MCS-MS To Murrumbidgal Swamp X X X Bankfull Infrastructure assisted 3 Biodiversity: instream, wetland & floodplain vegetation; fish breeding & recruitment Ecosystem resilience: habitat for frogs, turtles & other vertebrates; seedbank rhizones & long lived vegetation MCS-LM To Lake Merrimajeel X X Bankfull Infrastructure assisted 1 Ecosystem resilience: habitat for frogs, turtles & other vertebrates MCS-MC Muggabah X X Bankfull 3 Biodiversity: frog habitat; instream, floodplain & wetland vegetation MCS2-CD To Cuba Dam X X Bankfull Infrastructure assisted 2 Biodiversity: fish breeding & recruitment; fish habitat protection; wetland & floodplain vegetation; riparian extent & growth Ecosystem resilience: seedbank rhizones & long lived vegetation MCS2-LT To Lake Tawong X Bankfull Infrastructure assisted 1 Biodiversity: fish breeding & recruitment; floodplain, wetland-stream & riparian vegetation Ecosystem resilience: seedbank rhizones & long lived vegetation GCS-1 Whole swamp (reed beds, open water, red gums and black box fringe) X 1 Biodiversity: frog habitat; instream, floodplain & wetland vegetation Ecosystem resilience: seedbank rhizones & long lived vegetation GCS-2 Reed beds, open water, red gums X X 2 Biodiversity: frog habitat; instream, floodplain & wetland vegetation Ecosystem resilience: seedbank rhizones & long lived vegetation GCS-3 Reed beds, open water X X 2 Biodiversity: frog habitat; instream, floodplain & wetland vegetation Ecosystem resilience: seedbank rhizones & long lived vegetation GCS-4 Reed beds X 1 Biodiversity: frog habitat; instream, floodplain & wetland vegetation Ecosystem resilience: seedbank rhizones & long lived vegetation
What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to other vertebrate populations? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to other vertebrate species diversity? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to other vertebrate reproduction and recruitment? What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to other vertebrate survival? What has Commonwealth environmental water contributed to ecosystem function? What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to ecosystem connectivity? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to hydrological connectivity? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to hydrological connectivity? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to biotic dispersal? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to biotic dispersal? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to ecosystem processes? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of primary productivity? What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to patterns and rates of primary productivity? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of primary productivity? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of decomposition? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of primary productivity? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of decomposition? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of nutrient cycling? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of nutrient cycling? What has Commonwealth environmental water contributed to ecosystem resilience? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to ecosystem resilience? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to populations of long-lived organisms? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to refuges? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to refuges? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to recovery? What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to recovery? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to species resilience? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to fish community resilience? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to fish community resilience? What has Commonwealth environmental water contributed to water quality? What did Commonwealth Environmental water contribute to chemical water quality? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to temperature regimes? What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to dissolved oxygen levels? What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to temperature regimes? What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to dissolved oxygen levels?
Table 5. The expected 1 and 5 year outcomes for watering actions in the Lower Lachlan River. Outcomes that meet both stakeholder priority and ecosystem response criteria are shaded in blue. <1 1-5 INDICATOR Overbank terminal wetland inundation infrastructure assisted Contribute to restoration/protection of frog diversity and populations through provision of habitat to support breeding and recruitment As for 1-year outcome Y Y Frogs: population and diversity Terminal wetland inundation Support breeding and recruitment of waterbirds Maintain or increase waterbird populations and landscape diversity of waterbirds Y Y Breeding: Nests, eggs, chicks, fledgelings Contribute to the maintenance or improvement of wetland habitat to support the growth and survival of waterbirds Maintain or increase waterbird populations and landscape diversity of waterbirds Y Y Waterbird diversity Maintain viability of seedbank rhizones and long lived vegetation As for 1-year outcome Y Tree stand condition Provide refuge habitat for frogs, turtles and other vertebrates As for 1-year outcome Y Frogs: populations and diversity Turtle: populations and diversity (wetlands) Decapod: populations and diversity Contribute to in-stream vegetation population viability particularly extent and condition Maintained condition and extent of floodplain and wetland vegetation Y Y Condition and extent of instream vegetation Vegetation Diversity (and Condition) Bankfull, Overbank Infrastructure assisted Contribute to breeding and recruitment of native fish Improved native fish population, diversity and condition Y Y Larval fish Bankfull, Overbank Contribute to protection of native fish diversity and abundance through maintaining suitable habitat Increase in native fish populations and diversity Y Y Riverine Fish: diversity and abundance; Size frequency; Wetland fish: diversity and abundance; size frequency Bankfull, Overbank Infrastructure assisted Contribute to restoration protection of frog diversity and populations through provision of habitat to support breeding and recruitment As for 1-year outcome Y population and diversity Overbank Infrastructure assisted Support breeding and recruitment of waterbirds Maintain or increase waterbird populations and landscape diversity of waterbirds Y Y Waterbird diversity Overbank Infrastructure assisted Contribute to the maintenance or improvement of wetland habitat to support the growth and survival of waterbirds` Maintain or increase waterbird populations and landscape diversity of waterbirds Y Y Waterbird Diversity Overbank Infrastructure assisted Maintain viability of seedbank rhizones and long lived vegetation As for 1-year outcome Y Tree stand condition STAKEHOLDER
Riverine Fish: Dispersal of threatened/native fish 1 1.5 3 5.5 Invertebrates Microinvertebrate abundance (wetlands) Y 1 3 3 7 Waterbirds Breeding: Nests, eggs, chicks, fledglings Y 2 3 3 8 Diversity 1 2 1 4 Frogs and other vertebrates Frogs: populations and diversity Y 1 3 3 7 Turtle: populations and diversity (wetlands) 1 3 2 6 Decapod: populations and diversity Y 1 2 2 5 Vegetation Diversity (and Condition) 1 3 3 7 Tree stand condition 1 2 2 5 Condition and extent of instream vegetation Y 1 1 2 4 quality and channel metabolism River channel metabolism (primary productivity and decomposition) Y 2 2 2 6 Nutrient and carbon cycling Y 1 2 2 5 quality Y 1 3 1 5 Geomorphology Pool 1 1 1 3 Hydrology Riverine: duration, depth, timing and type of connection Y 2 3 3 8 Wetland: duration, depth, timing and type of connection 2 3 3 8 Selected Area priority indicators
Table 7. Lachlan river system Selected Area evaluation questions, indicators and cause and effect diagrams Theme LEVEL 3 EVALUATION QUESTIONS SHORT- INDICATORS Relevant and Effect Diagram Ecosystem type (Basin Evaluation only) What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to sustainable ecosystem diversity? Long Ecosystem type Landscape ecosystem diversity Were ecosystems to which Commonwealth environmental water was allocated sustained? Long Was delivered to a representative suite of ecosystem types? Long Vegetation What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to vegetation community diversity? Long Vegetation diversity Hydrology (river and wetland) Landscape vegetation diversity What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to vegetation species diversity? Short Long What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to vegetation extent? Tree community and extent Hydrology (river) Vegetation recruitment and extent Fish What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to native fish populations? Long Fish (species, abundance and size frequency in rivers) Hydrology (river) Water quality (temperature and dissolved oxygen) Landscape fish diversity What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to native fish species diversity? Long What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to fish community resilience? Long What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to native fish survival? Long Fish condition What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to native fish reproduction? Fish reproduction What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to native larval fish growth and survival? Short Fish larval growth and survival What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to fish community resilience? Long Waterbirds (Option) What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to waterbird breeding? Short Waterbirds – breeding (colonial nesting species) Hydrology (wetlands) Vegetation type and condition Waterbird recruitment and fledging What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to waterbird chick fledging? Short What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to waterbird survival? Short Waterbird reproduction What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to waterbird survival? Short Waterbird survival and condition Stream Metabolism What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to patterns and rates of primary productivity? Short Long Stream metabolism Hydrology (river) Primary production What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of decomposition? Short Long Stream metabolism Hydrology (river) Decomposition What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to patterns and rates of nutrient cycling? Short Long Stream metabolism Hydrology (river) Nutrient cycling Water Quality What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to temperature regimes? Long Water quality (dissolved oxygen, temperature) Hydrology and wetland) What did Commonwealth environmental contribute to dissolved oxygen levels? Short Long Other Vertebrates What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to other vertebrate populations? Long What did Commonwealth environmental water contribute to other vertebrate species diversity? Long
Table 20. Communication activities for the Lachlan river system Selected Area LTIM Project. ACTIVITY OBJECTIVE WHO LOCATION/ METHOD RESPONSIBILITY TIMING TIME COMMITMENT PROJECT TEAM Monthly project status/progress catch ups Regular contact between project leader and the CEWO contact. Project updates to ensure project is tracking as expected deal with any issues arising from the monitoring communicate early observations from monitoring CEWO contact and project leader Teleconference Timing will be coordinated by the project leader Monthly 12 x 1/2 hour per year (63 in total) Regular project team meetings Regular contact between Theme leaders to establish and revise workplans ensure project is tracking as expected deal with any issues arising from the monitoring communicate early observations from monitoring Theme leaders Teleconference chaired by the project leader. Timing will be coordinated by the project leader. Quarterly to the delivery of the quarterly reports to the CEWO or as required 4 hr per year Quarterly reporting to CEWO Quarterly written project status/progress reports provided to the CEWO. Theme leaders Written project status report Project leader to coordinate Last business day of September, December, March and June each year A total of 21 progress reports over the project duration, with the first in September 2014 and the last in September 2019. Annual Outcomes Report An annual outcomes report will be provided to the CEWO. Theme leaders Written outcomes report Coordinated by the project leader Draft – Aug 30 Final – Oct 31 First report – 2015
Annual forum To provide regular contact between Project team members across Selected Areas deal with any issues arising from the monitoring and communicate early observations from monitoring Share methods and learning across the teams Discuss evaluation across Selected Areas Four attendees from the project team Sydney Timing will be coordinated by the CEWO July 2 days per year
(13) Collaborate with other research/ monitoring or water resource projects Research institutes • Inform and establish collaborative/information sharing relationships via existing LTIM Project team networks • CEWO to ‘sign-off’ on all materials prior to distribution. • M&E Provider Leader to liaise with relevant Lachlan LTIM Project staff to obtain a list of relevant projects, contact details, and access to available information Prior to 30 June 2014 and ongoing (15) Case studies Affected landholders Via specific interviews with select affected landholders, and utilising all project information available from M&E Provider Team (i.e. LAPs, annual C&E Plan evaluation, Stakeholder log, emails and feedback surveys, review of LAPs etc) M&E Provider Leader and Central Tablelands Snr Services Officer (HCVAE) to liaise with relevant Lachlan LTIM Project staff As requested or expedited by affected landholder; Year 4 or 5 of LTIM Project. Not scheduled activities at this to be put to the CEWO area leader for approval from Director , Monitoring and Evaluation Section within CEWO, if such opportunities arise or are requested to mitigate risk of communities and landholders feeling they were not sufficiently involved in interpretation of 'how their local system works and the relative contribution of CEWO environmental water'. General protocols for consistent messaging The M&E Provider communication team will consult with CEWO, M&E Advisers and M&E Provider leader between 28 February and 17 April, as the M&E Plan is reviewed and finalised, to develop key messages for all stakeholders. Those key messages are likely to be based upon the five high-level objectives, frequently asked questions as supplied by the CEWO Media and Communications section, and the analysis of stakeholder engagement purpose/objectives and level of engagement in defined in Appendix 2.
25: Categorisation of Consequence CONSEQUENCE NEGLIGIBLE MODERATE MAJOR CRITICAL PEOPLE Incident requiring first aid treatment. Minor incident requiring treatment by a medical practitioner. Moderate incident requiring short term hospitalisation. Serious incident requiring extensive hospitalisation. A fatality, permanent disability, or multiple people affected by a serious incident. ENVIRONMENT Negligible environmental damage. Short term, localised, reversible damage to the environment. Short term, widespread damage to the environment reversible to intensive effort. Long-term damage to the environment and/or risk of continuing environmental damage. Long-term, widespread, irreversible damage. STAKEHOLDERS Short-term, isolated complaints from stakeholders. Sustained but isolated complaints from stakeholder. Relationship with stakeholder temporarily affected. Sustained complaints from stakeholders. Relationship with stakeholder damaged. Short-term but significant complaints from stakeholders. Relationship with stakeholder significantly damaged. Sustained and significant complaints from stakeholder. Relationship with critical stakeholder irreversibly damaged. MONITORING ACTIVITIES Monitoring activities undertaken according to M&E Plan, with data from all planned samples available. Minor disruption to the monitoring program with a small number of planned samples (<10%) not collected or data not available More than 10% of planned samples not collected / available, however sufficient data available for planned analyses Data from more than 50% of planned samples not collected / available. Limited monitoring outcomes reported No useable data collected, analyses not possible, no monitoring outcomes reported PROJECT OBJECTIVES Short delay in achievement of project objectives Delay in achievement of project objectives Element or project objective not met Project objectives not met Project objectives harmed (negative impact) Table 26: Risk Matrix NEGLIGIBLE MODERATE MAJOR CRITICAL ALMOST CERTAIN LIKELY POSSIBLE UNLIKELY M M M M M
Budget Reduction of in-kind support Unlikely Moderate Low The number of institutions that comprise the project team ensures that it is somewhat robust to small and moderate reductions of in-kind support. Unlikely Minor Low Budget Reduction in budget results in reduction in sampling intensity or the removal of some indicators from the evaluation process. Possible Moderate Medium The project team will revisit the conceptual models and assess which of the monitoring activities could potentially be altered to reduce costs. The potential use of value-adding components such as post-graduate projects may assist in absorbing budget reductions. Possible Minor Medium Project management High workloads of project team members impacting on availability for monitoring and evaluation. Possible Moderate Medium The project team are experienced in managing workloads associated with large scale project. See section 7.1.1. Unlikely Minor Low Project management Changes in project leadership impacts on monitoring, evaluation and project delivery. Unlikely Major Medium are a number of experienced members of the project team that could absorb any change to the leadership structure. Unlikely Moderate Low Project management Changes to institutions or staff impacts on monitoring, evaluation and project delivery. Unlikely Minor Low Structural and changes are not uncommon and the project team will have experience in how to manage this. The size and expertise of the project team renders it robust to such changes. Unlikely Minor Low Project management Timeline pressures impacts on monitoring, evaluation and project delivery. Possible Moderate Medium The project team are experienced in managing workloads associated with this scale of project. See Section 7.1.1 for capabilities. Unlikely Minor Low Data access Access to previous datasets is restricted, thus impacting on evaluation and project delivery. Possible Minor Low The project team comprises many institutions that already have datasets from the Lachlan. The professional networks of the project team place it in a sound position to formalise agreements with other dataset holders Unlikely Minor Low
PAR sensor and logger Stream metabolism Calibration in the following methods outlined in standard operating procedure 6-weekly University of Canberra Yes Stream metabolism Dissolved oxygen sensor & logger Measuring dissolved oxygen in the Calibration in the field following methods outlined in standard operating procedure 6-weekly University of Canberra Yes Stream metabolism Water Quality loggers Monitor temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity & dissolved oxygen. Internally calibrated using known standardised solutions Seasonally University of Canberra Yes Water quality, Stream Metabolism Data collection (field and laboratory) – samples and measures Relevant permits and ethics authorisation will be obtained prior to the commencement of data collection estimated to be June 2014 (see Table 33). Table 33. Permit and ethics requirements for the Lachlan LTIM Project INDICATOR ETHICS AUTHORISATION REQUIRED? BY WHO? PERMIT REQUIRED FOR SAMPLING? FROM WHO? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO OBTAINING RELEVANT AUTHORISATIONS? Fish (Larval) Yes, University of Canberra Animal Ethics Committee Yes, NSW DPI Fisheries Sampling permit Ben Broadhurst – University of Canberra Fish (River) Yes, NSW DPI Ethics Yes, NSW DPI Fisheries Sampling permit Jason Thiem & Martin Asmus – NSW DPI Fisheries Birds (Breeding and Diversity) Yes, UNSW Animal Care and Ethics Committee (ACEC). Yes, NPWS permit Kate Brandis – University of New South Wales Tortoises/Turtles Yes, NSW DPI Ethics Yes, NSW DPI Fisheries Sampling permit Jason Thiem & Martin Asmus – NSW DPI Fisheries Frogs and Tadpoles Yes, Animal Care & Ethics Committee (ACEC) Yes, NPWS permit Andrew Hall – Charles Sturt University Specific data quality controls listed are in Table 34. Training is required for some techniques and details of staff who have undertaken training will be recorded in the training log (refer to section 8.3.5). Data will be recorded onto datasheets (waterproof paper) in the field and scanned in at the first available opportunity. A back-up of the scanned datasheets will be held at the lead institution (University of Canberra). Samples collected in the field will be preserved and processed in accordance with methods outlined below. Samples will be held for the duration of the LTIM Project at theme leaders’ institutions.