Water, Land and People - Goulburn Broken Catchment ...

Bird hides for Gemmill’s Swamp were constructed
under the Drought Employment Program.
A number of priority wetlands have been fenced to
improve management.
Priority wetlands in the Catchment have been
identified, based on their conservation significance
and threats, to inform resource decision-making
and guide the allocation of limited resources.
A Wetland Implementation Plan for lower Broken
to Goulburn River commenced.
The Kanyapella Wetland Management Plan was
completed. This will assist landowners and agencies
identify weeds.
Environmental Flows
Given the potential for severe drought in 2007-
2008, the GB CMA participated in planning how
to share the potentially very limited available
water. This included preparing a GB CMA dry
inflow contingency plan which identified the critical
environmental assets that needed to be protected
under a survival scenario.
Expert advice was obtained on the potential
impacts of low flows on the Goulburn River
below Goulburn Weir as part of the dry inflow
contingency planning.
A study into the environmental implications of
high summer flows in the Goulburn River below
Goulburn Weir was completed, setting limits to
flows for different environmental impacts and levels
of risk.
A review of the Lower Goulburn Waterway Plan
and a review of the Kialla Streams Plan were
completed.
Studies were conducted on:
• constraints to delivery of environmental
flows in the Goulburn River and to the
River Murray, finding that flooding and
high summer river flows were significant
constraints.
• the interaction between environmental
flows and flooding. This included obtaining
comprehensive land surface elevation data
for the Goulburn River and its floodplain.
• the monitoring program to determine
ecological response to environmental flow
releases in the Goulburn River, Broken River
and Broken Creek.
The environmental condition of the Broken and
Boosey Creeks (as part of the assessment of
the environmental impacts associated with the
Tungamah Pipeline) was further benchmarked.
An environmental flow determination for the
upper Broken and Boosey Creeks was completed.
Hydraulic modelling of flooding in the Barmah
Forest progressed, with improved elevation data
captured by airborne laser scanning and field
surveys.
Barmah Forest Environmental Management
Plan
In conjunction with Yorta Yorta students, a
waterbird survey was carried out in Barmah Forest,
resulting in the first recording of Brolga presence.
The Barmah Forest Environmental Management
Plan was updated, a new blueprint plan developed
for future directions prepared, and a new vegetation
monitoring program implemented.
Weeds Booklet
A weeds booklet was prepared to assist
landholders and agencies identify weeds which
impact on the quality of riparian lands and in-stream
habitats. This information will be incorporated
into the overall Goulburn Broken Weed booklet
currently being reprinted as a third edition.
RiverConnect - Shepparton Region
A number of projects have been achieved through
the RiverConnect Project including:
• The GB CMA hosted 15 Australian National
PROGRAM REPORTS
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