 MDBA Basin News e-Letter, Issue 3, April 2009
Basin News – The Murray-Darling Basin Authority eLetter No. 3 April 2009 Welcome to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority monthly eLetter with reports of happenings across the basin. Please feel free to pass this eLetter along to anybody who might be interested. If you do not wish to continue receiving this eLetter please reply to this message with “unsubscribe” in the subject heading. To subscribe online go to www.mdba.gov.au/media_centre/mdba_eLetter/subscribe An online html version is available at: www.mdba.gov.au/media_centre/mdba_eletter
Murray inflows between January and March were the lowest in 117 years and the outlook for the next three months is also looking bleak. That’s the grim news in the latest Drought Update issued by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority today. Chief Executive Mr Rob Freeman said storage levels were low and the rainfall outlook for the next three months over the southern Basin was for drier than average conditions. “Total inflows for the first three months of this year were 140 GL, slightly lower than the previous historic minimum of 150 GL in January-March 2007,” Mr Freeman said. “Inflows for the 2008-09 water year are currently tracking as the sixth driest on record. “Despite good rainfall in the north of the Basin during February, the Menindee Lakes received only about 190 GL from the Darling River, increasing the storage level to about 15 per cent of capacity. “Murray system inflows for the three years ending in March were 5,160 GL, or 46 per cent of the previous three year minimum of 11,300 GL in 1943 to 1946. The persistence and severity of this drought, particularly over the past three years, is unprecedented. “All three States have set aside enough water to meet critical human water needs in 2009-10, but the prospects for irrigation will be highly dependent on future rainfall and system inflows,” he said. The MDBA’s total active (useable water) storage is currently only 950 GL or 11 per cent of capacity, well below the March long term average of 4,400 GL. Total storage across the whole Basin remains low at about 18 per cent. Mr Freeman said the combination of low storage levels, low river flows and high water temperatures, had contributed to outbreaks of blue-green algae in the Murray in recent weeks. “Whether the growth dissipates or worsens will depend on a number of factors such as rainfall, water temperatures and wind direction.” Mr Freeman said flows to South Australia would continue below normal entitlement rates until there was a significant improvement in water availability. The water level in Lake Alexandrina was at record low levels and its salinity has risen. Salinity in Lake Albert was also on the rise, despite the water being pumped in from Lake Alexandrina. “Wetland and floodplain ecosystems across the entire Murray system will continue to be severely impacted by the prolonged dry conditions,” Mr Freeman said. For a copy of the Drought Update go to www.mdba.gov.au Autumn watering for Murray ‘icon sites’ announced MDBA Chief Executive Mr Rob Freeman said the watering, part of the MDBA’s Living Murray program, would start to flow from mid-April to maximise the benefits of autumn conditions. “Lower temperatures mean less evaporation losses and more water for environmental benefits,’ he said. The Living Murray aims to achieve a healthy working Murray system for the benefit of all Australians. The program focuses on recovering 500 gigalitres of water for the river to benefit the environment at six selected “icon sites” chosen for their high ecological value. Mr Freeman said Chowilla Floodplain will receive about 1.445 GL in late April, supplementing water from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder which began flowing in March. “The watering will prevent the loss of river red gum communities, other long lived vegetation and it will protect the benefits of previous waterings,” Mr Freeman said. “Wallpolla Island (Sandy Creek and Finnigans East and West) will receive 1 GL to prevent critical loss of river red gum communities and create drought refuge for waterbirds, fish, frogs and turtles.” Hattah Lakes (Chalka Creek North and South) will receive 1 GL to give highly stressed River Red Gums a drink. Koondrook Forest, part of the Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forest icon site, will receive 1 GL to promote growth of rushes and reeds for future bird breeding habitat. “The ongoing drought has been devastating to the environmental condition of the icon sites,” Mr Freeman said. “But it’s heartening that even small amounts of environmental watering focusing on particular areas can avoid the loss of threatened species, avoid irretrievable damage and provide drought refuges.” For more information go to www.mdba.gov.au Blanchetown’s Lock 1 to re-open on Good Friday SA Water has undertaken the work on behalf of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA). MDBA Chief Executive Mr Rob Freeman said the lock closure was part of a six-year maintenance program on all of the locks along the river and Lock 1. He said the grounds and facilities around the lock would also be re-opened to the general public. “This is the first time the lock chamber at Lock 1 had been emptied since the late 1960s when the wooden gates were replaced with steel,” Mr Freeman said. “The empty locks allowed SA Water to do a comprehensive inspection of the underwater components.” Works carried out on Lock 1 included:
Mr Freeman said consultation with River Murray tourism operators helped to develop the works program to avoid peak boating seasons and to minimise the interruption.
The next lock scheduled for maintenance is Lock 2 at Waikerie and it is anticipated work will begin in late July. The public will be notified prior to the closure of the lock. For more information on the MDBA’s river operations go to www.mdba.gov.au/water/river_operations Murray fishways win more praise Last year a team of freshwater fish scientists from three Basin states assessing fishway performance described the program as one of the best world examples of a restoration effort undertaken on a catchment scale. Now the project has been selected by the Ecological Management & Restoration Journal as one of the top 25 ecological restoration projects in Australasia. And the prestigious international Global Restoration Network has selected the journal article on the program to be linked to the website. The expert selection panel was made up of two ecology professors, two restoration specialists, a consulting ecologist and the journal’s editor. Craig Copeland, a member of the selection panel said large and increasing efforts were necessary across the world to rectify the enormous degradation of the environment that has occurred in recent centuries. “Many communities and governments are working hard to halt the degradation and bring native ecosystems back to some level of sustainable function. So we want to highlight the positive results that are now starting to show, to encourage others to aim high.” MDBA Chief Executive Mr Rob Freeman welcomed the accolades. “They recognise that the fishways program is succeeding against the odds and in the face of the worst drought on record,” he said. “This recognition is well deserved and will boost the profile of the work and link it to an international audience through a highly regarded organisation.” The $80 million ‘Sea to Hume’ project, part of the MDBA’s Native Fish Strategy aims to provide passage for native fish from the southern Ocean up river to Hume Dam – a distance of about 2,300 kilometres – through the construction of innovative ‘fish ladders’ which help native fish movements. “The ultimate goal is to restore native fish populations to 60 percent of their pre-European settlement levels by 2050,” Mr Freeman said. “The fishways are uniquely designed to restore passage for the majority of the migratory fish communities and there is plenty of evidence of success wherever the fishways have been completed.” So far, works have been completed at Locks and Weirs 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Three fishways have been completed at the barrages and a fourth is to be constructed. Construction is in progress at Lock and Weir 3. Construction of new fishways at Locks 2, 4, 5 and 6, together with the upgrade of their navigable passes are scheduled to be completed in three years. The design for fish passage through Lock and Weir 11 at Mildura is in progress and will be built in the next two years. A copy of the journal article is available at www.mdba.gov.au/system/files/NFS2009_Sea_to_Hume_program.pdf To see the other top restoration projects go to www.globalrestorationnetwork.org/countries/australianew-zealand/australia/ Ensuring future health of Koondrook-Perricoota Forest This is one of the priority projects Basin ministers endorsed last year under The Living Murray (TLM) program’s Environmental Works and Measures program. The group of priority projects are to be completed by 2014 at a cost of more than $200 million. They range from 60-km-long levees to extensive landscape excavations and construction of river regulators and will enable water recovered for the TLM icon sites (when water is available) to be efficiently managed over large areas of the Murray floodplain. The works at Koondrook-Perricoota include construction of an inlet regulator and upper forest channel from Torrumbarry weir pool, upper forest regulators, a return channel to the Murray, lower forest regulators and associated levee banks The forest covers about 32,000 ha and is apart of the second largest red gum forest in Australia. Changed flow regimes due to river regulation and a drier climate have impacted on forest health leaving up to 70 per cent of trees severely stressed or dead. The works planned within the forest will help management and timing of flood waters vital for colonial waterbird and native fish breeding and the health of iconic river red gums. A 3.8 km channel and a regulator will be built to divert water into the forest from above Torrumbarry Weir. Escape regulators will stop water short-circuiting back to the Murray River. The scheme will be operated to mimic a natural flood event which might have seen flooding of the forest every three to four years for around 100 days at a time. In the case of a natural flood, the scheme will be managed for minimal impact on natural flows. The other major Works and Measures Program projects include:
For more information go to www.mdba.gov.au
River Murray Youth Council wants you The Council is a group of young people interested in learning about and taking action for their local environment and is open to Year 8 to 12 school students. Natural Resources Management (NRM) Education Coordinator and RMYC Facilitator Ms Cindy Shorrock says the group’s activities this year will include an educational canoe tour of the Chowilla Wetlands in April and meetings, field trips and other activities about every six weeks. “Members this year will also attend the South Australian Youth Environment Conference in June” said Ms Shorrock. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority is a major sponsor of the conference. Ms Shorrock says the group will be supported and advised by “a record number of enthusiastic young NRM professionals.” They will include teachers and staff from the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board, Department for Environment and Heritage staff and representatives from Banrock Station and Calperum Station. “It really is a great opportunity for making new friends and working with like-minded people who are interested in environmental issues, ” Ms Shorrock said. The River Murray Youth Council is funded and supported by the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. All activities are free for registered members. For more information go to www.samdbnrm.sa.gov.au/Portals/7/RMYC%20Upper%20Murray%20Mar%2009.pdf Catchment champions wanted The catchment management authority would like to reward individuals and groups for their efforts in natural resource management and the difference they make to our community. Champions will be selected from a number of categories including individual, rivercare, community group, primary producer, education and indigenous community. Each category will be judged on specific criteria by a panel varying according to category and will consist of one Central West CMA Board member, one or two Landcare representatives, and a member of Central West CMA implementation staff. Nominations close on 17 April. Champions of the Catchment Awards will be presented to winners at the Mudgee Small Farm Field Days on 24 July 2009. For more information go to www.cw.cma.nsw.gov.au/ Have your say on Biodiversity Conservation Strategy The draft strategy is an important national policy document that will guide how governments, the community, industry and scientists manage and protect Australia’s plants, animals and ecosystems over the next ten years. The consultation draft of Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy has been developed collaboratively by all State and Territory governments and the Australian Government, with advice from the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology. The consultation draft has been developed to replace the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's Biological Diversity, which was agreed in 1996. For more information and to make a submission go to www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/strategy/review.html Conserving biodiversity on private land Under the theme of “Minding our own biodiversity: conservation on private land” organisers say the forum will be of interest to anyone who:
The forum will consider conservation outside the formal reserve system on small blocks, large landscape level efforts and cross-tenure projects.
It will highlight the people and places involved and investigate the incentives and support available. Organisers say it’s an opportunity to participate, learn, contribute, debate and move this essential component of biodiversity conservation forward. The forum will include presentations, case studies, facilitated discussion sessions and field visits to project sites. For more information go to www.anbg.gov.au/anpc/conferences.html Nominations for Australian and international river prizes closing soon The national prize, funded by an Australian Government grant under its Water for the Future plan, is valued at $200,000. The international prize is valued at $350,000 this year. International judging panel Chair, Professor Paul Greenfield, says the Riverprize offers organisations committed to water sustainability a unique opportunity to take action on their river rescue ideas. “The prize recognises best practice in the restoration and preservation of waterways worldwide, with past finalists coming from Australia, Canada, China, Europe, India, Israel, New Zealand and South East Asia. “Like many countries, Australia is in the grip of a water crisis and now more than ever, it is encouraging to see projects both here and overseas combining science, public policy and community action to address river health. “The extraordinary achievements of individuals and groups who are passionate about good water management never cease to amaze the judging panel”, says Prof. Greenfield. Riverprize, now in its 11th year, is a partnership between International Riverfoundation and the International Riversymposium. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the former Murray-Darling Basin Commission have been major sponsors of the Riversymposium over a number of years. All international and national finalists will be invited to present their projects at the International Riversymposium held from 21-24 September in Brisbane, Australia. Australian river and catchment management groups may enter both the national and international categories. International groups are only eligible for the international award. Previous entrants are encouraged to apply again. For more information and nomination guidelines go to www.riverfoundation.org.au Water research and innovation prize The prize is awarded to an individual, team or organisation for research and innovation that has made or has the potential to make an outstanding contribution to the sustainable use and management of Australia's water resources. The emphasis is on the extent to which the research is genuinely original in its thinking, rigorous in its application and of practical benefit. The research entered can cover any aspect of sustainable use or protection of water resources, including inter-alia research fields such as water use and reuse, ecology, hydrology, economics, policy, societal change, engineering and the biophysical sciences. The prize is open to individuals or groups. Entrants can either enter themselves or be nominated by others. The late Professor Cullen was an outstanding contributor to water research in Australia working in the field of natural resource science for more than 35 years and in 2004 was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to freshwater ecology. For more information go to www.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka end |
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