Lake Pinaroo Ramsar site – Ramsar Information Sheet
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About the document
Ramsar Information Sheets provide information on wetlands that have been designated under the Ramsar Convention as Wetlands of International Importance. A Ramsar Information Sheet includes information on wetland types, ecology, land uses, threats, hydrological values and maps for the site.
Lake Pinaroo is one of the largest terminal basins in the Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields biogeographic region within New South Wales (NSW) and is located within Sturt National Park in the remote arid north-west corner of NSW. It is in the Lake Eyre drainage division, which is one of the largest systems in the world and is characterised by extreme climatic variability. Lake Pinaroo is an episodic lake which is dry most of the time with rare and very irregular wet phases.
The lake’s large size and its capacity to retain water for extended periods when filled provides valuable habitat in the region, particularly for endangered bird species, and supports a substantial number of waterbirds when full. When dry the lake is generally sparsely vegetated, but this is highly variable and dependent on time since flooding. Due to its ability to hold water for relatively long periods, this makes it an important drought refuge for waterbirds and other fauna.
The lake bed has a dense seedbank of aquatic species such as the fern Marsilea drummondii and the sedge Schenoplectus dissachanthus which respond to flooding. The lake margins are dominated by low shrubs, forbs and grasses.
The Ramsar site supports threatened species under the EPBC Act 1999, including the following; the Red Necked Stint, Black-Tailed Godwit, Freckled Duck, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper , Interior Blind Snake, Forests Mouse, Eastern Long-Eared Bat and the Striped Faced Dunnart.
In the Far West Region where Lake Pinaroo is located, maximum temperatures are predicted to increase by 0.3-1.0°C during the period 2020–39; the number of hot days (i.e. >35°C) will increase; and rainfall is projected to decrease in spring and increase in summer and autumn (OEH 2018). North-west NSW already has a harsh hot climate which is predicted to become hotter and drier under climate change. Rainfall is predicted to increase slightly, however there is no clear evidence that droughts will become more or less severe. Consequently, wetlands such as Lake Pinaroo are likely to be under increased pressure to support waterbirds and other native animals in dry times. In addition, climate change is likely to exacerbate existing threats to the natural and cultural values of the habitat in which this wetland is found (OEH 2018).