Commonwealth Environmental Water John Foster Director, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Commonwealth Environmental Water John Foster Director, Environmental Water Planning Commonwealth Environmental Water Office Commonwealth environmental water CEWH comments on environmental outcomes having priority over social and economic.
CEWO decision-making process for watering actions
Applicable level(s) of resource availability Low Moderate High Very High Option 1 – Edward– Wakool system Support increased variability of river flows by contributing towards baseflows and freshes to maintain and improve ecosystem diversity and native fish populations. Support management of water quality issues within in–stream environments to protect ecosystems and their functions. Option 2 – Ephemeral water courses Support the condition and reproduction of native vegetation, fish and other vertebrates, hydrological connectivity and end of system flows, and maintenance of refuges and water quality (in particular dissolved oxygen, salinity and pH). Options unlikely to be pursued under this resource availability. Option 3 – Mid- Murray region water quality and habitat Support management of water quality issues within in–stream environments to protect ecosystems and their functions. Option 4 – Mid- Murray River Channel Support increased variability in–channel river flow by contributing towards increased baseflows and augmenting
and maintain the diversity and condition of native species and communities. Support variability of river flows by contributing towards increased baseflows, and augmenting natural flow events for in– channel freshes, bankfull and overbank flows to maintain and improve the diversity and condition of native species and support the recovery of floodplain ecosystems. Contribute to returning a more natural pattern of flow to elements of the hydrograph affected by regulation Support management of water quality issues within in–stream environments to protect ecosystems and their functions. Option 5 – Mid- Murray Forest Options unlikely to be pursued under this resource availability Contribute to overbank flows (infrastructure assisted) within Werai Forest, to increase ecosystem diversity and to support the condition and reproduction of wetland and floodplain vegetation, native fish, waterbirds and other vertebrates, and processes such as primary production, as well as contribute to decomposition and nutrient and carbon cycling. Options unlikely to be pursued under this resource availability. Option 6 – Fringing and isolated wetland sites and complexes To provide hydrological connectivity to refill low–lying wetlands to support wetland vegetation communities; provide habitat to maintain condition of waterbirds, fish, other aquatic vertebrates (turtles, frogs) and macroinvertebrates; and allow for movement and dispersal of aquatic animals. Options unlikely to be pursued under this resource availability.
Applicable level(s) of resource availability (see Section 4) Low Moderate High Options 1 (low), 2 (mod) and 3 (mod - high) – River Murray from Euston to Lower Lakes and Coorong Support increased variability in-channel river flow by contributing towards increased baseflows and augmenting natural flow events to protect and maintain the diversity and condition of native species and communities. Support increased variability of river flows by contributing towards increased baseflows, and augmenting natural flow events for in-channel freshes and bankfull flows to maintain ecosystem diversity and improve condition of native species. Support increased variability of river flows by contributing towards increased baseflows, and augmenting natural flow events for in-channel freshes, bankfull and overbank flows to improve the diversity and condition of native species and support the recovery of floodplain ecosystems. Option 4 – Lower Darling River Options unlikely to be pursued under this resource availability. Support increased variability of river flows by contributing towards baseflows and freshes to maintain and improve ecosystem diversity and native fish populations. Option 5 – Great Darling Anabranch Options unlikely to be pursued under this resource availability. Support in-channel flows by contributing towards baseflows, freshes and wetland inundation to maintain and improve ecosystem diversity and native fish populations. Option 6 – Nature Foundation South Australia Provide environmental water to wetlands and floodplains in the lower River Murray to maintain ecosystem diversity and improve condition of native species. Options unlikely to be pursued under this resource availability. Option 7 – Mallee Catchment Management Authority Provide environmental water to wetlands and floodplains in the lower River Murray Mallee region to rehabilitate targeted wetlands and floodplains, increase the abundance and distribution of Murray hardyhead, and improve the diversity and condition of native species