Abstract
This Flow-MER Plan builds on two previous programs – the Long Term Intervention Monitoring (LTIM) Project which ran from 2014 to 2019 (Wassens et al. 2014), and the Flow Monitoring Evaluation and Research (Flow-MER) 1.0 Program which ran from 2019 to 2024 (Wassens et al. 2019b). The 2024-2029 Murrumbidgee Flow-MER Plan outlines activities to be undertaken over the next five years to evaluate the outcomes of Commonwealth environmental water. This Plan draws on information presented in the Basin-scale Evaluation Approach (McInerney et al. 2024).
The purpose of Flow-MER 2.0 is to meet the legislated reporting requirements and build knowledge of environmental responses to environmental water, in order to adaptively manage water holdings. The knowledge, values, experiences, perspectives and cultures of First Nations people are integral in protecting and enhancing the lands and waters of the Basin. First Nations people play key roles in protecting and managing Country, and are integral partners in Flow-MER.
This plan outlines the Murrumbidgee Area’s approach to evaluate the outcomes of Commonwealth environmental water (CEW) which will contribute to both the Basin-scale evaluation (McInerney et al. 2024) and to evaluate CEW’s contribution to meeting Basin and Area scale objectives and support adaptive management. The Flow-MER Plan aligns specifically with the Basin-wide Environmental Watering Strategy outcomes (BWS) (Murray Darling Basin Authority 2019), the Murrumbidgee Long Term Water Plan (LTWP) (NSW Department of Planning and Environment 2019) and the Murrumbidgee water resource plan (NSW Department of Planning and Environment 2024) including the Murrumbidgee Surface Water Resource Plan and the Murrumbidgee Surface Water Resource Plan Area Description Appendix A (NSW Department of Planning and Environment 2020).
The plan focuses on five specified environmental Flow-MER themes relevant at the Basin Scale:
• River flows and connectivity
• Native vegetation
• Waterbirds
• Native fish
• Cultural outcomes
And two relevant at the Area Scale:
• Frogs and other water dependent species with a specific focus on species listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Basin Plan section 8.05)
• Freshwater turtles
The purpose of Flow-MER 2.0 is to meet the legislated reporting requirements and build knowledge of environmental responses to environmental water, in order to adaptively manage water holdings. The knowledge, values, experiences, perspectives and cultures of First Nations people are integral in protecting and enhancing the lands and waters of the Basin. First Nations people play key roles in protecting and managing Country, and are integral partners in Flow-MER.
This plan outlines the Murrumbidgee Area’s approach to evaluate the outcomes of Commonwealth environmental water (CEW) which will contribute to both the Basin-scale evaluation (McInerney et al. 2024) and to evaluate CEW’s contribution to meeting Basin and Area scale objectives and support adaptive management. The Flow-MER Plan aligns specifically with the Basin-wide Environmental Watering Strategy outcomes (BWS) (Murray Darling Basin Authority 2019), the Murrumbidgee Long Term Water Plan (LTWP) (NSW Department of Planning and Environment 2019) and the Murrumbidgee water resource plan (NSW Department of Planning and Environment 2024) including the Murrumbidgee Surface Water Resource Plan and the Murrumbidgee Surface Water Resource Plan Area Description Appendix A (NSW Department of Planning and Environment 2020).
The plan focuses on five specified environmental Flow-MER themes relevant at the Basin Scale:
• River flows and connectivity
• Native vegetation
• Waterbirds
• Native fish
• Cultural outcomes
And two relevant at the Area Scale:
• Frogs and other water dependent species with a specific focus on species listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Basin Plan section 8.05)
• Freshwater turtles
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Canberra, ACT |
| Publisher | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |
| Commissioning body | Commonwealth Environmental Water holder, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |
| Number of pages | 126 |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Jun 2024 |