar Shack 1 1

Teringie South Teringie 1 1 1

Thiele Flat floodplain black box 1 1 1 1

Thiele Flat terraces red gum 1 1 1 1

Waikerie Ferry black box 1 1

Yarra Creek (Taylor) cliff lagoon 1 1

Yarra Creek (Taylor) cascading lignum wetlands 1 1

Yarra Creek (Taylor) lignum shrubland 1 1

total NFSA sites 4 12 16 35 40

2 1 = watered, 0 = not watered


Appendix 2 Clarks Floodplain complex and Water For Nature Watering Sub-Sites

Clarks Floodplain complex Habitat Targets

1 Main red gum flood-runner flood-runner red gum seedlings and woodland, lignum shrubland

2 Minor flood-runner flood-runner lignum shrubland and fringing black box

flood-runner edge mature black box trees bordering flood-runner

3 Aquadam flood-runner flood-runner red gum seedlings and fringing red gum and black box woodland

4 George’s Creek incised creek red gum woodland, red gum seedlings

5 Peg’s Creek & Ruby’s Creek shallow creek lignum wetland and red gum seedlings

shallow creek lignum wetland and black box seedlings

6 Mature open black box & 1990s woodland

elevated floodplain open mature black box woodland

elevated floodplain open mature black box & 1990s woodland

elevated floodplain 1990s black box woodland

elevated floodplain mature black box trees

7 Floodplain shrubland elevated floodplain lignum & chenopod shrubland

8 Tall dense black box & red gum woodland

elevated floodplain tall dense black box woodland

elevated floodplain tall dense black box woodland

elevated floodplain tall dense black box & red gum woodland

elevated floodplain stressed tall dense black box & red gum woodland

elevated floodplain stressed tall dense red gum & black box woodland


Appendix 3 Calperum Floodplain Complex and WFN/ALT Watering Sub-sites

Calperum Floodplain complex Habitat Targets ML ha

Merreti inlet riparian zone bordering permanent creek

red gum, lignum and black box 40 231

Woolpolool inlet riparian zone bordering permanent creek

red gum, lignum and black box 24 69

Thookle Thookle small temporary lake and lignum swamp

lignum and black box 44.5 10

Hunchee Crossing riparian zone bordering permanent creek

red gum, lignum and black box 2.4 9

Wide Waters riparian zone bordering permanent wetland


Argo Creek riparian zone bordering permanent creek


TOTAL 183 361


Appendix 4 Wetland Complexes and WFN Watering Habitats

Watering Sites Habitat Targets

Gurra Gurra complex Lyrup Lagoon shallow permanent saline lagoon freshet into saline lagoon to trigger food production for waterbirds, including possible bloom of brine shrimp

Loxton Riverfront Reserve floodplain lagoon and riparian fringe stressed mature red gums, lignum shrubland, black box seedlings

Loxton Riverfront Reserve floodplain shrubland floodplain shrubland and black box seedlings

Mid-Murray region Greenways Landing temporary wetland and floodplain shrubland lignum and samphire shrubland

Pike River Warnock/McDonald temporary wetland and floodplain woodland stressed mature red gum and black box

Pike River complex Duck Hole temporary wetland and riparian fringe understorey vegetation, black box woodland, food production for waterbirds

Pike River complex Inner Mundic flood-runner flood-runner and riparian fringe black box woodland

Pike River complex Mundic Wetland temporary wetland and riparian fringe understorey vegetation, black box woodland, food production for waterbirds

Ral Ral Floodplain Johnsons Waterhole temporary wetland and riparian fringe waterbirds, waterplants, samphire

Ramco Lagoon river terrace black box woodland and seedlings

Ramco Lagoon river riparian fringe red gum terrace

Rilli Lagoons (Westbrooks) river terrace stressed mature black box and seedlings on river terrace

Rilli Lagoons (Rilli Reserve) river terrace red gum and black box woodland

Rilli Reach (Stanitskis) elevated floodplain black box woodland

Rilli Reach (Stanitskis) flood-runners red gum fringe on flood-runners

Rilli Reach (Stanitskis) elevated floodplain lignum shrubland

Riversleigh Lagoon temporary wetland, riparian fringe stressed mature red gums, trigger food production for waterbirds

Schmitke flood-runner flood-runner stressed mature red gums, regent parrot habitat

Swan Reach complex (Sugar Shack) temporary wetland red gum & lignum wetland, seasonal wetland, cultural values

Teringie wetland complex (South Teringie) temporary wetland ruppia, samphire, shorebird feeding habitat

Thiele Flat complex elevated floodplain black box seedlings and open mature black box woodland

Thiele Flat complex river terraces red gum seedlings on terraces

Waikerie Ferry elevated floodplain black box seedlings, open mature black box woodland

Yarra Creek complex (Taylors) temporary wetlands lignum wetlands, red gum and black box seedlings

Yarra Creek complex (Taylors) deep cliff lagoon fringing red gum, deep lagoon, food production for waterbirds

Yarra Creek complex (Taylors) elevated floodplain lignum shrubland, open black box woodland


Appendix 5 Monitoring Parameters and Watering Objectives for WFN Riverland Sites

Riverland Project Sites

Objectives

Monitoring

Photo points

Bushland Condition

Seedling Transects

Phen- ology

Tree health

Bird Survey

Small terrestrial vertebrates

Water Quality

Water quantity & timing

Water Level

Groundwater level & quality

Calperum Station Hunchee Crossing

1: provide a natural regime of inundation of temporary wetlands and floodplain habitats to maintain health in water-stressed mature trees and to support survival of red gum and black box seedlings germinated by 2010-12 floods

X

X X

2: extend temporary feeding habitat for water birds and so increase the abundance and diversity of water birds

X X

X

3: improve water availability and quality in salt-affected sites to support vegetation health and diversity

X X X X

X

Calperum Station Argo Creek


X

X

X

2: extend temporary feeding habitat for water birds and so increase the abundance and diversity of water birds X X

X


X X X X X

Calperum Station Woolpolool Inlet


X

X

X

2: extend temporary feeding habitat for water birds and so increase the abundance and diversity of water birds X X

X


X X X X X

Calperum Station Thookle Thookle


X

X

X

X 2: extend temporary feeding habitat for water birds and so increase the abundance and diversity of water birds X X

X



Objectives

Monitoring

Photo points

Bushland Condition

Seedling Transects

Phen- ology

Tree health

Bird Survey


Water Quality


Water Level



X X X X

Calperum Station Wide Water


X

X

X

X 2: extend temporary feeding habitat for water birds and so increase the abundance and diversity of water birds

X X X


X X X X

Calperum Station Reny Island Lagoon


X X X

X 2: extend temporary feeding habitat for water birds and so increase the abundance and diversity of water birds X X X

3: improve water availability and quality in salt-affected sites to support vegetation health and diversity X X

Calperum Station Merreti East Floodplain


X X X

X 2: extend temporary feeding habitat for water birds and so increase the abundance and diversity of water birds X X X

3: improve water availability and quality in salt-affected sites to support vegetation health and diversity X X

Calperum Station Amazon Floodplain


X X X



Objectives

Monitoring

Photo points

Bushland Condition

Seedling Transects

Phen- ology

Tree health

Bird Survey


Water Quality


Water Level


2: extend temporary feeding habitat for water birds and so increase the abundance and diversity of water birds

X X


X X

Clarks Floodplain

1: encourage survival of black box, red gum and lignum seedlings which geminated in response the 2011-12 floods

X X X

X

X X

2: improve health of water-stressed existing native vegetation, particularly mature red gum and black box trees

X X X X

3: promote flowering events in black box community to improve future seed production

X X X X

4: protect and maintain all vegetation layers (shrub communities, groundcover and tree layers) by freshening and reducing the impact of salinity

X X

Duck Hole, Mundic Floodplain

1: Improve condition of mature trees including Black Box, River Coobah, and to a lesser extent River Red Gum

X X

X

2: Improve cover and condition of under-storey vegetation, including lignum

X

3: encourage survival of red gum, black box and lignum seedlings arising from 2010-12 flood events

X

Hart Lagoon

control site to provide benchmark for unwatered condition of mature and seedling black box and lignum

X X X X

Inner Mundic Flood-runner

1: improve condition of mature trees including black box, river coobah, and to a lesser extent river red gum

X X

2: improve cover and condition of under-storey vegetation, including lignum

X

3: enhance survival of seedlings arising from 2011 flood event

X

Johnsons Waterhole

1: improve soil quality and moisture levels to enhance understory cover and provide optimum condition for the survival of trees

X X

X



Objectives

Monitoring

Photo points

Bushland Condition

Seedling Transects

Phen- ology

Tree health

Bird Survey


Water Quality


Water Level


2: extend feeding habitat for waterbirds and increase the abundance and diversity of waterbirds at the waterhole

X X

3: improve water availability and quality in the waterhole X X X X

Pike River floodplain (Warnock/McDonald)


X X X


X


X

Loxton Riverfront

1: encourage population viability of black box community by ensuring the continued growth of juvenile black box seedlings

X X X X

2: benefit lignum shrub land and understory species X X

X

X

3: increase the abundance and diversity of water birds at the site

X

4: improve water availability and quality in the wetlands X

Lyrup Lagoon

1: freshen saline lagoon to encourage production of aquatic food sources for waterbirds, including brine shrimp

X

X

X X

Mundic Billabong


X X

X

X


X


X

Ramco River Terrace

1: improve population viability of black box community by ensuring the survival of naturally recruited seedlings.

X X X

X X 2: maintain health of existing native vegetation, including lignum and river coobah

X X X X

3: protect and maintain all vegetation layers (shrub communities, groundcover and tree layers) by maintaining

X



Objectives

Monitoring

Photo points

Bushland Condition

Seedling Transects

Phen- ology

Tree health

Bird Survey


Water Quality


Water Level


soil moisture levels and reducing the impact of salinity.

Rilli Reach Stanitzkis

1: encourage population viability of black box community by ensuring the continued growth of juvenile black box seedlings

X X X X X

X

2: maintain juvenile river red gum seedlings on edges of flood-runners

X

3: benefit lignum shrub land and understory species

X X

Rilli Lagoons Westbrooks

1: maintain juvenile black box and river red gum seedlings and saplings on terraces and swales

X X X

X

2: benefit lignum shrubland and understory species

X

Rilli Reserve

1: maintain juvenile black box and river red gum seedlings and saplings on terraces and swales

X

X

2: benefit lignum shrubland and understory species

X

Riversleigh Lagoon

1: maintain health of stressed mature red gums along cliff base and around lagoon

X X X

X

X

2: maintain juvenile river red gum seedlings on lagoon edges X

3: benefit black box regeneration, lignum shrub land and understory species

X X X

Schmitke flood-runner

1: maintain mature river red gum trees along floodrunner for regent parrot nesting hollows

X

X

X

2: benefit lignum shrubland and understory species X

Thiele Flat 1: encourage population viability of black box community by ensuring continued growth of juvenile black box seedlings and maintaining health of mature trees

X X X X X

X



Objectives

Monitoring

Photo points

Bushland Condition

Seedling Transects

Phen- ology

Tree health

Bird Survey


Water Quality


Water Level


2: encourage population viability of red gum community by ensuring continued growth of juvenile red gum seedlings and maintaining health of mature trees

X X X X X

3: benefit lignum shrub land and other native understory species

X X

Waikerie Ferry

1: enhance survival of juvenile black box saplings on floodplain

X

X

2: benefit lignum shrubland and understory species X

Yarra Creek

1: encourage population viability of black box community by ensuring continued growth of juvenile black box seedlings and maintaining health of mature trees

X X X

X

X 2: encourage population viability of red gum community by ensuring continued growth of juvenile red gum seedlings and maintaining health of mature trees

X X X


X


Appendix 6 Monitoring Parameters and Watering Objectives for WFN Mid-Murray & Lower Lakes

Sites

Lower Murray Project Sites

Objectives

Monitoring

Photo points

Bushland Condition

Seedling Transects

Phen-ology

Tree Health

Bird Surveys

Water Quality


Small vertebr survey

Water Levels


Greenways


X X X

X


X X X


X X

Greigers @ Sugar Shack


X X X

X

X


X X X


X X

South Teringie

1: establish more diverse and healthy habitat for both wetland and migratory bird species found in the surrounding Ramsar area: open water, fringing vegetation and mud flats

X

X X X

2: establish more diverse and healthy aquatic habitats, to increase the abundance of frogs

3: create a freshwater lens to restrict evapo-concentration of groundwater and reduce salinity


Lower Murray Project Sites

Objectives

Monitoring

Photo points

Bushland Condition

Seedling Transects

Phen-ology

Tree Health

Bird Surveys

Water Quality


Small vertebr survey

Water Levels


4: improve the condition of associated vegetation communities, including Ruppia polycarpa herbland, halosarcia spp. shrubland and beds of submerged aquatic macrophytesto provide foraging habitat for shorebirds

X

Figure 10 Black box flowers In June 2016 Figure 21 Pelican fishing on Johnsons Waterhole in June 2016, showing fish can survive inflow via pipes


Appendix 7 Use of Satellite Imagery to Monitor Vegetation

Response

Documents

Delivery of Environmental Water by Water For Nature … · Delivery of Environmental Water by Water For Nature Program in the South Australian River Murray Valley 2013-16 October