4 Valley report
- 4.1 Overall valley management
- 4.2 End-of-valley outcomes
- 4.3 Salinity outcomes from Catchment Actions – national investment
- 4.4 Programs of Actions by Basin States
This chapter examines salinity management at the valley and catchment level. Primary responsibility for catchment management lies with the Initiative’s partner agencies. The jurisdictional partners implement Programs of Action to address salinity within catchments.
Under the BSMS, the Commission and partner agencies cooperate to strengthen accountability for the salinity effects of within-valley actions, including monitoring and reporting. A key element is the introduction of salinity targets located at selected end-of-valley sites.
4.1 Overall valley management
Overview
End-of-valley targets are not an end in themselves. They are used because rivers integrate salinity, transporting salt-laden water through and out of, the catchments. The targets help to assess the health of the catchment, provide a basis to identify the benefits to downstream users and assist in the achievement of the overall Basin targets.
End-of-valley targets
Target sites are chosen to provide a good indication of catchment health and to reflect the characteristics of that catchment’s water. Where water is diverted above the catchment outlet, then the implications of this should be considered. The Operational Protocols also note that target sites:
- provide a meaningful indication of the salinity conditions affecting key assets and values in the catchment;
- should be suitable for obtaining reliable measurements of salinity, flow and salt loads.
End-of-valley targets for Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia have been set. The Australian Capital Territory is expected to set a target once appropriate Baseline Conditions have been established.
For all targets in the Basin (other than the Basin Salinity Target at Morgan), the end-of-valley target is based on the median and 80th percentile daily salinity levels and on the mean annual salt load. These are established using the Benchmark Period (1 May 1975 to 30 April 2000), which provides an observed climatic sequence and allows for a range of climatic conditions.
The targets were set with community consultation, using expert advice and analyses of modelling results and other tools.
The Basin Salinity Target at Morgan is for a salinity of 800 EC or less for 95 per cent of the time as modelled over the Benchmark Period.
Baseline Conditions
Baseline Conditions are defined as the agreed suite of conditions in place within the catchments and rivers of the Basin on 1 January 2000. They incorporate:
- land use (level of development);
- water use (level of diversions);
- land and water management policies and practices;
- river operating regimes;
- salt interception schemes;
- run-off generation and salt mobilisation processes;
- groundwater status and conditions.
Modelling is then used to establish the relationship between the Baseline Conditions and the salinity, salt load and flow regime for a given end-of-valley target site. The models are run over the Benchmark Period.
The State Contracting Governments have developed models to simulate the daily salinity, salt load and flow regime at each of the end-of-valley target sites. The models predict the effect of all Accountable Actions and delayed salinity impacts for the years 2015, 2050 and 2100. In this way, the models demonstrate progress against the end-of-valley targets.
In effect, the models predict expected future behaviour based on knowledge of past trends. Table 9 summarises the modelled Baseline Conditions for all end-of-valley target sites. Baseline Conditions are shown as a distribution of the model results:
- the 50th percentile (median) daily salinity (EC);
- the 80th percentile daily salinity (EC);
- the mean annual discharge of salt in tonnes.
The models are revised as more data becomes available from the end-of-valley site monitoring. Some sites currently have limited data to support the models.
Monitoring
Monitoring stations at the end-of-valley target sites provide data that is used for the assessment of catchment management. Many of the monitoring stations have been upgraded since 2001. It is critical that flow and salinity data is logged continuously as it provides the basis for this assessment. Appendix III provides a record of this data for the 2005–06 year.
Full datasets may not be available at every site because of sub-standard equipment, equipment malfunction or poor quality data, which is rejected. In drier conditions, stream flow can cease. This is common for the ephemeral streams in the northern part of the Basin.
Table 10 provides an aggregated picture of improvements in monitoring for end-of-valley target sites since 2000, while Table 11 shows those sites with less than 95 per cent data availability for the 2005–06 period.
4.2 End-of-valley outcomes
Under the BSMS, the jurisdictions monitor flow and salinity data for the end-of-valley target sites and also, where applicable, for interpretation sites (monitoring of salinity for shared rivers or valleys that cross State boundaries). In-stream salinity and salt load for 2005–06 against the long-term records for each site are shown in Tables 12 and 13.
The 2005–06 data continues to reflect the extended dry conditions. In mid- and lower-catchments, the drought has lowered groundwater levels, which has in turn reduced salt accessions to rivers as well as salt on the surface. Less surface salt reduces salt mobilisation occurring through run-off.
Of the existing flows, the proportion sourced from the less saline upper Murray catchments has also been greater, contributing to less saline flows at Morgan.
However, it should be noted that, while these upper Murray flows are relatively less saline than those originating from other parts of the Basin, measured against their own long-term trends, their salinity is relatively higher.
Upon a return to more normal weather conditions like those reflected in the Benchmark Period, salt mobilisation in the landscape is expected to be re-established, thus increasing salt accessions both to the ground surface and directly to the streams.
Targets are statistical expressions of long-term catchment characteristics in the Australian landscape. Climate variability greatly influences short-term outcomes such that annual results should not be assessed against these targets. In other words, annual data does not provide an indication of catchment performance relative to the targets. Variations in rainfall and evaporation are significant drivers of groundwater dynamics, which in turn are the principal determinants of stream salinity. Reporting of annual data needs to be considered in this context.
4.3 Salinity outcomes from Catchment Actions – national investment
At a national level, salinity and water quality are being addressed through the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP). This joint partnership between the Australian Government and State governments has invested in key catchments to achieve improved management of natural resources.
Regional natural resource management (NRM) plans provide the framework and rationale to invest in the protection of in-valley assets and the maintenance of water supplies for downstream users. Significant funding for the salinity plans has been sourced from the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and matched by the State and Territory governments with cash or in-kind work.
During 2005–06, the Australian Government approved $271 million for 56 regions through the regional component of the NHT. The 17 regions within the Murray-Darling Basin used approved investment strategies for specific activities outlined in the regional NRM plans. These plans are managed by regional bodies and address one or more of the NHT targets. Some examples of salinity-related strategies include:
- salinity monitoring and mapping to improve the effectiveness of on-ground actions;
- encouraging land managers to use improved irrigation practices to reduce stream salinity;
- adopting improved land management systems, including using deep-rooted perennial pasture species to mitigate salinity impacts.
1 Sites labelled in italics are for interpretation only. Basin Target Site is marked in bold.
1 Sites labelled in italics are for interpretation only. Basin Target Site is marked in bold.
These activities are critical to the successful implementation of the Basin Salinity Management Strategy. A state-by-state summary is provided below and more detail is available in the partner government annual reports (Appendix IV).
The Australian Government contributed a one-off $500 million cash injection late in the 2005–06 year. For the BSMS, the result is a re-acceleration of some activities, particularly the salt interception schemes’ capital works program.
Queensland
All three NRM regions in the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin have accredited natural resource management plans and approved regional investment strategies. Investment activities are in progress in all three regions.
The investment focus on water quality and salinity related issues in the three regions up to 30 June 2006 totalled $5 million approved through the NAP, and approximately $1.2 million approved through the NHT. The following are examples of activities contributing to salinity management in Queensland:
- a cross-regional community salinity monitoring program was undertaken by all three regional bodies. The project has improved regional understanding of salinity, particularly in relation to base flows, location of shallow groundwater and sources of salt. Consistent community monitoring techniques are being adopted across the entire Queensland section of the Murray-Darling Basin, including use of standardised equipment. The project will support catchment managers to prioritise and target future on-ground investments.
- the Understanding Salinity booklet, incorporated into the ‘Monitoring Made Easy’ kits, was produced by South West NRM Ltd. Workshops, surveys and field days helped to develop community understanding and identify practical activities to measure soil salinity. The latest round of Futurescapes (on-ground works incentives program) saw the first projects to manage salinity risk submitted to South West NRM.
- the Condamine Alliance completed salinity risk mapping for the whole catchment, which has identified and ground-truthed 75 per cent of known salinity expressions. Industry engagement under the Salinity Action Plan has achieved 360 hectares of improved water-use efficiency, saving 420 ML per year, and 28 000 hectares of improved management practice.
- the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee is applying an integrated approach to planning, adoption of practice change, and delivery of management responses for salinity management. This includes cropping rotations, sound crop agronomy, vegetation protection and watering practices. A Grazing Land Management package has been completed, which included workshops to assess landholders’ grazing systems. It has resulted in the progressive redevelopment of properties using informed risk management strategies. Landholders are also involved with sub-catchment planning covering about three million hectares.
New South Wales
The investment in water quality and salinity related issues in the NSW part of the Murray-Darling Basin up to 30 June 2006 totalled $124.8 million approved through the NAP and approximately $11.3 million approved through the NHT.
All eight catchment management authorities have developed catchment action plans setting priorities for investment and providing a strategic framework for natural resource management in each region over the next 10 years. The following activities are contributing to salinity management:
- regional investment strategies and funding for all approved projects being undertaken by the NSW catchment management authorities have been or are currently in the process of being approved.
- a total of $4.6 million has been committed to an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey of the lower Macquarie River in the Central West CMA region, including the Macquarie Marshes. It will map the occurrence and extent of salt deposits, helping future decision making for land and water management. The Lower Murray-Darling CMA is seeking to restore Gol Gol Lake and Swamp also using AEM techniques. The area is a recognised habitat for migratory bird species and has become severely degraded over recent years.
- a total of $12.6 million over five years has been committed to partly fund the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and Districts EnviroWise program. On-farm actions, including water use monitoring and irrigation scheduling, increase profitability while reducing the risk of waterlogging and soil and water salinity. Other activities include re-collecting, recapturing and reusing irrigation drainage water to minimise drainage-borne salt and its impacts on downstream users.
- the Lachlan CMA has committed a total of $389 000 to reduce salinity recharge on 10 per cent of dryland cropped landscapes through water-efficient farming systems. This target will be achieved by bringing at least 168 000 hectares of land under improved conservation cropping systems and training at least 800 landholders in desirable cropping practices, thus reducing the area of saline land.
Victoria
The investment focus on water quality and salinity related issues in the five regions up to 30 June 2006 totalled $120.7 million approved through the NAP and approximately $3.75 million approved through the NHT. The following activities have been undertaken to support salinity management in Victoria:
- an infrastructure project in the Shepparton Irrigation Region has focused on planning and implementation of surface drainage systems as well as farm and public groundwater pumps, lowering groundwater levels and preventing salt mobilisation. Sustainable irrigation practices are being encouraged through incentives to landholders to implement water re-use and automatic irrigation systems as well as groundwater pumps.
- significant areas of salt-affected land in the northern Wimmera are being planted with saltbush and trees in a project that will also provide potential options for the use of saline land and water. In addition, old unused bores will be decommissioned where they are a threat to water quality in the limestone aquifer, and landholders will be encouraged to reduce saline discharge affecting wetlands and waterways.
South Australia
Within the Murray-Darling Basin area of South Australia, the following projects are contributing to salinity management:
- ongoing work under the salt interception schemes plays a major role in addressing land salinisation and salinity levels in the River Murray. A total of $6.15 million was provided tssowards works at Loxton and Murtho, and for design and investigations work at Chowilla, Pike, Pyap–Kingston, Salt Creek and Woolpunda.
- a major initiative to rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure in the lower Murray irrigation area received $4.4 million of NAP funding. The project aims to improve water quality and efficiency and will have improved salinity outcomes.
- funding of $1.3 million was allocated to water-use efficiency measures to lower water tables in irrigation areas. Irrigators improved watering regimes and increased their skills and knowledge in water management, aided by data and equipment. Revegetation work continued in both dryland and irrigation areas.
- development of a salinity zoning policy to address the salinity impacts of new irrigation development, including an evaluation framework.
- capacity building for Riverland communities to develop and implement land and water management plans as well as for irrigator access to incentive and support programs on improved irrigation management.
4.4 Programs of Actions by Basin States
Under Schedule C to the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement, the Commission has responsibility for whole-of-Basin outcomes, while the States, in partnership with regions, are responsible for within-valley outcomes. Schedule C requires the partner governments to advise of the Programs of Action being undertaken to meet the established end-of-valley targets.
While formal Programs of Action have not been lodged, the NAP regional NRM plans and the approved investment strategies provide a framework for on-ground activities that are aimed to meet the end-of-valley targets set by the State and endorsed by Ministerial Council.
Activities under the NAP and NHT have been described above. The following is a summary of state actions that will impact on end-of-valley targets.
Queensland
Queensland’s milestones and achievements for 2005–06 encompassed improved salinity information and knowledge, implementation of regional NRM plans and investment strategies, community engagement and capacity building, and significant progress on salinity audits. Modelling capacity and monitoring networks were improved. Milestones included:
- completion of salinity audits of the Border Rivers and Moonie catchments and substantial completion of the salinity audit for the Warrego and Paroo catchments;
- ongoing implementation of salinity communications to raise community awareness of salinity risk and of regional and wider salinity strategies including the BSMS and NAP;
- evaluation of the CRCCH 2Csalt model using Hodgson Creek as a trial catchment;
- training for agency, Landcare and catchment management staff and agricultural consultants in salinity processes, recognition of salinisation, risk assessment and practices to reduce risk;
- approval of the Water Resource Plan for the Great Artesian Basin and preparation of the draft Resource Operation Plan;
- approval of the water resource operation plans for the Moonie, Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine–Mungallala catchments and preparation of draft resource operation plans for the Condamine–Balonne and Border Rivers catchments;
- ongoing development of sub-catchment and property-scale plans to address salinity and other land degradation risks;
- continued capping of artesian bores and replacement of bore drains with piped systems, mainly in the Warrego and Paroo catchments;
- incentives for adoption of more sustainable grazing practices investigated;
- promotion of and incentives for adoption of water use–efficient practices by the horticultural sector, irrigated pastures and cotton industries in the Condamine–Balonne, Border Rivers and Moonie catchments;
- continuing research and investigation of deep drainage, water quality, dam seepage and rural water use–efficiency, and the attributes of soils, regolith and unconfined and semi-confined aquifers affecting salinity risk;
- finalisation of the ballot for clearing of remnant vegetation and issuing of permits that phase out broadscale clearing of mapped remnant vegetation in Queensland from December 2006;
- over 110 000 hectares of native vegetation outside reserves is being protected under the Land for Wildlife program;
- Toowoomba City Council consulted with the community on upgrading wastewater treatment and ceasing discharge of wastewater containing 10 800 tonnes of salt into Gowrie Creek, a tributary of the Condamine River;
- consideration of the salinity impacts of exploration, testing and development of coal-seam gas production areas that are increasing in the vicinity of Dalby and Chinchilla;
- a regional monitoring group tested the applicability of national indicators to the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin.
New South Wales
The NSW Department of Natural Resources continues to implement the NSW Salinity Strategy. State agencies are working with the catchment management authorities (CMAs) on research, management tools and incentive investment programs for salinity management. NRM management planning and implementation is undertaken by the CMAs, while state-wide targets and auditing of CMA progress in meeting State targets is a function of the NSW Natural Resources Commission.
The 13 NSW CMAs have been working with a broad range of representation across catchments to develop catchment action plans (CAPs). They are also responsible for delivery of the NAP/NHT investment programs.
The prolonged drought has slowed investment programs. Under the Water Management Act 2000, water sharing plans have been gazetted for 13 areas in the NSW part of the Basin. In part, the Act enables water trade and unbundles water licences into access and use rights. Vegetation in NSW managed by the Native Vegetation Act 2003 aims to protect native vegetation, conserve and repair damaged rivers and landscapes, and provide long-term security to farmers. A vehicle for this will be individual property vegetation plans.
Baseline natural resource information is being strengthened under a 10-year Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Strategy, including the development of improved monitoring.
The salt transport model IQQM has been enhanced by recalibration following implementation of the water sharing plans. The salinity impacts of water trade in the NSW Mallee have been assessed through the SIMRAT model, using Sunrise 21 and water trade data. New South Wales has encouraged further work on the EM1 model to support assessment of the impact of irrigation on salinity. Development of a holistic picture of irrigation impacts is important, particularly in the Riverine Plains, where water trade is a significant component.
New South Wales is currently completing an update of its component of the 1999 Basin Salinity Audit, which was instrumental in setting interim end-of-valley targets. Early results indicate that, contrary to previous estimation, many catchments are in dynamic equilibrium, with salinity responding to rainfall rather than clearing. More work is necessary to confirm these findings.
Victoria
In collaboration with the regional catchment management authorities, Victorian government agencies continued implementation of land and water management programs aimed at a reduction in salinity impacts. Regional targets are used as key steps in natural resource management. Significant achievements for the year are set out below.
Implementation of an extended Benchmark Period and a new salinity cost function involved a significant commitment by Victoria in the recalculation of entries onto the BSMS Salinity Registers. Planning for, and implementation of, land and water management plans are based on salt disposal entitlements (SDEs), which are allocated to the CMAs, allowing assessment of the impact of their activities on salt export. Victoria is developing regional salinity registers to detail salt disposal activities and these will be aggregated into a State salinity register.
The end-of-valley targets now endorsed by Ministerial Council will be revised in five years in conjunction with regional catchment strategies and salinity management plans. During 2005–06, CMAs assessed the capacity to deliver on-ground change to meet the targets. The work indicated concerns about the level of land use change required to meet current land use targets with current salinity predictions.
Rolling five-year reviews were completed for the Barr Creek Catchment Strategy, Tragowel Plains Surface Drainage, and Shepparton Irrigation Region Catchment Strategy. Reviews of the Register entries for Nangiloc–Colignan and Nyah to the Border have commenced.
Land and water management plans (LWMPs) have continued to be improved for the Mallee, Shepparton Irrigation Region and the Loddon Campaspe. LWMP implementation included protection of native vegetation in dryland areas to control recharge.
Progress has been made on unbundling of water entitlements as part of major reforms in Victoria’s management of its water resources. Water use licences will include provisions to minimise salinity impacts in accordance with LWMPs and will be held in a State Water Register. The water register will support tracking of water trades and accounting for the salinity impacts of these trades. Water use licences and the water register will be introduced in Northern Victoria, including the Riverine Plains, in July 2007.
South Australia
Accountability remains a vital component of the BSMS. South Australia recognises the magnitude of the salinity impacts that are in train within the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin and is committed to ensuring these impacts are offset in the future. Activities during 2005–06 included:
- significant efforts to address gaps in salinity accounting, including development of methodologies for assessment of water trades, particularly reflecting the high proportion of temporary trades.
- significant efforts to improve modelling have included work on a suite of groundwater models for the Murray River and surrounding areas; progress towards the Resource Condition Targets has been maintained under the Monitoring, Evaluating and Reporting Framework; SIMRAT won the 2006 South Australian Spatial Excellence Award; and a new floodplain risk methodology was developed to assess the impact of saline groundwater inflows on the floodplain; a new wetland assessment tool is in place; digital aerial imagery of the River Murray corridor, major irrigation districts and TLM icon sites was collected.
- data collections to assess progress against targets, included improvement in data quality, accurate measurement of flow through use of ‘acoustic’ flow techniques, allowing the measurement of slower flows, and close interval EC surveys allow the simultaneous collection of salinity, global position, water depth and sensor depth data for cross-sections and pin-point data.
- development of the initial South Australian MDB NRM Plan will reflect objectives from the State NRM Plan and establish a framework for delivering strategies, including salinity management.
- the River Murray Drought Water Allocation Policy was implemented for the third year in a row, with initial allocations at 70 per cent improved to 100 per cent by October 2005.
- upgrading of land and water management plans, with two draft plans released for comment.
- the South Australian River Murray Salinity Zoning Policy was enacted on 1 July 2005 and operated successfully during the year. Ongoing evaluation of the salinity zoning policy will commence in early 2006–07.
- using recently acquired localised climatic data, irrigator’s water use efficiencies were calculated for 2004–05, indicating that the majority of irrigators either met or improved upon the water use–efficiency target.
- the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Resource Information Centre Inc. was launched in November 2005 and is now fully operational, providing a focal point for the collection and distribution of data and information.
- additional watering trials were conducted on the Bookpurnong floodplain for monitoring.
- environmental watering has continued on the Chowilla floodplain and 21 sites have been watered – nine re-watered. Approximately 70 per cent of stressed trees have responded positively.
- the Murray Mallee and the Coorong District Local Action Planning approved the planting of 4600 ha of perennial vegetation through their on-ground works incentive schemes.
SIS Construction (left),
Watering on floodplain wetlands (centre), Monitoring equipment, Mallee Cliffs Disposal Basin (right).
Photo: P. Pfeiffer (left), R. Dawson (centre), A. Reid (right)