River and Wetland Health

Mallee Regional Catchment Strategy Goal

To protect and improve waterway, wetland and floodplain health, taking account of the ecosystem and recreational services these provide to the people of the Mallee and other users down-stream.

Natural Assets

The north and east of the Mallee region is dominated by the Murray River, its anabranches, distributary channels and associated wetland systems. In the south, north-flowing intermittent streams, including the Yarriambiack Creek and Outlet Creek terminate in a number of ephemeral wetland complexes including the Wirrengren Plain, Lake Corrong and Lake Lascelles. In the east, two effluent streams of the Avoca River system, Tyrrell Creek and Lalbert Creek, empty into a number of large terminal saline wetlands, including lakes Timboram and Tyrrell.

The wetlands, river channels and riparian vegetation of the region’s waterways and floodplains provide diverse habitat for a variety of aquatic and terrestrial species and also provide important ecological services. The protection of these assets from a range of threatening processes, and their restoration, are ongoing priorities.

Program Objectives

Core projects comprising the River and Wetland Health Program will contribute towards:

Improved knowledge of aquatic ecology and ecological processes to guide better regional decision-making;
The development of plans which aim to protect and repair key components of aquatic and riparian habitat;
Increased community awareness and involvement through programs such as the Murray River Frontage Action Plan project, Waterwatch and Riverwatch;
The implementation of priority actions to reduce the risk and damage of floods in accordance with the Mallee Waterway and Floodplain Management strategies;
Information on baseline conditions improved, and target levels set and quantified;
The implementation of priority actions to improve riparian, floodplain, wetland and waterway health in accordance with the Mallee River Health Strategy, the Mallee Wetland Strategy, the Mallee Waterway and Floodplain Management strategies, the draft Victorian Mallee Salinity and Water Quality Management Plan and other existing regional action plans and strategies (refer to the list under Section 9.4 of the Mallee RCS 2003–2008);
Input to the development and implementation of recovery plans for priority specie;
The development and implementation of Murray-Darling Basin Commission and state environmental flow programs for priority areas.