Table 3: Ecological objectives for targeted water use Scenario Extreme dry Dry Median Wet Ecological Avoid damage to key Ensure ecological capacity for Maintain ecological health and Improve and extend healthy and Watering environmental assets recovery resilience resilient aquatic ecosystems Objectives/WMA Gunbower Provide sustained flow in winter and Provide sustained flow in winter and Provide sustained flow in winter and Provide sustained flow in winter and Creek spring to: spring with one or more freshes to: spring with two or more freshes to: spring with two or more freshes to: objectives maintain aquatic habitat to maintain aquatic habitat to maintain aquatic habitat to maintain aquatic habitat to support local fish populations support local fish populations support local fish populations support local fish populations maintain passage at fishways maintain passage at fishways maintain passage at fishways maintain passage at fishways in winter and spring in winter–spring in winter and spring in winter and spring maintain aquatic habitat below maintain aquatic habitat below maintain aquatic habitat below maintain aquatic habitat below Koondrook Weir. Koondrook Weir Koondrook Weir Koondrook Weir support fish breeding. support fish breeding. support fish breeding Provide connecting flows to allow Provide sustained connecting flows Provide sustained connecting flows movement of fish between the to allow movement of fish between to allow movement of fish between creek and the forest. the creek and the forest. the creek and the forest. Forest Provide baseflow in forest Provide baseflow in forest Provide baseflow in forest Provide baseflow in forest watercourse watercourses in winter and spring watercourses in winter and spring watercourses in winter and spring watercourses in winter and spring objectives to: with one or more freshes to: to: to: maintain riparian vegetation maintain riparian vegetation maintain riparian vegetation maintain riparian vegetation health health health health maintain semi-permanent provide dispersal opportunities provide dispersal opportunities provide dispersal opportunities wetlands for fish between the river, for fish between the river, for fish between the river, forest and Gunbower Creek forest and Gunbower Creek forest and Gunbower Creek maintain deep-pool habitat in forest watercourses for fish, support breeding by some support breeding by some support breeding by some turtles and invertebrates. waterbirds along watercourses waterbirds along watercourses waterbirds along watercourses and temporary forest wetlands and temporary wetlands and minor wetlands process and export organic process and export organic process and export organic matter and reduce blackwater matter and reduce blackwater matter and reduce blackwater risks. risks. risks.
Table 3: Ecological objectives for targeted water use Scenario Ecological Watering Objectives/WMA Extreme dry Avoid damage to key environmental assets Dry Ensure ecological capacity for recovery Median Maintain ecological health and resilience Wet Improve and extend healthy and resilient aquatic ecosystems Gunbower Creek objectives Provide sustained flow in winter and spring to: maintain aquatic habitat to support local fish populations maintain passage at fishways in winter and spring maintain aquatic habitat below Koondrook Weir. Provide sustained flow in winter and spring with one or more freshes to: maintain aquatic habitat to support local fish populations maintain passage at fishways in winter–spring maintain aquatic habitat below Koondrook Weir support fish breeding. Provide connecting flows to allow movement of fish between the creek and the forest. Provide sustained flow in winter and spring with two or more freshes to: maintain aquatic habitat to support local fish populations maintain passage at fishways in winter and spring maintain aquatic habitat below Koondrook Weir support fish breeding. Provide sustained connecting flows to allow movement of fish between the creek and the forest. Provide sustained flow in winter and spring with two or more freshes to: maintain aquatic habitat to support local fish populations maintain passage at fishways in winter and spring maintain aquatic habitat below Koondrook Weir support fish breeding Provide sustained connecting flows to allow movement of fish between the creek and the forest. Forest watercourse objectives Provide baseflow in forest watercourses in winter and spring to: maintain riparian vegetation health maintain semi-permanent wetlands maintain deep-pool habitat in forest watercourses for fish, turtles and invertebrates. Provide baseflow in forest watercourses in winter and spring with one or more freshes to: maintain riparian vegetation health provide dispersal opportunities for fish between the river, forest and Gunbower Creek support breeding by some waterbirds along watercourses and temporary forest wetlands process and export organic matter and reduce blackwater risks. Provide baseflow in forest watercourses in winter and spring to: maintain riparian vegetation health provide dispersal opportunities for fish between the river, forest and Gunbower Creek support breeding by some waterbirds along watercourses and temporary wetlands process and export organic matter and reduce blackwater risks. Provide baseflow in forest watercourses in winter and spring to: maintain riparian vegetation health provide dispersal opportunities for fish between the river, forest and Gunbower Creek support breeding by some waterbirds along watercourses and minor wetlands process and export organic matter and reduce blackwater risks.