As an environmental research scientist at the Aquatic Ecology Lab, University of New England, Manisha Shakya recently embarked on a field trip to the Junction of the Warriku (Warrego) and Baaka (Darling) Rivers Selected Area. Read all about her experience.
February 2023 saw Dr Deborah Bower and her team return to Toorale National Park (NP) in the Warriku (Warrego) Catchment of Western NSW to continue research with the University of New England (UNE) on freshwater turtle populations in floodplains. Find out more here on their findings.
Hydrology is the study of when, where and how galie (water) is delivered into a bagaay (river) channel, floodplain or warrambool (wetland). The Long Term Intervention Monitoring and Flow-MER projects have tracked natural flows and releases of Commonwealth water for the environment into the Gwydir River since July 2014. This delivery of galie directly impacts galie quality and through this defines the living conditions for aquatic species, including gunambaay (waterbirds) andvegetation.
Following the large inundation event Flow-MER scientists Jared Reid and Emeritus Professor Nick Reid undertook a waterbird survey. Many parts of the floodplain were still wet, providing great habitat for waterbirds.
The Gomeroi Warrambools (Gwydir Wetlands) make up a part of the Gomeroi Peoples Country. Its water is the life source of the Gomeroi People and has been for thousands of years. The wetlands play a major cultural and environmental role, and we explore many elements within with our Gwydir Flow-MER stories.
Dr Paul Frazier and Dr Mark Southwell met up with Bourke’s Western Herald Newspaper and Rod Corfe from Radio 2WEB to discuss the recent Culture to Science day at Toorale, a part of the Warrego-Darling Flow-MER project.
On June 17 the Kurnu-Baakandji People, 2rog Consulting, University of New England, DPI Fisheries and members from the Toorale Joint Management Committee and National Parks and Wildlife Services gathered on Toorale National Park to share cultural and science knowledge. Thank you to everyone who joined us for the day.
The composition of inland floodplain vegetation communities, such as those on the Western Floodplain of the Warrego River, fluctuates as the floodplain alternates between wet and dry periods. Water loving species dominate wet periods, but as the floodplain dries these species die off, creating space for terrestrial species to move in.
Whilst common to northern and central Australia, in the Murray-Darling Basin Hyrtl’s tandan is only present in the Warrego, Paroo (PaaRu) and Condamine Rivers. The preservation of Hyrtl’s tandan in the Warrego River is aided greatly by the contribution of Commonwealth water for the environment.
Did you know that there are over 300 species of dragonfly in Australia? These species are divided into eight families, two of which (Hemicorduliidae and Aeshnidae) occur within the Gwydir Wetlands State Conservation Area. We study these as part of our Food webs indicator because they can tell us a lot about the health of our waterways. In Issue 34 we explain the importance of invertebrates and the dragonflies lifecycle.
