Part 3: Monitoring, evaluation and improvement 96 9. Monitoring, evaluation and improvement 96 9.1 Current monitoring and reporting 96 9.2 Proposed monitoring and reporting 99 10. Operational constraints and opportunities 104 10.1 Constraints 104 10.2 Opportunities 104 11. Bibliography 108 Appendix 1: Lachlan species list 112 Appendix 2: Lachlan asset/WMA delivery 117 Asset: Lachlan River channel 117 Asset: Burrawang West Lagoon 117 Asset: Yarnel Lagoon 118 Asset: Booberoi Creek 118 Asset: Lake Brewster 118 Asset: Willandra Creek 121 Asset: Merrowie Creek 122 Asset: Moon Moon 125 Asset: Booligal Wetland system 126 Asset: Lachlan Swamp System 129 Asset: Ita Lake 130 Asset: Baconian Swamp 132 Asset: Great Cumbung Swamp 132 Appendix 3: Probabilities of unregulated flows in the Lachlan River at Willandra and Booligal Weirs 134 Appendix 4: Water order application 140 Appendix 5: SEWPaC risk matrix 141
Appendix 6: Lachlan seasonal base flow requirements 145 Figures Figure 1: Lachlan catchment 11 Figure 2: Lower Lachlan wetlands—detailed map 12 Figure 3: Change in Lachlan River flow regime at Booligal 17 Tables Table 1: Change in flows on the Lachlan River under unregulated and regulated conditions. 16 Table 2: Ecological and management objectives for environmental water use under different water resource availability scenarios 23 Table 3: Likely volume available to the environment from Commonwealth environmental water holdings and NSW Riverbank entitlements 31 Table 4: Flow types and relationship to asset ecological objectives 32 Table 5: Environmental watering objectives to meet ecological objectives under different climate 34 Table 6: Watering requirements for selected water-dependent species of the Lachlan River 49 Table 7: Wet and dry water orders for Murrumbidgil Swamp¹ 58 Table 8: Water orders to meet environmental watering objectives for Lachlan assets and water management areas. 62 Table 9: Summary of proposed environmental water-order volumes and delivery strategies 81 Table 10: Risk associated with water delivery in the Lachlan catchment. 87 Table 11: Environmental water entitlements on the Lachlan River 92 Table 12: Water charges for Lachlan water entitlements and use 95 Table 13: Lachlan River system: possible monitoring for environmental watering 100 Table 14: Summary of environmental watering opportunities for selected Lachlan assets. 106 Abbreviations AEW Adaptive environmental water CAMBA China–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement
Booligal 1,020 570 542 340 Oxley 565 295 549 340 Note: These modelled data were prior to the summer irrigation, mostly cotton growing, becoming more popular in the Lachlan and likely does not represent current circumstances. Similar model outputs for current conditions would need to be provided by the NSW Office of Water. 1.7 Irrigation demand Irrigation demand is spread along the Lachlan River but has two areas of concentration, namely at Jemalong Weir where bulk diversions are made to the Jemalong Irrigation Area, and around Hillston where there has been major growth in irrigation over the past 20 years. The Hillston irrigation is from both river and groundwater sources. There is very little irrigation downstream of the Whealbah area which is located downstream of Hillston. 1.8 Flow-monitoring sites There are a large number of flow-monitoring stations along the regulated Lachlan River and also the effluent creeks. The NSW Office of Water’s real-time website provides information on these sites, and also a wide range of flow data and water quality information on the Lachlan catchment. See . 1.9 Hydrology modelling The NSW Office of Water’s Lachlan Integrated Quantity and Quality Model (IQQM) is used to represent flow relationships for the regulated river. The model can be used for a wide range of scenarios for different water sharing and distribution arrangements for the river’s main channel. Recently, Barma et al. (2010) developed hydrology models for the NSW Office of Water for 19 wetland systems downstream of Hillston and it is now possible to extend the river water sharing and distribution scenario modelling arrangements to these wetlands. These models could be used to examine different scenarios for environmental water use patterns and outcomes.
Maintain key refuges. Avoid irretrievable damage or catastrophic events. communities including limited small-scale recruitment. Maintain diverse habitats. Maintain river and floodplain functional processes in sites and reaches of priority assets. of flora and fauna. Promote connectivity. Support medium-flow river and floodplain functional processes. of flora and fauna. Promote higher floodplain-river connectivity. Support river and floodplain functional processes. Management actions Water refugia and sites supporting threatened species and communities. Undertake emergency watering at specific sites of priority assets. Use carryover volumes to maintain critical needs. Water refugia and sites supporting threatened species and communities. Provide low flow and freshes in sites and reaches of priority assets. Use carryover volumes to maintain watering. Prolong duration at key sites and reaches of priority assets. Contribute to the full-range of in-channel flows. Use carryover to provide optimal seasonal flow patterns in subsequent years. Increase duration and extent across priority assets. Contribute to the full range of flows including over-bank. Use carryover to provide optimal seasonal flow patterns in subsequent years. Damage avoidance Capacity for recovery Maintained health and resilience Improved health and resilience
Table 3: Likely modelled volume available to the environment from Commonwealth environmental water holdings (as at October 2010) and NSW Riverbank entitlements October allocation April allocation Holder Licence volume Entitlement category Extreme dry Dry Median Wet Extreme dry Dry Median Wet General-security access licence allocation (%) 0 47 87 100 0 58 100 100 High-security access licence allocation (%) 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Commonwealth environmental water (ML) 733 High 733 733 733 733 733 733 733 733 NSW Riverbank (ML) 1,000 High 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 Commonwealth environmental water (ML) 82,709 General 0 38,873 71,957 82,709 0 47,971 82,709 82,709 NSW Riverbank (ML) 24,575 General 0 11,550 21,380 24,575 0 14,254 24,575 24,575 Commonwealth environmental water (Lake Brewster Water Savings) (ML) 12,000 General 0 5,640 10,440 12,000 0 6,960 12,000 12,000 (Note: does not include environmental water under the Water Sharing Plan).
pools and connectivity to other reaches. Lachlan River reach-Jemalong- Lake Cargelligo Extreme dry Provide drought refuge for olive perchlet and other native fish species in pools. Baseflow to prevent cease-to-flow. Dry Provide drought refuge for olive perchlet and other native fish species in pools. Baseflow to prevent cease-to-flow. Median Provide habitat for native fish species in pools and connectivity to other reaches. Drownout Condobolin and West Condobolin Weirs for 1 week. Wet Provide habitat for native fish species in pools and connectivity to other reaches. Drownout Condobolin and West Condobolin Weirs for 2 weeks. Lachlan River reach-Lake Cargelligo-Lake Brewster Extreme dry Brewster weir pool—provide drought refuge for olive perchlet and other native fish species. Baseflow to prevent cease-to-flow. Dry Brewster weir pool—provide drought refuge for olive perchlet and other native fish species. Baseflow to prevent cease-to-flow. Median Brewster weir pool—improve habitat for olive perchlet and other native fish species. Maintain inundation of Brewster Weir pool. Wet Brewster weir pool—improve habitat for olive perchlet and other native fish species. Maintain inundation of Brewster Weir pool.
Wet Establish/maintain wetland vegetation for improved water quality in cells 1, 2 and 3 plus the additional northern wetland cell. Deliver >5,000 ML to Brewster Outflow Wetland. Volume-to-fill of the northern cell not known. Willandra Creek Willandra Creek- upstream reach (Willandra Regulator to Willandra Homestead Weir) Extreme dry Provide drought refuge for native fish and waterbirds, particularly with regard to Willandra National Park riparian areas and Homestead Weir pool. Base flows to wet channel and pools. Dry Provide drought refuge for native fish and waterbirds, particularly with regard to Willandra National Park riparian areas and Homestead Weir pool. Base flows to wet channel and fill pools. Median Support waterbird breeding, particularly within Willandra National Park riparian areas and Homestead Weir pool. Increase connectivity through weir drownouts. Volume of environmental water required to achieve the asset ecological objective is currently unknown. Wet As above. Volume of environmental water required to achieve the asset ecological objective is currently unknown. Willandra Creek- downstream reach (Homestead Extreme dry Provide drought refuge for native fish and waterbirds. Baseflows to wet channel and fill pools. Dry Provide drought refuge for native fish Baseflows to wet channel and fill pools.
breeding listed Straw-necked ibis Not known 9–12 mths 3-mths breeding – Sept−Feb Anytime 0.5–1 m slow fall – Not listed Not listed Glossy ibis Not known 2-mths breeding – Oct−Feb fall – Not listed Not listed Grey teal Not known 4–5 mths 3–4 mths breeding – June−Feb Anytime fall – Not listed Not listed Freckled duck Not known 5 mths 3-mths breeding – June−Dec Anytime Unknown mod–slow fall – Not listed Not listed Brolga Not known 3–4 mths July−Nov May−March 0.24– 0.72 m – Not listed Not listed Native fish Olive perchlet Not listed Not listed Not listed Oct−Dec Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed
Purple spotted gudgeon Not listed Not listed Not listed Oct−April Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Murray cod Not listed Not listed Not listed Sept−Dec Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Macquarie perch Not listed Not listed Not listed Oct−Dec Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Golden perch Not listed Not listed Not listed Oct−Dec Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Silver perch Not listed Not listed Not listed Sept−Mar Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Freshwater catfish Not listed Not listed Not listed Oct−Jan Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Southern pygmy perch Not listed Not listed Not listed Sept−Jan Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Unspecked hardyhead Not listed Not listed Not listed Oct−Feb Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Northern river blackfish Not listed Not listed Not listed Oct−Jan Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed Not listed
and this volume will vary seasonally.) Dry As above. Median Drownout Condobolin and West Condobolin Weirs for 1 week. Wet Condo Weir threshold is 4,100 ML/d and a total order of 28,700 ML over 7 days is required. West Condo Weir threshold is 3,800 ML/d, requiring a total order of 26,600 ML over 7 days provided concurrently with the Condo Weir order. Can be achieved through Wyangala Dam release (see section 5.1.2) or piggybacking. Dry As above. Wet Drownout Condobolin and West Condobolin Weirs for 2 weeks. Wet Condo Weir threshold is 4,100 ML/d and a total volume of 57,400 ML over 14 days is required. West Condo Weir threshold is 3,800 ML/d, requiring a total order of 53,200 ML over 14 days provided concurrently with the Condo Weir order. Can be achieved through Wyangala Dam release (see section 5.1.2) or piggybacking. Dry As above. Lachlan River reach–Lake Cargelligo– Lake Brewster Extreme dry Baseflow to prevent Wet 80 ML/d at Lake Cargelligo Weir. (Note: See section 5.1.5 and this volume will vary seasonally. Also regulated flows may be stopped at Condo in these climate years.) Dry As above. Dry As above. Wet As above. Dry As above. Median Maintain inundation of Brewster Weir pool. Wet The full storage volume of Brewster Weir pool is 5,500 ML; olive perchlet refuges do not require full storage, appropriate storage volume to protect olive perchlet habitat is not known. Dry As above.
25,000 ML achieved flooding of Moon Moon. Timing is from June to December. Wet: 1,050 ML at 100 ML/d for 10.5 days. Dry: 2,500 ML at 100 ML/d for 25 days. 2,500 ML to Moon Moon Swamp (as above) and downstream environment. Dry Booligal Wetland Booligal Swamp Extreme dry Baseflows to wet channel and fill pools. Wet No watering action required, subject to replenishment flows of up to 9,000 ML provided at 100 ML/d for 90 days in winter. Less water required under wet antecedent conditions. Dry No watering action required, subject to replenishment flows of up to 9,000 ML provided at 100 ML/d for 90 days in winter. Dry As above. Wet No watering action required, subject to replenishment flows of up to 9,000 ML provided at 100 ML/d for 90 days in winter. Less water required under wet antecedent conditions. Dry No watering action required, subject to replenishment flows of up to 9,000 ML provided at 100 ML/d for 90 days in winter. Median Deliver up to 5,000 ML to Booligal Swamp. Wet Deliver up to 5,000 ML via diversion from Torriganny Weir into Merrimajeel Creek. Flows provided at 50 ML/d for up to 100 days. in addition to the replenishment flow between May and August. Dry No watering action required as waterbird breeding unlikely in absence of prior wetting. Wet As above. Wet Deliver up to 5,000 ML via diversion from Torriganny Weir into Merrimajeel Creek. Flows provided at 50 ML/d for up to 100 days. in addition to the replenishment flow between May and August. Dry No watering action required as waterbird breeding unlikely in absence of prior wetting. Murrumbidgil Swamp Extreme dry No water delivered under extremely dry conditions. NA
Merrimajeel. Dry See Murrumbidgil Swamp order. An additional volume >1,200 ML to be added and for at least an additional 30 days from Torriganny Weir. Lower Gum Swamp Extreme dry No water delivered under extremely dry conditions NA Dry No water delivered under dry conditions NA Median Deliver up to 3,400 ML (volume-to-fill) to Lower Gum Swamp Wet Deliver 400 ML at 40 ML/d for 10 days from Torrigany Weir, piggybacked on replenishment flow. Dry Deliver 400 ML+ 3,000 ML= 3,400 ML (in absence of replenishment piggyback) via Merrimajeel Creek at 40 ML/d for 85 days from Torrigany Weir in May to August. Wet Deliver up to 2,500 ML to Lower Gum Swamp Wet Deliver 2,500 ML at 40 ML/d for 62 days from Torrigany Weir, piggybacked on replenishment flow. Dry No watering action required as waterbird breeding unlikely in absence of prior wetting. Lachlan swamps Lake Waljeers Extreme dry No water delivered under extremely dry conditions. NA Dry Deliver up to 2,600 ML (volume-to-fill) to Lake Waljeers. Wet 2,600 ML required. CTF is 800–1,200 ML/d at Booligal Weir. Lake inflows occur at about 100 ML/d therefore it takes 26 days to fill (or 20,800–31,200 ML at Booligal Weir). Delivered Jun–Dec.
Table 9: Summary of proposed environmental water-order volumes and delivery strategies Asset Volume Range for water order (site watering only) Volume of replenishment flows Additional water required, e.g. piggybacking Other assets incidentally watered (Note: depends on water storage source) Lachlan River channel Current operational flows between 50–150 ML/d provides for some ecological objectives to be met at sites to Booligal. Weir drownouts: Cottons: 64,750–129,500 ML Condo: 28,700–57,400 ML Willandra: 59,600–119,000 ML. Operational flows and unregulated tributary flows undetermined. Yes None. Low-mid elevation wetlands and floodplain. Burrawang West Lagoon Up to 420 ML. NA NA None Yarnel Lagoon Up to 360 ML (9,360 ML if not piggybacked). 9,000 ML Yes Wallaroi Creek riparian areas. Booberoi Creek Up to 3,000 ML (15,500 ML if not piggybacked). 12,500 ML Yes Return flows from Booberoi Creek to the Lachlan River downstream of Lake Cargelligo. Lake Brewster 1,500 ML to >5,000 ML Part of Lake Brewster water quality improvement. NA May be used to re-regulate environmental water. Willandra Creek 4,000 ML up to volume to be determined (at least 16,000 ML if not piggybacked). 12,000 ML Yes Morrisons Lake
Table 13: Lachlan River system: possible monitoring for environmental watering. WMA Objective Hypotheses Flow component Indicator(s) Monitoring sites Frequency Linkages and other considerations Whole of river channel Provide fish refuge during low-flow periods. Pools within Lachlan channel will support native fish species during low/no-flow periods. Baseflow Native fish survival Fisheries sites To coincide with low flows. Complement monitoring undertaken as LCMA drought refuge study. Whole of river channel Provide fish passage through weir drownout. Fish will traverse weirs when drowned out by high flows. High flows Native fish movement Fisheries sites To coincide with high flows. Complement existing NSW I&I monitoring programs. Whole of river channel Appropriate flow regime will provide habitat and breeding opportunities for native fish. Sufficient flows will provide habitat and breeding opportunities for native fish. Under all flow conditions. Native fish population diversity, condition and numbers. Successful breeding events. Existing NSW I&I sites. 1–3 years. Existing NSW I&I monitoring.
floodplain Provide connectivity for the transport of sediments, nutrients and energy. Provide for the movement of aquatic biota. Hydrologic connectivity through the inundation of floodplain wetlands will achieve energy exchange and allow movement of aquatic biota. Medium to high flows. Water level and timing, magnitude and flow frequency. Inundation area (mapping). Lower Lachlan wetland sites IMEF and community monitoring. Channels and inundated wetlands Provide appropriate flows to maintain or improve water quality. Appropriate flow management will assist in maintaining and/or improving water quality. Under all flow conditions. Physicochemical responses to environmental flows. Existing riverine NoW water quality sites. Existing IMEF wetland sites. Dependent on season and inundation. NoW, State Water water quality sampling; IMEF Floodplain wetlands Provide appropriate flooding to maintain and/or enhance and permanent Appropriate flooding regimes will assist in maintaining or improving wetland vegetation (e.g. Under all flow conditions. The condition and extent of wetland vegetation communities. Existing IMEF sites and key water-delivery targets. Pre and post inundation. IMEF and community monitoring.
wetland vegetation. common reed, river red gum, lignum, black box) provide important feeding, breeding and refuge habitats. Bird breeding sites Provide sufficient flows to provide waterbird habitat and complete breeding. Sufficient flows will provide habitat and breeding opportunities for waterbirds. Moderate to high flows Waterbird population diversity, condition and numbers. Successful waterbird breeding events. Waterbird breeding sites e.g. Merrowie and Booligal systems. Inundation events IMEF; existing community waterbird surveys Floodplain wetlands Appropriate flow regime will provide habitat and breeding opportunities for frogs. Sufficient flows will provide habitat and breeding opportunities for frogs. Moderate to high flows Frog population diversity, condition and numbers. Successful frog breeding events. Floodplain wetland sites Inundation events Existing OEH and IMEF monitoring.
Floodplain wetlands Determine wetland antecedent condition. Accurate determination of antecedent condition will better inform watering decisions. All flows Soil moisture or time since last inundation. Floodplain wetland sites. Prior to watering decisions. Methods to be determined; may be linked to community monitoring.
Appendix 1: Lachlan species list Key: LC = Least concern; NT = Near threatened; V and VU = Vulnerable; E and EN = Endangered; M = Migratory; Y = Yes Type Common name Scientific name Status Presence of species/ species habitat Breeding status Water dependency [Yes/No] EPBC Act CAMBA JAMBA ROKAMBA IUCN Red list state gov. listing Bird Australasian bittern Botaurus poiciloptilis Endangered (NSW) Known Unknown Yes EN E Bird Great egret Ardea alba Known Likely Yes M Y Y LC Bird Blue-billed duck Oxyura australis Vulnerable (NSW) Known Known Yes NT V Bird Freckled duck Stictonetta naevosa Vulnerable (NSW) Known Likely Yes LC V Bird White-bellied sea eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Vulnerable (NSW) Known Likely Yes M Y LC Bird Painted snipe Rostratula australis Vulnerable (EPBC) Likely Unknown Yes V, M Y E Bird Brolga Grus rubicunda Vulnerable (NSW) Known Likely Yes Y Y LC V Bird Black-tailed Limosa limosa Vulnerable Likely unlikely Yes M Y Y NT V
godwit (NSW) Bird Latham’s snipe Gallinago hardwickii Likely Unknown Yes M Y Y Y LC Bird Pink-eared duck Malacorhyncus membranaceus Known Likely Yes LC Bird Magpie goose Anseranas semipalmata Vulnerable (NSW) Likely Unlikely Yes LC V Bird Glossy ibis Plegadis falcinellus Known Known Yes Y LC Bird Superb parrot Polytelis swainsonii Vulnerable (EPBC) Known Likely No V VU V Fish Purple-spotted gudgeon (relocated) Mogurnda adspersa Endangered (NSW) Likely Likely Yes E Fish Olive perchlet Ambassis agassizii Regionally endangered (NSW) Known Known Yes RE Fish Murray cod Maccullochella Vulnerable Known Known Yes V VU
peelii peelii (EPBC) Fish Macquarie perch Macquaria australasica Endangered (EPBC) Known Known Yes E EN E Fish Golden perch Macquaria ambigua Known Known Yes Fish Silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus Vulnerable (NSW) Known Likely Yes V Fish Freshwater catfish Tandanus tandanus Endangered (NSW) Known Likely Yes E Fish Southern pygmy perch Nannoperca australis Endangered (NSW) Known Likely Yes Fish Unspecked hardyhead Craterocephalus fluviatilis Critically endangered (NSW) Likely Likely Yes V Fish Northern river blackfish Gadopsis marmoratus Threatened (NSW) Unknown Unknown Yes T Frog Southern bell frog Litoria raniformis Vulnerable (EPBC) Known Unknown Yes V E
Frog Yellow-spotted bell frog Litoria castenea Endangered (EPBC) Known Likely Yes E Frog Sloane’s froglet Crinia sloanei Vulnerable (NSW) V Turtle Broad-shelled snake-necked turtle Chelodina expansa Likely Unknown Yes Turtle Eastern turtle Chelodina longicollis Known Known Yes LC Turtle Murray turtle Emydura macquarii Known Known Yes River red gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis Known Known Yes Black box Eucalyptus largiflorens Known Known Yes Lignum Muehlenbeckia florulenta Known Known Yes Weeping myall Acacia pendula Endangered Known Known No E necked
impacts on species. Minor Localised damage to environmental values and/or connected waters/other parts of the environment; temporary loss of water supplies. Minor public inconvenience. No injuries. No economic impacts. Minor public inconvenience. A small amount of water will be lost and this will have a small impact on the environmental outcomes. Insignificant Negligible impact on environmental values and/or connected waters/other parts of the environment; no detectable impacts on species. No public inconvenience. No injuries. No impacts on private property. No infrastructure damage. Water loss will be minimal and will not affect the planned outcomes of the watering event.
CONSEQUENCE Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Critical LIKELIHOOD No environmental damage. Minor instances of environmental damage that could be reversed. Isolated but significant instances of environmental damage that might be reversed with intensive efforts. Severe loss of environmental amenity and danger of continuing environmental damage. Major widespread loss of environmental amenity & progressive irrecoverable environmental damage. Almost certain Is expected to occur in most circumstances. Low Medium High Severe Severe Likely Will probably occur in most circumstances. Low Medium Medium High Severe Possible Could occur at some time. Low Low Medium High Severe Unlikely Not expected to occur. Low Low Low Medium High Rare Low Low Low Medium High