Broad environmental outcomes in scope Avoid critical loss of species, communities and ecosystems Maintain key refuges Avoid irretrievable damage or catastrophic events Support the survival and viability of threatened species and communities Maintain refuges Support key ecosystem functions. Enable growth, reproduction and small-scale recruitment for a diverse range of flora and fauna Promote low-lying floodplain-river connectivity Support medium flow river and floodplain functional processes Enable growth, reproduction and large-scale recruitment for a diverse range of flora and fauna Promote and sustain higher floodplain-river connectivity Support high flow river and floodplain functional processes <1 year expected outcomes in scope Vegetation condition Vegetation reproduction, germination and dispersal Fish condition Fish larval abundance and reproduction Waterbird survival and condition Waterbird chicks and fledglings Other vertebrate young Hydrological connectivity including end of system flows (Longitudinal) (Lateral) Biotic dispersal and movement Sediment transport Primary productivity; decomposition; nutrient and carbon cycling Individual survival and condition (inc refuges) Individual condition (ecosystem resistance) Salinity; dissolved oxygen; pH; dissolved organic carbon; algal blooms
. River flows and connectivity Vegetation Waterbirds Fish Improve connections along rivers and between rivers and their floodplains Maintain the extent and improve the condition Maintain current species diversity, improve breeding success and numbers Maintain current species diversity, extend distributions, improve breeding success and numbers Maintained base flows: at least 60 per cent of natural levels Improved overall flow: 10 per cent more into the Barwon–Darling 30 per cent more into the River Murray 30–40 per cent more to the Murray mouth (and it open to the sea 90 per cent of the time) Maintained connectivity in areas where it is relatively unaffected: between rivers and floodplains in the Paroo, Moonie, Nebine, Warrego and Ovens Improved connectivity with bank-full and/or low floodplain flows: by 30–60 per cent in the Murray, Murrumbidgee, Goulburn and Condamine–Balonne by 10–20 per cent in remaining catchments Maintain the Lower Lakes above sea level Maintenance of the current extent of: about 360,000 hectares of river red gum; 409,000 ha of black box; 310,000 ha of coolibah forest and woodlands; and existing large communities of lignum non-woody communities near or in wetlands, streams and on low-lying floodplains Maintain the current condition of lowland floodplain forests and woodlands of: river red gum black box coolibah Improved condition of: southern river red gum Maintained current species diversity of: all current Basin waterbirds current migratory shorebirds at the Coorong Increased abundance: 20–25 per cent increase in waterbirds by 2024 Improved breeding: up to 50 per cent more breeding events for colonial nesting waterbird species a 30–40 per cent increase in nests and broods for other waterbirds Improved distribution: of key short and fish species across the Basin Improved breeding success for: short-lived species (every 1–2 years) long-lived species in at least 8/10 years at 80 per cent of key sites mulloway in at least 5/10 years Improved populations of: short-lived species (numbers at pre-2007 levels) long-lived species (with a spread of age classes represented) Murray cod and golden perch (10–15 per cent more mature fish at key sites) Improved movement: more native fish using fish passages For more information about Commonwealth environmental water, please contact us at: 1800 803 772