Monitoring Showcase

On 24 August 2011 government agencies, scientists and community organisations came together at the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Monitoring Showcase to discuss environmental monitoring data collected over the last 12 months, after the return of freshwater flows to the region. 

Presentations were delivered on water quality, acid sulfate soils, fish, birds, frogs, plants, zooplankton and macroinvertebrates, and highlighted the importance of collaboration between researchers and government departments.

Monitoring results showed that although some species have responded positively to the high flows, such as certain fish in the Coorong and southern bell frogs in the Lower Lakes, many species are only just starting to recover. These include invertebrates and aquatic vegetation. Some species have even declined over the last year, including migratory waders and threatened freshwater fish. 

 

 

The most important issues discussed included:

• the timing of delivering water to the Coorong
• the need for long-term data to determine trends and responses
• the need to effectively share information between organisations.

The Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Monitoring Showcase was organised jointly by the former Departments of Water and of Environment and Natural Resources, who were responsible for ecological monitoring in the region. 

The event was funded by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s The Living Murray initiative, a joint initiative of the South Australian, Victorian, New South Wales, ACT and Commonwealth Governments and the Murray Futures Coorong and Lower Lakes Recovery Project funded by the Austrlaian Government’s Water for the Future program.

Below are links to the presentations given on the day. For more information please contact Adrienne Frears (DEWNR) on 0427 824 477 or Alec Rolston (DENR) on 0429 465 940.

Presentations:

Presentaton on Acid Sulphate Soils by Andrew Baker, CSIRO

Acid Sulphate Soils

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Aquatic Vegetation by Jason Nicol, SARDI

Aquatic Vegetation

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Benthic Macroinvertebrates by Sabine Dittmann, Flinders University

Benthic Macroinvertebrates

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Community Monitoring by Regina Durbridge, GWLAP

Community Monitoring

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Coorong Fish by Qifeng Ye, SARDI

Coorong Fish

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Coorong Water Quality by Kane Aldridge, University of Adelaide

Coorong Water Quality

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Fish Movement Barrages by Chris Bice, SARDI

Fish Movement Barrages

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Lower Lakes Water Quality by Luke Mosley, EPA

Lower Lakes Water Quality

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on the Southern Bell Frog by Kate Mason, SAMDB NRM Board

Southern Bell Frog

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Synthesis by Rebecca Lester and Ben Hamilton, Flinders University

Synthesis

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Threatened Fish Species by Scotte Wedderburn, University of Adelaide

Threatened Fish Response to Flows

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Threatened Native Fish Conservation by Arkellah Hall, DENR

Threatened Native Fish Conservation

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Waterbird Respnse to Flows by David Paton, University of Adelaide

Waterbird Response to Flows

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation on Zooplankton by Russ Sheil, University of Adelaide

Zooplankton