1. Murray and Barmah-Millewa Forest indicators adapted from Department of the Environment (2011a), MDBA (2012d), MDBA (2012g) and DPI-Fisheries 2016 2. Sourced from North Central CMA (2013; 2014b; 2015b; 2016b). 3. Adapted from MDBA (2012c), MDBA 2012 (f), Department of the Environment (2011d) 4. Sourced from North Central CMA (2014a; 2015a; 2016a). 5. Compiled using a number of sources (Hale & SKM 2011; MDBA 2012; Watts et al 2013; Watts et al 2014; Webster 2010). Previous watering actions and their outcomes have also been used for all indicators Carryover potential A minimum carryover target of 200 GL for the Southern-connected Basin is being reserved to meet early season water requirements across in 2017-18 (See Section 2.6) - - Trade potential Potential for purchases to augment water for the environment in a number of catchments in the Northern Murray-Darling Basin to meet high environmental water demands. Further information will be provided to the market ahead of any trade of Commonwealth environmental water. Transfer of allocations between catchments in the southern-connected Basin would be explored as the preferred option to allocation purchase or sale, consistent with the rules identified in state water resource plans that apply to all water users.
VEGETATION Maintain the current extent of water-dependent vegetation near river channels and on low-lying areas of the floodplain. Improve condition of black box, river red gum and lignum shrublands Improved recruitment of trees within black box and river red gum communities Increased periods of growth for non-woody vegetation communities that closely fringe or occur within the river and creek channels, and those that form extensive stands within wetlands and floodplains including Moira grasslands in Barmah–Millewa Forest. Vegetation extent Region Area of river red gum (ha) Area of black box (ha) Area of coolibah (ha) Shrublands Non–woody water dependent vegetation Murray (assessment is for entire Murray catchment) 90,600* 41,700* - Lignum along the Murray River from the junction with the Wakool River to downstream of Lock 3, including Chowilla and Hattah Lakes Closely fringing or occurring within the Murray, Edward, Kiewa, Mitta Mitta, Niemur and Wakool rivers and Tuppal Creek; Moira grasslands in the Barmah–Millewa Forest Black box condition Region Vegetation condition score Percent of vegetation assessed (within the managed floodplain) –6 >6 –10 Murray (assessment is for entire Murray catchment) 33 per cent 65 per cent 28 per cent River red gum condition Region Vegetation condition score Percent of vegetation assessed (within the managed floodplain) 0 – 2 >2 – 4 >4 – 6 >6 – 8 >8 – 10 Murray (assessment is for entire Murray catchment) 2 per cent 1 per cent 10 per cent 51 per cent 35 per cent 51 per cent WATERBIRDS Maintain current species diversity Increase Basin-wide abundance of waterbirds by 20–25 per cent by 2024 A 30–40 per cent increase in nests and broods (Basin-wide) for other waterbirds Up to 50 per cent more breeding events (Basin-wide) for colonial nesting waterbird species Important Basin environmental assets for waterbirds in the Mid-Murray Environmental asset Total abundance and diversity Drought refuge Colonial waterbird breeding Shorebird abundance In scope for C’th watering
Southern pygmy perch (Nannoperca australis) Expand the range of current populations at Barmah-Millewa and other mid-Murray wetlands Yes Trout cod (Maccullochella macquariensis) Expand the range of trout cod up the Murray upstream of Lake Mulwala and into the Kiewa River. For the connected population of the Murrumbidgee–Murray–Edwards: continue downstream expansion. Yes Two-spined blackfish (Gadopsis bispinosus) Establish additional populations (no specific locations identified) Yes Important Basin environmental assets for native fish in the Mid-Murray Environmental asset Key movement corridors High Biodiversity Site of other Significance Key site of hydrodynamic diversity Threatened species Dry period / drought refuge In-scope for C’th water Koondrook–Perricoota * * * * * Yes Gunbower * * * * * Yes Barmah–Millewa * * * * * * Yes Edward–Wakool system * * * * Yes Werai Forest * * Yes Billabong–Yanco–Columbo Creeks * * * * * Yes Lake Mulwala * * * * * Yes Attachment B – Library of watering actions Operational considerations in the Mid Murray Region The delivery of environmental water in the Mid–Murray is currently constrained by the release capacities from storages, channel capacities and system constraints. Relevant constraints to be considered include: