Inland Waters of the Pilbara, Western Australia - Environmental ...

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PHOTOGRAPHS 1. 2. 3 . 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. View of the arid Pilbara landscape Gnalka Gnoona Pool (site 22) in the Fortescue marshes Sesbania cannabina, Cyperus sp. and Marsilta sp. in a semi-permanent pool (site 40) near Shay Gap .... .................. ................ ...................................... .. The cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendraJil) and flood debris Tidal Reach (type 8 wetland) in the Fortescue River (sites 2-3) Spring (type 1 wetland ), Eera Baranna Spring (sites 54-61) Primary River Channel on the Fortescue River, (type 4 weUand) approximately 2 weeks after the passage of Tropical Cyclone Lena Primary River Pool (type 2 wetland), Hooley Creek (site 20) Hooley Creek (site 20) in the late dry season Headwater stream (type 3 wetland). 5 Mile Creek (sites 49-50) near Nullagine approximately 1 week after the passage ofT.C.Lena ....................................... . Adjoining Pool (type 5 wetland), Red Rock Creek (site 42) Site 42 at Red Rock Creek in the dry season Ephemeral claypa~ (type 6 wetland), site 46 near Marble Bar Semi-Permanent Claypan (type 7 wetland), Coondiner Pool (sites 33-34) Man-made wetland (type 8 wetland) near Marble Bar showing ajabiru (Xenorhynchus asiattcus) and a white necked heron (Ardea pacifica) Page 24 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 26 26 16. The Fortescue Marshes situated between the Chichester and Hamersley Ranges ... ....................... ............................................. ................ ............ .............. 26 17. The olive python (Morelia olivacea) at Weeli Wolli Springs (sites 26-32) 26 18. Sesbaniaformosa. a perennial legume reaching a height of7-8 m, only found near permanent water .. .. . . .. . .. ... .. .. ..... . .. .. .. .. .. .. .......... .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27 19. The river gum (E ucalyptus camaldulensts), art indicator of semi-permanent water persistence ... . ..... .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. 27 20. The coolabah (Eucalyptus coolabah) found well up the levee bank at the more permanent wetlands, or in those that are semi-permanent to ephemeral 27 21. The rooted submerged aquatic m acrophyte Myrtophyllum sp. only found in permanent and semi-permanent wetlands ................................................... 27 22. The submerged aquatic plant. Vallisnerta sp. with floating white flowers on coiled peduncles .................... ................ .... ...... :. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . . . . . .. . . .. .. .. .. .. . . .... . . . . 27 59752- 2 vli
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND TO TI!E STUDY In 1976 the Environmental Protection Authority identified the need to conserve wetland resources. Steps are being taken to do this in the south-west of Western Australia. The inland surface water resources of the semi-arid and arid areas of the State. notably the Pilbara. are less well known, and the pressures on them are less well understood. In the south-west of the State, lakes. swamps and rivers are affected by clearing and drainage for rural and urban developments. by changes in salinity and by· nutrient enrichment from agricultural fertilisers and waste disposal. In the Pilbara, the factors which could place inland surface waters in jeopardy are rather different. They include changing patterns of water use and increased demands for water, increased human access for recreation. and other developmental pressures. Because of the importance of water in the arid Pilbara environment, to wildlife, stock. residents and visitors. there was a clear need to better understand the resource. A study of inland surface waters of the Pilbara was begun in 1983 with the following longterm objectives: 1. To produce an inventory of permanent and ephemeral inland surface waters which identifies and documents: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) significant physical and biological characteristics: land tenure: amenity. conservation and recreational values: and pressures arising from existing and potential land uses. human access and population centres. 2. To classify the waters. using significant physical and biological characteristics. 3. To establish priorities for management and/or reservation. 4. To develop guidelines for appropriate conservation and management. This report is concerned with a first phase of the Study and has three main objectives: (i) (ii) (iii) To identify and document. as far as possible, inland surface waters in the Fortescue and De Grey river catchments in terms of their important physical and biological characteristics; To develop a preliminary classification system based on observations made in the field: and To make recommendations for future phases of the study. 1.2 DEFINITIONS Definitions of inland surface waters, or wetlands, are broad and in general are formulated with particular regions and study aims in mind. For example Paijmans ( 1978) in his feasibility report on an Australian National Wetland Survey concluded that main river channels did not constitute wetlands and should be excluded from the survey. This approach may be useful in terms of a broad survey in largely temperate environments. However, in the Pilbara. where river flow is spasmodic and river pools are a significant part of the inland surface water resource, a survey using this definition as a working base would be inappropriate. 1
Page 2 and 3: INLAND WATERS OF THE PILBARA, WESTE
Page 4 and 5: i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Ms BA Walker
Page 6 and 7: CONTENTS Page l. 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.1- 2
Page 8 and 9: FIGURES Page 1. Total number of day
Page 12 and 13: The definition of a wetland as acce
Page 14 and 15: Because of the remoteness of the Pi
Page 16 and 17: 2.5.2 NUMERICAL CLASSIFICATION The
Page 18 and 19: Table 1. Name, location and status
Page 20 and 21: ~ Table 1. Name, location and statu
Page 22 and 23: Table 2. Wetland sites classified a
Page 24 and 25: ,.,. -< ·I;:. "" """ ~ ,,.. ..,, "
Page 26 and 27: 3. Headwater Stream or Drainage Cha
Page 28 and 29: gna rled Eucalyptus coolabah Muehle
Page 30 and 31: Table 3. Physico-chemical propertie
Page 32 and 33: 3.4 WATER QUALI1Y The results of th
Page 34: 1. View of the arid Pilbara landsca
Page 37 and 38: 18. Sesbania formosa, the brown-bar
Page 39 and 40: 3.5.2 VEGETATION PATIERNS The physi
Page 41 and 42: Table 5. Species Relationship of we
Page 43 and 44: - Eucalyptus camaldulensis Eucalypt
Page 45 and 46: Level of Division 1 ~inifex lonQifo
Page 47 and 48: Table 7. Algal genera· collected f
Page 49 and 50: Table 9 . Invertebrate animal group
Page 51 and 52: Small crustaceans (Cyzicus sp) were
Page 53 and 54: Table 11. Bird species observed at
Page 55 and 56: The direct effect of mining was app
Page 57 and 58: 6. REFERENCES Alien. G R (1982), In
Page 59 and 60: .::. (0 APPENDIX 1 PLANT SPECIES CO
Page 61 and 62:
Ot ...... 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 9
Page 63 and 64:
CJl CV 169 Acacia morrisonii 170 Ac
Page 65 and 66:
APPENDIX 2 SUGGESTED PROFORMA FOR R
Page 67 and 68:
26. Fringing vegetation Trees Shrub
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Inland Waters of the Pilbara, Western Australia - Environmental ...

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