Water For Nature...Water For Nature - an initiative of Nature Foundation SA April 2015 [email protected] 3 Benefits from Environmental Watering: A variety of bird types have responded

Water For Nature - an initiative of Nature Foundation SA www.waterfornature.org.au April 2015

[email protected]

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Water For Nature, an initiative of Nature Foundation SA, works with SA

River Murray communities to deliver environmental water. NFSA works

with private landholders, irrigators, community groups & local

government on smaller sites to complement larger government

watering projects. Water For Nature aims to deliver water effectively

for demonstrable environmental, social and economic benefits,

creating ‘green assets’. In a precedent-setting partnership, NFSA

entered an agreement with the Commonwealth Environmental Water

Holder to deliver up to 50 GL of environmental water to the South

Australian section of the River Murray over 5 years (2012-2016).

Location of Johnson Waterhole Watering Site

Johnsons Waterhole is located adjacent to Ral Ral Creek,

approximately 5 km north-west of Renmark. It is a key temporary

wetland site on the 610ha Ral Ral floodplain, opposite the Murray

River National Park (Bulyong Island) and adjacent to the Renmark

Irrigation Area. The waterhole lies south of the Goolwa Street Boat

ramp, and the flow path continues south-east to link up with Bookmark

Creek.

The floodplain once had river red gums and black box trees and

thriving shrub cover, and the waterhole filled nearly every spring and

persisted for several months, but reduced flooding and extended

drought have caused extensive damage. A line of stark dead red gum

skeletons show where floodplain communities and the waterhole once

thrived. Environmental water can help to repair the ecosystems.

Quick Facts

Watering Started: November 2013

Owner: Renmark-Paringa District Council

Total Water Delivery (2013-16)

150Megalitres (ML) a year to fill pool of 4

hectares and water surrounds

Water Delivery 2014/15: 101 ML

Key Objectives:

1. restore habitat in which aquatic plants, yabbies, frogs and fish would thrive

2. provide food sources for waterbirds 3. maintain soil moisture reserves for

surrounding vegetation.

Methodology:

Use of Council pump and ‘Big Red’ Pump to

lift water from Ral Ral Creek into feeder creek to flow into wetland. Now fed by Renmark Irrigation Trust (RIT) meter and pipe.

Outcomes: The waterhole has been filled two years in a

row in late spring, with immediate responses from waterbirds and frogs, as well as growth of samphire shrubland and even a few red

gum seedlings.

Delivery Partners:

Commonwealth Environmental Water

Office (CEWO)

Renmark Paringa Council – equipment and resources

Renmark Irrigation Trust – water, expertise & resources

Renmark to the Border LAP Group –

monitoring & community involvement

SA Murray-Darling basin NRM Board

Department of Environment, Water and

Nature Resources (DEWNR)

Sponsors

West End Community Fund – ‘Big Red’

Pump

John T Reid Charitable Trust – Regional

Water For Nature Coordinator salary

Thyne Reid Foundation

Water For Nature

Environmental Watering Project

JOHNSONS WATERHOLE

Location: Ral Ral Creek, Renmark North, Riverland SA

Renmark

JohnsonsWaterhole

River Murray

Ral Ral Creek

Water For Nature - an initiative of Nature Foundation SA www.waterfornature.org.au April 2015

[email protected]

Objectives for Johnsons Waterhole Project

The Johnsons Waterhole project addresses three key objectives of the Water For Nature initiative:

maintain pools of water long enough to complete life cycles in aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates, frogs, fish and waterbirds (8-10 weeks)

maintain minimum soil moisture to support growth of seedlings (red gum, black box, lignum) until tap roots reach subsurface water sources

replenish freshwater lenses over saline groundwater.

Specific objectives are to:

increase frequency of flows in the flood runner to

fill and sustain inundation in the waterhole

increase the number and variety of water plants

and animals in the waterhole

increase food sources for waterbirds

sustain plants around the edge of the waterhole.

The project applies three key Water For Nature

guidelines:

protect long-lived vegetation

protect species of high conservation value

focus on refuges in drought

enhance natural benefits of flood.

The 2011 flood filled the waterhole, refreshing the wetland and generating another generation of yabbies.

The current actions in the watering project at Johnsons Waterhole aim to increase the frequency of filling the

temporary wetland for 2-3 months in spring-summer, supporting ongoing life cycles of a range of wetland

species like yabbies, fish and frogs, as well as surrounding

vegetation.

Watering Methodology

For the initial filling in 2013, water was pumped from Ral Ral Creek into the flood runner leading to Johnsons Waterhole. In 2014, water was supplied via the Renmark Irrigation Trust water system. Additional watering by sprinklers is supporting plantings of native species around the edges of the wetland. Pumping continues as required to maintain water levels in the wetland and to surcharge levels to inundate the fringes and retain water in the flood runner upstream of the waterhole, in order to maintain habitat in which aquatic plants, yabbies, frogs and fish can thrive, to provide food sources for waterbirds and to maintain soil moisture reserves for surrounding vegetation.

Start of 2013 environmental watering at Johnsons Waterhole

This environmental watering project has been made possible through the allocation of 50 gigalitres of water over five years provided from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office to Nature Foundation SA. www.environment.gov.au/topics/water/commonwealth-environmental-water-office/about-commonwealth-

environmental-water

Water For Nature - an initiative of Nature Foundation SA www.waterfornature.org.au April 2015

[email protected]

3 Benefits from Environmental Watering: A variety of bird types have responded to the water events at Johnsons Waterhole, including dabbling ducks, diving ducks, waders, piscivores and herbivores, indicating a diverse range of habitats and food sources. Birds observed at the waterhole to date include Pink-eared Duck, Black Swan, Black Duck, Chestnut Teal, White-eyed Duck, Grey-Teal, Caspian Tern, Masked Lapwing, Australian Wood Duck, Banded Lapwing, Ibis, Pelican, Silver Gull and the regionally threatened Hardhead. Many frogs have also taken advantage of the temporary habitat including Eastern Banjo Frog, Spotted Marsh Frog, Perons Tree Frog and the regionally vulnerable Southern Bell Frog. Teagan McKillop, Project Officer for the Renmark to the Border Local Action Planning Group, said “It’s been

great seeing the waterhole come to life. The results of watering Johnson’s Waterhole will provide valuable

insight into how to rehabilitate the whole Ral Ral

Floodplain.”

The watering events are maintained for long enough to allow completion of life cycles in frogs, water plants and waterbirds, and to encourage development of plant cover around the edges of the wetland. A group of adult lignum bushes and seedlings in the flood runner have also benefited, providing additional habitat for birds, fish and reptiles. A few red gum saplings and seedlings are also surviving along the flood runner. Monitoring and Evaluation

Ecological outcomes are being evaluated by monitoring bird species and numbers, water quality, and groundwater levels and quality. Ms Teagan McKillop of Renmark-Paringa Council is responsible for monitoring with assistance from staff of the South Australian Murray- Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. Evaluation of outcomes is being coordinated by Nature Foundation SA’s Conservation Ecologist. Renmark-Paringa District Council and Renmark Irrigation Trust are committed to implementing a long term sustainable management plan for the Ral Ral floodplain. Key Stakeholders and Supporters NFSA’s Water For Nature program supports local communities to deliver environmental water to wetlands and floodplains on the Murray River to improve the health of local ecosystems and to create ‘green assets’. Water for Nature appreciates the support of the following key stakeholders and supporters:

Landholders

The Strachan family

South Australian Government

Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR)

www.environment.sa.gov.au www.waterconnect.sa.gov.au

SA Murray-Darling Basin NRM Board www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/samurraydarlingbasin/home

Regional Partners and Supporters

Renmark to Border LAP (RB LAP) www.renmarkparinga.sa.gov.au/RenmarktotheBorderLAP

Renmark Irrigation Trust www.rit.org.au

Renmark Paringa District Council www.renmarkparinga.sa.gov.au

Corporate and Philanthropic Supporters

John T Reid Charitable Trust www.johntreidtrusts.com.au

Thyne Reid Foundation

West End Community Fund www.westenddraught.com.au/community-aid/wecf

Bringing life back to Johnsons Waterhole

Water For Nature - an initiative of Nature Foundation SA www.waterfornature.org.au April 2015

[email protected]

4

Future Projects Johnsons Waterhole has provided a model for watering temporary wetlands that Water For Nature can

adapt to other locations. Although future sites may pose different logistical challenges, the critical

element for successful watering events will be the support of sponsors and cooperation with local

communities.

How can you help?

Delivering environmental water to key sites requires significant resources. Water For Nature is seeking

financial support from corporates, small businesses and individuals to help deliver more watering projects

per year. We also welcome volunteer support in our conservation programs. Please register your interest

to support or volunteer with the Nature Foundation SA office.

Water For Nature Fundraising and Corporate Sponsorship

Contact: Ian Atkinson Contact: Patrick Mentzel

Tel: 08 8340 2880 Ph: 08 8340 2880

Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Nature Foundation SA

32 Holden Street (PO Box 448)

Hindmarsh SA 5007

Tel: 08 8340 2880

Email: [email protected]

Johnsons Waterhole dry 2008, left) and Johnsons Waterhole flooded (December 2014, right).

Avocets feeding in the remnant pool following

the 2012 flood event. Photo: Anne Jensen