Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00199:reg:6:p11
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00199
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 6 (pt 11/17)
Character Range: 33495–36572

water diversion in the Murray–Darling Basin. Under various climate change scenarios, the competition for water resources is likely to intensify, placing further pressure on Australian Painted Snipe. Inundation of floodplain wetlands in northern and other regions of Australia may be less certain as plans for expansion of irrigated agriculture are implemented.

   Grazing and the associated trampling of wetland vegetation, nutrient enrichment and disturbance to substrate by livestock may threaten the Australian Painted Snipe in certain regions, particularly where grazing is concentrated around wetlands during dry seasons (Johnstone and Storr 1998; Rogers et al. 2005). However, Australian Painted Snipe has persisted and continues to breed in rangelands of Australia despite several generations of pastoral grazing so any statements of threat related to grazing must be understood in this context.

             Reduced rainfall and runoff in the Murray–Darling Basin associated with climate change (Chambers et al. 2005) may threaten the Australian Painted Snipe in the future. The species is influenced by seasonal conditions and at least part of the population uses the Murray–Darling Basin for breeding; as such, these conditions could have a significant impact on the species if combined with other known and potential threats.

             Predation by invasive animals (e.g. nest predation by foxes (Vulpes vulpes) or cats (Felis catus)) may be a threat to the Australian Painted Snipe, however there is no direct evidence for this. Additional potential threats include coastal port and infrastructure development at coastal drought refuges and the replacement of native wetland vegetation by invasive weeds (Rogers et al. 2005). The impacts of fire on the Australian Painted Snipe are unknown, but may influence wetland vegetation (Rogers et al. 2005).

                   2.2.1     Changes to water regimes and structural changes to wetlands
             The most critical threat in terms of extent of impact on Australian Painted Snipe habitat has been the diversion of water for irrigated agriculture, especially in the Murray–Darling Basin. Vast floodplain systems that offered extensive habitat for the Australian Painted Snipe no longer (or only rarely) become inundated.

             The Murray–Darling Basin is Australia's most developed river basin with approximately 240 dams storing 30,000 gigalitres of water (Kingsford et al. 2017). It is estimated that around 70 per cent of all water used for agriculture in Australia is used in the Murray–Darling Basin. The total area of irrigated crops and pastures is 1.8 million hectares or 1.7 per cent of the total area of the Murray–Darling Basin (Murray–Darling Basin Commission 2007). Many remaining wetlands in the Murray–Darling Basin are subject to changes, such as alteration to water regimes either in terms of volume and/or seasonal fluctuations. The conversion of wetlands into dams impacts on the nature of the wetland and its suitability for the Australian Painted Snipe. Adverse activities