Wetlands get a helping hand in Lower Murray Darling

Permanent inundation, isolation from floodwaters, salinity impacts and some land use practices are damaging wetland systems in the Lower Murray Darling Catchment of New South Wales.

A rehabilitation effort is underway to identify and repair those at risk on private and public land, and to deal with the pressures on wetlands in the catchment.

Project Manager Sarah Parsons said the aim was to reinstate a wetting and drying cycle to more than 700 hectares of freshwater ephemeral systems.

"The main objective is to restore flood flows and fish passage to a number of wetlands adjacent the Lower Murray and Darling Rivers by removing or modifying existing structures," Sarah said. "In some cases water savings may be generated, which could be applied to other areas to create further environmental benefits."

Funding

Work has been supported with funding from the Australian and State Government through the Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority.

Activities

Stage One of the project, completed by the New South Wales Murray Wetlands Working Group in August 2005, identified areas that needed rehabilitation, determined the on-ground work needed and created a list of priority areas.

Stage Two of the project, underway in 2006, focused on finalising technical investigations like surveys of flora and fauna surveys, surface water and groundwater, wetland hydrology, and cultural heritage surveys and also looked at fish passage and environmental flow requirements. The project aimed to remove inappropriate structures and in some cases, install new structures installed.

"An initial assessment has been conducted at 16 wetlands identified for rehabilitation," Sarah said. "The work will help improve water quality and the ecological health of wetlands and associated river systems and increase the diversity and abundance of native plants and animals."

It is hoped that through appropriate wetland management, the ecological health of the lower Darling and lower Murray River floodplains will improve over time.

More information

• Sarah Parsons, Project Manager: (03) 5021 9460 or sarah.parsons@cma.nsw.gov.au

Australian Government Land and Coasts
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
1800 552 008 (toll-free)

Caring for our Country is an Australian Government initiative jointly administered by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts