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"May 2010".Project Number: Part 1 - Implementing a systems approach to support adaptive management of river and wetland health in the MDB; Part 2 - Review of Interventions and Development of habitat Preference Curves for biota at Murray Icon Sites; Part 3 - Natural versus Artificial watering of floodplains and wetlands - M/BUS/248.MDFRC item.1 of 4 reports associated with project see (Ecosystem Services and Productive Base for the Basin Plan), (Feasibility Assessment of Ecological Outcomes (indicators) proposed for the Basin Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Program) and (‘Natural’ versus ‘Artificial’ watering of floodplains and wetlands).The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is responsible for the overall preparation, implementation and enforcement of the Basin Plan. The Basin Plan is a strategic plan for the integrated and sustainable management of water resources in the Murray–Darling Basin. The Water Act 2007 specifies some content of the Basin Plan, including: limits on the amount of water (both surface water and groundwater) that can be taken from Basin water resources on a sustainable basis; identification of risks to Basin water resources, such as climate change, and strategies to manage those risks; requirements that state water resource plans will need to comply with if they are to be accredited under this Act; an environmental watering plan to optimise environmental outcomes for the Basin; a water quality and salinity management plan; and rules about trading of water rights in relation to Basin water resources (MDBA 2010). The documentation seeks to provide a review of literature regarding the terms used in the Water Act 2007, and provide further clarification and recommendations for undefined terms.

"August 2004".Project Number: Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial - M/BUS/5; MDBC Strategic Investigation Program - Rivers - Project R2131.MDFRC item.This individual Research Report has an additional 9 Research Reports, see project (Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial).The Mallee Tract of the River Murray contains free-flowing reaches and weir pools that allow a direct comparison of the effects of weirs on biofilm characteristics. In this study, River Red Gum substrates were deployed at various depths in the water column for 6-9 weeks and the biofilms that established were sampled so as to: 1. Compare biofilm composition in weir pools and free-flowing reaches of the Mallee Tract of the River Murray. 2. Examine changes in biofilm composition with water depth in the Mallee Tract of the River Murray.

MDFRC item.DOI:10.1016/j.biocon.2011.01.016.May 2011.We identify the 10 major terrestrial and marine ecosystems in Australia most vulnerable to tipping points, in which modest environmental changes can cause disproportionately large changes in ecosystem properties. To accomplish this we independently surveyed the coauthors of this paper to produce a list of candidate ecosystems, and then refined this list during a 2-day workshop. The list includes (1) elevationally restricted mountain ecosystems, (2) tropical savannas, (3) coastal floodplains and wetlands, (4) coral reefs, (5) drier rainforests, (6) wetlands and floodplains in the Murray-Darling Basin, (7) the Mediterranean ecosystems of southwestern Australia, (8) offshore islands, (9) temperate eucalypt forests, and (10) salt marshes and mangroves. Some of these ecosystems are vulnerable to widespread phase-changes that could fundamentally alter ecosystem properties such as habitat structure, species composition, fire regimes, or carbon storage. Others appear susceptible to major changes across only part of their geographic range, whereas yet others are susceptible to a large-scale decline of key biotic components, such as small mammals or stream-dwelling amphibians. For each ecosystem we consider the intrinsic features and external drivers that render it susceptible to tipping points, and identify subtypes of the ecosystem that we deem to be especially vulnerable.

"August 2004".Project Number: Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial - M/BUS/5; MDBC Strategic Investigation Program - Rivers - Project R2131.MDFRC item.This individual Research Report has an additional 9 Research Reports, see project (Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial).The physical and biotic effects of weirs in the Mallee Tract of the River Murray were quantified from August 2001 - June 2003 by comparing weir pool and free-flowing sites. Effects of weirs on hydrology and hydraulics, water physico-chemistry, benthic sediments, phytoplankton, biofilm, macroinvertebrates and littoral vegetation were examined. The three weirs within the Mallee Tract have altered the hydraulics of flow and consequently the water physico-chemistry and biota within these reaches. The Euston (Lock and Weir No.15), Mildura (11) and Wentworth (10) weirs elevate the water level 4.75, 3.55 and 3.21 m, respectively, at a designated flow of 4,000 ML.d-1. The weir pools that these weirs create extend ca. 50-60 river km upstream. The weir pool reaches are characterised by greater depths, lower flow velocities and stable water levels relative to the free-flowing reaches. Complete short-term drawdowns of the Mildura weir pool in each year of the study period for weir maintenance were exceptions to this pattern. Flows throughout the study reach were low and remained less than 13,000 ML.d-1 at all times, and provide a backdrop against which some of the results of this study can be interpreted. Diurnal thermal stratification was a year-round phenomenon in the weir pools, with greater (and occasionally persistent) thermal stratification of the water column in the warmer months. The water column at the free-flowing sites remained well mixed throughout the year. Stratification of pH and dissolved oxygen was also a feature of the water column in weir pools but not the free-flowing sites. The low flow velocities in the weir pools resulted in a sequential deposition of suspended solids from the water column into the Euston (ca. 78 t.d-1), Mildura (46 t.d-1) and Wentworth (8 t.d-1) weir pools. As a consequence, turbidity levels and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the water column progressively decreased in the weir pools of the Mallee Tract. The sediments on the riverbed of weir pools were correspondingly fine, nutrient rich and contained a high organic matter content compared with the typically sand-dominated sediments of the free-flowing sites. A total of 142 phytoplankton taxa were identified with Bacillariophyceae (diatoms), Cyanophyta (cyanobacteria) and Chlorophyta (green algae) being the dominant phytoplankton groups, together comprising over 99.4% of the phytoplankton abundance. Phytoplankton richness ranged from 31-62 taxa (mean 46.2 taxa) per sample. The phytoplankton communities along the Mallee Tract followed a seasonal pattern but underwent spatial shifts in community composition. Phytoplankton community composition remained similar along the 175 km of free-flowing reach examined, but changed within the ca. 50 km weir pool reaches where diatom abundance decreased and cyanobacteria abundance increased. These changes indicate that weir pools are providing favourable conditions for cyanobacteria (buoyancy regulators) whilst the diatoms (reliant on turbulent flows to maintain their position in the water column) are settling from the water column. These changes were also reflected in the chlorophyll measurements, where the total load of phytoplankton decreased in the weir pools and increased in the free-flowing reaches. Biofilm in the photic zone of the weir pools had a greater total biomass and periphyton biomass relative to the free-flowing sites, with both environments supporting greater biofilm development in the warmer months. The autotrophic index indicated that the biofilms from the weir pools were autotroph dominated and those from free-flowing sites heterotroph dominated. A total of 106 periphyton taxa were identified with Bacillariophyceae, Cyanophyta and Chlorophyta being the dominant phytoplankton groups. Each group was more abundant in the weir pools than free-flowing sites for a given time, with greater abundances during the summer period. Multivariate analysis showed that periphyton communities differed mostly between the summer and winter periods but also differed between weir pool and free-flowing sites. Diatoms were consistently the most abundant periphyton group at all sites, with Aulacoseira granulata comprising over 55% of the total periphyton cell count. Thirty-four snag-dwelling macroinvertebrate taxa were identified, with abundances on River Red Gum substrates 3½ times greater in the weir pools compared with the free-flowing reaches. The weir pool environment also supported a significantly greater number of macroinvertebrate taxa than the free-flowing sites. Chironomidae (midges) was the most abundant taxon, followed by Oligochaeta (segmented worms). Multivariate analysis of the macroinvertebrate communities revealed distinct seasonal differences in community structure, with different communities between weir pools and free-flowing sites. It is likely that the greater density of macroinvertebrates at the weir pool sites is due to the greater biofilm biomass providing increased food resources and habitat. A total of 29 macrophyte species were recorded in the littoral zone of the Mallee Tract. All 29 species were present in the weir pools compared with 10 in the free-flowing reaches. Species richness ranged from 1.4-5.4 species.quadrat-1 at weir pool sites to 0.1-3.5 species.quadrat-1 at the free-flowing sites. Percentage vegetation cover was also greater in the weir pools (12-76%) compared with the free-flowing sites (0.5-37%). Weirs have significant effects on hydraulic conditions, water physico-chemistry, benthic sediments, phytoplankton, biofilms, macroinvertebrates and vegetation in the Mallee Tract. For some species the free-flowing river is naturally a difficult environment in which to persist given the relatively high flow velocities and fluctuating water levels. The creation of weir pools has provided hydraulic conditions more akin to lentic systems, resulting in many species typical of wetlands becoming well established in the littoral zone. However, weirs have also altered riverine processes such as patterns of sediment and nutrient transport and phytoplankton dynamics. The ecological changes brought by weirs in the Mallee Tract further highlight the need to restore parts of the natural flow regime, and weir manipulation trials may partly achieve this. An examination of the ecological responses to weir manipulations is required to ascertain whether these types of trials generate positive changes to the riverine and floodplain environments. Several weir manipulation options are presented with consideration given to the potential costs and benefits of each. The data collected from this study would form important “before” data for any future weir manipulation within the Mallee Tract.

MDFRC item.Extreme low and high flow periods associated with droughts and floods regularly influence many river system, yet little is known regarding their role in shaping riverine zooplankton communities. This study investigated zooplankton dynamics in response to the transition from drought to flooding in four southern Murray–Darling Basin rivers managed by different levels of flow regulation. Results indicated that the onset of flooding was associated with an increase in the taxon richness and total transport (abundance) of zooplankton in the unregulated Ovens and Kiewa Rivers, and an increase in the total transport of zooplankton in the mildly regulated Broken River. In comparison, no significant flood effects on zooplankton taxon richness or transport were detected in the highly regulated Murray River. This suggests that the flooding was beneficial for enhancing zooplankton abundance in the Ovens, Kiewa and Broken Rivers, whereas any potential benefits were comparatively short-term and/or reduced in the Murray River. We hypothesise that the relatively short-term and/or reduced response of the zooplankton community to the flooding in the Murray River was probably largely due to the occurrence of a hypoxic blackwater event in suppressing zooplankton emergence.

"June 2005".Project Number: Trial a monitoring program for river health - M/BUS/60.MDFRC item.Riparian zones represent the boundary between aquatic systems and the surrounding landscape and are often areas of high productivity and diversity. Riparian vegetation is also a major determinant of stream condition influencing water quality, habitat availability and productivity of the river (Schulze and Walker 1997, Pusey and Arthington 2003, Baxter et al., 2005). It is, therefore not surprising that changes in the amount or type of riparian vegetation may have a major impact on the river community including the invertebrate fauna with loss of riparian vegetation being associated with changes in community trophic structure (Thompson and Townsend, 2003, Danger and Robson, 2004). One of the major impacts of changing riparian vegetation can be to influence stream temperature. This can occur in a number of ways; Firstly, incoming shortwave radiation is absorbed by the canopy reducing daily maximum temperatures; Secondly, long wave radiation emitted by the canopy reaches the water and offsets the outgoing radiation emitted by the water; and thirdly, the canopy provides a buffer to air movement, reducing the effect of evaporation and conduction and therefore increasing the daily minimum temperature. (Rutherford et. al 1997). Rutherford et. al (2004) found maximum daily temperature changes of ± 4°C immediately downstream (600 to 960m) from 40 to 70% changes in riparian shading, in small slow flowing second order streams. Temperature changes of this magnitude are likely to be ecologically significant. Water temperature influences growth, reproduction and disease resistance in adult fish and hatching and development of fish larvae (Pusey and Arthington 2003), and also affects growth and development of aquatic insects (Butler 1984). The effect of canopy shading is maximised in smaller streams with greater surface area to volume ratios. Figure 1 shows the predictions from the STREAMLINE model (Rutherford et al 1997). With increasing stream size the rate of heating from incoming solar radiation decreases (the rate of change of water temperature is inversely proportional to mean stream depth). Similarly, the equilibrium water temperature varied inversely with stream order (Rutherford et. al 1997). This project undertook an examination of the short term effects of willow removal on both the stream temperature and the macroinvertebrate community in the Ovens River.

"August 2004".Project Number: Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial - M/BUS/5; MDBC Strategic Investigation Program - Rivers - Project R2131.MDFRC item.This individual Research Report has an additional 9 Research Reports, see project (Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial).Objectives: 1. To obtain baseline ecological data on surface water chemistry, phytoplankton and zooplankton in Lake Benanee and Dry Lake. 2. To examine the relationships between the parameters and subjects examined.

"April 2001".Project Number: Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial - M/BUS/5; Strategic Investigation & Education Program, MDBC Project R 10010.MDFRC item.Riverine flows along most lowland sections of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) are intensively regulated (e.g. Close, 1990). Weirs are one of the major control devices, and play an important role in irrigation, domestic water supply and recreation. However, weirs exert a considerable impact on the in-stream physical and biological environment (Thoms and Walker, 1993; Walker and Thoms, 1993; Walker et al., 1994). These effects have been extensively studied in the lower Murray River, which has been converted into a series of stable-height weir pools. Acting in concert, weirs and upstream dams have facilitated diversions and extractions from the Murray River. This has reduced the total flow volume in lowland reaches and resulted in a reduction in the incidence of flooding. Weirs have also created weir pools that have altered the channel morphology and reduced the seasonal variability in stage height (Walker and Thoms, 1993; Thoms and Walker, 1993). In turn, changes in flow variability and channel morphology have affected the distribution of littoral plants (Walker et al., 1994, Blanch et al., 1999,2000) and the composition of biofilms (Walker et aI., 1992; Mullen, 1998). Furthermore, weirs isolate large sections of the river by preventing fish migration, and reduce the downstream transport of organic matter and sediment (Thoms and Walker, 1993). River managers are exploring ways of minimising the negative impacts .of weirs whilst retaining some, if not all, of the services they provide to the wider community. For example, fish ladders have been installed to facilitate the movement and migration of native fish (Mullen-Cooper and Brand, 1992). Other initiatives have been aimed at the restoration of elements of natural flow regimes in weir pools as part of programs to manage environmental flows (Blanch et al., 1996). One of the major impacts of weirs has been to reduce the seasonal variation in stage. It has been suggested that a sustained drawdown with controlled rates of rise and fall may ameliorate some of these impacts and provide significant ecological benefits to the river (Thoms et al. 2000). The present study commenced in response to a call through the Murray-Darling Basin Commission's Strategic Investigations and Education (SI&E) Program for the design, conduct and monitoring of a trial weir pool drawdown. The specific objectives of the project are to: (1) Scope the types of beneficial weir manipulations, potential locations, the experimental design of a drawdown trial, and the potential environmental, social and economic issues associated with a trial; (2) Select a location to conduct a trial weir drawdown exercise and design a program to assess ecological, social and economic implications; (3) Perform the trial drawdown, and examine the responses, the benefits and impacts (social, economic and ecological) of these manipulations; and (4) Develop guidelines for future weir pool manipulations. This Issues Paper addresses the first of these objectives and provides a platform on which to select a location for a trial manipulation. Tube key (asks of this first objective are to identify the: (A) types of manipulations likely to be beneficial to the environment (B) likely ecological responses to these manipulations (C) social and economic impacts or implications of these manipulations (D) locations where these manipulations can be made within the Murray Darling Basin (E) constraints and advantages arising from each location.

"June 2004".Project Number: Deflation Lake Ecology Study or Ecology & Management of Ephemeral Deflation Basin Lakes - MDBC Project R10011 M/BUS/7 EW28A (J102).MDFRC item.Ephemeral Deflation Basin Lakes (EDBL) are a critical component of lowland river floodplain ecosystems that provide habitat for large numbers of animals and plants and provide a number of environmental services, including water purification and flood mitigation. EDBL also represent a valuable resource for human activities with many being used as water storages to supply domestic and agricultural needs. Water resource development has altered the hydrological cycles of many EDBL, such as the Menindee Lakes in western New South Wales. The Menindee Lakes is an integral part of the Murray-Darling Basin’s water supply infrastructure. Flow regulation since the late 1960s has altered the periodicity of flooding and complete drying events experienced by each of the Menindee lakes. The lakes are now wetter for longer and the dry periods much shorter. Such changes of the hydrological cycle are considered a key threat to wetland ecosystem integrity and have been associated with declines in wetland water quality, diversity and productivity. The cycle of wetting and drying is believed to be key to the rehabilitation of these systems within the current supply regimes. At present, however, our conceptual understanding of how hydrological change impacts on EDBL ecosystem integrity is fragmented, and much of the available information is derived from non-arid zone systems. This study sought to provide information linking hydraulic regime and ecological processes within the Lakes, which can be used to support the development of environmentally sensitive management processes. The specific objectives of the project were to develop an understanding of the ecological responses of EDBL water quality and biota to flooding and drying through a mixture of field surveys, targeted experiments and modelling, and to produce management guidelines for water regime management of these systems. This report addresses the first of these aims. Guidelines for the management of EDBL are presented as a separate document (Scholz and Gawne 20041).

"February 2007".Project Number: Investigation of the role of Low Flow Events in the Ovens - M/BUS/100.MDFRC item.The Ovens River, located in North East Victoria, extends from its source in the Victorian Alps near Mount Hotham, to the Murray River near Lake Mulwala. The Upper Ovens River (upstream of Myrtleford) plays an important role in North East Victoria’s economy, providing resources for agriculture, domestic use, tourism and recreational fishing. Such demands conflict with the significant environmental values of the river, especially in times of low-flow and drought. The challenge of the Upper Ovens River Stream Flow Management Plan is to continue to meet the above water requirements while simultaneously maintaining the environmental values and integrity of the river. This study aimed to assess the impact of periods of low-flow in the Upper Ovens River and its tributaries on components of the ecosystem, in particular, two-spined blackfish (Gadopsis bispinosus) and the macroinvertebrate communities on which they feed. To achieve this we examined the habitat preferences, abundance, distribution, and age structure of two-spined blackfish populations; and the abundance and distribution patterns of invertebrate communities, from nine separate streams of the upper catchment. Streams were classified as either large permanent (will not dry), medium permanent (unlikely to dry), or small discontinuous (likely to dry), with three streams in each category. Two-spined blackfish of the upper Ovens River catchment were found in slow flowing runs and pools with boulder and cobble substrates which were utilized along with instream debris to provide cover in water that was often less than 21cm deep (although they may be displaced into shallow water through the presence of trout). Two-spined blackfish were found to avoid small discontinuous streams, although there was evidence that they will briefly utilise them when conditions are suitable.Length-age analysis indicated that two-spined blackfish are successfully breeding and recruiting in medium and large permanent streams, with spawning appearing to run from at least September to late January. Two-spined blackfish are a relatively sedentary fish, however, some movement was noted amongst all age classes. In particular, adults were observed to emigrate out of streams that became critically low (but remained flowing), causing an aggregation of fish into larger streams such as Morses Creek. This concentration of fish forced an increased level of intra and inter specific competition, with trout being the likely benefactor from such interaction. In light of this it appears that abundances of two-spined blackfish are likely to increase in permanent systems as smaller streams contract. Further contraction of permanent systems through water extraction during periods of low-flow is likely to be detrimental to the persistence of two-spined blackfish. In reference to the minimum environmental flow of 94 ML d-1 at Myrtleford as set by the Draft Upper Ovens River Stream Flow Management Plan. We found that as discharge approached this level at Myrtleford, changes in two-spined blackfish distribution and abundance had already commenced in the upper catchment, a process that intensified as discharge fell below the minimum environmental flow requirement.The current study has helped refine our understanding of the habitat requirements of two-spined blackfish and the potential for the effects of flow modification to interact with the effects of an introduced species (trout). The increased knowledge of the relationship between low flows and two-spined blackfish will help refine the Stream Flow Management Plan to ensure it meets its target of maintenance of the small native fish community in the Upper Ovens catchment. Once the Stream Flow Management Plan is implemented this knowledge will also help interpret environmental changes, thereby facilitating adaptive changes to flow management.Benthic macroinvertebrate sampling consisted of monthly surveys using a modified Boulton sampler between December and April. Samples were sorted and identified to the taxonomic resolution of family.Macroinvertebrate communities from small discontinuous streams were found to be significantly distinct from those of medium and large permanent streams. Over half of the collected taxa were generalist. Macroinvertebrate community composition did not significantly change post cease to flow conditions or as flows contracted. This is most likely because there was no decline in water quality, no critical flow threshold was reached, and/or that sampling did not continue long enough for impacts on the community to be seen.Once again the current project has advanced our understanding of the role that low flow periods play in determining the macroinvertebrate community structure that will facilitate the development of the Stream Flow Management Plan. The new knowledge also reveals some knowledge gaps that will need to be filled through a monitoring program if we are to ensure that the SFMP meets its objective of maintaining the diverse macroinvertbrate community.The project reveals that for both the macroinvertebrate community and small bodied native fish that a catchment approach to monitoring is required that examines the distribution of taxa within the catchment rather than focussing solely on taxonomic composition or abundances at sites. The project also suggest that some of the impacts of altered flows may take quite some time to become manifest. Increasing the magnitude or duration of low flows may not have significant effects immediately but may have longer term consequences. Finally the study will provide some background information on habitat preferences that will help identify potential indicators of significant hydrological change (e.g. shrimp and hydroptilid)Results from this work indicate that native components of the ecosystem are well adapted to periods of low-flow in the Upper Ovens catchment, however, if such periods are exacerbated by water extractions, the system is seen to be less durable. Two-spined blackfish and flow dependant invertebrate taxa will decline in permanent waters. It is known that some invertebrates will recover slowly once flow recommences, however for two-spined blackfish such knowledge is currently unavailable. This current drought offers an ideal opportunity to assess and document the recovery ecology of the two-spined blackfish, and to a lesser extent the flow dependent maroinvertebrates of the Upper Ovens catchment.

"August 2001".Project Number: Development of a Framework for the Sustainable Rivers Audit - Project R2004.MDFRC item.Preamble The Sustainable Rivers Audit (Audit) is being established to overcome the lack of consistent and detailed information on the health of the Murray-Darling Basin’s rivers. At the Basin scale this lack of information has made it difficult to identify the effectiveness of land and water management or justify major policy initiatives aimed at improving the riverine environment. With water becoming an increasingly scarce and valuable resource, the Basin community seeks assurance that water is being managed according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. The Audit is being designed to be an annual and comprehensive five-yearly review of the condition of waterways, to inform debate among the Basin community. The Audit will assist the setting and monitoring of valley targets for catchment and river health and provide a trigger to review threats to the rivers of the Basin and, where appropriate, review management actions required to address these threats. Approach Key challenges for the Audit are to assess the existing health of the Basin’s rivers, to detect trends in health through time and predict the long-term ecological consequences of these changes. To meet these challenges, the assessment framework recognises the critical elements and processes that contribute to river health, and develops indices to describe them. Conceptual models of river function have been developed to identify these elements and processes and to assist with the development of indicators. These functional models are based on geomorphic divisions of the river valleys. To detect long-term changes ongoing funding must be committed to the Audit for sampling and reporting repeatedly over a long time-scale. The Audit framework recommends river health be synonymous with ecological integrity, and that river health be measured as the degree to which aquatic ecosystems sustain processes and communities of organisms and habitats relative to the species composition, diversity, and functional organisation of natural habitats within a region. Therefore, the framework has adopted a referential approach for assessing river health for all indicators, where existing site condition is assessed relative to the expected natural condition at that site. The use of a referential approach does not equate with the objective of returning rivers to a pristine condition. It is up to the community to choose both an acceptable level of condition and an appropriate target for river condition. Targets for river health are being developed for the Murray-Darling Basin as part of the Ministerial Council’s ICM Strategy, 'ICM in the Murray-Darling Basin 2001–2010 -Delivering a Sustainable Future’ (MDBMC 2001). There are several State and national programs that report river health in the Murray- Darling Basin. However, existing programs do not fully satisfy the information and reporting requirements of the proposed Audit. A lack of uniformity in assessments and reporting between jurisdictions does not generally allow Basin-wide inter-valley comparisons. Very few programs have on-going funding commitment. Many of the sites in existing programs were selected for monitoring the impacts of specific operations and so cannot be used to provide an unbiased assessment of river health at the valley scale. Consequently, while the Audit attempts to build on available data, the collection and analyses of appropriate data will require significant investment in new sites. The Audit framework recognises biota (fish and macroinvertebrates) and biological processes as the fundamental measures of river health and has developed indices for these. The hierarchical model of river health adopted in the proposed framework predicts that the biota are influenced by the condition of landscape and local features within the catchment. Hydrological, habitat and water quality indices have been developed to assess the condition of the landscape and local features that influence the biotic indices. Environmental Themes Protocols have been developed for the following environmental themes; all are based on a referential approach where existing condition is expressed as a difference from natural condition. The environmental themes for which indicators were to be developed were specified in the Project Brief. --Macroinvertebrate Index - it is proposed that AUSRIVAS O/E taxa, using existing models, be used in the first year of sampling and that a more robust form of SIGNAL be developed. After that, scores for both AUSRIVAS O/E taxa and SIGNAL can be used to derive the macroinvertebrate score. To report at the river valley scale it is recommended that the macroinvertebrate index be assessed annually at 30 sites per river valley. --Fish Index - it is proposed that a fish bioassessment protocol be developed as an integral part of the Audit. Much of the background work required to develop a standardised methodology has been done. However, several aspects still require completion and evaluation. This will require dedicated funding and ongoing coordination during the first five-year term. This development can be done as part of the proposed Pilot Audit. --Water Quality Index - it is recommended that two types of physical and chemical water quality indicators of river health be measured: potential modifiers of ecological processes (flow, temperature, SS, nutrients (TP, TN), salinity) and indicators of outcomes of ecological processes (TOC and composition, DO, pH and chlorophyll 'a', alkalinity, residual nutrients (NOx, NH4, DRP)). Reference condition would be based on flow duration condition comparable to that prevailing at the test site at the time of sampling. To report at the river-valley scale it is recommended that the water quality index be assessed annually with 4–6 sampling occasions per year at 18 sites per river valley. --Hydrology Index - it is recommended that a hydrological index be defined in terms of four sub-indices: Mean Annual Flow, Flow Duration Curve Difference Index, Seasonal Amplitude Index, and Seasonal Period. The hydrology index would then be defined as the Euclidean Distance between unimpacted hydrology condition and the condition defined by the four sub-indices in a four-dimensional space. It would be expressed on a scale of 0–1, with 1 being unimpacted. It is recommended that the hydrological index be calculated at least once in each five-year period, with significant events (e.g. significant new infrastructure or environmental releases) triggering a new assessment of the hydrology index. --Physical Habitat Index - it is recommended that physical habitat be assessed at three spatial scales: floodplain (km), channel feature (100 m) and in-channel patches (1 m). The assessment protocol uses a combination of remote sensing and field data collection. The major habitat categories include the vegetation and the geomorphological, and hydraulic characteristics of each habitat type. The protocol includes a separate assessment of processes that either maintain or degrade physical habitat, such as erosion or isolation. An O/E score will be generated for each spatial scale using the E-Ball technique, which requires development. To report at the river valley scale it is proposed that physical habitat be assessed once every five years at 20 sites per river valley. Reporting Scales Natural resource management at the Basin scale requires information on resource condition to be measured and reported at a commensurate scale. The Audit framework is designed to report health at the river-valley scale; Cap compliance is reported at a similar scale. The Audit framework is also designed to report river health within river-valley scales. These reporting scales are defined by areas along a river with similar geomorphology and hydrology. For example, the Valley Process Zone scale reports river health for the upper, mid-slopes and the lowland parts of the river separately. The study design developed for the Audit does not report river condition at a site. Site Selection It is recommended that the Audit should be based on a stratified random sampling design, stratified by geomorphological characteristics (Valley Process Zones). The allocation of sites to Valley Process Zones will be catchment area weighted, which will result in approximately 70% of sites occurring in the lowland parts of the Basin’s rivers. It is recommended that reference sites for each environmental theme be selected (where possible) from the existing pool of 300 reference sites identified for the First National Assessment of River Health (FNARH). The study design described in this report is efficient with respect to the total number of sites sampled; however, it is acknowledged that it will often not be possible to reconcile existing monitoring stations with this approach. There will inevitably be pressure to compromise on the 'randomness’ of sites to include existing sampling stations, and indeed this may be a sensible approach. However, this will impact to varying levels on the precision of the assessment. This report recommends that the Independent Sustainable Rivers Audit Group (ISRAG) review the site selection process undertaken by the jurisdictions as part of the Pilot (and prior to sampling) to ensure a workable compromise between the recommended study design and existing monitoring stations. Sampling Intensity The number of samples required and the frequency of sampling are driven by a number of factors including the magnitude of the desired detectable change, the confidence in detecting that change, the initial condition score, the variability in the indicator and the reporting scale. Existing data sets, augmented with modelled data, have been used to determine the number of samples required to detect a recommended change of 10% for habitat (20 sites per river valley) and mac

"November 2004".Project Number: Quantifying flow habitat biota relationships in riverine ecosystems, Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Project A240.MDFRC item.30 pages. Year 1 synthesis report of 2 part report (see Part 2: Quantifying flow habitat biota relationships in riverine ecosystems: Successional processes in lowland river slackwaters: second year report).River systems are diverse complex systems consisting of an array of patches that are largely formed through spatially and temporally variable geomorphic and hydrological processes. Flow is perhaps the overriding force in the structure and function of these patches. In this study we altered the nature of two major patch types in a lowland river (main channel flowing and slackwater) by directing flow into slackwater environments thereby creating a flowing patch and by directing flow away from an edge environment thereby creating a slackwater patch. We measured a range of biotic and abiotic variables in order to study the effects of altering flow characteristics within patches. Our results indicated that created flow and slackwater patches were equivalent to the natural habitats with respect to both their biotic and abiotic characteristics. Although there was no difference in the abiotic character and primary productivity of the flowing and slackwater patches, distinct biotic communities existed in these patch types. Microinvertebrate, fish and shrimp abundance was greatest in the slackwater habitats, whereas macroinvertebrate abundance was greatest in the flowing patch. Thus, the hydraulic nature of a patch determined the biotic communities of the patch. These distinct biotic communities may lead to a distinct food web structure in the two patch types and we present a conceptual model of a riverine flow-mediated food web. In addition, our results support the dynamic hierarchical patch model of organisation in river systems. Together, these models provide a valuable means of investigating patterns and process within a river system and highlight the need to maintain or reinstate the natural flow regime to ensure the spatial and temporal variability of patches for riverine health.

"August 2004".Project Number: Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial - M/BUS/5; MDBC Strategic Investigation Program - Rivers - Project R2131.MDFRC item.This individual Research Report has an additional 9 Research Reports, see project (Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial).The broad objective of this study is to target macroinvertebrates from a specific habitat to address questions relating to changes in macroinvertebrate abundance and community composition as a result of environmental change: in this case, the effects of weirs on the macroinvertebrates of the Mallee Tract. The specific objectives of the study are: 1. To determine whether macroinvertebrate communities differ between the weir pool and free-flowing sections of the Mallee Tract of the River Murray. 2. To examine other spatial and temporal trends in the distribution of macroinvertebrate communities.

MDFRC item.December 2011. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2011.02665.x A publication output from S.C. Watkins PhD Thesis see (The importance of riparian vegetation and inundation patterns for billabongs of the Murray River -M/PER/39).1. The loss of input of leaf litter through clearing of riparian vegetation may result in significant changes to aquatic ecosystems. River red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) surrounding floodplain wetlands in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, contribute large quantities of leaf litter, but the quality of this resource may change depending on the timing of inundation. 2. We used experimental mesocosms to test the hypotheses that zooplankton would have a greater abundance with an input of leaf litter and that fewer zooplankton would emerge from egg banks in cleared than forested wetlands. The experiment was carried out in summer/autumn and in spring to test a third hypothesis that zooplankton would respond to changes in the timing of wetland inundation as a result of river regulation. 3. In summer/autumn, leaf litter reduced zooplankton abundance by 89% at the beginning of the experiment through its influence on water quality. Only a few taxa (Polyarthra spp., Colurella spp. and the cladoceran Family Moinidae) responded positively to leaf litter when water quality improved later in the experiment, indicating a switch in the role of leaf litter from a non-trophic to a trophic pathway. 4. In spring, microcrustaceans emerged in smaller numbers from sediment sourced from cleared compared to forested wetlands, reflecting different communities in these two wetland types and/or disturbances to the sediment that interfere with emergence. 5. Although leaf litter appears not to be an important resource for zooplankton in floodplain wetlands, riparian clearing may have lasting effects on future emerging zooplankton communities. Additionally, river regulation may have considerable impacts on the influence of leaf litter on zooplankton, which has implications for the management of floodplain river systems.

"October 2006".Project Number: The exchange of organic material between the Murray River Channel and Barmah Forest during the 2005 floodplain watering - M/BUS/102 AA185.MDFRC item.The release of the 2005/2006 Barmah-Millewa Forest Environmental Water Allocation (513GL) supplemented by natural flows from the Kiewa and Ovens Rivers between October 2005 and March 2006, resulted in peak flows of up to 28 000 ML/day in the Murray at Tocumwal between October 2005 and December 2005. Significant areas of floodplain were inundated. This study quantified the exchange of material between the Barmah-Millewa Forest and the Murray River channel by measuring concentrations of materials in the river sites upstream and downstream of the forest, and their impact on primary and secondary production. It also provided data to refine the Blackwater Model developed for the Barmah-Millewa Forest. Water quality In response to the changes in flow and inundation of the floodplain there were marked changes in water quality parameters at both of the sites downstream of the forests. Total nitrogen, total phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon and electrical conductivity increased in the Murray and Edward Rivers while total suspended solids, particulate organic carbon, dissolved oxygen, pH and chlorophyll a decreased at these sites over the same period. Blackwater modelling The increase in dissolved organic carbon and the decrease in dissolved oxygen were consistent with a blackwater event. The Blackwater Model predicted significant changes in dissolved oxygen and dissolved organic matter associated with the flood. The predicted dissolved oxygen concentrations are higher than those we would expect on the floodplain, based on the concentrations we measured in the rivers at the time of the flood. Both the starting dissolved oxygen and the minimum dissolved oxygen were higher than that measured, reflecting the fact that some reduction in water quality had occurred before the water entered the floodplain, and this is not reflected in the model. The current model uses historical data to predict temperatures and forecast blackwater conditions, but it may be modified so that actual temperatures may be directly entered, potentially reducing some of the variability in the predicted dissolved oxygen concentrations and, linking this model with an appropriate hydrological model would improve its ability predict the impact of blackwater on the rivers. Transfer of materials between the river and the floodplain There was evidence of lateral transfer of materials between the main channel of the river and the floodplain. The heavier suspended particulates remained trapped on the floodplain as the water is dispersed, while soluble nutrients and carbon were rapidly released into the water on the floodplain and flowed back to the river. The abundance of planktonic microinvertebrates declined during the flood but increased rapidly during the falling limb of the hydrograph potentially due to bacterial productivity associated with the dissolved carbon and nutrient pulse. There was no effect on the taxonomic richness of the microinvertebrate communities. All sites were Barmah-Millewa Floodplain Watering 2005/2006 dominated by small taxa (rotifers) characterised by rapid growth and population renewal rates and less likely to be preyed upon by planktivorous fish due to their size compared with the larger microcrustaceans. Flooding and productivity The 2005/2006 allocation of water to the Barmah-Millewa Forest led to a significant exchange of material between the floodplain and main channel that appeared to stimulate production. This highlights the need for consideration of main channel impacts in the allocation of environmental flows to icon sites Two issues will need to be resolved by future monitoring. First, the extent to which the exchange of organic matter, nutrients and organisms between the floodplain varies in response to variations in the flooding regime. Second, the downstream or long term ecological significance of the material returned to the main channel, as it is possible that this material may have an impact on processes such as algal production or initiate a cascade up the food-web.

MDFRC item.June 2011.DOI: 10.1111/j.1759-3441.2011.00102.x.One of the substantive accomplishes of water reform in Australia has been the creation of water markets to assist in the allocation and reallocation of the resource. As the necessity for effectively managing water to achieve environmental objectives becomes more overt, the structure of water rights requires attention. In this article, we argue that the heavy focus on the volumetric attributes of water disguises other important elements of water that are likely to be especially significant for environmental managers and other interests like tourism and recreation.

"July 2005".Project Number: Quantifying flow habitat biota relationships in riverine ecosystems, Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Project A240.MDFRC item.43 pages.Year 2 fianl report of 2 part report (see Part 1:Quantifying flow habitat biota relationships in riverine ecosystems: Ecological response to manipulations of the hydrology in slackwater and flow patches on the Broken River, year 1 synthesis report).The objective of this study was to mimic the alteration of flowing water patches to slackwaters by creating slackwater patches in a flowing patch of the main river channel, and to track the metabolic and biotic changes that took place once the flowing area had become a slackwater, over a 14 day period. We hypothesize that the biotic and abiotic nature of the created slackwater patches will rapidly come to resemble that of natural (reference) slackwaters.

"2008".Project Number: Lower Ovens River environmental Flows Proiect - M/BUS/237.MDFRC item.No abstract available.

"2000".Project Number: Unavailable Folio number M/04/522.MDFRC item.1 of 2 reports associated with project see (Blue-Green Algal dynamics in the Weir pools of Sunraysia; 1999-2000).

"October 2003".MDFRC item.Background 1. There is considerable evidence that the overall health of the River Murray system is in decline and no longer in a sustainable condition. While the effects of such decline are more immediately obvious in some parts of the river system than others, the scientific evidence for overall loss of river health is strong. 2. There are multiple threats to the health of the River Murray system. These include changes to flow regime, habitat destruction, increased salt and sediment load, loss of connectivity due to structural alterations, unsustainable floodplain management, and introduction of exotic pests. Of these threats, changes to flow regime are critical and require immediate attention if the River Murray is to be returned to a 'healthy working river’ condition, and maintained that way for future generations. Other threats are being addressed by the MDBC under related programs covered by the Living Murray process, and the MDBC Integrated Catchment Management strategy. 3. Following earlier investigations, in April 2002, the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council called for a comprehensive assessment of the costs and benefits to the environment, industries and communities of returning additional water to the River Murray as environmental flows. The Ministerial Council chose three environmental flow 'reference points’ for analysis; 350, 750 and 1500 GL/yr. Proposed structural and operational modifications were also to be assessed. An independent Scientific Reference Panel (SRP) was contracted by the MDBC in October 2003 under the chair of Professor Gary Jones, Chief Executive, Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology to advise the MDBC and Ministerial Council on potential ecological benefits. 4. The MDBC provided the SRP with three different operational scenarios to be assessed for each of the flow 'reference points’. These scenarios were not proposed water recovery or management options, rather, examples of what may be achievable through improved river operations. For each of the 350, 750 and 1500 GL options a 'Cap’, 'b’ and 'c’ operational scenario was assessed. The 'Cap’ option provided an environmental flow regime based on current river operational rules. The 'b’ and 'c’ options were based on modelled flows targeting various ecosystem locations and specific ecological indicators. 5. This report presents the interim results of the ecological assessment undertaken by the SRP up to August 2003, with minor modifications made in October 2003 in response to international peer reviewers’ comments. It provides estimates of 'ecological potential’ for the reference points under consideration. It is designed to serve as a basis for discussion and review amongst scientists, government officials and the broad community. It is not the definitive or final statement of the SRP on ecological benefits potentially arising from the flow volume reference points. The final report is due for submission to MDBC in mid-2004.

"June 1999".Project Number: Deflation Lake Ecology Study - F636 ew28a.MDFRC item.The Menindee Lakes, in far west NSW, are an integral part of the Murray-Darling Basin's water supply infrastructure. They are also an important natural resource, providing habitat for native fish and birds within the Darling River system. Since its completion in the late 1960s, the operation of the Menindee Lakes has involved the regulation of natural flows between the Darling River and each of the System's lakes. This has dramatically altered the regimes of wetting and drying and has, more recently, raised concerns regarding environmental health and sustainability of current management practices. As environmental health is a pre- requisite for achieving regional and national social, cultural and economic objectives managers need to incorporate environmental information in their management decision making framework. This report represents a first step towards this objective by providing some base line information on habitat/water quality, plankton and fish communities, and by identifying key ecological processes operating within the Menindee Lakes throughout a single drying event from August 1997 to August 1998. As lakes dried aquatic habitat was lost, habitat diversity decreased and water quality was modified. Changes in water quality were primarily due to evaporative concentration of suspended, dissolved and particulate matter. As lakes dried salinity, turbidity and total nutrient levels increased, filterable reactive phosphorus levels decreased, and the aquatic environment became less buffered to diel changes in temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH. Aquatic community composition and abundance vaned throughout the study period with 27 genera of phytoplankton, at least 44 genera of zooplankton, 20 genera of macroinvertebrates and 10 species of fish being identified. As drying progressed there was an increased likelihood of the development of blue-green algal blooms, especially during warm, calm periods. Although structural changes in terms of abundance and diversity of the phyto and zooplankton assemblages could be ascribed to the lake drying process, seasonal factors were also implicated. This highlights the potentially critical role of timing of dry and flood events. There were differences in the fish fauna of the ephemeral and more permanent lakes. Native fish species, including golden perch, bony herring and smelt, though present in all lakes were generally dominant in the more permanent lakes (Tandure, Menindee and Cawndilla). The small alien mosquito fish, however, dominated in the more ephemeral lakes (Malta, Balaka and Bijiji) prior to re-flooding. That smaller native fish species were poorly represented in the ephemeral lakes suggests that only the larger species/individuals were able to re-enter lakes with the flooding inflows. Carp were not excessive ly abundant during the dry phase. The carp population consisted primarily of large individuals, which were especial ly quick to re-invade the re-flooded shallow lakes, and utilize spawning habitat along the shallow margins. Regulation of water regimes has effectively decreased the frequency and duration of drying events within the Menindee Lakes system. This has ameliorated the development of physicochemical extremes and biotic interactions upon which many organisms are thought to depend upon as life-cycle cues. There was also some evidence to suggest that drying phases arc necessary to promote nutrient cycling and thus ecosystem productivity. Inappropriate regulatory strategies thus risk a reduction in net system productivity and the replacement or loss of species adapted to ephemeral habitats in favour of those more suited to permanent environments (e.g European carp, mosquito fish). Either risk reduces the system's resilience to change and its ability to support fish and water fowl populations. Long-term data is essential if the effects of water level changes are to be properly examined and understood in relation to system productivity, diversity and long-lived organisms such as fish.

"June 2009".Project Number: Literature review and experimental design to address retaining floodwater on floodplains and flow enhancement hypotheses relevant to native tree species - M/BUS/313.MDFRC item.The following hypotheses, relating to native trees, arose directly from the IMAF development process: 1. 'Suitable habitat for native tree species will be created or maintained through retaining floodwater on floodplains.' 2. 'The health and growth of native tree species will increase through retaining floodwater on floodplains.' 3. 'Native tree species will germinate and recruit through retaining floodwater on floodplains.' 4. 'Suitable habitat for native tree species will be created or maintained through flow enhancement.' 5. 'The health and growth of native tree species will increase through flow enhancement.' 6. 'Native tree species will germinate and recruit through flow enhancement.' 7. 'Suitable habitat for weed vegetation will be created or maintained through retaining floodwater on floodplains.' Information on the validity of these hypotheses is required for improved decision-making, investment and monitoring of TLM sites, and for Basin-wide management.

"August 2004".Project Number: Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial - M/BUS/5; MDBC Strategic Investigation Program - Rivers - Project R2131.MDFRC item.This individual Research Report has an additional 9 Research Reports, see project (Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial).Objectives: 1. To measure surface water physico-chemistry at strategic points along the River Murray to examine the effects of weirs in the Mallee Tract. 2. To examine the relationships between the parameters examined.

"2000".Project Number: Project name not available Folio number M/04/821.MDFRC item.1 of 2 reports associated with project see (Blue-Green Algal dynamics in the Weir pools of Sunraysia; 1997-1999).

"April 2002".Project Number: Menindee Lakes ESD Project: Aquatic Fauna - M/03/5107; SKM Project WCO1357.3.MDFRC item.Report is part of a serious of 5 reports see (Menindee Lakes Ecologically Sustainable Development Project / [compiled and edited by Stephen Moore and Tania Midgley] – ISBN: 0734751710).Executive summary only available.Document not available.This study compared the effects of an imposed accelerated drawdown event with slower, more natural, evaporation driven lake drying on water quality, productivity and biodiversity in ephemeral deflation basin lakes (EDBL). Because of difficulties associated with the manipulation of natural systems, a series of small-scale experimental trials were used. Key environmental responses to the imposition of accelerated drawdown events on EDBL, such as the Menindee Lakes include: - Increased removal of salt from lakes via surface water discharges rather than the localised movement of salt back into the ground; - Increased frequency and duration of lake 'dry’ phases promotes sediment surface nutrient transformations and the post-inundation mobilisation of nutrients from the sediments; - Increased frequency and duration of lake 'dry’ phases promotes the mobilisation of deeper sediment nutrient reserves by lakebed terrestrial vegetation; - Submerged terrestrial lakebed vegetation increases aquatic habitat complexity and represents a potentially significant organic matter source as it decomposes; - Depending on the timing of drawdown relatively more nitrogen than phosphorus may be removed from lakes; - Changes in the partitioning of aquatic primary production may result in the modification of trophic structures, - Whilst this study indicated no significant effect on egg/cyst reserves or emergence from a single drawdown event, multiple sequential drawdowns may result in a gradual reduction of egg/cyst reserves within the sediments thereby increasing the potential for species loss and increasing the reliance upon riverine species to re-colonise newly flooded lakes.

"2010".Project Number: Farms, Rivers & Markets: A whole of system approach to doing more with less - M/BUS/296.MDFRC item.Environmental water requirements are often treated as a fixed constraint on water resource planning and operation. Indeed the environmental water “requirement” routinely exceeds that which is available for the environment. This means either the constraint is revised and applied in some diminished form or ignored entirely. One objective of the Farms Rivers Markets Project is to lead a shift from treating environmental water use as a constraint on delivery for consumptive users to water resource planning for achievement of ecological and consumptive targets. In other words, we wish to treat environmental demands in an equivalent way to competing human water demands where priorities, trade-offs and synergies are explicitly identified. This applies whether outcomes are achieved through water management or market-based mechanisms. Inside this challenge is the goal of identifying water systems, which deliver more, both in terms of consumptive and environmental outcomes. Establishing environmental water targets is important for achieving this research goal. Consumptive users can quite clearly state their desired watering regime and evaluate consequences of alternate water allocations. In contrast the environmental demands are often poorly expressed in current practice, even to the extent of not being able to define the water required to avoid catastrophic collapse. This paper discusses some of the challenges we face in articulating these environmental demands as targets and informing trade-off decisions. The structure is described as follows. 1.-It begins with a discussion of “ecological targets”. These are the ecological equivalents to targets of maximizing regional production from irrigation or profit for individual producers. Ecological targets relate to the desired outcomes in terms of ecosystem change. 2.-The second section deals with environmental water targets, which are the desired watering regimes to achieve the ecological targets. There has been an emphasis on natural flow variability in environmental water regimes. There is a particular opportunity for benefiting environmental and consumptive water uses in terms of delivery of a sequence of environmental water regimes with different volumes required in different years to achieve long-term outcomes. Questions of dynamics and risk related to this concept are discussed in the second section. 3.-A core challenge of improving the efficiency of environmental water management is a substantial lack of knowledge around environmental responses to watering decisions. This is true both in terms of predicting consequences of proposed actions or evaluating past watering actions. If we are to improve the efficiency of environmental water delivery than we must radically improve our knowledge-base and the way we use it to inform environmental watering decisions. The third section discusses this challenge 4.-A final challenge is how to express ecological outcomes in terms which can be evaluated in a water resource planning context. The challenge here is the ecosystem outcomes are (i) in terms of multiple ecosystems responses; (ii) at multiple spatial and temporal scale; and (iii) with a high degree of uncertainty. The fourth section provides a very brief discussion on this issue. 5.-The final section describes how the Ecology Component of Farms Rivers Markets is tackling some of these issues.

"August 2004".Project Number: Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial - M/BUS/5; MDBC Strategic Investigation Program - Rivers - Project R2131.MDFRC item.This individual Research Report has an additional 9 Research Reports, see project (Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial).This study aimed to examine the effects of weirs on the phytoplankton of the Mallee Tract. The spatial resolution of sampling sites allowed the weir pools and free flowing reaches of river to be separated to examine the effects of the Euston, Mildura and Wentworth weir pools on phytoplankton growth.

Murray-Darling Freshwater Research CentreMDFRC item.Freshwater ecosystems are a foundation of our social, cultural, spiritual and economic well being. The degraded condition of many of Australia's river ecosystems is testament to our failure to manage these resources wisely. Ecosystem science involves the holistic study of complex biophysical systems to understand the drivers that influence ecological pattern and process. Ecosystem science should underpin both water management and policy. Our understanding of aquatic ecosystems lags behind the increasing problems caused by past land and water management. Current post-graduate training programmes will not provide the aquatic ecosystem scientists needed by government and management agencies to prevent further degradation. We advocate new initiatives to capture the skills, knowledge and innovation of our research community by engaging scientists and managers in large-scale, long-term ecosystem science programmes across Australia and to integrate these programmes with community aspirations, policy, planning and management. We call on management agencies to increase their support for and uptake and use of ecosystem science. We also advocate establishment of national archives for long-term ecologically-relevant data and samples, and clear custodial arrangements to protect, update and facilitate knowledge-transfer. These initiatives need to be supported by more extensive, better-funded post-graduate and post-doctoral programmes in ecosystem science and management.

"December 2005".Project Number: Broken River Monitoring Review - M/BUS/88.MDFRC item.120 pages.The mission of the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) is the cost-effective protection and enhancement of the Catchment's land and water resources to improve social well-being, environmental quality and the sustainable productive capacity of the catchment. Specifically, the GBCMA seeks to protect and enhance natural environmental assets and their ecosystem processes and functions in a way that provides benefits for native biodiversity and the social and economic aspects of the catchment. As part of this goal the GBCMA has commissioned MDFRC to undertake a review of monitoring and research programs on the Broken River, which will contribute to the “‘Mending the Broken: Improving Flows and Habitat in the Broken River” and “Our Water –Our Future“ initiatives. This report reviews existing monitoring activities in the Broken River and Broken Creek catchments, identifies the strengths and weaknesses of these monitoring activities and their capacity to assess changes to stream health resulting from management activities. This information will provide a basis for the design of a comprehensive monitoring program of the Broken River and Broken Creek catchments. Currently, a variety of parameters are measured in monitoring programs within the Broken River and Broken Creek catchments by a number of different agencies. These parameters can be summarised into the following broad groups: Water Quality; Water Quantity; Biodiversity; Algal /Bacterial Populations; Habitat Variables; Climate Variables; The agencies collecting monitoring data operate under various primary objectives. These objectives influence the parameters measured, sites chosen, monitoring frequency, monitoring duration, the resolution of measurements, the statistical robustness of the project design and the comparability of the data with that from other projects. The GBCMA shares some of the objectives of each monitoring agency, but not all. In turn, this influences the applicability of the data to GBCMA’s monitoring objectives. There is great variation in the data sets in terms of spatial and temporal distribution, continuity, quality assurance and duration of data collection. Some data provides an indication of the site health for a discrete time period (snap shots) while other data is more useful for determining changes over time and space (long term monitoring). Analytical methods and data analysis also differ between agencies. The standard of quality assurance imposed by a monitoring program is of great importance when data from a variety of sources is to be used to assess ecological condition, particularly when it is to be put to a use other than that for which it was initially intended.When the available data is evaluated in terms of the data required for the assessment of future GBCMA management works, it becomes obvious that there are several areas where the data are inadequate. These knowledge gaps are most prominent in the areas of wetland biodiversity and water quality, stream geomorphology and hydraulics and in-stream and riparian habitat assessment. Population and habitat data for icon species and pest species in the Broken catchment are also lacking. The applicability of the existing data to GBCMA’s monitoring objectives will ultimately depend on GBCMA’s specific monitoring requirements, which will vary depending on the reach, management works and expected outcomes. Once specific monitoring requirements are determined the applicability of the existing data may also be determined. GBCMA may benefit from supporting and/or implementing a suite of monitoring programs/projects that are aimed at continuing the collection of long term data, improving the spatial distribution of data, assessing the efficacy of rehabilitation works, and filling knowledge gaps. This suite of monitoring data should include the following types for specific purposes: Descriptive Monitoring – detect change, predict problems, characterise sites; Analytical Monitoring - determine whether management interventions are achieving their objectives and improving knowledge of system response. Where possible, design should be based on conceptual models and hypotheses of how the works influence the system; and Scientific Research (e.g. PhD projects) to fill knowledge gaps. Several conceptual models based on the objectives of the GBCMA for environmental health in the Broken River and Broken Creek catchments conclude this report. Conceptual models are provided as a means of designing monitoring programs and assessing the environmental variables of most direct relevance to restoration works. They can also be instrumental in detecting knowledge gaps, which is information that will be critical for the second phase of the ‘Mending the Broken’ initiative - design of an appropriate monitoring program.

"July 2010".Project Number: Monitoring the effects of Willow removal - M/BUS/274 (Related to Development of a Willow Removal monitoring program - M/BUS/115).MDFRC item.98 pages. 1 of 3 reports associated with project see (Effects of Willow (Salix spp.) Removal on Freshwater Ecosystem Dynamics. Autumn/Spring Monitoring 2007 & 2008) and (Effects of Willow (Salix spp.) Removal on Freshwater Ecosystem Dynamics: New Monitoring Sites).In March 2006, The Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre (MDFRC) was commissioned and funded by the North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA) to develop a literature review and a long-term monitoring program detailing the effects of willow removal on freshwater aquatic systems and to monitor these effects. The literature review was completed in June 2006 (Zukowski and Gawne 2006). This review demonstrated that although anecdotal evidence suggests an overall increase in ‘stream health’ in the long-term following willow removal, there is a consistent lack of data describing the effects of willows and willow removal on Australian aquatic environments. This made accurate predictions about short and long-term effects of willow removal difficult and led to the next phase of the project that identified key issues and recommended a monitoring program. The monitoring and key issues report developed a protocol for identifying key issues and a monitoring program associated with potential long-term effects of willow removal on aquatic systems (Zukowski et al. 2007). These key issues were based on the knowledge available and their importance to stream ecology. The next phase of the project was the implementation of the monitoring program at willow removal and control sites to ascertain the key long-term effects of willow removal on aquatic systems. Willow removal was undertaken in sites along a 600 m reach of Little Snowy Creek, Eskdale, Victoria, during April 2007. Monitoring was undertaken before (March 2007), one week (May 2007) and six months (October 2007) after willow removal in control and willow removal sites along Little Snowy Creek. A report outlining the first years monitoring results was produced in November 2007 (Zukowski et al. 2007). Monitoring was continued and undertaken bi-annually: one year (May 2008) and one and a half years (October 2008) after willow removal in control and willow removal sites along Little Snowy Creek. In July 2009 consultation between MDFRC and NECMA determined that four new sites would be added to the program. These sites were placed upstream of the existing monitoring sites on Little Snowy Creek and included a new willow removal site (pre-removal), a control site and two sites with a native vegetation riparian zone. This report summarises the literature review, key issue assessments and monitoring outcomes for the spring and autumn seasons of 2009 and 2010, now three years post willow removal at the first site near Eskdale.

"2004".Project Number: MDFRC Technical Report.MDFRC item.Under current operating conditions, the Mildura and Wentworth Weir Pools are prone to experience blue-green algal blooms. These blooms represent a potential public health risk and may have adverse economic and social impacts on the local tourist and agricultural industries. The summer of 2001 provided ideal conditions for the development of a blue-green algal bloom. The conditions that led to the formation of the bloom were 1. Flows that allowed water to reside in the weir pool for more than 10 days 2. A prolonged period of hot weather 3. These factors allowed the formation of persistent thermal stratification 4. Stratification led to the formation of anoxic conditions on the bottom of the weir pool. These conditions resulted in a mid level alert bloom whose cell counts peaked at 7716 cells.ml-1 in January and 6642 cells.ml-1 in February. By chance the weather conditions also provided an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of elevated flows as a mechanism to disperse blooms. It would appear that elevated flows do act to disperse blooms through; 1. The breakdown of thermal stratification 2. Re-oxygenation of the water at the bottom of the weir pool 3. Reduction of residence time within the weir pool 4. Reduced surface water temperature and increased turbidity Due to the difficulties associated with providing these flows, further work is required to development-effective and practical control measures for the Mildura and Wentworth weir pools. This work is being undertaken by the Mallee CMA in conjunction with the CRC for Freshwater Ecology. The priority areas of research include; 1. influences on sediment nutrient dynamics in the weir pools 2. The potential for upstream management to influence blue-green algal dynamics 3. Hydraulic modelling of the Mildura and Wentworth Weir pools 4. Blue-Green algal modelling It may also be possible to improve monitoring through the use of telemetry and remote sensing that would enable better prediction of blue-green algal blooms and better advice to water users about ways to minimize exposure to potentially harmful algae.

"April 2002".Project Number: Menindee Lakes ESD Project: Aquatic Fauna - M/03/5107; SKM Project WCO1357.3.MDFRC item.Report is part of a serious of 5 reports see (Menindee Lakes Ecologically Sustainable Development Project / [compiled and edited by Stephen Moore and Tania Midgley] – ISBN: 0734751710).Executive summary only available.Document not available.The Menindee region represents a significant cultural, economic, and natural resource for the Murray Darling River Basin. The margins of the Menindee Lakes system provide one of the most comprehensive archaeological records of aboriginal habitation in Australia, and the role of the Menindee Lakes system as a water storage facility, benefits numerous communities and irrigation areas in the Murray Darling Basin. The waterways of the region provide habitat for a large variety of aquatic biota while the surrounding area supports a diversity of bird life. Since its completion in the 1960s, the operation of the Menindee Lakes system has involved the regulation of natural flows between the Darling River and each of the systems lakes. This has dramatically altered the water regime of the lakes and has more recently, raised concerns regarding environmental health and sustainability of current management practices. As environmental health is a prerequisite for achieving social, cultural and economic objectives, on a regional and national scale, managers need to incorporate environmental information into their management decision making framework (Scholz et al., 1999). It is therefore essential that the current environmental status of an area be understood. The Menindee Lakes system comprises four major lakes: Menindee, Cawndilla, Pamamaroo, and Wetherell, in order of decreasing capacity. The main control structure, the Menindee Main Weir, impounds the Darling River to form Lake Wetherell, which includes a number of smaller connected lakes (Lakes Malta, Balaka, Bijiji and Tandure). Shoreline erosion has been identified in Lakes Cawndilla, Menindee, Pamamaroo and Tandure. Impoundment of Darling River flows behind the Main Weir has increased the frequency of inflows to Lakes Malta, Balaka, Bijiji and Tandure. This in turn has increased the net influx of organic and inorganic material to these lakes. This is most apparent in Lakes Malta and Balaka, which are shallow and lack effective flushing. Whilst the linking of Lakes Wetherell, Pamamaroo, Menindee and Cawndilla in series facilitates the net sedimentation of suspended inorganic loads as water passes through each lake, relatively greater flushing may also facilitate the net export of suspended organic matter. Improved modelling of nutrient and particulate matter fluxes through the lake system is needed to clarify these issues. Preliminary surveys by the MDFRC indicate that post-regulation habitat diversity is highest and more extensive in Lake Wetherell than elsewhere within the system. Impoundment of the mainstream behind the Main Weir has greatly increased the extent of inundation, creating a large network of open and sheltered backwaters that provide habitat complexity for aquatic organisms when submerged. The permanence of water within Lake Wetherell as a consequence of regulation greatly increases its role within the system as a local refuge for both native and introduced biota when the lakes are dry, and as a source of re-colonisers during lake inundation. In contrast, habitat diversity within the other lakes of the system is low and has been adversely affected by increases in the permanency of water. Increases in the permanency of inundation of the larger lakes has resulted in the confinement of habitat complexity to a relatively narrow riparian fringe. The Menindee Lakes provide habitat for a diverse and productive community of organisms that appear to be well adapted to the unpredictable and highly variable water regime characteristics of the natural system. Evidence for this comes from the relatively stable nature of the fish community in the lakes over the last ten years despite several drying events. The development of the catchment and its associated water resources has brought about changes in the natural community with documented changes in the vegetation and fish community. Changes have also possibly occurred in other groups, but inadequate data is available to determine the extent of this change. Changes in the flow regime, invading species and catchment changes may all have contributed to the decline in the abundances of several native species. One species recorded within the Menindee Lakes system, the Silver Perch (Bidyanus bidyanus), has been accorded conservation status. Silver Perch are primarily a riverine species that undertake extensive breeding migrations. They are the subject of a recovery plan that identifies flow modification, barriers to migration and over-exploitation as the major threatening processes. Two additional species also appear to have undergone significant declines in the Menindee Lakes and appear now to be rare and patchily distributed. The two species are Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii) and Flyspecked Hardyhead (Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus). Murray Cod are an icon species whose decline appears to be related to a combination of habitat loss, recruitment failure and over-exploitation. The habitat requirements of the Flyspecked Hardyhead are poorly understood as are the reasons for their decline. Despite the declines in some species, several economically important species remain in the Menindee Lakes system, including Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua) and yabbies (Cherax destructor). A healthy population of Golden Perch has been recorded in each of the Menindee Lakes with juvenile fish being recorded regularly in the upper lakes and Lake Wetherell. The population dynamics of yabbies are less well studied, but anecdotal evidence suggests healthy populations occur in the lakes after flooding. One of the critical processes underpinning the fish community of the Menindee Lakes system is fish recruitment. Our knowledge of fish breeding requirements is far from complete, however habitat availability and an adequate food supply are both believed to be important. While we cannot yet adequately describe the habitat required by all life stages of all native fish, habitat is created and maintained by flow regime. Within the main channel, flow creates the dynamic mosaic if habitats and changes in flow may lead to the reduction or loss of particular hydraulic habitats either immediately or over time as channel morphology changes. On the floodplain, flood frequency and duration determine the availability of habitat. Flooding and drying create a mosaic of wetlands and patches of both deep and shallow water that may provide feeding or refuge habitat for fish. The flow regime also determines the composition and distribution of vegetation, which may also provide critical habitat for fish at different life stages. Food availability is determined by the productivity of the system. Productivity is determined by the cycling of organic carbon and nutrients through the food web which are also affected by the water regime. Algal production as well as the production and decomposition of floodplain species are affected by water depth and wetting and drying cycles. This plant material then becomes food for invertebrates and small fish that form the bulk of the diet of most native fish. Wetting and drying cycles are also critical to the life cycles of zooplankton. Zooplankton are important because they represent a critical food resource for larval fish, and access to this abundant food supply may be critical to successful fish recruitment. Zooplankton resting eggs remain within dried sediments awaiting the arrival of flood waters. During floods zooplankton hatch out and their populations grow rapidly in the productive flood waters providing an abundant source of food for birds and small fish. Loss of the wetting and drying cycle leads to decline in zooplankton abundance with the associated loss of food for more charismatic fauna. Fish occur in all of the major lakes within the Menindee Lakes project area. The abundance and distribution, however, varies considerably between species. A total of 17 species of fish have been previously recorded from the Menindee Lakes project area, with an additional 7 species expected to occur within the project boundary but as yet have not been recorded. Carp Gudgeons (Hypseleotris spp.), Australian Smelt (Retropinna semoni) and Bony Bream (Nematalosa erebi) historically have been recorded in high abundances, particularly from Lake Pamamaroo. Three species of exotic fish have also been found to occur within the region. Carp (Cyprinus carpio), Eastern Gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus) have all been recorded to have a broad distribution throughout the system. One species that occurs within the project area has a conservation significance in NSW. Silver Perch has been listed as vulnerable. Three species that are expected also have a conservation status, under the ASFB. There is some difficulty in identifying macroinvertebrates to species level, therefore not all of those that have been recorded within the Menindee Lakes project area have been identified to species level. Many macroinvertebrates within this area have only been identified to Family or as broad as Class. A total of 37 different macroinvertebrates have been recorded within the project area. This diversity may however be fewer as the taxonomy of some that have only been identified to family level may overlap with those identified to species level. The diversity includes a variety of decapods, particularly shrimp and yabby, and dipterans, the majority of which are non-biting midges. A high abundance of sponges and microinvertebrates (zooplankton) have also been recorded within the Menindee Lakes project area. No

"November 2005".Project Number: Linking Sediment Dynamics, Riparian Vegetation and Aquatic Ecology in the Ovens River - M/BUS/79.MDFRC item.17 pages. Part 2 of 2 part report + executive summary: (see Executive Summary: Linking Sediment Dynamics, Riparian Vegetation and Aquatic Ecology in the Ovens River) and (Part 1: Regional patterns of riparian vegetation, erosion and sediment transport in the Ovens River basin).The Ovens is one of the last remaining unregulated rivers in Victoria, with an active floodplain and healthy native fish community. It is also an important source of water for major regional towns and agriculture. River Health Assessments have revealed depauperate macroinvertebrate fauna and there is also anecdotal information that submerged macrophytes have been lost from the lower section and that gravel bars are not as common as they once were. One explanation for these changes is increased sediment inputs associated with changes in land management and riparian clearing. All streams are expected to carry some suspended solids under natural conditions but anthropogenic disturbance has influenced the loads and frequency of high suspended solid events (Ryan 1991). These solids may be organic; for example, riparian litter, detritus, plankton and algae or inorganic; for example, aggregates and sands. The nature and load of these solids may be highly variable, depending on rainfall in the catchment, percolation and run off and tributary flows as well as seasonal inputs of litter and algal primary production. Entrained sediment has two major effects on a stream, firstly, high turbidity affects water quality and secondly, siltation affects the structural composition of stream bed by filling interstitial spaces. Both of these processes can impact on the type and abundance of invertebrates either directly though habitat modification of indirectly through effects on primary production. Increased turbidity due to suspended sediment reduces light penetration and hence the productivity of algae and submerged aquatic plants.Shading due to turbidity is known to reduce the biomass of attached algae (Cook 1999) the density of macroinvertebrates (Cook 1999, Bennisson et al 1989) and productivity of aquatic plants if light is limiting (Ryan 1991). In- stream sediment characteristics are generally correlated with stream gradient (Hawkins et al 1982). Upper (high gradient) stream reaches tend to be characterised by boulders and cobble (Hawkins et al 1982) and as the gradient decreases size of the bed sediment particles decreases with greater proportions of gravel, sand and silt. Increased sediment inputs can significantly alter the sediment composition at a site through infilling of interstitial spaces or blanketing existing substrates. The movement of sand and silt is of major concern in the Ovens River, these smaller particles transported primarily during high flow events are suspected to be responsible for the loss of aquatic macrophytes in the downstream reaches in the past 20 years where gravel beds have been almost buried by sand (J. Hawking pers. com.). The objectives of the study were to characterise water quality and measure sedimentation in streams with high and low suspended concentrations identified by SEDNET analysis and to determine the impacts of sedimentation on water quality and macroinvertebrate diversity.

"November 2009".Project Number: Monitoring the effects of Willow removal - M/BUS/274 (Related to Development of a Willow Removal monitoring program - M/BUS/115).MDFRC item.9 pages. 1 of 3 reports associated with project see (Effects of Willow (Salix spp.) Removal on Freshwater Ecosystem Dynamics. Autumn/Spring Monitoring 2007 & 2008) and (Effects of Willow (Salix spp.) Removal on Freshwater Ecosystem Dynamics: Spring and Autumn Monitoring 2009/2010).In March 2006, The Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre (MDFRC) was commissioned by the North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA) to develop a literature review and a long term monitoring program detailing the effects of willow removal on freshwater aquatic systems and to monitor these effects. The literature review was completed in June 2006. This review demonstrated that although anecdotal evidence suggests an overall increase in ‘stream health’ in the long term following willow removal, there is a consistent lack of data describing the effects of willows and willow removal on Australian aquatic environments. This made accurate predictions about short and long term effects of willow removal difficult and led to the second phase of the project that identified key issues and recommended a monitoring program. The monitoring and key issues report developed a protocol for identifying key issues and a monitoring program associated with potential long term effects of willow removal on aquatic systems. These key issues were based on the knowledge available and their importance to stream ecology. The third phase of the project was the implementation of the monitoring program at willow removal and control sites to ascertain the key long term effects of willow removal on aquatic systems. Willow removal was undertaken in sites along a 600m reach of Little Snowy Creek, Eskdale (Victoria), during April 2007. Monitoring was undertaken before (March 07), one week (May 07) and six months (October 07) after willow removal in control and willow removal sites along Little Snowy Creek. A report outlining the first years monitoring results was produced in November 2007. Monitoring was continued and undertaken bi-annually at one year (May 08) and one and a half years (October 08) intervals, after willow removal in control and willow removal sites along Little Snowy Creek and is planned to continue in 2009 and 2010. Discussions between MDFRC and NECMA in November 2008 identified the need for more sites to be included in the monitoring program. It was agreed that along with the existing willow removal and control sites being monitored on Little Snowy Creek, the 2009-10 monitoring would also include two additional willowed sites (one that it expected to be dewillowed within the next 12 months and one that will not, acting as a control) and two sites with only native riparian vegetation, to give a benchmark for the health of non-impacted sites in the same catchment. This report details the selection of these four new additional monitoring sites.

"2002".Project Number: Flow related variation in diets of Murray -Darling fish M/BUS/6 EZ51A.MDFRC item.Objectives 1. To determine the spatial and temporal variation in the diets of common fish, 2. To examine the relationship between flow regime and the food resources of fish communities, 3. To evaluate the food requirements of common fish species and determine the role of particular food types in structuring native fish communities, and 4. To provide specific environmental flow recommendations to enhance the food availability for native fish species. 5. The project will provide managers with a significant knowledge to help in the design and implementation of environmental flows.

"August 2002".Project Number: Strategic Investigation Program — Rivers — Project R2011.MDFRC item.124 pages. ISBN 1 87681024 6.Large floodplain ecosystems are a feature of Australia's dryland rivers. They are associated with extensive wetlands and numerous lakes and their ecological integrity is maintained by hydrological connections between the floodplain and adjacent river channels. The Lower Balonne floodplain complex straddles the New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (Queensland) border. The complex contains a series of dryland rivers, two wetlands listed in the directory of important Australian wetlands (the Lower Balonne River floodplain and the Culgoa River floodplain park) and the Narran Lakes, a Ramsar-listed wetland. Hence, this is a region of diverse physical habitats and wetland 'styles', and of potentially high biodiversity. The Lower Balonne floodplain complex has been subjected to large-scale water resource and floodplain development. As a result, the flow regime of the Lower Balonne complex, and the Narran Lakes system in particular, has been substantially modified. Future developments along the Narran River, which flows into Narran Lakes, can occur in both NSW and Queensland. The Condamine- Balonne Water Allocation Management Plan (WAMP) acknowledges a likely expansion of water abstraction and diversion on the Queensland side. Under WAMP-modelled scenarios of different levels of water resource development, inflows to Narran Lakes would be less than 50% of natural. Without the WAMP in action, inflows could decline to 28% of natural. This report provides the results of a scoping study into the Lower Balonne floodplain complex, with particular reference to the Narran Lakes ecosystem. The study had four main outputs: • a review of the hydrology, ecology and cultural issues of the system; • a discussion of the implications of draft management plans on the system; • an ecological monitoring framework for the system; and • identification of the main knowledge requirements for the area. This study found a surprisingly large amount of information on the Narran River and its terminal lakes. Over 140 documents or reports were sourced. Many other documents exist but were not provided by the relevant agencies. Our review and synthesis of these documents showed that there has been little coordination of work on the Narran River and the Narran Lakes. This is probably not only because several different agencies have responsibilities for the area, but also because the lakes are subject to several different management frameworks. For example, the Narran Lakes Nature Reserve only includes a relatively small part of the whole terminal system and does not include the largest lake, and the Ramsar-listed component overlaps the Nature Reserve boundaries. The whole Narran Lakes terminal wetland complex should be considered as a single ecosystem and should be managed as such, not in bits and parts.Overall, the quality of information and data contained within the cited reports is poor and cannot provide a basis for management of the Narran Lakes. Little of the available information directly addresses the effects of water resource development in the Condamine-Balonne catchment on the ecological condition or character of the Narran River and its terminal lakes. The only exceptions are recent studies emerging from the CRC for Freshwater Ecology and the Condamine-Balonne WAMP, although raw data backing the latter document have not been formally analysed. In general, studies that collect quantitative information on hydrology, geomorphology, water quality or biota have not been well designed. They generally are locationspecific and do not measure spatial or temporal variability. The most useful data are those on waterbirds. Waterbird records have been collected since 1971, although the sampling has been sporadic and the methods varied. There are also some valuable vegetation data. However, the emphasis has not been on connecting the vegetation communities with flooding regimes, but rather on mapping the terrestrial components. Other biotic data exist, some valuable, some limited, all of which would benefit from collation into a single data base/GIS system that would be available to help target future research and monitoring efforts. From the studies that have been undertaken in the region it is evident that: Water resource development has reduced the frequency of flows downstream of St George in excess of 31% (e.g. Average Recurrence Interval of 1.5 year floods increased by 48%); Combined with the impact of large-scale floodplain development, water abstractions have significantly reduced hydrological connections between the river channels and associated floodplains; Reduced hydrological connections have the potential to significantly alter ecological processes in the region; Hydrological connections are a key driver in maintaining the ecological integrity of the Lower Balonne floodplain and Narran Lakes; Rates of sedimentation on the Lower Balonne floodplain have increased by an order of magnitude (1.63 to 11.06 cm year-1) because of increases in sediment supply resulting from upstream land use changes; The texture and geochemistry of sediments being deposited in the Lower Balonne region have also changed — some of the sediment cores taken from the floodplain have high salinity levels at relatively shallow depths (mean salinity values range from 0.17 to 1.56 mS — plant growth can be inhibited by some of these salinity levels); Changes to the flow regime and increased sediment loads in the Narran River will lead to significant alterations to the extent and quality of available habitat, and hence will affect a range of biota and ecological processes in the Narran Lakes ecosystem; and Current and proposed development in the region can only lead to a deterioration in the ecological character of this Ramsar-listed wetland. It is clear that the information available does not provide enough detail to establish the current ecological character of the Narran Lakes nor to reliably predict the effects of increased water resource development.For the Narran Lakes ecosystem and the Lower Balonne floodplain there are four areas of interest under the Commonwealth’s Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act: the part of the catchment listed as a Wetland of International Importance; the two nationally, and possibly internationally, important wetlands: Culgoa Floodplain Wetlands and the Lower Balonne River Floodplain wetlands; and the presence of several listed migratory waterbird species and the presence of two nationally listed plant species. Under the Ramsar Convention, Australia has an obligation to ensure that the ecological character of the Narran Lakes is retained — failure to do so will contravene Australia’s obligation to the Convention. In the absence of a clear understanding of the ecological character of a listed site, it is recommended that presence, abundance, and activities of certain species and ecological communities, especially waterbirds, act as the expression of the ecological character until such time as it can be adequately described. Under the EPBC Act the expectation is that the Minister would seek to prevent or modify any action deemed likely to cause the loss of these attributes. In so determining, the Act expects the Minister to take the precautionary principle into account. We recommend a monitoring framework to assess the current ecological character of the Narran Lakes and floodplain and to determine changes in ecological character using on-going monitoring that incorporates appropriate control or reference ecosystems. It is important that a number of comparable systems (e.g. Paroo, Culgoa etc.) be evaluated as possible control or reference sites. Our monitoring framework includes four components: First, there needs to be a conceptual model that drives the choice of variables and processes on which monitoring is focused; Second, there should be a rigorous and thorough limnological survey that establishes current ecological character. All available data should be used to optimise the design of this survey, although only data on fish and vegetation are likely to be adequate for this purpose. This survey should measure most components of the biota of the Narran Lakes and floodplain, as well as variables such as sedimentation rates and components of water quality. The survey should also build on existing programs, such as the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service waterbird monitoring; Third, the assessment of current ecological character should feed into an on-going ecological monitoring program, and into specific research projects that address important knowledge gaps. The on-going monitoring should use the results of the baseline survey to choose key variables that seem important to ecological character, are sensitive to changes in water regime, are statistically reliable to sample and have power to detect changes. The on-going monitoring needs to have a time component and should compare the Narran system to suitable control or reference systems; Fourth, it is also very important that functioning gauges be installed in all three lakes and be linked to a gauge in the Narran River, possibly at Wilby Wilby. The data from these gauges will be a major component of an input response model that links flow, habitat and ecological response. The Narran Lakes wetlands are regarded as significant within the Murray-Darling Basin, hence the declaration of the Nature Reserve and the Ramsar listing for part of the site. Sixty-five species of waterbirds have been recorded in the Narran Lakes in the past decade, forty-six of which breed in the wetland system. These numbers are comparable to the Macquarie Marshes and suggest that the Narran system is potentially one of the most important breeding and feeding habitats for waterbirds within the Basin. The Narran

"February 2007".Project Number: Development of a Willow Removal monitoring program - M/BUS/115 (Related to Monitoring the effects of Willow removal - M/BUS/274).MDFRC item.63 pages. 1 of 2 reports associated with project see (Potential Effects of Willow (Salix spp.) Removal on Freshwater Ecosystem Dynamics. A Literature Review).In March 2006, the Murray Darling Freshwater Research Centre was commissioned and funded by the North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA) to develop a literature review and a long term monitoring program detailing the effects of willow removal on freshwater aquatic systems. The literature review was completed in June 2006. The literature review summarised previous literature on willow effects and attempted to predict the potential short and long term effects of willow removal on aquatic ecosystems. This review demonstrated that although anecdotal evidence suggests an overall increase in ‘stream health’ in the long term following willow removal, there is a consistent lack of literature describing the effects of willows and willow removal on Australian aquatic environments. This made accurate predictions on the possible short and long term affects of willow removal difficult and led to the production of this current report. This report has developed a protocol for identifying key issues and a monitoring program associated with potential long term effects of willow removal on aquatic systems. These key issues are based on the knowledge available and their importance to stream ecology. The long term monitoring program is based on these key issues. The literature review and the monitoring program are part of a larger project funded by NECMA which will then apply the monitoring designs to willow removal and reference sites to ascertain the key long term effects of willow removal on aquatic systems.

"April 2002".Project Number: Menindee Lakes ESD Project: Aquatic Fauna - M/03/5107; SKM Project WCO1357.3.MDFRC item.Report is part of a serious of 5 reports see (Menindee Lakes Ecologically Sustainable Development Project / [compiled and edited by Stephen Moore and Tania Midgley].The Menindee Lakes and surrounding region is located in far-western New South Wales. The Menindee Lakes system is composed of a series of large ephemeral lakes on the Darling River, the lower of which are surrounded by the Kinchega National Park (Figure 1-1). These arid zone lakes have been developed as a significant water storage facility within the Murray-Darling River system, providing water for both agricultural and domestic users including South Australia (Scholtz et al. 1999). The region represents a significant cultural, economic, natural and resource for the Murray Darling River Basin. The margins of the lakes provide one of the most comprehensive archaeological records of aboriginal habitation in Australia, and the role of the Menindee Lakes as a water storage facility, benefits numerous communities and irrigation areas in the Murray Darling River Basin. The waterways of the region provide habitat for a large variety of aquatic biota while the surrounding area supports a diversity of bird life. Since its completion in the 1960s, the operation of Menindee Lakes has involved the regulation of natural flows between the Darling River and each of the systems lakes. This has dramatically altered the water regime of the lakes and has, more recently raised concerns regarding environmental health and sustainability of current management practices. As environmental health is a prerequisite for achieving both regional and national social, cultural and economic objectives, managers need to incorporate environmental information in their management decision making framework (Scholtz et al. 1999). It is therefore essential that the current environmental status of an area be understood. A recent draft management plan prepared by the Department of Land and Water Conservation (DLWC) and the Menindee Lakes Advisory Committee (1998) identified a significant shortfall in available background information. This limited the ability of the group to prepare a definitive management plan for this important lakesystem. This report is a result of two components out of four listed in the original project brief: - Lake Wetherell Fish Survey - Fish Passage Survey The other two components being a technical literature review and an experimental study on the impact of pumping residual pools. As such this report provides significant information on the fish species occurring in Lake Wetherell, and on the species, population structure and behaviour of fish passing through channels connecting Lakes Bijiji and Balaka to Wetherell; and linking Lake Menindee to Lake Cawndilla.

"August 2004".Project Number: Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial - M/BUS/5; MDBC Strategic Investigation Program - Rivers - Project R2131.MDFRC item.This individual Research Report has an additional 9 Research Reports, see project (Monitoring and mapping the Euston Weir drawdown trial).The objectives of this Research Report are to: 1. Detail the hydrologic and hydraulic conditions throughout the Mallee Tract over the study period. 2. To characterise some of the physical effects of weirs, partly through a comparison of weir pools and free-flowing reaches in the Mallee Tract.

"November 2007".Project Number: Scoping Study into the Establishment of a Long Term Wetland Ecological Monitoring Network in the Murray-Darling Basin - M/BUS/223.MDFRC item.Wetlands dominate the riverine landscape in the Murray-Darling Basin and are internationally recognised as some of our most significant environmental assets. Wetlands play an important role in maintaining the health and integrity of river systems and are crucial in providing ecosystem services. Wetlands provide critical habitats for plants, invertebrates, fish, birds, and mammals, including rare and threatened species and thus, are important in maintaining regional and national biodiversity. Wetlands also perform important ecological functions such as nutrient cycling, production of living plants and animals and decomposition of organic matter. In addition, wetlands have significant cultural and recreational values. In regions with variable climates, such as Murray-Darling Basin, wetlands are also important in flood mitigation and provide drought refuges. Many wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin are of national and international importance. The wetland ecosystems of the Murray-Darling Basin are changing rapidly and are subject to a wide range of processes that could significantly alter their character and ability to provide critical ecosystem services. These changes include water resource development, land use changes and the introduction of animals and plants that may directly and through complex interactions affect the character of wetlands and therefore the ecosystem services that they provide. One of the MDBC objectives is the protection and enhancement of the Basin's shared environmental assets and water resources. If the MDBC is to achieve this objective, sustainable management of wetlands will be an essential component of their management strategy. The MDBC is also responsible for the equitable and efficient management of water resources These responsibility means that MDBC operations will have significant effects on the condition of floodplains and wetlands within the MDB. Sustainable management requires implementation of a monitoring program as the data is necessary to report on the status of environmental assets, determine whether management intervention is required, identify the required management actions, determine whether the intervention has been successful and identify ways in which the intervention could be improved. The development of a monitoring program requires several steps: System Inventory Identification and Prioritisation of Assets System Understanding Determine Objectives and Targets Assessment and Monitoring Currently, wetland monitoring is required at several jurisdictional levels, including federal and state governments, the MDBC and Catchment Management Organisations. However, despite significant investment in monitoring river health, there has been very little investment in the development of wetland monitoring programs. At best, ad-hoc arrangements exist for monitoring wetlands, and in many cases they are ignored because of the lack of suitable monitoring techniques. Thus wetland monitoring is often incomplete and inconsistent at both regional and state levels. This has resulted in a paucity of information regarding wetland condition and an inability to sustainability manage wetlands across much of Australia. The National Land and Water Resources Audit, National Water Commission, Department if Environment and Water, the NRM Ministerial Council, the Wetlands and Waterbirds Taskforce and all state governments have accepted the need for the development of wetland monitoring programs and the need for a consistent approach. In light of this, the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA), in conjunction with state agencies undertook the National Wetland Indicators Review which developed a framework for monitoring wetland extent, distribution and condition. The National Wetland Indicators Review undertook an extensive review of the different programs, indicators, and frameworks currently being used to monitor wetlands in Australia and overseas, and held jurisdictional workshops and national workshops to develop and reach national agreement on a set of indicators and guidelines for extent, distribution and condition of lacustrine and palustrine wetlands. This review was used to develop nationally consistent and coherent wetland indicators relating to wetland extent, distribution and condition, protocols, and methodologies to inform national natural resource management processes at a variety of scales ranging from individual wetland, regional and state-wide scale (e.g. the Australian Wetland Inventory, State of the Environment reporting, Ramsar Convention implementation, and NRM national, state and regional monitoring and evaluation). The report also reviewed government programs to clarify the relationship between the proposed wetland monitoring program and other water initiatives such as the National Water Commission's Framework for the Assessment of River and Wetland Health (FARWH). It should be noted that the NLWRA framework is an extent and condition assessment and is not appropriate for evaluation of the effectiveness of specific management interventions (intervention assessment). The MDBC will be involved in decisions about the management of flows in the northern MDB and as a consequence should consider the development of an intervention assessment program to compliment any condition assessment undertaken in the northern MDB. The NLWRA framework has the support of federal, state and regional jurisdictions and the proposed framework has been agreed to by the Wetlands and Waterbirds Taskforce and has been presented to the Aquatic Ecosystems Taskforce for consideration. The proposed indicators are currently being trialled and sampling protocols and methodologies are being developed for a number of indicators. Given the widespread support for the NLWRA framework, there can be no value in duplicating this framework. Thus, it would appear sensible for the MDBC to support its implementation. The major issue for the MDBC is what role it should play in implementation of the NLWRA and where can the MDBC add value to the data that might be generated in order to further improve its capacity to meet its objectives. This report provides a summary of the NLWRA framework and of the current approaches being taken to System Inventory, Identification and Prioritisation of Assets, Intervention Monitoring, System Understanding and Condition Assessment. The report outlines the management need in all of these areas and provides the MDBC with options for collaboration with the various institutions involved in implementing the NLWRA framework In order for the MDBC to maximise the value of wetland monitoring data it will be important that the data is gathered in a consistent manner throughout the MDB and that the data is consistent with other monitoring programs being undertaken by the MDBC. The best way for the MDBC to achieve consistency will be to provide leadership in the development of wetland monitoring programs in the northern MDB. The report identifies 4 areas in which the MDBC can provide leadership in the development of wetland condition monitoring in the northern MDB. -Development of conceptual models for Northern Basin wetlands: -Indicator development and sampling methodologies: -Determination of the potential for the use of remote sensing in gathering wetland extent, distribution and condition information. -Development and production of wetland information sheets that will be an invaluable resource for NRM managers at all tiers of government Given the range of options available to the Commission and the current state of development of the National Program it has not been possible for this report to go into detail about the institutional arrangements that would be appropriate or the quantum of investment required from the MDBC. It is clear that a collaborative approach will yield the best outcome but the level of investment will depend on the options chosen and the level of investment being made in that area by the state and federal governments.

"January 2009".Project Number: Semi-arid wetland conceptual models - M/BUS/275.MDFRC item.The Northern Murray-Darling Basin Program is an initiative of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) aimed at providing advice on the sustainable management of the water resources of the Darling River and its associated tributary river systems. The Program is guided by a Working Group made up of representatives from state agencies, community and the Australian Government. The Program is concerned with the water resources in the Darling River basin including the following valleys: the Border Rivers; Moonie; Gwydir; Namoi-Peel; Macquarie; Castlereagh; Condamine-Balonne; Nebine; Warrego; Paroo; Barwon-Darling and the Lower Darling.The Program has been engaging the assistance of a range of organisations to bring an integrated approach to the development of a strategic action plan. This work includes projects in areas such as the ecology of northern wetlands and rivers; the provision of socio-economic information that provides an understanding of the links between water resources and people as well as on-going studies of the hydrology of the region. The Northern Murray-Darling Basin Program recognised the need for a long-term ecological monitoring framework for wetlands in the Northern Murray-Darling Basin to complement the Sustainable Rivers Audit. In 2007, the Northern-Basin Working Group contracted the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre (MDFRC) to undertake a scoping study investigating the current monitoring arrangements for wetland monitoring in the northern basin and identifying options for progressing the development of a monitoring framework. The main findings of this report were that whilst wetland monitoring is required at several jurisdictional levels, current monitoring arrangements are at best ad-hoc and that to-date, there has been very little investment in the development of wetland monitoring programs. Thus wetland monitoring is often incomplete and inconsistent at both regional and state levels. This has resulted in a paucity of information regarding wetland condition that compromises our capacity to sustainably manage wetlands across much of Australia. wever, the scoping study also identified that the National Land and Water Resources Audit, National Water Commission, the Department of Water, Heritage and the Arts, the NRM Ministerial Council, the Wetlands and Waterbirds Taskforce and all state governments have accepted the need for the development of wetland monitoring programs and the need for a consistent approach. In light of this, the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA), in conjunction with state agencies undertook the National Wetland Indicators Review which developed a framework for monitoring wetland extent, distribution and condition. The National Wetland Indicators Review undertook an extensive review of the different programs, indicators, and frameworks currently being used to monitor wetlands in Australia and overseas, and held jurisdictional workshops and national workshops to develop and reach national agreement on a set of indicators and guidelines for extent, distribution and condition of lacustrine and palustrine wetlands. The NLWRA framework has the support of federal, state and regional jurisdictions and the proposed framework has been agreed to by the Wetlands and Waterbirds Taskforce and by the Aquatic Ecosystems Taskforce for consideration. In light of this, rather than independently developing a separate framework, the MDBA is working collaboratively with the state and federal jurisdictions in the development of the NLWRA framework. The NLWRA framework proposes that there should not be a single set of condition indicators mandated for all wetlands, rather, that managers should utilise their system understanding to develop conceptual models of wetlands and utilise these models to select appropriate indicators. Thus, the development of conceptual models that synthesise our understanding of the ecological functioning of wetlands is a vital step in the development and implementation of the framework.

"December 2005".Project Number: Linking Sediment Dynamics, Riparian Vegetation and Aquatic Ecology in the Ovens River - M/BUS/79.MDFRC item.4 pages. Executive summary of 2 part report (see Part 1: Regional patterns of riparian vegetation, erosion and sediment transport in the Ovens River basin) and (Part 2:Impact of sediment movement on the Aquatic Ecology of the Ovens River).The Ovens is one of the last remaining unregulated rivers in Victoria, with an active floodplain and healthy native fish community. It is also an important source of water for major regional towns and agriculture. River health assessments have revealed depauperate macroinvertebrate fauna and there is also anecdotal information that submerged macrophytes have been lost from the lower section and that gravel bars are not as common as they once were. One explanation for these changes is increased sediment inputs associated with changes in land management and riparian clearing. This project attempts to first, quantify sediment input on the Ovens River using CSIRO’s SEDNET model predictions to create annual sediment budgets and identify spatial variability in sediment loads in relation to the distribution of riparian vegetation within the catchment. Second, it assesses the impact of sediment movement on aquatic biodiversity through measurements of water quality and sedimentation along with long term macroinvertebrate data collected from throughout the catchment. The report is in two parts: Part 1: Regional patterns of riparian vegetation, erosion and sediment transport in the Ovens River Basin (pages 0 to 26) and Part 2: Impact of sediment movement on the aquatic ecology of the Ovens River (pages 27 to 43).

"February 2007".Project Number: Murray Irrigation Area Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring project - M/BUS/86.MDFRC item.60 pages. 1 of 5 reports associated with project see (Murray Irrigation Region Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring Program; Annual Report for 2006), (Murray Irrigation Region Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring Program: Annual Report for 2007), (Murray Irrigation Region Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring Program: 2008 Annual Report) and (Murray Irrigation Region Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring Program: 2009 Annual Report).Water quality and river health are integral components of water supply management for the future. If changes in river management operations are to be assessed as part of an adaptive management strategy then a monitoring program that incorporates realistic timeframes is essential. Changes in water quality and river health may be not be easily detected over the short term; it is the longer term, cumulative incremental changes that will shape our river management issues in the years to come. Murray Irrigation Limited (Murray Irrigation) and the Murray- Darling Freshwater Research Centre (MDFRC) have developed a long term joint monitoring project to assess the health of rivers in or adjacent to the Murray Irrigation’s area of operation (Murray Irrigation Region). Pilot Study and Protocol Development The aims of the pilot study were to: Trial the logistics of the proposed sampling program for 20 sites throughout the Murray Irrigation Region; Refine methods for assessing aquatic ecosystem health at sites typical of the area focussing on macroinvertebrates, fish and vegetation. Sustainable Rivers Audit (SRA) recommendations (MDBC 2004) were used, where possible, as minimum guidelines. The outcomes of the pilot study documented in this report are highlighted in eleven recommendations and are the rationale behind the development of the accompanying protocols handbook (Murray Irrigation Region Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring Program: Protocols Handbook (Gigney et al. 2007)) which details the recommended sites and methods for implementation of the long term monitoring program. Costs and human resource issues prevented sampling at all 20 sites and a revised list of 10 sampling sites selected in consultation with Murray Irrigation. The sites included a reduced number of locations from the Murray, Edward, Wakool, and Niemur Rivers as well as Billabong and Tuppal Creeks. Recommendation: 1. Use the methods described in the protocols handbook (Gigney et al. 2007) to implement a long term aquatic ecosystem monitoring program at ten sites within the Murray Irrigation Region. Physical Attributes Images from photo points were useful for recording gross morphology and condition of each site. They can provide supplementary information to assist with the interpretation of survey data from other components of the program. Reach morphology, site observation and substrate sections of the Australian River Assessment System (AUSRIVAS) habitat assessments (EPA Victoria 2003) were completed for the sites. However, additional surveys measuring depth, current velocity and sediment type would provide valuable supporting data for the water quality, fish and macroinvertebrate components of the program. Flow regimes for each site can be assessed for each field trip using daily discharge data from gauges on the waterways maintained by the NSW Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Recommendations: 2. Establish permanent photo points at each site and record images twice a year in autumn and spring. 3. Establish a permanent transect at each end of the reach and survey depth, current velocity and sediment type twice a year in autumn and spring. 4. Use daily discharge data from the closest DNR gauges to assess site flow regimes. Riparian and Aquatic Vegetation The most effective techniques for assessing large areas of canopy vegetation involve remote sensing, using for example, colour infra red aerial photography or satellite images. However, these techniques are expensive and would require some ground truthing so they have not been included in the current protocols, however their use should be reviewed during the term of the monitoring program Three assessment measures for riparian vegetation were considered; the riparian vegetation assessment component of the Index of Stream Condition (ISC) (White and Ladson 1999), AUSRIVAS (EPA Victoria 2003), and Rapid Assessment of Riparian Condition (RARC) (Jansen et al. 2004). None of these methods by themselves appeared adequate for assessing riparian vegetation within this program. A combination of methods using indicators that reflect the functional aspects of the ecology of the riparian zone would be most appropriate for the requirements of this long term project (that is, using AUSRIVAS guidelines for width, structural composition, exotic vegetation and longitudinal continuity supplemented by RARC guidelines for the assessment of forest debris (leaf litter), regeneration and grazing (Jansen et al. 2004)). Surveys of aquatic macrophyte beds, including emergent and submerged taxa, were conducted in autumn and spring, but submerged taxa were not visible in spring. Recommendations: 5. Establish permanent transects and conduct detailed riparian vegetation surveys every 5 years and consider remote sensing during the term of the program. 6. Describe the composition and map the distribution of the aquatic macrophyte beds each year in autumn. Water Quality Water quality was measured in autumn and spring by diurnal logging of dissolved oxygen (DO), pH and temperature, as well as taking in-situ readings of temperature, DO, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and turbidity. Differences in in-situ readings of turbidity and EC were useful in describing the water quality of the sites. However, in-situ readings of DO, temperature and pH were influenced by the time of day. There was significant diurnal variation in dissolved oxygen measurements at some sites, particularly in shallow and very slow flowing sites in spring. Diurnal logging of dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature ensures that these parameters can be compared between sites independent of the time of day that the sites are visited. Recommendation: 7. Measure in-situ EC and turbidity, as well as diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature each year in autumn and spring. Fish Fish surveys were conducted using SRA protocols in winter and spring, but not in conjunction with the other components of the study, and there were inconsistencies in the sites surveyed and the timing of surveys. The winter surveys produced greater catches overall, but Silver Perch, Golden Perch and Murray Cod were under represented. These larger native taxa were caught in greater numbers and at more sites in spring. Recommendation: 8. Conduct fish surveys according to SRA protocols in conjunction with other components of the program twice each year, in autumn and spring. Macroinvertebrates The pilot study focussed on two published methods considered appropriate for use in lowland rivers; 1) AUSRIVAS style sweep sampling (EPA Victoria 2003, Turak et al. 2004), 2) snag-bag sampling (Growns et al.1999). Sampling trials were conducted in all three major in-stream habitats, snags, macrophytes and bare edges to determine the optimum strategy for sampling macroinvertebrates in a consistent manner across all sites and over time. Trials were also conducted to determine the required number of sample replicates to be taken in the field, the efficacy of live sorting versus laboratory sorting, and the percentage of sub-sampling required to optimise sample accuracy within cost limits. Macroinvertebrate identifications were conducted at the family level, where possible. Littoral habitats of rivers in the Murray Irrigation Region are diverse and may include a variety of vegetation (at some sites) and differences in the complexity of edges. Sweep sampling from major habitat types according to their proportional distribution captures the best representation of macroinvertebrate biodiversity at each site. Collecting from a total distance of 12 m ensures that the majority of taxa are collected. Sweep sampling, with laboratory sorting, provides semiquantitative data that can be used to identify shifts in community structure across time. The snag (large woody debris) dwelling macroinvertebrate community is discreet from the littoral community and valuable information would be lost if it were not sampled. Samples of snag fauna collected from a measured area provided quantitative data that can be used to identify changes in community densities across time. To adequately and efficiently capture the biodiversity in these samples, four snags (replicates) were required. Sorting preserved samples in the laboratory will increase the quality and consistency of the data obtained. Although some rarer taxa may be missed with a 300 animal count, it provides a balance between cost and information. Recommendations: 9. Conduct sweep net sampling over a distance of 12 m in the littoral zone - including bare edges and macrophytes in the proportion by which they occur in the sampling reach. 10. Collect snag samples from four snags and treat each sample as a replicate. 11. Preserve all samples in the field and sort in the laboratory in 25% increments until a greater than 300 cumulative animal count is reached.

"2002".Project Number: Native Fish Recruitment and Flood Pulse Water Quality Monitoring on Lindsay Island - M/BUS/83.MDFRC item.44 pages.Management decisions to improve Australia’s native freshwater fish populations are based largely on the Flood Pulse Concept (Junk et al. 1989). Floods are commonly thought to both stimulate spawning in native fish and provide sufficient food for the recruitment of larvae. More recently, however, this notion has been challenged (Humphries et al. 1999, 2002). Many native species have been shown to spawn irrespective of flow events, and the decline of native species has been related to a lack of slow flowing and productive habitats suitable for recruitment of larvae. This study examines the use of different but interconnected flow habitats by adult, juvenile and larval fishes on Lindsay Island. Thirteen fish species were collected as adults or juveniles from three different flow habitats (fast creek, shallow pond, weir pool). Large bodied fish, including Murray cod, golden perch and carp, were most abundant in the fast creek habitat, followed by the shallow ponded habitat and the weir pool, respectively. Smaller bodied fish, including gudgeon, hardyhead and Australian smelt, were most abundant in the shallow creek habitat, followed by the weir pool and fast creek habitats, respectively. With the exception of golden and silver perch, all species collected as adults/juveniles were also collected as larvae. The species diversity of larval catch was similar in all three habitats, though many species were collected only in either the fast creek or the slow flowing (weir pool and shallow pond) habitats. Only three species, flathead gudgeon, Murray rainbowfish and Australian smelt, were collected as larvae from all three flow habitats. Larval abundances in the three flow habitats varied temporally and were highly dependent on the timing of individual species spawning. Overall, the weir pool yielded the greatest larval abundance, followed by the shallow pond and the fast creek. This catch pattern supports the ‘low flow recruitment hypothesis’ of Humphries et al. (1999). Comparison of the timing of the appearance of larvae in Lindsay Island with that in the Broken and Campaspe rivers (Humphries et al. 2002) indicates that in both upland and lowland systems, spawning of many native species occurs at similar times of the year independent of temporal changes in flow. This refutes the commonly held notion that a flood pulse is necessary to stimulate spawning and recruitment of native fishes. A new model, the temporal trophic cascade, is suggested as a more appropriate model for the management of native fish populations.

"February 2005".Project Number: Development of a wetland and floodplain monitoring plan for restoration of flows to Tuppal and Bullatale Creek Systems M/BUS/77 GZ150.MDFRC item.Tuppal and Bullatale creeks are ephemeral floodrunners that link the River Murray to its major anabranch, the Edward River. Historically, these creeks received most of their annual discharge in spring when the River Murray was in high flow, then dried to pools as the water level in the River Murray lowered. Today, the creeks are managed so that their hydrological patterns differ markedly from the natural regime. The Tuppal Creek channel is usually dry, save for some remnant waterholes, whilst most of Bullatale Creek flows throughout the year. The health of the iconic Barmah–Millewa Forest is threatened by unseasonal flooding, as identified in the Living Murray Initiative. One of the major causes of unseasonal flooding (summer flooding) is rainfall rejection. Tuppal and Bullatale creeks have been identified as possible diversionary thoroughfares of rainfall rejection flows. The main purpose of this report is to recommend a monitoring program to assess the impacts of three flow scenarios on Tuppal and Bullatale creeks: Low flow release from MIL irrigation system into Tuppal Creek (Scenario I). Divert rainfall rejection flows into Tuppal and Bullatale creeks (Scenario II). Natural spring flooding event affecting both creeks (Scenario III). To develop a monitoring program it is useful to follow the adaptive management framework. This approach emphasises the need for an understanding of current condition so that the ecological implications of altered flow patterns can be predicted. There are many knowledge gaps associated with the current condition of Tuppal and Bullatale creeks; however, it is possible to predict major outcomes and responses, identify key response indicators and make recommendations for a monitoring program. Scenarios I and II introduce temporary flow to Tuppal Creek. These scenarios will have implications for water quality, the extent and distribution of waterholes, groundwater quality and levels, riparian vegetation, in-channel cumbungi and red gum saplings, bank erosion, fish and macroinvertebrates. The long-term effect of altered flow patterns will depend on the size of flows and the frequency of them. In general, ecological responses are likely to be restricted to the riparian fringe. Scenario II is the only managed intervention affecting Bullatale Creek and its impacts will be restricted to the creek below current inflows from Lower Toupna Creek. Water quality, channel morphology, fish, macroinvertebrates and riparian vegetation are the parameters most likely to respond to this flow change. In general though, ecological responses to Scenario II are likely to be minimal. Scenario III is expected to have a dramatic impact on Tuppal and Bullatale creeks and the floodplain; ecological responses are likely to be widespread and long lasting. Creek productivity will increase, channels may migrate, instream vegetation may be scoured from the channel bed and large scale movements of fish and other aquatic fauna is likely to occur. Temporary wetlands will form on the floodplain in which macroinvertebrates will emerge, waterbirds will forage and frogs will breed. Native vegetation along the riparian zone and in floodplain forests will also benefit greatly. The following indicators are expected to provide measurable responses to flow changes in Tuppal and Bullatale creeks: Hydrology Waterhole distribution Water quality Groundwater level Sulfidic sediments Channel morphology Habitat complexity Vegetation (riparian, in-channel cumbungi and red gum, in-channel submerged and floodplain) Aquatic fauna (fish and macroinvertebrates) Floodplain fauna (birds, frogs and macroinvertebrates). The number of knowledge gaps in regard to current condition must be addressed during the initial stages of the monitoring program. Providing infrastructure for the measurement of parameters such as surface water/groundwater links is required. Comprehensive baseline data on ecosystem components such as waterhole distribution and fish diversity is essential in Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) assessment. Billabong Creek is probably the most suitable ‘reference' stream for gauging the impacts of management interventions in Tuppal and Bullatale creeks.