Fish In spring 2014, environmental water was delivered to the lower Goulburn River over 3 weeks from to early December in accordance with seasonal watering plans. The primary aim of this flow event was to trigger spawning and movement of golden perch. A maximum discharge of about 6300 ML/d was released. Immediately prior to this event there was also an environmental water release from mid-October to early November over 3 weeks for vegetation objectives. A maximum discharge of about 7600 ML/d was released. Observed effects on fish are summarized below, with detail provided in Appendix F. Evaluation Basin-scale evaluation questions Question Were appropriate Effect of environmental flows What information was the evaluation based flows provided? on? Long-term evaluation questions What did CEW Possibly Spawning and spawning associated Qualitative and statistical analysis of larval contribute to native fish movement of golden perch observed survey and fish tracking data. populations? during environmental flow events What did CEW Unknown at this Unknown at this stage There is only a single data point from the first contribute to fish stage annual survey species diversity? Short-term evaluation questions What did CEW Unknown at this Unknown at this stage There is only a single data point from the first contribute to fish stage annual survey community resilience? What did CEW Unknown at this Unknown at this stage There is only a single data point from the first contribute to native fish stage annual survey. Size frequency data from target survival? species may answer this question in future What did CEW Yes (for golden perch Golden perch exhibited a strong Quantitative observations based on drift netting contribute to native fish and silver perch) spawning response to increased data. Peak egg abundances were collected reproduction? flows. Silver perch also spawned in coinciding with an environmental flow release association with increased flows. What did CEW Yes (for golden Long-distance movements coincided Qualitative observations based on telemetry contribute to native fish perch) with increases in flow associated with data dispersal? environmental flow releases Area specific evaluation questions Question Were appropriate flows Effect of environmental flows What information was the provided? evaluation based on? Long-term evaluation questions What did CEW contribute to the Unknown Population surveys revealed no Qualitative observations based recruitment of golden perch in strong relationships between on comparisons between the adult population in the lower golden perch spawning and electrofishing and drift netting Goulburn River? recruitment of juvenile fish, data suggesting that spawning may not necessarily translate into recruitment of juveniles into the local population
Fish In spring 2014, environmental water was delivered to the lower Goulburn River over 3 weeks from to early December in accordance with seasonal watering plans. The primary aim of this flow event was to trigger spawning and movement of golden perch. A maximum discharge of about 6300 ML/d was released. Immediately prior to this event there was also an environmental water release from mid-October to early November over 3 weeks for vegetation objectives. A maximum discharge of about 7600 ML/d was released. Observed effects on fish are summarized below, with detail provided in Appendix F. Evaluation Basin-scale evaluation questions Question Were appropriate flows provided? Effect of environmental flows What information was the evaluation based on? Long-term evaluation questions What did CEW contribute to native fish populations? Possibly Spawning and spawning associated movement of golden perch observed during environmental flow events Qualitative and statistical analysis of larval survey and fish tracking data. What did CEW contribute to fish species diversity? Unknown at this stage Unknown at this stage There is only a single data point from the first annual survey Short-term evaluation questions What did CEW contribute to fish community resilience? Unknown at this stage Unknown at this stage There is only a single data point from the first annual survey What did CEW contribute to native fish survival? Unknown at this stage Unknown at this stage There is only a single data point from the first annual survey. Size frequency data from target species may answer this question in future What did CEW contribute to native fish reproduction? Yes (for golden perch and silver perch) Golden perch exhibited a strong spawning response to increased flows. Silver perch also spawned in association with increased flows. Quantitative observations based on drift netting data. Peak egg abundances were collected coinciding with an environmental flow release What did CEW contribute to native fish dispersal? Yes (for golden perch) Long-distance movements coincided with increases in flow associated with environmental flow releases Qualitative observations based on telemetry data Area specific evaluation questions Question Were appropriate flows provided? Effect of environmental flows What information was the evaluation based on? Long-term evaluation questions What did CEW contribute to the recruitment of golden perch in the adult population in the lower Goulburn River? Unknown Population surveys revealed no strong relationships between golden perch spawning and recruitment of juvenile fish, suggesting that spawning may not necessarily translate into recruitment of juveniles into the local population Qualitative observations based on comparisons between electrofishing and drift netting data
goulburn-ltim-report.docx