| Murray-Darling Basin Commission – January 2006, E-letter No 50 Welcome to the Murray-Darling Basin monthly e-letter with reports of happenings across the Basin. Contributions are welcome. Please send items (no more than 150 words) to the editor at leone@netspeed.com.au Online html versions are available at: Please feel free to pass this e-letter along to anybody who might be interested. To subscribe online go to http://mdbc.gov.au/communications/s-scribe To be removed from the mailing list, please reply to this message with “unsubscribe” in the subject heading. This newsletter currently has 968 subscribers. (See also The Living Murray website at http://www.thelivingmurray.mdbc.gov.au) In this issue:
A meeting of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission in Dalby, Queensland on 5-6 December made a number of important decisions affecting water and environmental issues throughout the Basin. Commissioners agreed to funding of the daughterless carp and related projects managed by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (see article below) , a way forward on expanded Interstate Water Trade and approval of the general scheme of works related to two programs under The Living Murray Initiative. While noting the complexities of implementing expanded interstate water trade by 1 January 2006 as agreed under the National Water Initiative, the Commission has undertaken to urgently complete the protocols. In other matters, the Commissioners agreed to fund the provision of woody habitats at three priority sites on the Hume to Yarrawonga, along with an extension to the Bookpurnong Salt Interception Scheme; They noted that watering of the Barmah-Millewa and Gunbower Forests was continuing to produce excellent environmental outcomes for both plant and animal communities (see article below). Surplus water flows and local rainfall in South Australia have produced significant benefits for the Murray Mouth. While the increased flows have halved salinity levels at Goolwa barrage, the Commission noted that investigations are continuing to maximise the benefits to the whole of the Coorong. Commission discussions also covered: For more information contact the MDBC – 02 6279 0100. MDBC pledges more support for daughterless carp research This funding is for the period 2005/06 to 2011/12 and is subject to a major review of research outcomes after three-years, according to MDBC Chief Executive Dr Wendy Craik, who made the announcement after a MDBC meeting in Queensland recently. “In agreeing to this level of funding the MDBC remains the largest cash contributor to the IACRC apart from the Australian Government,” Dr Craik said. MDBC continues to drive and support the Native Fish Strategy. The IACRC’s daughterless carp project and freshwater research programme are measures aimed at reducing carp numbers and increasing native fish populations. Other MDBC measures include: • the Sea to Hume Dam fishways programme which includes construction of fishways and monitoring of resulting fish movement along 2225km of the River Murray; Further information about the Native Fish Strategy can be located on the MDBC website: www.mdbc.gov.au/naturalresources/fish/background_NFS.html Birds, fish start to breed at newly watered Barmah-Millewa Forest “Careful monitoring has shown us that Golden Perch, Silver Perch and other native fish, as well as waterbirds including Ibis and Egrets, have started breeding as a result of recent higher water levels in Barmah-Millewa Forest,” Murray-Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) Chief Executive Dr Wendy Craik explained. “It has provided information that reinforces our understanding of the spawning requirements of Golden Perch, Silver Perch and other native fish species,” Dr Craik said. “More than half the Barmah-Millewa Forest wetland area has been inundated and vegetation including the regionally significant Moira Grass has started to respond,” Dr Craik said. Since mid October 2005 about 430 GL has been released from Hume Reservoir from the Barmah-Millewa environmental account made available by the Victorian and NSW governments to compliment River Murray flows that have resulted from recent good rains. It is likely the release will continue until later this month. Dr Craik said the NSW and Victorian governments were working together to achieve environmental benefits across jurisdictional borders. “The forest is being monitored by the government agencies to ensure knowledge gained will enhance future efforts to provide environmental flows to this and other Living Murray icon sites and further contribute to meeting other Living Murray objectives”. Water levels in the forest will continue to be managed carefully in the coming months to sustain bird and fish breeding and maximise environmental benefits. Dr Craik said this event had added to what had already been a busy season environmentally. “As a result of surplus flows, environmental allocations and the Ministerial Council’s River Red Gum Rescue Package, temporary raising of weir pool levels in the Lower Murray, and pumping of water into high value wetlands has been beneficial to river red gums and promoted bird breeding across the River Murray Channel, Chowilla Floodplain and Lindsay Walpolla Islands and the Hattah Lakes icon sites,” Dr Craik said. Above entitlement flows into South Australia have also extended the duration of releases of water from the Barrages to benefit the Coorong and Murray Mouth, with thousands of native fish observed migrating between the Lower Lakes and Coorong. More Information on environmental flows in the River Murray system is available on The Living Murray website: www.thelivingmurray.mdbc.gov.au TLM reference group studies water issues Outcomes of the meeting included advice on:
For more information contact Dr Sue Vize, Executive Officer, Community Advisory Committee 02 6279 0116 The National Water Commission views water trading as one of the most vital elements of the National Water Initiative (NWI) and will continue to vigorously pursue the introduction of an effective water trading market. Reviewing the Commission’s achievements in 2005, Chairman, Ken Matthews, said in a recent media release that water trading would continue to be one of the top priorities for the Commission in 2006. “The Commission recognises that opening up water markets is complex but is highly important,” Mr Matthews said. “Water trading is critical to the success of the NWI because it will help governments, water users and communities to better value and use the nation’s water resources. “The challenge is to develop open water trading markets within and between states. To meet the challenge we need a compatible, cooperative national approach among the states. We must avoid a repetition of the rail gauge policy failure of the nineteenth century. “The Commission will work closely with jurisdictions and the Murray-Darling Basin states and territories in particular, to ensure they honour commitments under the NWI to extend opportunities for water trading.” At the final meeting of the Commission for 2005, Mr Matthews highlighted the continuing importance of constructive consultation with government, industry, scientists and environmental organisations across all aspects of its work. “Recent workshops with the irrigation sector, and on groundwater issues, water trading and water accounting have been very valuable and we will strengthen consultation arrangements with water sector groups and NWI partners in 2006 to help set future priorities for the Commission’s role in water reform,” Mr Matthews said. “We have held more than 200 meetings with interested parties since March 2005, presented to numerous water related conferences and workshops, and developed a website and e-newsletter detailing Commission activities. The forum will build on these activities and help to shape future priorities for the Commission’s role in maintaining the momentum of national water reform under the NWI.’ For more information contact: Kim Ulrick on (02) 6102 6023 or 0412 786 94 New MDBC tool measures water trading impact on salinity The main purpose of SIMRAT – which stands for Salinity IMpacts Rapid Assessment Tool - is to allow the MDBC to support the system of salinity credits and debits under the MDBC’s Basin Salinity Management Strategy 2001-2015. The SIMRAT model has been peer reviewed and accredited for assessing the salinity impacts of interstate water trade between New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the associated irrigation development in the region. The Excel version of the model is available to all users through the Catchment Modelling Toolkit website http://www.toolkit.net.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/toolkit The GIS version of the tool requires the ARCINFO workstation framework to operate and will be included in the Toolkit Website once the system requirements have been updated. Users will need to follow the link to the toolkit website and register to become a member of the Catchment Modelling Toolkit. Registered members can log in to the system and download the tool. SIMRAT calculates the increase in groundwater discharge to the river floodplain, due to changes in recharge below new irrigation development. It then combines this with measured groundwater salinities to calculate changes to salt inflows to the floodplain and river. Other models then convert this information to salinity level changes in the River Murray at Morgan and economic costs to downstream water users. The assessed salinity impacts will then be used to adjust the Commission’s Salinity Register, established to track State Salinity Accountability under Schedule C of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. Training in the use of SIMRAT for State Agency staff involved in water trading is planned for coming months. For more information contact Karuppan Sakadevan 02 6279 0174 or Matthew Kendall 02 6279 0132 or go to the web site at www.mdbc.gov.au/naturalresources/salinity/simr at_tool.html Australia celebrates World Wetlands Day The theme this year is “Wetlands and water - supporting life, sustaining livelihoods”. World Wetlands Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971. World Wetlands Day was first celebrated in 1997. Since then government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups have celebrated World Wetlands Day by undertaking actions to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits and promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands. There are about 30 wetland areas in the Murray-Darling Basin. They are vitally important to the health of the Basin's aquatic systems and everything that depends on its water resources, including the economic well-being of the Basin. The Commission’s current efforts, together with those of the Basin’s communities, natural resource management and research agencies all contribute to the more sustainable management of these crucial assets. For a complete roundup of World Wetlands Day activities around Australia go to www.deh.gov.au/water/wetlands/day/index.html#calendar Help us fine tune our new web site With hundreds of pages, illustrations, reports and publications, the MDBC website is a veritable encyclopedia of Basin natural resources information. It also explains how the Commission works cooperatively with partner governments, committees and community groups to develop and implement policies and programs aimed at the integrated management of the Murray-Darling catchment. The education pages of the website offer comprehensive, specially written, illustrated and animated material for students and teachers throughout the Basin and beyond. The new look site provides new navigation and web design and will it make it easier for inquirers to find the Basin information they seek. To view the new website go to www.mdbc.gov.au. (you will also be able to revert to the old site if you need to www2.mdbc.gov.au ) Over $4 million distributed for SA catchment action The program which has been operational through the River Murray Catchment Water Management Board for the past eight years has assisted community groups, agencies and councils to address issues in the areas of flow management, salinity, water use, water quality, biodiversity, community education and monitoring and evaluation. Presiding Member for the SA MDB NRM Board Mr David Wotton said, "The Board's commitment to funding on ground works and capacity building initiatives is paramount to the future of this region. "The Board is in a position where it can act as program provider for land and water management, wetland management, biodiversity and land management, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation based actions" "I am very pleased therefore to announce the following financial commitments for the 2005/06 year: Biodiversity - $342,800; Capacity Building - $714,700; Wetland Management - $1,014,350; Irrigated Land and Water Management - $1,279,290; For more information on the Community Grants Program, contact Program Manager: Peter Waanders on 0407 800 264 or visit www.murray.cma.nsw.gov.auhttp://www.nwc.gov.au/ Tackling erosion and blackberry control A total of $33,000 will be spent on works that tackle erosion and weed control in two important riparian areas. Mayor of the Greater Hume Shire, Councilor John Ross, says the projects are excellent examples of collaboration to achieve real benefits in the region. “The $33,000 is very significant and most appreciated, and we look forward to seeing the results of the projects in ameliorating severe erosion along Upper Burkitts Creek and strategically managing blackberry along Mountain Creek. “It represents an effective partnership that is a win-win for all involved, and our environment,” Councilor Ross said. “The CMA is very pleased to be a part of these projects as they address our key catchment goals of improving water quality, soil health and biodiversity. “The local and downstream reductions in sediment and blackberry encroachment will be significant, though fixing these problems also allows farmers to address productivity measures too,” he said. “And this model of working with Shire Councils for the community is one we’re keen on progressing across the region. “Erosion in the upper areas of the catchment is a key focus and the CMA is ready to assist, especially in cases where large reductions in sedimentation can be achieved and the scale of the project is beyond the capacity of an individual producer,” Mr Baxter said. For more information contact: Helen Wilson, Murray CMA Implementation Team Leader on 02 6051 2200, 0428 676 054 or go to www.murray.cma.nsw.gov.au Murrumbidgee CMA to remove fish barriers Working through the Aquatic Biota Enhancement project (which is funded through the Natural Heritage Trust) funds are being made available to landholders and community organisations for projects which target remediation of river and creek crossings that obstruct the natural movement of native fish. “Barriers to fish passage have the potential to interrupt spawning migrations, reduce access to valuable habitats and create conditions favourable to alien species such as carp,” said MCMA Chairman, Mr Lee O’Brien. “The numerous road crossings that prevent the movement of fish have been a factor in the decline in native fish stocks. This initiative from the MCMA is the first step to redressing what is a growing problem throughout rivers and creeks all over NSW”, Mr O’Brien said. The MCMA is keen to deliver lasting benefits to the health of its waterways by investing in habitat restoration projects. The MCMA has contracted NSW Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) to undertake the Aquatic Biota Enhancement project. While expressions of interest closed on 23 December, interested participants can still contact NSW DPI directly (Mark Neeson) on 02 6959 9028. Or visit the web site at: www.murrumbidgee.cma.nsw.gov.au/ Victorian Indigenous cultural heritage site protected Darren Perry, who is the Indigenous Facilitator in River Health at Victoria’s North Central Catchment Management Authority, said the fences were now finished and would protect the cooking mound, or earth oven – used possibly for millennia – on a Durham Ox landholder’s property. "Most of the properties in the area have cultural sites, and this one is particularly significant as it is quite big and it was used for such a long time," Mr Perry said. "It’s a place where people used to stop while they were en route to somewhere else. "Work on the project went very smoothly, as we worked closely with the North-Western Region Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Program and the local landholder." Mr Perry said the mound had been included in a larger North Central CMA project, where the Serpentine Creek had been fenced to keep stock out. He said that in the past, traditional owners have not had access to private land, and this project has opened doors. "It’s also helped allay landholders’ fears about having cultural heritage sites on their properties," Mr Perry said. "We’ve worked in such a way that there has been as little intrusion and impact on people as possible. "We hope to set up joint management agreements, and how much access people have to the sites will be written in." For more information please contact Sandra Volk, on 03 5440 1816, 0408 349675, email sandra_volk@nccma.vic.gov.au Namoi CMA thanks local communities Strategic Planning Manager with Namoi CMA, Sheila Donaldson said “this was a chance for people to have a say about the Catchment Action Plan which will be the planning framework to guide natural resource management in the Namoi Valley over the next ten years. “The feedback we received was invaluable and will certainly be considered in the preparation of the Plan. “Some of the key issues raised were floodplain planning, and the need to have an integrated approach so that what happens in the upper catchment areas does not impact adversely further down the catchment. “We must consider each sub-catchment as a whole - from the upper through the middle to the lower. “We also alleviated some of the myths and fears about who we are and what we do and we recognise the need to engage with the community and stakeholders more” Ms Donaldson said. Although the consultation meetings are over there is still time for people to have input. For more information, a summary document and a response form call Joy Martin on (02) 6742 9206 or go to www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au Christmas greetings from all of us at MDBC ends |
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