Transport of salt, Increased salt transport and The modelling outputs suggest that during 2013-14, Did CEW delivery in 2013-14 contribute to the nutrients, other export; environmental watering resulted in significant transport of salt, nutrients and dissolved dissolved and increases in the transport and export of salt, and particulate matter through the Murray Increased sediment/nutrient particulate material nutrients, chlorophyll (phytoplankton) and Mouth? transport; through the Murray suspended solids through the Lower Murray River, CEW resulted in significant increases in the River (Lock 1 to Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth. Providing end of system flows transport and export of salt, nutrients, southern ocean) A majority of the total exports were achieved chlorophyll (phytoplankton) and suspended during an unregulated flow event (July to solids through the Lower Murray River, Lower October) prior to the period of environmental Lakes and Murray Mouth. water delivery. However, thereafter the additional exports were almost entirely associated with environmental water deliveries and overall environmental water contributed up to 45% of total exports of dissolved and particulate matter. It was evident that both CEW and TLM environmental water contributed to the transport and export of dissolved and particulate matter, although a majority was associated with CEW due to greater volumes of water provided in 2013-14. Coorong modelling to Increased hydrological R. tuberosa: Environmental watering in 2013-14 Did CEW delivery in 2013-14 provide benefits evaluate connectivity; resulted in a significant increase in the chance of for R. tuberosa and fish habitat in the environmental water propagule bank replenishment for the North Coorong? Reduced salinity; benefits to Ruppia Lagoon of the Coorong compared to the model CEW resulted in a significant increase in the tuberosa and fish outputs without environmental water. However, Providing end of system flows; chance of propagule bank replenishment for habitat environmental water delivery made little the North Lagoon of the Coorong and difference to the chance of propagule bank Increased within ecosystem improved habitat suitability for fish. replenishment in the South Lagoon. diversity;
Transport of salt, nutrients, other dissolved and particulate material through the Murray River (Lock 1 to southern ocean) Increased salt transport and export; Increased sediment/nutrient transport; Providing end of system flows The modelling outputs suggest that during 2013-14, environmental watering resulted in significant increases in the transport and export of salt, nutrients, chlorophyll (phytoplankton) and suspended solids through the Lower Murray River, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth. A majority of the total exports were achieved during an unregulated flow event (July to October) prior to the period of environmental water delivery. However, thereafter the additional exports were almost entirely associated with environmental water deliveries and overall environmental water contributed up to 45% of total exports of dissolved and particulate matter. It was evident that both CEW and TLM environmental water contributed to the transport and export of dissolved and particulate matter, although a majority was associated with CEW due to greater volumes of water provided in 2013-14. Did CEW delivery in 2013-14 contribute to the transport of salt, nutrients and dissolved and particulate matter through the Murray Mouth? CEW resulted in significant increases in the transport and export of salt, nutrients, chlorophyll (phytoplankton) and suspended solids through the Lower Murray River, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth. Coorong modelling to evaluate environmental water benefits to Ruppia tuberosa and fish habitat Increased hydrological connectivity; Reduced salinity; Providing end of system flows; Increased within ecosystem diversity; R. tuberosa: Environmental watering in 2013-14 resulted in a significant increase in the chance of propagule bank replenishment for the North Lagoon of the Coorong compared to the model outputs without environmental water. However, environmental water delivery made little difference to the chance of propagule bank replenishment in the South Lagoon. Did CEW delivery in 2013-14 provide benefits for R. tuberosa and fish habitat in the Coorong? CEW resulted in a significant increase in the chance of propagule bank replenishment for the North Lagoon of the Coorong and improved habitat suitability for fish.
ecological-response-monitoring-lower-murray-2013-14-final-report.docx