GunbowerForest

1

2

Icon sites of the River M

urray

Printed on 100% recycled paper. February 2007.

Barm

ah–M

illewa Forest

Au

stralia’s largest River R

ed Gu

m Forest.

The Barmah–M

illewa Forest is the largest R

iver R

ed Gum

forest in Australia, covering 66,000

hectares of floodplain.

Many threatened native plants, birds, fish

and reptiles make this w

etland their home.

Spring floods keep River R

ed Gum

s healthy, and provide habitat and breeding sites for vast num

bers of colonial waterbirds, including

threatened Egret species. Photo: Keith Ward.

Gu

nbow

er–Koon

drook–Perricoota ForestA

ustralia’s secon

d largest River

Red G

um

Forest.

The Gunbow

er–Koondrook–Perricoota Forest

covers around 50,000 hectares and is home to

many threatened native plants and anim

als. The forest w

etlands are important breeding

places for waterbirds and native fish. The area is

also an essential destination for waterbirds listed

under treaties with Japan and C

hina to protect endangered m

igratory birds. Photo: North Central CM

A.

Hattah

Lakes A

un

ique collection

of semi-perm

anen

t fresh

water lakes.

The 17 semi-perm

anent freshwater lakes form

the H

attah Lakes system support R

iver Red G

um

comm

unities and a variety of native plants and anim

als. The lakes are also important breeding

places for waterbirds. Photo: A

ndy Wise.

Ch

owilla Floodplain

and

Linsday–W

allpolla islands

A sign

ificant sem

i-arid floodplain ecosystem

.

Chow

illa Floodplain is one of the only reaches of the low

er Murray floodplain not used for

irrigation, preserving much of its natural

character. Covering 17,700 hectares, it is an area

of national significance because of the unique occurrence of w

etlands in the normally sem

i-dry environm

ent.

The Lindsay–Wallpolla islands cover alm

ost 20,000 hectares of floodplain and support m

any threatened plants and anim

als, and a number of

native fish. Photo: Caroline Fisher.

Lower Lakes,

Cooron

g and M

urray M

outh

O

ne of A

ustralia’s m

ost un

ique

and sign

ificant estu

aries.

The Lower Lakes, C

oorong and Murray M

outh include an area of approxim

ately 140,000 hectares, covering 23 different w

etland types, from

very fresh to more saline than the sea.

This icon site is where the R

iver Murray m

eets the sea, is one of the 10 m

ajor havens for large concentrations of w

aterbirds in Australia, and is

one of the few havens found south of the Tropic of

Capricorn. Thirty-three of the bird species found

here are listed under international treaties to protect endangered m

igratory birds.

The Coorong is 140 km

long and ranked among

the top six waterbird sites in A

ustralia based on the diversity and num

ber of species found there. H

owever, a lack of w

ater flowing to this area has

severely impacted upon its health, w

ith only one-quarter of the ecological system

still supporting its native fish, birds and plants. Photo: John Baker.

River M

urray C

han

nel

The artery th

at conn

ects th

e wh

ole River system

.

The River M

urray channel is the ‘main artery’

of the river and extends over 2,150 km (river

distance) from the H

ume D

am to W

ellington in South A

ustralia. It includes the River bed and

banks, in-stream habitat, and anabranches and

wetlands that are not part of other icon sites.

Photo: John Baker.

Mu

rray-Darlin

g Basin

Com

mission

GPO

Box 409, Canberra, A

CT 2601

tel. 02 6279 0100em

ail. thelivingmurray@

mdbc.gov.au

ww

w.thelivingm

urray.mdbc.gov.au

The Livin

g Mu

rray program w

as established in

20

02

in respon

se to eviden

ce that th

e health

of the R

iver Mu

rray system w

as in declin

e. Th

e Living M

urray’s first stage focu

ses on im

proving th

e environ

men

t at six ‘icon

sites’ along th

e River.

The sites w

ere chosen for their high ecological value—

m

ost are listed as internationally significant wetlands

under the Ram

sar Convention—

and also their cultural significance to Indigenous people and the broader com

munity.

Through The Living Murray program

, action is underway to provide w

ater to these sites and support natural environm

ents unique to the Australian

landscape.

3

Murray River Reserves

Gunbower State Forest and Torrumbarry to EchucaThe Murray River, with its majestic River Red Gums, sandy beaches and a large variety of

wildlife, provides the ideal backdrop for camping and a range of water-based recreation.

A rich human history

For thousands of years, local indigenous people have lived along the Murray River. When exploring you may discover shell middens (kitchen hearths), burials and scar trees testifying to a rich human history spanning more than 10,000 years. Please respect these Australian heritage sites – they are protected by law.

Enjoying the park Fishing for Murray Cod, Golden Perch and Redfin is a popular pastime.

A current NSW Freshwater Recreation Fishing Licence is required for the Murray River. A Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence is required for fishing in waters south of the Murray River.

Camping - There are designated camping areas at Wills Bend near Echuca with toilets provided between Christmas and Easter. All other areas have basic bush camping. Boating and canoeing are popular on the Murray River. The canoe trail at Safes Lagoon is a great spot for canoeing.

Swimming is a popular activity, particularly at the numerous sandy river bend beaches.

Note: Take care when swimming - cold water and fast currents can be hazardous and there may be submerged logs. Diving or jumping into the water can be dangerous.

Walking – There are many short and long walks throughout the area. A circuit walk of Gunbower Island will take 7-8 hours.

Scenic drives along the river are also popular.

A haven for plants and animals The Murray River Parklands, with their majestic River Red Gums and forests provide an important habitat for a variety of plants and animals. Kangaroos and emus are common along the reserve. Keep an eye out for some of the koalas that have been released here.

Over 200 species of birds have been recorded and the river is one of the largest breeding grounds for waterbirds in Victoria. The river is also a breeding ground for native fish species such as the Murray Cod and Golden Perch.

Gunbower Island, near Cohuna, has a water frontage of 130 kilometres and the 20,000ha state forest covers about 80 percent of the island. Until damming, the red gum and box forests were flooded every year and today still depend on the occasional inundation. The island supports protected populations of kangaroos, emus, goannas, possums, snakes and 160 different species of birds. The island is a RAMSAR listed wetland.

Hunting for pest animals on Gunbower Island is permitted only in areas outside of the sanctuary, provided you have a current permit to hunt on Crown Land.

Accommodation The nearby towns of Koondrook, Cohuna, Gunbower, Torrumbarry and Echuca all have caravan parks, motels and bed and breakfast accommodation options.

How to get there Gunbower State Forest and Torrumbarry to Echuca are along the Murray River between Echuca and Koondrook around 250km north of Melbourne. Access to the major entrances is via the Murray Valley Highway.

December 2006

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5

Environmental W

atering in Victoria 2007/08 | 9

GU

NB

OW

ER FO

RES

T

Gunbow

er Forest is a River R

ed Gum

floodplain ecosystem

of the River M

urray in central northern Victoria. The forest is on an island of about 20,000ha betw

een the River

Murray and G

unbower C

reek.

The Need for W

ater

River R

ed Gum

forests provide unique and im

portant wetland habitats. The

forests’ deepest depressions also include sem

i-permanent w

etlands.

These wetlands are highly productive

habitats with diverse plant com

munities

and a variety of invertebrates, fish, frogs and w

aterbirds. Because of their seclusion

and the food they provide, these wetlands

are the main breeding sites for colonial

nesting waterbirds on the R

iver Murray.

During the prolonged drought, m

ost forest w

etlands in Victoria and New

South

Wales have dried out. W

etland animals

have fewer places to find food and breed.

Fish, turtles and waterbird populations

are declining and are relying on refuge habitats to survive the drought.

In 2007, the number of w

aterbirds in south-eastern A

ustralia was less than

one third of that in an average year.

6

10 | Environmental W

atering in Victoria 2007/08

Watering A

ims

Environmental w

ater was delivered to

Gunbow

er Forest in 2007/08 to protect critical w

etland refuge areas.

A small num

ber of Gunbow

er Forest’s diverse w

etlands are close to their natural state, m

aking them an ecological reference

point for the condition of wetlands across

the whole R

iver Murray floodplain.

Watering in the past has m

aintained these im

portant wetlands, keeping the R

iver R

ed Gum

trees that fringe them healthy,

maintaining the plant com

munities and

supporting waterbird breeding events.

Watering in 2007/08 aim

ed to provide feeding habitat and help m

aintain w

aterbird populations during the drought. If bird breeding occurred as a result of the w

atering, it would be considered a m

ajor bonus.

Watering D

etails

In 2007/08, 7708ML w

as provided to G

unbower Forest.

It consisted of 5708ML from

the Victorian R

iver Murray Flora and Fauna B

ulk Entitlem

ent and 2000ML from

The Living M

urray program.

The water w

as delivered between A

pril and M

ay 2008.

The Little Gunbow

er Wetland C

omplex

received 2300ML over 12 days, released

from G

unbower C

reek. This achieved a depth of up to 1m

in the complex

and inundated 310ha. The water lasted

throughout spring and into summ

er.

Releasing 5408M

L from G

unbower C

reek to the Little R

eedy Wetland C

omplex filled

the complex and spilled dow

nstream

through the forest to inundate 543ha of the W

histler Wetland C

omplex.

Left: Mel Tranter, North Central Catchment Management Authority. Right: Sharada Ramamurthy, Department of Sustainability and Environment. Opposite page, from top: Sharada Ramamurthy, Department of Sustainability and Environment. Kathryn Stanislawski, North Central Catchment Management Authority.

7

Environmental W

atering in Victoria 2007/08 | 11

Outcom

es

The watering provided a drought refuge

for important plants and anim

als.

Aquatic invertebrates

Aquatic invertebrates are one of the

first food sources to appear in flooded w

etlands. In June 2008, the wetlands

were quickly colonised by a range of

crustaceans and midge larvae. B

y S

eptember, larger invertebrates w

ere com

mon including diving beetles,

caddisfly and yabbies.

Frogs and turtles

Turtles started laying eggs soon after the w

ater was delivered. S

ix frog species have been recorded in the forest in recent years and all w

ere recorded again following

the watering. Three species bred in

Septem

ber: peron’s tree frogs, comm

on froglets and spotted m

arsh frogs.

Fish

Nine species of fish, including five native

species, were present in the w

etlands after the w

atering. Carp screens stopped

large carp entering the Little Gunbow

er W

etland Com

plex, which w

ould have reduced the w

atering’s success.

Native fish w

ere prominent in the

wetlands. Three native species bred after

the watering: carp gudgeon, A

ustralian sm

elt and unspecked hardyhead.

Birds

The wetlands attracted w

aterfowl, w

aders, raptors and colonial nesting w

aterbirds.

Ducks and grebes w

ere the most

abundant with m

ore than 200 birds counted, including m

ountain ducks and hoary-headed grebes. These birds m

ade use of the open w

ater in the wetlands and

the food provided by soft-leaved wetland

plants and aquatic invertebrates.

Breeding behaviour w

as initiated by great egrets but did not continue through to nesting, possibly because the area w

atered was too sm

all.

The Eagle Tree

A unique part of the G

unbower Forest

environmental w

atering program w

as a public w

ater donation to rescue the Eagle Tree (pictured).

The tree is one of the largest and oldest R

iver Red G

ums in the forest. It has a girth

of 11m and is 50m

tall. It is believed to be m

ore than 1000 years old. In the past, w

hite-bellied sea eagles have nested there and m

ore recently the tree has been used by w

edge-tailed eagles for nesting.

The tree has shed most of its leaves

and is in danger of dying because of the drought.

A concerned m

ember of the public

donated 1ML and the com

munity rallied

together to save the tree. Local State

Emergency S

ervice mem

bers created a bank w

ith sandbags to hold the water

around the tree. The Gannaw

arra Shire

provided tankers to cart the water to the

tree between January and A

pril 2008.

Before w

atering, the tree’s canopy had declined to 20 per cent. A

fter the w

atering, the canopy increased to 40 per cent, giving the tree a m

uch greater chance of surviving the drought.

8

77 | The Murray-Darling Basin Balancing the priorities of agriculture and the environment

Part B: What effect does regulating the river KDYH�RQ�LWV�ÀRZ"

�� 8VH�Graph 4.1 to highlight the changes to ULYHUÀRZV�LQ�D�VHFWLRQ�RI�WKH�0XUUD\�5LYHU�RYHU�a year compared to QDWXUDO�ÀRZV. Interpret the graph, and pose questions such as:

±��,Q�ZKDW�PRQWKV�VHDVRQ�DUH�ÀRZV�KLJKHVW�under natural conditions? How does that compare with current conditions? Why has WKLV�FKDQJH�LQ�ÀRZ�RFFXUUHG"

±��,Q�ZKDW�PRQWKV�VHDVRQ�DUH�ÀRZV�ORZHVW�XQGHU�natural conditions? How does that compare with current conditions? Why has this change LQ�ÀRZ�RFFXUUHG"

�� :HLUV�DQG�GDPV�DUH�XVHG�WR�UHJXODWH�ZDWHU��

±��'HVFULEH�WKH�EHQH¿WV�RI�WKHVH�GHYHORSPHQWV�to communities that depend on water for their livelihood.

– Describe potential problems that these developments may cause.

Flow

(ML/

day)

5,000

0

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000 Natural conditionsCurrent conditions

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Courtesy M

urray-Darling B

asin Authority

*UDSK�����0HGLDQ�PRQWKO\�ÀRZV�±�5LYHU�0XUUD\�GRZQVWUHDP�RI�WKH�<DUUDZRQJD�:HLU

9

Challenges

8QGHU�QDWXUDO�FRQGLWLRQV�WKH�ULYHU�ȍRZ�DW�*XQERZHUǞ.RRQGURRNǞ3HUULFRRWD�YDULHG�throughout the year and from year to year. River regulation has altered the hydrology RI�WKH�IRUHVWV��PRVW�QRWDEO\�LQ�UHGXFLQJ�WKH�IUHTXHQF\�RI�PHGLXP�VL]HG�VSULQJ�ȍRRGV��)ORZbUHJXODWLRQ�KDV�EHHQ�LGHQWLȌHG�DV�D�PDMRU�WKUHDW�WR�WKH�KHDOWK�RI�WKLV�VLWH��

7KH�UHGXFWLRQ�LQ�IUHTXHQF\�RI�VPDOO��UHJXODU�ȍRZ�SHDNV�LQ�ODWH�ZLQWHU�DQG�VSULQJ�KDV�FUHDWHG�D�ZDWHU�GHȌFLW�ZKLFK�KDV�FDXVHG�VRPH�SHUPDQHQW�ZHWODQGV�WR�EHFRPH�VHPL�permanent. This has had serious ecological consequences, because permanent water is DQ�LPSRUWDQW�UHTXLUHPHQW�IRU�IDXQD�VXFK�DV�VPDOO�ȌVK�DQG�FRORQLDO�QHVWLQJ�ZDWHUELUGV�

It has been calculated that because of river regulation:

ǩ� WKH�DYHUDJH�YROXPH�RI�PRQWKO\�ȍRZV�KDV�JUHDWO\�UHGXFHG

ǩ� the duration of inundation of river red gum forests has reduced from an average of ȌYH�PRQWKV�WR�WZR�PRQWKV�SHU�\HDU

ǩ� WKH�IUHTXHQF\�RI�PHGLXP�VL]HG�VSULQJ�ȍRRGLQJ�KDV�PRUH�WKDQ�KDOYHG��

ML/d

Year

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

JunMayAprMarFebJanDecNovOctSepAugJul

Natural Current

Figure 2.5 Median monthly flows downstream of Torrumbarry Weir under natural and current conditions

T H E L I V I N G M U R R A Y S T O R Y 23

2

10

12WATERING THE ICON SITES — A SNAPSHOT (2011–2012)

Gunbower–Koondrook–Perricoota Forest icon site

Waterbird monitoring in Gunbower Forest in January 2012 (photo by Anna Chatfield North Central CMA)

11

13 Murray–D

arling Basin Authority

WATER

ING

THE ICO

N SITES

—A SN

APSHOT (2011–2012)

The Gunbow

er–Koondrook–Perricoota Forest straddles

the River M

urray and covers about 51,081 hectares. G

unbower Forest is on the southern side in Victoria and

the Koondrook–Perricoota Forest is on the northern side

in New

South Wales. The icon site is a highly significant

conservation area and is listed under the Ram

sar Convention on W

etlands (Gunbow

er Forest and Central M

urray State Forests). It has a diverse range of habitats, including perm

anent and semi-perm

anent wetlands,

creeks and open woodlands and is the second largest river

red gum forest in Australia.

Providing environmental w

ater this year will build

on recent environmental and unregulated (natural)

flows to provide native fish w

ith the opportunity to access different habitats and food resources w

ithin Gunbow

er Creek. Seasonal w

atering proposal for the Gunbow

er Forest, G

unbower Creek and Pyram

id Creek 2012–13, N

orth Central CMA

The Gunbow

er–Koondrook–Perricoota icon site depends on

floods to sustain the forest, as rainfall alone is not sufficient. U

nder natural conditions, medium

to high flows in the R

iver M

urray enter Gunbow

er Forest through channels distributing w

ater into the wetlands of the forest. U

nder flood conditions, w

hen volumes of w

ater in the River M

urray flow over the banks,

large scale flooding occurs across the forest floodplain. River

regulation has reduced the frequency of medium

-sized spring floods by m

ore than half.

Prior to the high inflows and floods of 2010–11 only sm

all areas of G

unbower Forest had been inundated since 2001,

and Koondrook–Perricoota forests had not been flooded since

1993. Relatively sm

all volumes of environm

ental water had

been delivered via regulators on Gunbow

er Creek to create critical drought refuge areas and m

aintain wetland vegetation

comm

unities in Gunbow

er Forest. How

ever, the condition of

eucalypts had steadily deteriorated since 2005.

The icon site received its first extensive natural flooding in over ten years during 2010–11. O

verbank flooding of the River

Murray occurred as three m

ajor flooding ‘peaks’ of above 45,000 m

egalitres a day inundated about 9,000 hectares of Gunbow

er Forest, and 27,000 hectares of K

oondrook–Perricoota Forest, betw

een September 2010 and January 2011. R

iver Murray

Unregulated Flow

s were diverted through the G

unbower Creek

system to facilitate the recovery of native fish populations.

Natural flooding occurred again during w

inter to early spring 2011 and M

arch 2012 refilling permanent and sem

i-permanent

wetlands. The M

arch 2012 floods resulted in overbank flow

s into the forest, watering about 14,700 hectares of

Gunbow

er–Koondrook–Perricoota Forest and benefitting

the creeks, forests and wetlands w

hich were still recovering

from the drought.

Progress of the works

New

environmental regulators have been built, and older ones

upgraded, in the Gunbow

er Forest (Victoria) to enable water to be

delivered more efficiently to the low

er forest. They will allow

about 2,500 hectares of the forest to be w

atered.

Further construction, which w

ill allow w

ide-scale watering of up to

4,800 hectares of the forest, will soon com

mence. This w

ill involve constructing a one kilom

etre channel by widening and depending

and existing irrigation channel. A large off-take regulator will also

be constructed to divert the flow of w

ater from G

unbower Creek

into Gunbow

er Forest. These water m

anagement structures w

ill be used to shorten the gaps betw

een natural floods and to ensure that environm

ental water is used m

ore efficiently. Construction is due for com

pletion in spring 2013.

In the Koondrook–Perricoota Forest (N

ew South W

ales) the Torrum

barry Weir provides an opportunity for w

ater to be diverted into the upstream

end of the Koondrook–Perricoota Forest.

Construction of a channel, levees and regulators has comm

enced and is expected to be com

pleted in mid 2013. The structures w

ill enable up to 16,000 hectares of the forest to be w

atered, as well as

allow w

ater to be returned directly to the River M

urray.

12

14W

ATERIN

G TH

E ICON

SITES—

A SNAPSH

OT (2011–2012)

Environmental w

ater delivered to Gunbow

er–Koondrook–Perricoota Forest

in 2011–12D

uring the 2011–12 year, water w

as provided to both Gunbow

er Creek and G

unbower Forest. G

unbower Creek provides an

important route for environm

ental water to enter the G

unbower

Forest and allows native fish to m

ove into and out of the forest. Environm

ental watering included a spring flush, to stim

ulate fish spaw

ning and migration, as w

ell as summ

er watering to

increase the area available for juvenile fish to access food and habitat.

Water source

LocationTim

ingVolum

e (ML)

The Living Murray

Gunbow

er CreekN

ov–Mar

6,056

The Living Murray

Gunbow

er ForestD

ec–Feb 645

Victoria’s unregulated entitlem

ent 1G

unbower Creek

Mar–M

ay 4,935

TOTAL 11,636 M

L

1 This water w

as not from The Living M

urray portfolio, but from Victoria’s

environmental w

ater unregulated entitlement and contributes to environm

ental outcom

es at Gunbow

er Forest

While environm

ental monitoring had show

n that there was a

good diversity of fish species in Gunbow

er Creek the abundance w

as low, indicating the potential for flow

s to improve the overall

number of fish in the creek (Victorian Environm

ental Water

Holder 2012–13). Further m

onitoring in early summ

er 2011 indicated that the environm

ental watering w

as successful in stim

ulating the movem

ent of a range of native fish species, in particular golden perch.

The Living Murray environm

ental water w

as also delivered to G

unbower Forest to top up w

etlands. This was to sustain bird

breeding which had been triggered by natural high flow

s in early spring.

Koondrook–Perricoota Forest received natural flow

s but was

not targeted for environmental w

atering due to the construction of w

ater managem

ent structures.

The Thule Creek regulator (Koondrook–Perricoota Forest) under construction in March 2012 (photo by Jam

ie Hearn, M

urray CMA)

13

Flo

od

plain v

eg

eta

tion p

roc

es

se

s du

ring d

ry ph

as

e (MD

BC

, 20

07

a)

Riv

er Re

d G

um

Fore

sts(S

Q1

& S

Q2)

Inundation for no greater than24 m

onths, unseasonal (Sum

mer-

Autumn) or prolonged flooding

leads to decline.

Riv

er Re

d G

um

Wo

od

land

(SQ

3)Prolonged flooding leads to decline.

Bla

ck B

ox W

oo

dla

nd

Less frequent rainfall favours Black Boxencroachm

ent on River R

ed Gum

Woodlands.

Mo

ira Gra

ss P

lains

Minim

um 2 m

onthsdry in S

umm

er-Autum

n to preventG

iant Rush

Invasion.

Floo

dp

lain D

ep

ression

Marsh

es

Flo

od

plain fa

un

a pro

ce

sse

s du

ring d

ry ph

as

e

Wetla

nd

bird

sD

ry phases allow nutrient accretion to support algae and m

acrophyte growth upon rew

etting.

Essential for habitat value of marshes, especially for w

aterfowl. R

emaining channels and m

arshes

provide drought refuge and support sedentary populations of wetland birds (D

SE, 2005).

FishM

ake refuge movem

ents into deeper waters during low

flow periods. Shelter am

ongst woody

debris provided by forests. Shelter and productivity of floodplain spaw

ning grounds boosted by growth of

algae and terrestrial plants during dry phase (Jones, 2006).

Gian

t Ru

sh &

Re

ed

Be

ds

Maintained in near-

permanent w

etlands.P

ersist through dry phaseas dorm

ant rhizomes on

higher ground.

Ide

al Dryin

g P

ha

se

2-6 months dry in Sum

mer-A

utumn to

maintain M

oira Grass, allow

nutrientaccum

ulation in marshes and prevent

waterlogging and decline of R

iver Red

Gum

s.

14

Flo

od

ing

re

qu

ire

me

nts o

f f

loo

dp

lain

ve

ge

tatio

n a

sso

cia

tio

ns (

MD

BC

, 20

07

a)

Riv

er R

ed

Gu

m F

ore

sts

40-9

2%

of y

ears

for 5

month

s

SQ

2

Flo

od to

lera

nt

gra

ss u

nders

tore

y

Riv

er R

ed

Gu

m W

oo

dla

nd

(S

Q3

)

33-4

6%

of y

ears

for 1

-2 m

onth

s

Bla

ck

Box

Wo

od

lan

d

14-3

3%

of y

ears

1-4

mo

nth

s

Gia

nt R

ush

&

Re

ed

Be

ds

75

-92

% o

f ye

ars

for 5

mo

nth

s

Mo

ira

Gra

ss

Pla

ins

75

-92

% o

f years

for 5

mo

nth

s

Flo

od

pla

in D

ep

re

ssio

n

Ma

rsh

es

SQ

1

Flo

od d

ependant

sedge u

nders

tore

y

Flo

od

pla

in f

au

na

pro

ce

sse

s d

urin

g w

et p

ha

se

We

tla

nd

bir

ds

F

or b

reedin

g o

f colo

nia

l nestin

g w

ate

rbird

s a

flood p

uls

e is

require

d in

Sprin

g. H

igh s

table

w

ate

r levels

should

contin

ue fo

r two m

onth

s w

ith a

gra

dual re

cessio

n. F

lood d

ura

tion m

ust b

e g

reate

r

th

an

four m

onth

s. S

uita

ble

floods m

ust o

ccur w

ithin

lifespan o

f specie

s (D

SE

, 2005). F

loodin

g

in

cre

ases e

cosyste

m p

roductiv

ity s

timula

ting a

rrival o

f mig

rants

and b

reedin

g o

f sedenta

ry w

ate

rbird

s.

Fis

h

F

ish

move in

to o

ff-stre

am

are

as v

ia a

nabra

nches o

n ris

ing flo

ws. W

ate

r tem

pera

ture

and riv

er flo

w ra

tes

p

rovid

e c

ues fo

r these m

ovem

ents

. Flo

od e

xte

nts

and re

gula

tor d

esig

n a

nd o

pera

tion m

ust p

erm

it movem

ent.

F

loo

dpla

ins p

rovid

e h

igh p

roductiv

ity e

nviro

nm

ents

and s

helte

r for s

paw

nin

g a

ctiv

ity a

nd ju

venile

fish (J

ones, 2

006)

Mid

Sp

rin

g in

ide

al f

loo

d e

ve

nt

Flo

od p

uls

e in

late

Win

ter, flo

od p

eak in

Riv

er

Red

Gu

m W

oo

dla

nd, re

cedin

g a

fter 2

month

s.

Ma

rshes a

nd lo

west R

iver R

ed G

um

Fore

sts

inundate

d fo

r 5 m

onth

s

allo

win

g fis

h a

nd w

etla

nd b

irds to

bre

ed.

15

Co

lon

ially

ne

stin

g in

flo

od

ed

Riv

er R

ed

Gu

ms

(P

ied C

orm

ora

nt o

ther C

orm

ora

nts

, Egre

ts)

Co

lon

ially

ne

stin

g in

flo

od

ed

re

ed

be

ds in

Dra

ina

ge

De

pre

ssio

n M

arsh

es (A

ustra

lian W

hite

Ibis

oth

er Ib

is, S

po

on

bills

)

Ne

stin

g in

a L

arg

e R

ive

r R

ed

Gu

m (

Sta

g) (W

hite

-bellie

d S

ea-E

agle

)

Wate

rfow

l, Co

ot a

nd

Greb

es (Paci!c Black D

uck) Shallow

or deeper open water foragers either vegetarian, om

nivorous or feeding on !sh and crustaceans

Pe

lica

n, C

orm

ora

nts, D

arte

r (Australian Pelican, Pied Corm

orant) D

eeper open waters feeding m

ainly on !sh

Ib

is, S

po

on

bills

(Royal Spoonbill , Australian White Ibis) Shallow

water m

ud"ats or wet grasslands, feeding m

ainly on animals (!sh and invertebrates)

Eg

re

ts, H

ero

ns, B

itte

rn

s, C

ra

ne

s (Australian Bittern*)

Shallow w

ater, bare mud and reedbeds, feeding on anim

als (large invertebrates, crustaceans, frogs and !sh)

Cra

ke

s, R

ails

, Wate

r H

en

s, S

nip

e (Australian Painted Snipe)*

In shallow w

ater, within cover of dense em

ergent vegetation or wet grassland. Som

e vegetarian, others mainly take invertebrates, som

e are omnivores

Sh

oreb

ird

s (Black-fronted D

otterel) Shallow

water, bare m

ud and salt marsh Feeding m

ainly on animals (invertebrates and som

e !sh)

Gu

lls, T

ern

s (Silver G

ull ) Terns, over open w

ater feeding on !sh; gulls, opportunistic feeders over a wide range of habitats.

Ra

pto

rs (W

hite-bellied Sea-Eagle) Feed on !sh, carrion and w

ater birds within large hom

e ranges centred on aquatic habitat

So

ng

bir

ds (Australian Reed W

arbler) Feed on invertebrates and nest in dense reed beds

Kin

gfis

he

rs (Azure King!sher) Feed on terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates and large invertebrates. + 2 species less dependent on aquatic habitat.

Bu

sh

Bir

ds (G

alah, Kookaburra) Roost, forage and nest in River Red Gum

s but not truly wetland-dependant

* threatened species.

- incre

ase th

e a

rea o

f fora

gin

g h

abita

t

- ma

inta

in fllo

odpla

in v

eg

eta

tion (fo

ragin

g &

roostin

g h

abita

t)

- rele

ase n

utrie

nts

accum

ula

ted in

dry

pha

se in

to a

qua

tic

foo

d w

ebs

- trigge

r bre

edin

g o

f pre

y s

pecie

s (fis

h a

nd

inve

rteb

rate

s)

- trigge

r mig

ratio

n

- trigge

r colo

nia

l nestin

g, p

rovid

e e

xtra

foo

d re

sou

rce

s

an

d p

rote

ct n

est s

ites

Riv

er R

ed

Gu

m W

oo

dla

nd

s

Riv

er R

ed

Gu

m F

ore

sts

Flo

od

pla

in D

ep

re

ssio

n M

arsh

es

In

Stre

am

Ha

bit

ats

Ne

stin

g H

ab

itat

Fo

ra

gin

g H

ab

itat

Flo

od

Eve

nts

16

TYPES OF WATER MANAGEMENT STRUCTURESRegulators: water-controlling structures that can be opened or closed to produce FRQWUROOHG�ȍRRGLQJ�DQG�GU\LQJ�RI�ZHWODQGV�WR�UHLQVWDWH�PRUH�QDWXUDO�ȍRRG�F\FOHV�

Channels: excavated creeks or waterways, sometimes with containment banks, used to direct water in or out of an area.

Levee banks: earthen embankments that keep water inside a site that is being watered and enable placement of regulators for improved management. Levees SURWHFW�QHLJKERXULQJ�SURSHUWLHV�IURP�ȍRRGLQJ�DQG�HQDEOH�FRQWURO�RI�WKH�ZDWHU�GHSWK��LQXQGDWLRQ�SHULRG�DQG�UDWH�RI�GUDZ�GRZQ�RI�D�ȍRRGLQJ�HYHQW�

Fishways:�VLWH�VSHFLȌF�VWUXFWXUHV�WKDW�DOORZ�ȌVK�WR�SDVV�WKURXJK�RU�DURXQG�physical barriers such as dams, weirs and road crossings. Four types are being used in the Murray:

ǩ� YHUWLFDO�VORW�ȌVKZD\V��ZKLFK�FRQVLVW�RI�D�VHULHV�RI�LQWHUFRQQHFWHG�SRROV�bypassing an obstruction such as a weir

ǩ� ORFN�ȌVKZD\V��ZKLFK�DWWUDFW�ȌVK�WR�D�KROGLQJ�DUHD�DW�WKH�EDVH�RI�WKH�ORFN�ZKLFK�LV�WKHQ�VHDOHG�DQG�ȌOOHG�ZLWK�ZDWHU�WR�UHDFK�WKH�KHLJKW�RI�WKH�ZDWHU�XSVWUHDP�RI�WKH�EDUULHU�VR�WKDW�ȌVK�FDQ�VZLP�RXW�RI�WKH�ORFN

ǩ� URFN�UDPS�ȌVKZD\V��DUWLȌFLDO�UDSLGV�PDGH�IURP�URFNV�ZKLFK�SURYLGH�D�GLYHUVH�ȍRZ�SDWK�DQG�DOORZ�ȌVK�WR�SDVV�RYHU�ORZ�ZHLUV

ǩ� 'HQLO�ȌVKZD\V��ZKLFK�XVH�D�VHULHV�RI�EDIȍHV�WR�UHGXFH�WKH�ȍRZ�RI�ZDWHU��DOORZLQJ�ȌVK�WR�VZLP�DURXQG�WKH�EDUULHU�

Progress so far

The initial focus of the program was mainly on identifying and testing feasible options IRU�ZRUNV�DQG�PHDVXUHV�SURMHFWV�WKDW�ZRXOG�PHHW�RU�PDNH�D�ELJ�FRQWULEXWLRQ�WR�WKH�HQYLURQPHQWDO�ZDWHU�UHTXLUHPHQWV�RI�WKH�VLWHV��7KLV�ZDV�D�VLJQLȌFDQW�H[HUFLVH��ZKLFKbWRRN�WKUHH�WR�IRXU�\HDUV�

The significance of The Living Murray has been identifying and having the chance to complete a range of water management works for improving the efficiency of water management. The budgets just weren’t around to even dare to design or think big. The Living Murray has enabled resource managers at all the icon sites to have a clean slate — ‘What do we actually require?’ — rather than being constrained by minuscule budgets.

Keith Ward

T H E L I V I N G M U R R A Y S T O R Y 59

17

4mactoss

rop of levee

Compacted till from

channel excavation or local borrow

area.

Pool created by inflows

from Torrum

barry Weir

Natural floodplain

18

19

Fish =..-

FISh Exit

20

OF VICTORIA

Spotted Dove length 30 cm(Introduced Species)

Pied Currawong length 45 cm

House Sparrow length 15 cm(Introduced Species)

Eastern Rosella length 30 cm

Crimson Rosella length 35 cm

Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo length 60 cm

Grey Butcherbird length 30 cm

Red Wattlebird length 35 cm

Red-browed Finch length 12 cm Noisy Miner

length 25 cmRainbow Lorikeet length 30 cm

Willie Wagtail length 20 cm

Tawny Frogmouth length 44 cm

LaughingKookaburra length 45 cm

Sulphur-crested Cockatoolength 50 cm

Common Blackbird length 27 cm(Introduced Species)

Common (Indian) Myna length 25 cm(Introduced Species)

Magpie-lark (Pee-wee) length 25 cm

Australian Magpie length 40 cm

Galah length 35 cm

New Holland Honeyeater length 20 cm

Eastern Spinebill length 15 cm

Silvereye length 12 cm

White-plumed Honeyeater length 16 cm

Yellow-rumped Thornbill length 11 cm

Superb Fairy-wren (female and male) length 14 cm

Printed on recycled paper.

For inquiries about birds and domestic gardens, contact:

BIRDS IN BACKYARDS www.birdsinbackyards.net t (02) 9647 1875

BIRDS AUSTRALIA www.birdsaustralia.com.au t 1300 730 07521

24

Birds of our waterways and wetlands

The birdlife of our waterscapes is full of variety and fascination. Over 100 different species use our wetlands and waterways for an important part of their life, perfectly adapted to the different habitats within those environments. Herons stalk in the shallows, swamphens feed on new shoots among the reeds, ducks and cormorants dive in deeper water, while large flocks of small wading birds scurry across the mudflats picking at tiny crustaceans.

22

25

Birds of our wetlands and waterways Name(s):____________________________________________________________ Record the birds you find at your waterbody (with a tick), add notes about what it is doing or where it is (e.g. perched in reeds, wading in shallow water). Waterbirds

Black swan Black Swans are very large birds with a long slender neck and red bill. They are usually seen gracefully gliding on the water or walking on the bank.

□_________________________________

Grey teal These small birds are quick flyers and they can be found in pairs or large flocks feeding on aquatic plants in shallow water. The male’s call is a loud ‘pip’ while the female’s is a long laughing cackle.

□_________________________________

Pacific black duck These ducks can be found on all types of water. They mainly eat seeds of aquatic plants but may also eat small crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic insects.

□_________________________________

Hardhead Hardheads are dark brown ducks with a distinctive white eye and light blue tipped bill. They inhabit well vegetated swamps and open water areas. They dabble and dive for food such as invertebrates

□_________________________________

23

26

Musk duck* (photo Rohan Clarke) Musk ducks have dark feathers and a short bill. They float low in the water so the tail is often under water. The male has a large lobe beneath the bill. They use their feet to make loud splashing noises when attracting a mate. They are often seen in deeper water where they dive for invertebrates, plants, frogs and fish.

□_________________________________

Australian wood duck Wood ducks have a dark brown head with a short black beak and their call is a nasal ‘mnow’. They are often seen looking for food on grassy areas away from wetlands.

□_________________________________

Eurasian coot Coots are easily recognised by their small dumpy dark bodies and pronounced white bill. They feed in shallow to deep water, diving for plant material, and when they swim their lobed feet cause jerky movements in the water. Their call can vary but is very sharp and noisy.

□_________________________________

Dusky moorhen The Dusky moorhen is another small bird although very shy. When walking it jerks its tail and has a squawky call resembling a ‘kerrk’. They can be seen out in the open, however small flocks are sometimes seen on the open water.

□_________________________________ Purple swamphen Purple swamphens are black on their back and wings with a purple-blue breast, belly and neck and a white under tail. They have a bright red bill and large red legs and feet. They feed on the shoots of reeds (and sometimes frogs and snails) in shallow water or on land.

□_________________________________

24

27

Swamp harrier* (photo Rohan Clarke) Harriers are related to eagles and hawks, which all have a hooked bill, long wings and strong talons. They are a greyish brown colour and lighter outer wing feathers. They glide low over wetlands watching for movements of any small animal to eat (small birds, frogs, fish, small mammals).

□_________________________________ Osprey The Osprey is a medium-sized fish-eating bird of prey. It has dark brown upperparts and pale underparts. Ospreys are found on the coast and estuaries / wetlands near the coast. The Osprey feeds mainly on medium-sized live fish, which it does not swallow whole, but rips apart to eat.

□_________________________________ Hoary-Headed grebe The Hoary-headed grebe is usually found away from the shoreline in large open waters, which may be estuarine, brackish or freshwater. The Hoary-headed Grebe feeds on aquatic invertebrates, mostly caught by deep diving.

□_________________________________

Darter The Darter is a large, slim water bird with a long snake-like neck, sharp pointed bill, and long, rounded tail. It prefers smooth, open waters, for feeding, with tree trunks, branches, stumps or posts fringing the water, for resting and drying its wings. The Darter catches fish with its sharp bill partly open while diving in water deeper than 60 cm..

□_________________________________

Pied cormorant Pied cormorants have black feathers on their back, wings, tail and top of the head, with white underneath. They feed by diving for fish and invertebrates. □_________________________________

25

28

Little black cormorant Often seen with pelicans they often herd fish in groups, diving down to catch them. Unlike most water birds their bodies are not water resistant and so must dry their plumage frequently. They nest in low trees in wetlands and have a hoarse croaking call.

□_________________________________ Australian pelican*(photo Jen Mitchell) Pelicans are very large birds which are mainly white with black and have a long pink bill used for catching fish. Found in both fresh and salt water environments.

□_________________________________

White-faced heron* (photo Jen Mitchell) White-faced heron have a grey body and white face. They are good flyers but not good swimmers as they don’t have webbed feet. They have a long slender beak, perfect for catching small fish, and are perched atop their long slender legs, enabling them to peer through the water.

□_________________________________

Great egret Egrets are large bids with unwebbed feet, long legs and bills. Great egrets have white feathers, a yellow bill and dark legs. They wade in shallow water to feed on fish, frogs, invertebrates and reptiles.

□_________________________________

Yellow-billed spoonbill* (photo Michael Taylor) Yellow-Billed spoonbills are found throughout Australia’s freshwater environments which is their ideal habitat. They have a long, yellow, spoon-shaped bill which they use to catch prey by ‘swishing’ it from side to side in the water.

□_________________________________

26

29

White ibis They have a white body with a black upper neck and unfeathered head. They often feed in large groups and mostly eat invertebrates, but also eat fish, frogs and garbage. Ibis can be found feeding in pastures, built up areas and garbage tips, as well as wetlands.

□_________________________________

Black winged stilt Black-winged stilts are mainly white except for the black neck and wings. They have a long straight bill and long pink legs. They are usually seen in shallow water or on mud picking invertebrates from the surface.

□_________________________________

Greenshank Greenshank are a mix of brown and white on the back and white underneath. They have a long slightly up-turned bill. They feed in shallow water for invertebrates or fish. Greenshank breed in northern Asia (Siberia) and migrate to southern Australia in our spring / summer.

□_________________________________ Silver gull* Normally considered a coastal bird they’re often spotted around wetlands and rivers. Gulls can be very vocal making a variety of loud and soft calls.

□_________________________________

Crested tern Crested terns have a pale yellow bill, scruffy black crest, grey wings and back, and a white neck and underparts. They are aerial feeders that dive into the water to catch their prey.

□_________________________________

27

30

Bush birds often found near waterbodies Sacred kingfisher Sacred Kingfishers are related to Kookaburras. They are mainly turquoise, with off-white underparts and a cream collar. They feed on crustaceans, reptiles, insects and their larvae and, occasionally, fish. The birds perch on low exposed branch on the lookout for prey.

□_________________________________

Magpie lark (Mudlarks) These birds build their nest from mud, bound and lined with grasses. They mainly feed on insects and other small invertebrates and have a clear ringing “pee-wit” or “pee-o-wit” call which is heard particularly early in the morning.

□_________________________________ Australian ringneck (Twenty eight) The Australian ringneck is a large green parrot with a yellow hind collar. They whistle and make a call that sounds like ‘twenty eight’, hence their common name. When they fly they rise and fall and their food includes eucalypt seeds, flowers and fruits and grasses.

□_________________________________ Galah Galahs are well known for their pink and grey colouring and loud screeches. Galahs form huge, noisy flocks which feed on seeds, mostly from the ground. They mostly nest in tree hollows and form permanent pair bonds.

□_________________________________

Grey fantail Grey fantails are very similar to Willy wagtails in that they are very active and continuously wave their tails. The Grey fantail feeds on flying insects, which it catches by chasing them from the edge of foliage at all levels in the canopy.

□_________________________________

There are many other types of birds that are found in and near wetlands, creeks and rivers. If you see a bird that is not covered here, write or sketch a description and use a website or bird field guide to help you identify it. Try: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/

28

NATIVE FISHES

There are 46 species of native fish in the Murray–D

arling Basin,

ranging from tiny gudgeons and pygm

y perch to the Murray cod

which can reach 1.8 m

and 113.5 kg.

Populations of many native fish species in the B

asin have declined over the past 50 years, m

ainly due to habitat loss or m

odification, barriers to fish movem

ent and the effects of introduced species.

OF THE MURRAY!DARLIN

G BASIN

Murray cod

(Maccullochella peelii)

Endangered. Comm

only 45-65 cm.

Australia’s largest freshwater fish; it has

been recorded up to 1.8 m and 113.5 kg.

Found throughout most of the B

asin, except for upper reaches of the southern tributaries. H

as been introduced into many

lakes and dams.

Un-specked hardyhead

(Craterocephalus stercusm

uscarum fulvus)

Comm

only 5-7 cm. Form

erly widespread, but

has declined and is now threatened. M

ore com

mon in the northern B

asin and patchily found in the m

iddle and lowland sections of

rivers and some tributaries in the south.

Australian smelt (Retropinna sem

oni) Com

monly 4-7 cm

. Has been recorded in m

ost low

land streams of the B

asin, preferring slow-

moving or still w

ater in a variety of habitats.

Murray–D

arling rainbowfish

(Melanotaenia fluviatilis) Com

monly

5-7 cm. G

enerally restricted to backw

aters, billabongs and slow-

flowing areas throughout the B

asin.

Trout cod (Maccullochella m

acquariensis)Com

monly 40-50 cm

. Endangered. Once

widespread but now

reduced to only small

breeding populations, the largest of which

is in the River M

urray between Yarraw

onga and B

armah.

Macquarie perch

(Macquaria australasica)

Threatened. Comm

only 25-35 cm. Typically

found in the cool, upper reaches of the R

iver Murray system

in Vic, NSW

and the ACT. M

ost remaining populations sm

all and isolated.

Western carp gudgeon (H

ypseleotris klunzingeri) Com

monly 3-5 cm

. As a group, carp gudgeons are w

idespread and comm

on at mid-to-low

er altitudes in the central and southern B

asin.

Purple-spotted gudgeon (M

ogurnda adspersa) Com

monly 4-5 cm

. A threatened species m

ostly found in the upper eastern reaches of the B

asin.

Short-finned eel (Anguilla australis) Com

monly 70 cm

. Primarily a fish of

coastal streams outside of the B

asin, although occasionally recorded in inland stream

s.

Olive perchlet (Am

bassis agassizii) Com

monly 4-6 cm

. Formerly

widespread in the M

urray–D

arling Basin, now

largely restricted to the northern B

asin.

Golden perch (M

acquaria ambigua)

Comm

only 25-45 cm.

Widespread throughout low

land, slow flow

ing rivers of the B

asin.

Silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)

Threatened. Comm

only 30-45 cm. Form

erly widespread

over much of the B

asin excluding the most upper reaches,

it has declined over most of its range to occasional

populations in the mid-M

urray.

Spangled perch (Leiopotherapon unicolour)

Comm

only 10-20 cm. Australia’s m

ost w

idespread native freshwater fish. In the B

asin it occurs in the north and w

est, primarly north

of Condoblin.

Bony herring (N

ematalosa erebi)

Comm

only 10-20 cm. W

idespread in the m

ajority of Basin’s low

land rivers, w

here they are often the most

abundant native species. Largely absent from

upland rivers.

Freshwater catfish

(Tandanus tandanus) Com

monly 30-45 cm

. W

idespread throughout the M

urray–Darling B

asin, but generally in the low

er, slow-

flowing rivers.

Images:

Gunther Schm

ida, Neil Arm

strong

29

INTRODUCED FISHES

Eleven introduced or alien species of fish have been recorded in the M

urray–Darling B

asin. The range and im

pacts of each species on the environm

ent and on native fish varies. Some

fish were introduced for recreational angling

while others w

ere introduced through the aquarium

trade.

OF THE MURRAY!DARLIN

G BASIN

Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Com

monly 4-5 kg. W

idely distributed in slopes and low

land rivers and creeks as well as upland

streams. Carp often com

prise between 70-90%

of the fish biom

ass in lakes and streams. Carp

can tolerate low oxygen levels and higher levels

of pollutants and turbidity than many native

fish. Their feeding behaviour affects water

quality.

Redfin perch (Perca fluviatilis)

Comm

only 40 cm and 1-2 kg. W

idely distributed throughout the southern part of the B

asin, mainly occurring in slow

-flowing or

still water habitats such as lakes, billabongs

and swam

ps. Redfin are voracious predators of other fish and invertebrates. They carry a virus that affects m

any native fish.

Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Comm

only 20 cm. W

idespread in the M

urray–Darling B

asin.

Tench (Tinca tinca) U

sually 10-30 cm. Prim

arily restricted to Victoria. Often abundant in off-channel habitats such as backw

aters and lagoons and in deep, sheltered holes.

Eastern gambusia (Gam

busia holbrooki) Fem

ales usually 6 cm, m

ales smaller.

Widely distributed throughout the B

asin, com

monly found in farm

dams, slow

-flow

ing waters and shallow

wetlands.

A high reproductive rate means it often

greatly outnumbers native species.

Oriental weatherloach

(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)

Usually 16-19 cm

. Now

established throughout the entire B

asin. The oriental weatherloach can

burrow to escape predators and m

ove overland to disperse, giving it a com

petitive edge over native species.

Atlantic salmon

(Salmo salar)

Comm

only 1-3 kg. Only found in areas w

here the species has been stocked for recreational fishing.

Brow

n trout (Salmo trutta)

Comm

only 1-4 kg. Forms the basis

of important recreational fisheries in

south-eastern Australia and is widely

distributed in the cool upland streams

and lakes of the Murray–D

arling Basin.

Roach (Rutilus rutilus)

Comm

only 15-20 cm.

Occasionally recorded in the

Victorian waters of the M

urray–D

arling Basin.

Rainbow trout

(Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Comm

only 1-4 kg. Popular species for recreational fishing. W

idely distributed in the cooler upland stream

s of the Basin.

Brook char

(Salvelinus fontinalis) Com

monly 80-85 cm

. Not

comm

on in the Murray–

Darling B

asin.

Images:

Gunther Schm

ida, N

eil Armstrong

Tilapia (Oreochromis m

ossambicus)

Comm

only 20 cm. A hardy, adaptable

and rapid breeder, Tilapia thrives in even highly disturbed w

atercourses. W

ith several established breeding populations in southern Q

ueensland, spread into the B

asin is a high risk.NEW

THREAT

30

31

STREAM

WATC

H

32

�Two�

water�

depth�loggers�

have�recently�

been�installed�in�G

unbower�Forest.�The�loggers�are�linked�

to�the�internet,�allowing�instant�access�to�w

ater�depth�inform

ation.�

The�loggers�will�help�the�N

orth�Central�CMA�gain�a�

better�understanding�

of�water�

levels�across�

Gunbow

er�Forest�during�natural�flooding�events.�In�particular�the�inform

ation�will�be�used�to�learn�

more�about�how

�changing�water�levels�influence�

the�breeding�behavior�of�colonial�waterbirds,�such�

as�Egrets,�Ibis�and�Cormorants.�

“Falling�water�levels�under�colonies�of�breeding�

birds�is�known�to�cause�adult�birds�to�abandon�

nests�which�m

ay�contain�eggs�or�young�chicks.�It�is�thought�tha t�the�falling�w

ater�levels�and�drying�out�of�w

etlands�in�the�forest�is�a�signal�to�the�birds�that�food�resources�are�running�out,”�said�CM

A�Project�

Manager�A

nna�Chatfield.�

The�loggers�have�been�installed�in�a�known�colonial�

waterbird�breeding�area;�Little�G

unbower�W

etland�Com

plex�and�in�Green�Sw

amp.�

Since�the�major�flooding�of�G

unbower�Forest�in�

2010/11�the�forest�has�received�further�natural�inflow

s�in�the�spring�of�2011�and�in�the�winter�and�

spring�of�2012�from�rises�in�the�M

urray�River.�

This�has�

created�ideal�

conditions�for�

colonial�waterbirds�to�again�breed�in�the�spring�and�sum

mer�

of�2012.�

“This�spring�and�summer�w

e�will�be�in�the�forest�

monitoring�the�breeding�birds�and�using�the�w

ater�level�loggers�to�determ

ine�if�environmental�w

ater�is�needed�to�allow

�waterbirds�to�successfully�fledge�

their�young�this�year”�said�Anna.�

Funding�for�the�water�depth�loggers�w

as provided�

by�The�Living�Murray�Initiative.�

� Water�D

epth�logger�installed�in�Little�Gunbow

er�Wetland�Com

plex��(Photo�courtesy�of�Rohan�O

liver)�� Great�egret�chicks�in�G

unbower�Forest�

January�2012��(Photo�courtesy�of�A

nna�Chatfield)�

x Hipw

ell�Road�Weir�and�fishw

ay�–�a�new

�weir�in�G

unbower�Creek�w

ill�be�operated�to�enable�m

aximum

�inflow�

rates�of�1,650�ML/day�to�be�achieved.�

GoulburnͲM

urray�Water�

(GͲM

W)�

will�

manage�the�construction�w

orks.��

According�

to�Gre g�

Watkins,�

GͲM

W�

Construction�Manager,�sm

all�construction�tasks�w

ill�commence�late�this�year,�w

ith�the�major�construction�activity�com

mencing�in�

early�2013.�

The�Offtake�

Regulator�and�

channel�will�be�constructed�first,�follow

ed�by�the�bridge�and�w

eir�in�Gunbow

er�Creek.�Construction�is�expected�to�be�com

pleted�by�late�2013.��

�For�updates�on�construction�visit�the�North�

Central�CMA�website�

www.nccm

a.vic.gov.au �

�����

������������������������������������

��������������

The�MurrayͲD

arling�Basin�Authority�(M

DBA

)�has�approved�a�$13.5�m

illion�package�of�works�for�

the�construction�of�the�Hipw

ell�Road�Channel.�

This�represents�

a�major�

milestone�

in�the�

Gunbow

er�Forest�Flooding�for�Life�Project�which�

has�been�investigating�the�most�efficient�and�

effective�way�

to�deliver�

large�volum

es�of�

environmental�w

ater�to�the�forest�for�th e�past�12�years.�

The�package�of�works�involves�the�follow

ing�engineering�structures:�

x Hipw

ell�Road�Channel�Ͳ�a�one�kilometre�

channel�near�

Hipw

ell�Road�

connecting�Gunbow

er�Creek�to�Gunbow

er�Forest�

x Island�

Road�Bridge�

Ͳ�a�

bridge�where�

Cohuna�Island�

Road�crosses�

the�Hipw

ell�Road�Channel�

x Offtake�

Regulator�and�

fish�lock�

–�a�

regulator�that�controls�fl ows�entering�the�

new�channel�and�forest.�

COMMUNITY

NEW

SLETTER

North�Central�CM

A�

Reception�Ph:�03�5448�7124��Melanie�Tranter�

Gunbow

er�Forest�Manager�

Email:�

melanie.tranter@

nccma.vic.gov.au�

�Anna�Chatfield�

Gunbow

er�Forest�Project�Manager

Email:�

anna.chatfield@nccm

a.vic.gov.au�

�

Edition�1�Novem

ber�2012

��

�����Artist’s�im

pression�of�the�Hipw

ell�Road�Channel�Package�of�Works�

Welcom

e�to�the�first�‘Flooding�for�Life’�com

munity�new

sletter!�

This�quarterly�newsletter�w

ill�be�used�to�keep�you�upͲtoͲdate�with�the�N

orth�Central�Catchm

ent�Managem

ent�Authority’s�Flooding�for�Life�Project�at�G

unbower�Forest.�

New

sletters�will�be�sent�to�households�around�G

unbower�Forest.�W

e�hope�you�enjoy�it!��

Upcom

ing�event:�Cohuna�Festival�(Austoberfest)�

Saturday�3�Novem

ber�2012�Visit�the�G

unbower�Forest�‘Flooding�for�Life’�inform

ation�tent�to�meet�the�team

�who�w

ork�on�the�project�and�learn�m

ore�about�what�they�get�up�to�in�the�forest!�The�‘Flooding�for�Life’�inform

ation�tent�w

ill�be�located�at�the�main�A

ustoberfest�site�in�Garden�Park.�

New

sletter�authors:�Anna�Chatfield,�M

elanie�Tranter�and�Britt�Gregory�

This�newsletter�is�m

ade�possible�by�funding�provided�by�The�Living�Murray�initiative�of�the�M

urrayͲDarling�Basin�A

uthority.�

This�publication�may�be�of�assistance�to�you,�but�the�N

orth�Central�Catchment�M

anagement�A

uthority�and�its�employees�do�not�guarantee�that�the�publication�is�

without�flaw

�of�any�kind,�or�is�wholly�appropriate�for�your�particular�purposes�and�therefore�disclaim

s�all�liability�for�any�error,�loss�or�other�consequence�which�m

ay�arise�from

�you�relying�on�information�in�this�publication.�

The�Living�Murray�is�a�joint�initiative�funded�by�the�N

ew�South�W

ales,�Victorian,�South Australian,�Australian�Capital�Territory�and Com

monw

ealth�governments,�

coordinated�by�the�Murray–D

arling�Basin�Authority.�

$13.5 Million M

ilestone Success

Monitoring U

pdate

Forest Water D

epth Loggers Installed

33

�

Environmental�w

ater�has�been�flowing�through�

Gunbow

er�Creek�since�July�this�year.��

An�allocation�of�environm

ental�water�w

as�reserved�for�the�creek�from

�a�combination�of�entitlem

ents�held�by�The�Living�M

urray�and�Commonw

ealth�Environm

ental�Water�H

older.��

“The�aim�of�the�environm

ental�water�is�to�provide�

better�conditions�for�native�fish�in�the�creek,”�said�North�Central�CM

A�M

anager,�Melanie�Tranter.���

“Under�

normal�

operations,�GoulburnͲM

urray�Water�drains�G

unbower�Creek�once�the�irrigation�

season�ends.�This�helps�to�check�the�growth�of�the�

invasive�water�lily�by�exposing�it�to�frost,�but�

disrupts�the�life�cycle�of�native�fish�that�rely�on�winter�flow

s.”�

“This�year�after�the�creek�was�drained�and�a�few

�frosts�had�hit�the�w

ater�lil y�we�began�delivering�

water�to�the�creek�to�assist�native�fish�prepare�for�

spawning�in�spring.”�

“Juvenile�fish�do�not�carry�a�lot�of�body�reserves�during�w

inter�so�it�is�really�important�that�a�food�

supply�is�maintained�or�they�w

ill�starve.�The�adult�fish�eat�the�sm

aller�fish�to�survive�and�draw�on�

their�own�reserves,�how

ever�the�loss�of�condition�

affects�their�ability�to�spawn�in�the�subsequent�

spring.�It’s�really�the�same�principle� as�m

aking�sure�a�cow

�is�in�good�condition�before�br eeding,”�said�M

elanie.�

A�

further�5�

GL�

of�The�

Living�Murray�

environmental�w

ater�has�been�reserved�for�use�in�Gunbow

er�Forest�this�spring�and�summer.�The�

water�

will�

be�used�

to�provide�

connectivity�betw

een�Gunbow

er�Creek�and�the�River�Murray�

and�to�

provide�topͲup�

flows�

if�requ ired�

to�maintain�a�bird�breeding�event.�

�

Gunbow

er�Creek�

below�Cohuna�

Weir,�

26�Septem

ber�2012�

(Photo�courtesy�

of�Melanie�

Tranter)�

Partnering w

ith Yorta Y

orta Nations A

boriginal Corporation

Yorta�Yorta�representative�Simon�N

icholson�and�SKM�

archeologist�Jeff�Hill�recording�a�scar�tree�near�H

ipwell�

Road�(Photo�courtesy�of�SKM).�

Over�3,200�copies�of�the�coffee�table�book�‘G

unbower�Forest�Ͳ�Flooding�for�Life’�have�been�circulated�throughout�the�

Cohuna,�Leitchville,�Koondrook�and�Gunbow

er�areas.�

The�book�has�provided�a�way�for�the�N

orth�Central�CMA�to�share�the�know

ledge�that�has�been�gained�over�the�past�12�years�through�beautiful�photographs�taken�by�CM

A�staff�and�by�others�that�also�w

ork�in�and�enjoy�the�forest.���

Copies�of�the�book�have�also�been�available�to�visitors�at�the�Gatew

ay�to�Gannaw

arra�Centre�in�Cohuna.�

Colleen�Shay,�Tourism�and�G

ateway�coordinator�says�“The�book�has�been�extrem

ely�popular�with�locals�and�tourists.��

People�are�amazed�by�the�pictures�and�inform

ation�in�the�book�and�they�always�com

ment�on�how

�beautiful�it�is.�School�children�are�also�draw

n�to�the�book�and�so�it�is�also�a�great�educational�tool.”�

Limited�copies�of�the�book�are�still�available.�Contact�the�N

orth�Central�CMA�or�the�G

ateway�to�G

annawarra�Centre�for�

a�copy.�

�����

Over Three Thousand ‘Flooding for Life’ books

The�North�Central�CM

A�Indigenous�Facilitator,�Bam

bi�Lees,�

has�been�

working�

closely�with�

Yorta�Yorta�

Nations,�

GoulburnͲM

urray�Water�

and�archeologists�

from�SKM

�to�develop�a�Cultural�Heritage�M

anagement�

Plan�(CHMP).�

Bambi�said�“The�CH

MP�is�a�legal�requirem

ent�for�construction�

of�the�

environmental�

water�

delivery�structures�at�H

ipwell�Road.�W

e�work�w

ith�Yorta�Yorta�to�

survey�the�

construction�footprint�

and�develop�

managem

ent�recom

mendations�

that�will�

protect�cultural�heritage�during�construction.�The�plan�also�sets�

out�what�

all�the�

parties�must�

do�if�

cultural�heritage�is�found�during�construction.”�

A�team

�of�Yorta�Yorta�cultural�heritage�monitors�w

as�involved�in�the�w

eek�long�survey�of�the�Hipw

ell�Road�area.�D

uring�the�survey�the�team�checked�all�trees�for�

cultural�scars,�

and�exam

ined�the�

ground�for�

any�mounds,�shell�deposits,�hearths,�artefact�scatters�and�

burials.�

�“A�total�of�nine�scar�trees�w

ere�recorded�through�the�survey,�including�coolam

on,�canoe�and�shield�scars,”�said�Bam

bi.�

Prior�to�construction�at�Hipw

ell�Road�commencing�

Yorta�Yorta�

monitors�

will�

be�assisting�

GͲM

W�with�

cultural�heritage�inductions�for�construction�workers.�

Monitors�w

ill�be�on�site�to�implem

ent�the�cultural�heritage�protection�w

orks�during�construction�which�

have�been�agreed�to�in�the�CHMP.��

�

Environmental W

atering Update

The�North�Central�CM

A’s�Ram

sar�Wetlands�

Enhancement�

Project�team

�has�

been�working�tow

ards�protecting�and�enhancing�the�ecological�values�of�the�G

unbower�Forest�

over�the�past�three�years.�

The�North�Central�CM

A�staff�w

ork�closely�with�

the�forest’s�

land�managers,�

Parks�Victoria�

and�Departm

ent�of�

Sustainability�and�Environm

ent�(DSE),�to�set�priorities�for�

pest�plant�

and�anim

al�control�

within�

the�forest.��

Carl�Gray,�

North�

Central�CM

A�Project�

Manager�said�“Bridal�Creeper�has�becom

e�an�increasingly�

common�

weed�

in�Gunbow

er�Forest�and�is�a�high�priority�for�us�this�year.�Seeds�of�bridal�creeper�are�spread�by�birds�and�

also�by�

vehicles�so�

we�

see�large�

infestations�along�

popular�tracks�

in�the�

forest.�Once�

it�gets�

established�Bridal�

Creeper�has�

a�sm

othering�effect�

on�just�

about�anything�

in�its�

path�and�

prevents�native�plant�regeneration.”��

Keeping B

ridal Creeper U

nder Control

The�best�time�to�spray�the�w

eed�is�in�winter�or�

early�spring�when�the�plant�is�flow

ering�so�over�the�last�few

�months�the�w

ork�crews�have�

been targeting�the�w

eed.�Bridal�creeper�is�listed�as�a�W

eed�of�National�Significance.�

So�far�this�year,�the�project�team�has treated�

around�250�

ha�of�

Bridal�Creeper�

along�Gunbow

er�Creek�and�in�Gunbow

er�Forest.

Bridal�Creeper�

infestation�in�

Gunbow

er�Forest�(Photo�courtesy�of�Carl�G

ray)�

Scar�tree�recorded�during�

cultural�heritage�

surveys�at�

Hipw

ell�Road�

(Photo�courtesy�of�SKM

)�

Flows for G

unbower C

reek

34

• Watering has been running for 65 days • Over 37 GL of water has been delivered to the forest through the Hipwell Road Channel • Approx. 3783 Ha of the forest has been inundated, which includes:

o 64% of the forest wetlands o 20% of the red gum forest

• Water begun exiting the forest and returning to the Murray River last week. Flow Summary

• Flow over Gunbower Weir is currently being increased to test the capacity of Gunbower Creek.

• Maximum flow into Hipwell Road Channel will be maintained for the next few weeks. • Flow over Hipwell Road Weir is providing important benefits for native fish. • Fishway on Yarran Creek regulator has been opened to allow native fish in the

Gunbower Creek to move into the forest. Nutrient and carbon rich water entering Gunbower Creek will also help to boost the productivity of the creek, benefiting native fish, crustaceans and aquatic plants.

Location Approx. Flow (ML/d) Gunbower Weir 1200 Hipwell Road Channel 750 Hipwell Road Weir 380 Cohuna Weir 380 Yarran Regulator 25 Koondrook Weir 250 Chinamans Bend (forest outfall) 300 • Natural high Murray River flows

o Murray River has been rising over past few weeks, it peaked at 17,000ML/d and is now receding.

o Water level in the forest is higher than that in the Murray River therefore gates on Murray River regulators (Shillinglaws and Barham Cut) will remain closed for now.

• Blackwater o Some pockets of water that is low in dissolved oxygen (DO) (<3 mg/L) have been

recorded in the forest. o These are in areas where there is little water exchange and are expected. o Generally DO levels across the forest are ranging between 8 – 4 mg/L o Water exiting the forest is mixing with water in Gunbower Creek and the Murray

River. Good dilution is currently occurring , with DO levels at Condidorios bridge around 6mg/L.

Environmental watering update August 2014

GUNBOWER FOREST

35

North Central CMA Reception Ph: 03 5448 7124 Anna Chatfield Gunbower Forest Project Manager Email: anna.chatfield@nccma.vic.gov.au

Photo1: North Central CMA staff member Amy Russell, taking a dissolved oxygen reading at Dry Swamp Track bridge, where water exits the forest.

Photo2: Water filling Reedy Lagoon

36