Cell Descriptions - South East Natural Resources Management Board

SE9 – Lake St George, Lake St Clair, Beachport
combined with sand deposition at the coastal interface over the past two decades has resulted in
only negligible inflows from Drain M and isolation of large sections of the lake from the coastal
outlet. As a result the lake is becoming more saline through evaporation and concentration of
salts. In addition, eutrophication is a threatening process within the system, as occurred in 2008.
Ongoing water quality monitoring of inflows is being undertaken as a priority action by DFW
(Slater and Farrington 2010).
Marram grass has been extensively used in the past for rehabilitation of dunes near Beachport
(following 19 th Century damage by grazing).
Opportunities
Lower Drain M and its connecting drains (i.e. Sutherland Drain) near Beachport contain several
important ecological assets including a recently discovered population of Australian Mudfish
(Neochanna cleaveri) which had not been recorded in South Australia since 1972 (Hammer, 2009 in
Slater and Farrington 2010). In terms of Nationally and State listed aquatic dependent fauna it is a
close second to the Eight Mile Creek system with a high biological score. The section of drain
downstream of the Princes Highway provides habitat for the last healthy wild population of
Yarra Pygmy Perch (Nannoperca obscura) in South Australia as well as a healthy population of
Southern Bell Frogs (Litoria raniformis). Several management actions have already been instigated
by the SEWCDB to improve the way lower Drain M is managed to enhance habitat values for
important species, in particular the Yarra Pygmy Perch. Two drought refuges where installed in
the section of Drain M between Elgin Lane and Magerys Lane in May 2009 after observations of
trigger levels for Yarra Pygmy Perch (water depth