The South Australian River Murray Long Term Environmental Watering Plan is being updated by the SA Department for Environment and Water in line with the requirements of the Basin Plan. One focus for the update is to review and revise South Australia’s existing Environmental Water Requirements (EWRs) for the in-channel, floodplain and Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth assets.
We therefore considered how EWRs are applied, as well as new knowledge of modelled natural hydrology and eco-hydrological relationships for key biota and ecosystem processes. The approach involved i) consultation with River Murray practitioners about the application of EWRs ii) review and analysis of existing EWRs and the development of preliminary revisions and iii) expert engagement and input.
A framework was developed to support an approach that allowed experts and practitioners to consider where there may be some flexibility around certain EWR metrics and where it was critical that there was absolutely no flexibility. The values proposed for each EWR metric therefore represent the greatest certainty that the associated ecological objectives/targets will be met.
With reference to new knowledge and expert opinion, as well as the use of revised modelling outputs and new modelling tools, it is anticipated that the revisions set the vision for the water required to maximise the likelihood of achieving South Australia's ecological objectives and targets for their River Murray assets.
Black Box woodlands are primary habitat for a range of native fauna, but ecological and management objectives are often focused on monitoring of the canopy layer species, with the assumption that improvements in understorey will follow as a result of improved tree condition.
Across the lower to higher elevations of the floodplain gradient, Black Box woodland understorey vegetation communities are vastly diverse and heterogenous. Therefore it is highly likely they will vary in their capacity to respond to restoration and environmental watering actions.
We installed drip irrigation to save an important patch of Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens) woodland. A patch that was in very poor health, yet provides habitat and a vital floodplain connection between the river and creek. It is anticipated that the applied drip irrigation regime will not only improve the condition and survival of the overstorey trees, but also improve the diversity, composition and abundance of the woodland understorey.
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