The Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO) have now released the Northern Basin 2019-20 Summary. This publication includes a fact sheet highlighting the use of Commonwealth Environmental Water in the 2019-20 water year in the northern Murray-Darling Basin. Click the image above to take a look.
Reflections of a rookie Environmental Consultant’s first trip to Toorale National Park for the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MER) Program
The past five years have been challenging, to say the least, for many fish species within the Gwydir Valley, particularly regarding spawning and recruitment (aka. breeding). This has made the recent findings from the NSW Fisheries team all the more exciting. The team found that Murray cod and Freshwater catfish populations of the Gwydir Valley have had great breeding success in the past 12 months, demonstrating the resilience of both species during the ‘big dry’.
Yellowbelly hold cultural values rooted in economics, social and environmental health, spirituality & as good old tasty tucker. These medium-sized native fish live throughout the Murray-Darling Basin and are known by different names in different regions. The names Golden perch, Callop and Murray perch might sound familiar to you. Did you know they are also known as “Dhagaay” in Gamillaraay/ Kamilaroi language and “Gagalin” or “Bidyin” in Wiradjuri language?
A key member of the team assessing and monitoring water for the environment in the Warrego and Gwydir systems, Steve contributes data on fauna that inhabit these areas. His observations in the Warrego and Gwydir described in this story indicate the importance of good flow, namely rainfall and water for the environment, in these dynamic wetland environments.
Native fish play an important role in the environment of the Murray Darling Basin. They also have a large social and cultural value to many Basin communities. How we use water in our rivers has changed their natural flow patterns and impacted native fish communities. Deciding how we use water for the environment can therefore provide major benefits to sustaining our native fish.
Lippia (Phyla canescens) is a significant weed in the Gwydir wetlands. It spreads along the ground smothering native grasses, reducing both our native habitat and our natural pastures for cattle. Water couch and lippia tend to live in the same areas. What we have found is that the delivery of environmental water can benefit water couch, allowing it to dramatically out compete the lippia weed.
To the west of Moree the land gets flat, very flat. So flat that the Gwydir River disperses into several channels and flow paths, forming the Gwydir wetlands. These wetlands support some of the largest breeding colonies of waterbirds in Australia and include areas that are listed as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar convention).
Do you know that the Warrego River is a super-rich nursery for yellowbelly (Golden Perch)?
The Warrego river is having its best flow in ages. The floodplain is connected to the channel and hundreds of hectares of habitat is being inundated. We can’t get out there to have a look because we are in our homes helping to keep the community safe. But we can guarantee the frogs are having a field day.
