dividend. constraints in status has (4) Protecting and of coastal such intensively generated restoring interface wetland there are Good developed permanent functionally complexes dedicated human Where the catchments. changes in important resources with a following apply: catchment catchment capacity to the site is hydrology ecosystem deliver ecological remote and Good (e.g. hard elements such as fire regime water available human Where the panning, laser riparian zones and outcomes (some infrastructure is resources are following apply: levelling) other catchment protected areas, off stream or if limited. vegetation cover Traditional on stream is not wetland to increase Owner lands). large scale and where land Moderate exposure and/or receiving has connectivity tenure is capacity will occur sensitivity to freshwater impacts predominantly where: development ecosystem mitigated by freehold pressures has resilience biopassage rates of sea level been low to development rise are moderate (5) Moving statutory Water density presents beyond current Resource limited spatial catchment land environmental Planning has opportunities for freshwater use patterns are flows to ensured flow reinstatement of wetlands occur variegated restoration of flow allocations to buffer and on higher retaining a mix of regimes (including meet the needs detention gradient, intensive and flow manipulation of flow functions. relatively extensive land in highly regulated dependent elevated sloping uses with systems) that ecological assets In less intensively coastal lowlands remnant efficiently focus on including (via the developed basins vegetation key ecosystems retention of flow widespread land site occurs in and processes, regime elements degradation e.g. wet tropics catchment protected areas that drive subsoil exposure/ where sustained development and significant important gully erosion can freshwater levels have not sites ecological also contribute to discharge or undermined the functions) poor adaptive (6) Reducing aquifer levels integrity of all management anthropogenic maintain a biophysical capacity. impacts on hydraulic head the condition of process and the aquatic refugia, system has been associated against sea Other constraints gain an improved water intrusion managed to capacity for include where: understanding of avoid ecosystem their spatial and establishment of service there are low secondary temporal extents secondary provision. levels of
there are dedicated human resources with a capacity to deliver ecological fire regime outcomes (some protected areas, Traditional Owner lands). dividend. Good Where the following apply: water infrastructure is off stream or if on stream is not large scale and has connectivity impacts mitigated by biopassage statutory Water Resource Planning has ensured flow allocations to meet the needs of flow dependent ecological assets including (via the retention of flow regime elements that drive important ecological functions) the condition of system has been managed to avoid establishment of secondary constraints in such intensively developed catchments. Good Where the following apply: wetland exposure and/or sensitivity to development pressures has been low to moderate catchment land use patterns are variegated retaining a mix of intensive and extensive land uses with remnant vegetation catchment development levels have not undermined the integrity of all biophysical process and the associated capacity for ecosystem service provision. status has generated permanent changes in catchment hydrology (e.g. hard panning, laser levelling) where land tenure is predominantly freehold development density presents limited spatial opportunities for reinstatement of buffer and detention functions. In less intensively developed basins widespread land degradation e.g. subsoil exposure/ gully erosion can also contribute to poor adaptive management capacity. Other constraints include where: secondary (4) Protecting and restoring functionally important catchment ecosystem elements such as riparian zones and other catchment vegetation cover to increase receiving freshwater ecosystem resilience (5) Moving beyond current environmental flows to restoration of flow regimes (including flow manipulation in highly regulated systems) that efficiently focus on key ecosystems and processes, protected areas and significant sites (6) Reducing anthropogenic impacts on aquatic refugia, gain an improved understanding of their spatial and temporal extents of coastal interface wetland complexes the site is remote and available human resources are limited. Moderate capacity will occur where: rates of sea level rise are freshwater wetlands occur on higher gradient, relatively elevated sloping coastal lowlands site occurs in wet tropics where sustained freshwater discharge or aquifer levels maintain a hydraulic head against sea water intrusion there are low levels of
Vulnerability_Assessment_Freshwater_wetlands.docx