Publication (Technical report): Scientific forum on river condition and flow management of the Moonie, Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine river basins

Publication Type:	Technical report / Consultancy
Publication Name:	Scientific forum on river condition and flow management of the Moonie, Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine river basins

Reference Information

Cottingham, P. (1999) Scientific forum on river condition and flow management of the Moonie, Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine river basins. Report to the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, CRCFE, Canberra.

Optional Information

Attached document(s):

- Western Rivers.pdf

ISBN:
957704828

Other information:

Full report attached below the table of contents
(PDF 1.3MB)

Scientific Forum on River Condition and Flow Management of the Moonie, Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine River Basins

Peter Cottingham for the Queensland Department of Natural Resources

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION 1
2 STUDY AREA 2
3 KEY ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES 6
3.1 FLOW VARIABILITY 6
3.2 PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND PRODUCTION 8
3.3 VEGETATION RESPONSE TO FLOW VARIABILITY 9
3.4 HABITATS AND REFUGIA 10
3.5 RIVER - FLOODPLAIN CONNECTIVITY 12
4 BIODIVERSITY IN THE WESTERN RIVERS CATCHMENTS 13
4.1 WETLAND SYSTEMS 13
4.2 RIPARIAN VEGETATION 13
4.3 INVERTEBRATES 15
4.4 FISH 16
4.5 BIRDS 17
4.6 AMPHIBIANS 19
4.7 MAMMALS 19
4.8 PEOPLE 19
4.9 POTENTIAL ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF WATER EXTRACTION 19
5 BEST PRACTICE WATER EXTRACTION 21
5.1 DEVELOPING A BEST-PRACTICE WATER EXTRACTION APPROACH 21
5.2 DECISION SUPPORT 22
6 FUTURE RESEARCH AND MONITORING 25
6.1 FUTURE RESEARCH 25
6.1.1 Hydrological Research 25
6.1.2 Ecological Research 26
6.1.3 Socio-economic Research 27
6.2 FUTURE MONITORING 27
6.2.1 Hydrological Monitoring 27
6.2.2 Ecological Monitoring 28
6.2.3 Socio-economic Monitoring 28
7 OTHER ISSUES 29
8 CONCLUSIONS 30
9 REFERENCES 31
APPENDIX 1 33
APPENDIX 2 38
APPENDIX 3 41

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION

The Queensland Government has introduced the Water Management Planning (WMP) process to provide for the improved allocation and management of water resources. The WMP has statutory effects under the 'Water Resources Act 1989', and provides a set of policies, principles and criteria for decisions on applications to take water from selected areas of Queensland. The WMP process is currently being applied to the Bulloo, Paroo, Warrego, Nebine and Moonie catchments (collectively called the Western Rivers), and the local Department of Natural Resources in consultation with local communities is currently developing draft plans that will be submitted to the Queensland Government by April 2000.

A workshop was held in Charleville on the 4th and 5 th November 1999, to provide a forum at which he scientific and ecological aspects of the western rivers were presented and considered by many (not all) of the stakeholders in the WMP process. The workshop was faciltated by Prof Peter Cullen (CRC for Freshwater Ecology) and attended by local community members, State natural resource management agencies and authorities, and scientists who collectively have conducted the majority of investigations of the ecology of the Western Rivers and other similar arid river systems in Australia. The objectives of the workshop were to:

Collect and collate existing scientific information on the environmental water needs and flow management principles for the western rivers and their floodplains;
Provide a forum for scientific debate as to our knowledge base for these systems and any critical uncertainties;
Provide a forum for water management planning advisory committees or panels to identify areas of concern and to have dialogue with the scientific community present;
Provide a forum for stakeholders to express their views or concerns about relevant issues.

Consideration of scientific and ecological aspects is only one component of the wider WMP process; resource management, cultural heritage and socio-economic issues are also important factors that require careful consideration in the formulation of WMP’s. However, the terms of reference for the scientific forum did not allow detailed consideration of socio-economic and other related issues; these issues are to be considered in the consultation phase of the WMP process.

A number of important questions require consideration in order to provide the best available scientific advice to the Department of Natural Resources and local communities as they develop WMP’s for the catchments. These include:

What are the processes that are important for maintaining the ecological integrity of the rivers in the study area and what is the current state of these processes and are they under threat?
What are the important habitats and associated flora/fauna communities and their current state? Are they under threat?
Is the current state in equilibrium with respect to the existing level of water resource development? How would we know?
Is there a lag response to current water resource development and should we expect a decline in ecological health over the next five years?
What are the ecological values associated with the river systems? Are there high ecological values due to unique flora/fauna, RAMSAR wetlands, unusual processes etc.?

These questions were considered throughout the scientific forum.

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