environmental watering plan. For further information please refer to The Environmental Water Outcomes Framework at . shows the linkage between planned flow types and the expected outcomes for the Region. The table also links the short-term expected outcomes to a long-term contribution to the four Basin Plan objectives at the Murray-Darling Basin scale (i.e. biodiversity, ecosystem function, resilience and water quality). Table 1: Expected outcomes from the use of Commonwealth environmental water in the Region. Flow Type Expected outcomes for 2014–15 Contributions to longer term outcomes Contribution to the following Plan objective Base flows (low flows) Hydrological connectivity, including end of system flows Connectivity Ecosystem Function Individual survival and condition (individual refuges) Population condition (individual refuges) Resilience Individual condition (ecosystem resistance) Population condition (ecosystem recovery) Resilience Management of quality issues (salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and dissolved organic carbon) Chemical Quality Freshes and bankfull Vegetation condition and reproduction Vegetation diversity Biodiversity Vegetation germination and dispersal Vegetation growth and survival Biodiversity Within ecosystem macroinvertebrate diversity Macroinvertebrate diversity Biodiversity Fish condition Fish diversity Biodiversity Fish reproduction, larval growth and survival Larval and juvenile abundance Biodiversity Other vertebrate reproduction, growth and survival (turtles, frogs) Adult abundance (turtles, frogs) Biodiversity Hydrological connectivity, including end of system flows Connectivity Ecosystem Function Mobilisation and dispersal of biotic and abiotic materials Connectivity Ecosystem Function Primary production, decomposition, nutrient and carbon cycling Process Ecosystem Function Murray Murray
Individual survival and condition (individual refuges) Population condition (individual refuges) Resilience Individual condition (ecosystem resistance) Population condition (ecosystem recovery) Resilience Management of water quality issues (salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and dissolved organic carbon) Chemical Quality Overbank and discrete wetland and/or floodplain inundation Vegetation condition and reproduction Vegetation diversity Biodiversity Vegetation germination and dispersal Vegetation growth and survival Biodiversity Within ecosystem macroinvertebrate diversity Macroinvertebrate diversity Biodiversity Fish condition Fish diversity Biodiversity Fish reproduction, larval growth and survival Larval and juvenile abundance Biodiversity vertebrate reproduction, growth and survival (turtles, frogs) abundance (turtles, frogs) Biodiversity Waterbird survival and condition Waterbird diversity and population condition Biodiversity Waterbird reproduction, recruitment and fledging Waterbird diversity and population condition Biodiversity Hydrological connectivity, including end of system flows Connectivity Ecosystem Function Mobilisation and dispersal of biotic and abiotic materials Connectivity Ecosystem Function Primary production, decomposition, nutrient and carbon cycling Process Ecosystem Function Individual condition (ecosystem resistance) Population condition (ecosystem recovery) Resilience Management of quality issues (salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and dissolved organic carbon) Chemical Water Quality
The full list of Commonwealth environmental water holdings can be found at and is updated monthly. Portfolio management updates for the Commonwealth’s environmental water holdings are available at . Other sources of environmental water allocations Other sources of environmental water that may be used to complement Commonwealth environmental water delivery in the Mid-Murray Region include water held by The Living programme, the VEWH and NSW OEH. below outlines the different environmental water entitlements held by other water holders. Table 4: Other potential sources of environmental water in the Mid-Murray Region for 2014–15 as at March 2014. Source Management Authority Entitlement Environmental Entitlement: The Living Murray Murray-Darling Basin Authority 594.4 GL of multi-state entitlements for use at six ‘icon sites’1 Environmental Entitlement: New South Wales NSW Office of Environment and Heritage 30 GL of River Conveyance entitlements 2 GL of High Security entitlements Bulk Entitlement (River Murray – Flora and Fauna) Conversion Order 1999 Victorian Environmental Water Holder 29.8 GL high reliability 4 GL low reliability entitlement 40 GL unregulated Bulk Entitlement (River Murray – Flora and Fauna) Conversion Order 1999 – Barmah-Millewa Forest Environmental Water Allocation13 50 GL high reliability 25 GL low reliability Bulk Entitlement (River Murray – Flora and Fauna) Conversion Order 1999 – Living Murray 9.6 GL high reliability 101.9 GL low reliability 34.3 GL unregulated 1 The 590.8 GL Living Murray entitlement includes Victorian, New Wales and South Australian regulated entitlements. Natural or unregulated flows and planned environmental water In addition to water entitlements held by environmental water holders, environmental demands may also be met via unregulated flows and water provided for the environment under rules in state water plans (referred to as ‘planned environmental water’). The Water Sharing Plan for the New South Wales Murray and Lower Darling Regulated Rivers Water Sources (NSW legislation 2003) establishes planned environmental water (Part 3, Clause 15) relevant to the Mid-Murray Region. This includes: Barmah-Millewa Environmental Allowance: