'Near to final' draft for independent review - 9 May 2016 ` Multiple distributary river channels Snags and Wetlands benches provide longitudinal connectivity Larger overbank flows During no -flow periods, Small overbank flows fill the down the river channels. This is provide extensive lateral waterholes provide drought river channel and inundate the important for maintaining, and connectivity with the refuge. Periods of no flows riparian zone, anabranches, Larger in-channel freshes are providing access to, in-stream floodplain. These flows are more common in the flood-runners, wetlands and important for fish migration habitats. provide water and Bankfull flows Lower Balonne River the floodplain. These flows when they trigger movement Flowing water creates hydraulic nutrients to floodplain reshape the channel Floodplain than most provide opportunities for some and drown out in-stream diversity, such as eddies near vegetation communities. creating and systems. birds to breed and allow fish, barriers. Freshes can replenish snags. Freshes are also Flows that reach these maintaining habitats frogs, turtles and invertebrates soil water/bank storage for important for cycling sediment areas are also very such as pools, bars to move from the river to the riparian vegetation and inundate and nutrients between different important for the and benches. wider floodplain next to the benches, anabranches and parts of the river channel. dispersal of seeds and river, and back again. snags which are important for aquatic animals. Small in-channel freshes fish spawning. Figure 4. Key components of the flow regime of rivers like those on the Lower-Balonne River Floodplain UEA, and connection with ecological functions and process Page 18
'Near to final' draft for independent review - 9 May 2016 ` Multiple distributary river channels Snags and benches Wetlands During no -flow periods, waterholes provide drought refuge. Periods of no flows are more common in the Lower Balonne River Floodplain than most systems. Small in-channel freshes provide longitudinal connectivity down the river channels. This is important for maintaining, and providing access to, in-stream habitats. Flowing water creates hydraulic diversity, such as eddies near snags. Freshes are also important for cycling sediment and nutrients between different parts of the river channel. Larger in-channel freshes are important for fish migration when they trigger movement and drown out in-stream barriers. Freshes can replenish soil water/bank storage for riparian vegetation and inundate benches, anabranches and snags which are important for fish spawning. Bankfull flows reshape the channel creating and maintaining habitats such as pools, bars and benches. Small overbank flows fill the river channel and inundate the riparian zone, anabranches, flood-runners, wetlands and the floodplain. These flows provide opportunities for some birds to breed and allow fish, frogs, turtles and invertebrates to move from the river to the wider floodplain next to the river, and back again. Larger overbank flows provide extensive lateral connectivity with the floodplain. These flows provide water and nutrients to floodplain vegetation communities. Flows that reach these areas are also very important for the dispersal of seeds and aquatic animals. Figure 4. Key components of the flow regime of rivers like those on the Lower-Balonne River Floodplain UEA, and connection with ecological functions and process Page 18
EWR-Condamine-Balonne-draft.docx