Table . Summary of watering actions monitored for Stream Metabolism. Selected Area (Watering Action Reference)1 Water delivery dates (start – end)1 Flow component type1 Commonwealth environmental water volume delivered (GL)1 Expected ecological outcome1 Monitored site(s)2 Observed ecological outcomes2 Influences2 (10008-01) 12/08/14 – 09/01/15 Base flow 34.563 None Yallakool Creek Metabolic rates comparable with many other streams Constrained by very low concentrations of bioavailable nutrients and organic carbon Goulburn (10002-01) 25/08/14 – 25/09/14 Base flow 12.986 Disrupt biofilms, move fine sediment, entrain organic matter in stream to support ecosystem function Moss Rd, Darcy’s Creek, Loch Garry, McCoys Bridge No major changes in stream metabolism as a result of flows Flows retained within channel. Consequently, introduction of sufficient nutrients/organic carbon to stimulate primary production is unlikely Goulburn (10002-01) 10/11/14 – 17/11/14 Base flow 1.315 Goulburn (10002-01) 14/10/14 – 11/11/14 Fresh flow 67.46 Goulburn (10002-01) 20/11/14 – 30/11/14 Fresh flow 14.472 Goulburn (10002-01) 01/12/14 – 28/02/15 Base flow 18.291 Goulburn (10002-01) 01/03/15 – 15/03/15 13/04/15 – 12/06/15 Base flow 21.103 Goulburn (10002-01) 16/03/15 – 12/04/15 Fresh flow 13.321 Goulburn (10002-01) 13/06/15 – 30/06/15 Fresh flow 65.444
Warrego– Darling (Information from Appendix C, Selected Area Technical Report) Oct–Nov 2014, Dec–Mar 2015, Apr–May 2015 Base flow (water is not specifically delivered, rather held as unregulated entitlement and reliant on upstream catchment availabilities) None accounted Assess response of primary productivity Yanda & Akuna (above rivers junction) Difficulties with oxygen profiles prohibited analysis of primary productivity Lower Murray River (10009-01) 04/09/14 – 31/12/14 Base flow 191.833 ~581 (2014–15) Assess response of primary productivity, ecosystem respiration and dissolved oxygen levels Gorge (downstream of Lock 1) and floodplain (downstream of Lock 6) Enhanced respiration rates during return flows (from Chowilla Floodplain) Reduction in dissolved oxygen concentration associated with increased respiration rates Increased organic material supplied in return flows back to the river Contributed to by the quality of returning water 1 As reported by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office. 2 As reported by the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team for each Selected Area in Selected Area reports for 2014–15.
Table . Summary of watering actions targeting Stream Metabolism expected outcomes at unmonitored sites. Selected Area (Watering Action Reference) Actual water delivery dates (start – end) Commonwealth environmental water delivered (GL) Flow component type Locations Expected ecological outcomes Campaspe (10003-01) 09/10/2014 – 22/10/2014 5.7914 Fresh flow Campaspe river system (Reaches 2, 3 and 4) including floodplain Flush organics from bank and benches to reduce the risk of blackwater events in summer Macquarie (10015-01) 13/10/2014 – 12/12/2014 10 Base flow; fresh flow; wetland inundation Macquarie river system including floodplain Allow for sediment transport, nutrient and carbon cycling Murray x 0.2995 Wetland Bullock Swamp Provide freshwater inflows to reduce salinity levels and improve condition and diversity of wetland vegetation, improving ecological function Gwydir 03/10/2014 – 29/10/2014 3.656 x Carole Creek Support in-stream ecological function and nutrient cycling contributing to health of in-stream habitat and maintaining water quality Gwydir 02/10/2014 – 27/10/2014 13.316 x Mehi River Support in-stream ecological function and nutrient cycling contributing to health of in-stream habitat and maintaining water quality Ovens (10004-01) 04/04/15 – 05/04/15 30/04/15 – 30/04/15 0.05 0.02 Base flow Ovens river system including floodplain Improve primary production through disruption of biofilms QLD Border Rivers (00111-18) 29/01/15 – 05/02/15 06/04/2015 0.332 0.231 Fresh Dumaresq–Macintyre River and fringing wetlands Nutrient and sediment cycling (from inundation of upper channel areas, some anabranch channel and near-stream wetlands) NSW 11/01/15 – 17/01/15 30/05/15 – 31/05/15 Late Feb & May 2015 1.2564 0.108 0.39636 Fresh Barwon–Darling River and fringing wetlands (Mungindi to Menindee) Nutrient and sediment cycling from inundation of lower level benches
SA River Murray (10009-01) 04/09/14 – 31/12/14 Base flow 191.833 Maintain water quality within the River Murray by contributing to the transport and export of salt and nutrients through the Murray Mouth and mitigating environmental risks associated with hypoxic dissolved oxygen levels and algal blooms Murray River Channel, Lower Lakes, Murray Mouth Reduced salinity concentrations in the Murray Mouth Increased export of salt from the Murray River Channel and Lower Lakes, and decreased net import of salt to the Coorong Increased transport of nutrients and phytoplankton Warrego–Darling (Information from Appendix C, Selected Area Technical Report) Oct–Nov 2014, Dec–Mar 2015, Apr–May 2015 Base flow (water not specifically delivered, rather held as unregulated entitlement and reliant on upstream catchment availabilities) None accounted Assess the response of temperature, pH, turbidity, salinity and dissolved organic carbon Yanda and Akuna (above rivers junction) Insufficient data from the Darling River water quality loggers No water quality–related stress was observed and parameters within normal expected ranges Loddon – Reaches 3 and 4 and fringing wetlands (10001-01) 21/09/14 – 07/10/15 Fresh flow 2.8695 Hydrological connectivity and water quality Not monitored Not monitored
SA Murray – Calperum Station (10024-01) 05/11/14 – 15/06/15 Wetland inundation 0.276 Improve water quality in wetlands Not monitored Not monitored Wimmera–Mallee – Brickworks Billabong (10011-02) x Wetland 0.0999 Suitable water quality to support Murray Hardyhead Not monitored Not monitored Wimmera–Mallee – Cardross Lakes (10011-02) x Wetland inundation 0.2883 Provide freshwater inflows to reduce salinity levels and improve the condition and diversity of wetland vegetation, improving ecological function Not monitored Not monitored Wimmera–Mallee – Psyche Bend (10011-02) x Wetland inundation 0.4176 Provide freshwater inflows to reduce salinity levels and improve the condition and diversity of wetland vegetation, improving ecological function Not monitored Not monitored
Wimmera–Mallee – Woorlong Wetlands (10011-02) x Wetland inundation 0.3341 Provide freshwater inflows to reduce salinity levels and improve the condition and diversity of wetland vegetation, improving ecological function Not monitored Not monitored NSW (00111-24) 11/01/15 – 17/01/15 30/05/15 – 31/05/15 Late Feb – May 2015 Fresh 1.2564 0.108 0.39636 Water quality improvement including salinity and potential for algal blooms