Environmental watering in the Border Rivers catchment
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Environmental watering 2012-13
The Commonwealth is providing up to 8,000 megalitres of environmental water for use in the Border Rivers catchment. Commonwealth environmental water will be used in combination with the 8,000 megalitres made available by the NSW Government and releases of water to meet general security irrigation orders.
Border Rivers catchment
Photo: Clare d'Arcy © CEWO
Environmental releases to the NSW Severn River will commence from Pindari Dam on 1 December 2012. The combined action is expected to stimulate the aquatic food chain and provide food sources and habitat improvements for aquatic organisms such as aquatic insects, fish, platypus and bird life.
Commonwealth environmental water will also contribute to the health of in-channel habitat and native fish in the lower Macintyre River to Mungindi.
This watering action has been made possible by the collaboration of a wide range of stakeholders including the NSW Office of Water, NSW DPI Fisheries, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, QLD Department of Natural Resource and Mines, State Water Corporation, Queensland Murray-Darling Committee and local water users and landholders.
Border Rivers catchment
Photo: Clare d'Arcy © CEWO
What makes this place so special and why is Commonwealth environmental water used here?
- The streams of the Border Rivers system provide diverse habitat for aquatic plants and animals including deep river channels and pools, gravel beds and wetlands.
- These in-channel habitats support a variety of native fish communities including Murray cod, silver perch, purple-spotted gudgeon and the Murray-Darling rainbowfish.
- The flow will achieve benefits through Kwiambal National Park which has ecological significance, hosting a large number of rare or threatened types of native animals and plants, and permanent waterholes supporting a diverse range of waterbirds and aquatic plants and animals.
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