Indicators The indicators used to monitor the watering objectives (Table 1) were selected to reflect recommendations provided in the Environmental Water Delivery document for the Edward-Wakool river system (Hale and SKM 2011) and align with standard methods commonly used for similar monitoring programs (e.g. Sustainable Rivers Audit 2001; Living Murray Icon site monitoring programs). Table 1. Conceptual links of monitoring indicators with ecological objectives. Monitoring indicators Objective Desired Outcome recommended in Water Indicators used Delivery document in this project Leaf-litter breakdown Minimise accumulation of litter in Litterfall rates/carbon processing Water quality channels and effect early inundation of DO, DOC DO, DOC, pH, salinity, wetland and floodplain organic debris temperature, turbidity Open water Move nutrients and carbon between Productivity main channel, upper benches and small Phytoplankton chlorophyl-a low commence to flow floodrunners Open water metabolism Stream flow and height Enable longitudinal connectivity, Stream flow and Connectivity inundate low benches, floodrunners, Zooplankton abundance height billabongs wetlands and backwaters and diversity Inundate low benches, floodrunners, Biofilm biomass and Biofilms None specified billabongs wetlands and backwaters diversity Fish community Enable connectivity, inundate wetlands Community composition and Fish spawning and to improve habitat, spawning and composition and abundance recruitment recruitment abundance Fish recruitment Frog community Community composition and Inundate key wetlands and floodplain Frogs composition and abundance areas abundance Frog recruitment Increase flow variability to increase Community Macroinvertebrate habitat diversity, encourage growth of Macroinvertebrates composition and composition and aquatic and littoral vegetation and abundance abundance provide suitable food sources
Indicators The indicators used to monitor the watering objectives (Table 1) were selected to reflect recommendations provided in the Environmental Water Delivery document for the Edward-Wakool river system (Hale and SKM 2011) and align with standard methods commonly used for similar monitoring programs (e.g. Sustainable Rivers Audit 2001; Living Murray Icon site monitoring programs). Table 1. Conceptual links of monitoring indicators with ecological objectives. Objective Desired Outcome Monitoring indicators recommended in Water Delivery document Indicators used in this project Water quality Minimise accumulation of litter in channels and effect early inundation of wetland and floodplain organic debris Litterfall DO, DOC Leaf-litter breakdown rates/carbon processing DO, DOC, pH, salinity, temperature, turbidity Productivity Move nutrients and carbon between main channel, upper benches and small low commence to flow floodrunners Phytoplankton Open water chlorophyl-a Open water metabolism Connectivity Enable longitudinal connectivity, inundate low benches, floodrunners, billabongs wetlands and backwaters Stream flow and height Stream flow and height Zooplankton abundance and diversity Biofilms Inundate low benches, floodrunners, billabongs wetlands and backwaters None specified Biofilm biomass and diversity Fish spawning and recruitment Enable connectivity, inundate wetlands to improve habitat, spawning and recruitment Community composition and abundance Fish community composition and abundance Fish recruitment Frogs Inundate key wetlands and floodplain areas Community composition and abundance Frog community composition and abundance Frog recruitment Macroinvertebrates Increase flow variability to increase habitat diversity, encourage growth of aquatic and littoral vegetation and provide suitable food sources Community composition and abundance Macroinvertebrate composition and abundance