Queanbeyan
Indicator: Riparian Conditions
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Queanbeyan
No quantitative information was available to assess change in riparian condition within the Queanbeyan City Council area during the current reporting period and the previous reporting period.
This current reporting period has seen six threatening processes which impact on riparian condition listed under the Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 and the Fisheries Management Act, 1994.
Council implemented the beginnings of the Queanbeyan River Corridor Plan of Management, part of the Murrumbidgee Catchment Action Plan (MCAP). This plan places ‘riparian zone management’ as a high priority issue for the Queanbeyan River (QCC 2008).
Condition of riparian zones in the City Council
The extent to which the condition of riparian vegetation and streambank disturbance across the City Council changed in the current reporting period is not known, as no comprehensive assessment of riparian condition was undertaken for the period and no other detailed City Council-wide information was available.
Threats to riparian condition
Three processes relating to riparian condition have been listed as key threatening processes in the state (see Table 1) by the New South Wales (NSW) Scientific committee under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Fisheries Scientific Committee also listed, under the Fisheries Management Act 1994, three key threatening processes relevant to riparian areas.
| Name of threatening process | Date of Final Determination or Gazettal |
|---|---|
| Alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers, streams, floodplains and wetlands (DECC, 2008a) | Final: 31 May 2002 |
| Clearing of Native Vegetation (DECC, 2008b) | Final: 21 September 2001 |
| Human-caused climate change (DECC, 2008c) | Gazetted: 17 November 2000 |
| Removal and degradation of native riparian vegetation (DPI, 2008a) | Final: 01 June 2005 |
| Installation and operation of instream structures and other mechanisms that alter the natural flow regimes of rivers and streams (DPI, 2008b) | Final: 01 June 2005 |
| Removal of large woody debris from NSW rivers and streams (DPI, 2008c) | Final: 01 June 2005 |
The impacts of these key threatening processes on riparian conditions and waterways include (DECC 2008 a, b; DPI 2008, a, b; DPI 2005a):
- bank erosion
- loss of biological diversity
- impairment of important ecosystem services for fish and invertebrates (e.g. removal of refuges used during flooding or drought or removal of spawning sites)
- reduced nutrient filtering capacity
- increased light penetration of the water-body and loss of shade and shelter for fish
- reduced inputs of organic carbon (for example, twigs and leaves)
- changes to stream behaviour (increased and decreased flow, seasonality, frequency, duration, magnitude, timing predictability, rate of rise and fall of water levels and altering surface and subsurface water levels)
- exotic plants such as Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) reducing stream flow.
What is being done to protect riparian zones?
The Queanbeyan River Corridor Plan of Management has highlighted some high priority issues affecting the riparian conditions and associated issues of the River for example (QCC 2008):
- remnant vegetation management
- weed management
- soil erosion
- riparian zone management
- streambank erosion
Though these issues have been identified by the Action Plan, there is no updated information on the progress of implementation.
Other projects
The Murrumbidgee Catchment Action Plan (CAP) sets the strategic direction for integrated catchment management actions. It details specific and measurable targets to be achieved over a 10-year timeframe and has been endorsed by the Australian and NSW Governments as a template for investment of funds available under National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) and other programs. This fits in with the Queanbeyan River Corridor Plan of Management (1999) and the Plan of Management for Jerrabomberra Creek (2006).
The Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has provided Queanbeyan City Council with funding for the willow removal and restoration program on Jerrabomberra Creek and the Queanbeyan River. This program was identified as high importance by both the Murrumbidgee CMA and the Queanbeyan City Council. A wide range of activities have been undertaken during the reporting period with the willows poisoned and contractors engaged to cut and mulch the trees on both the Queanbeyan River and Jerrabomberra Creek. Substantial landscaping and planting of local endemic species has been undertaken along the river corridor.
The following has been undertaken as a result in 2007:
- Queanbeyan City Council has developed a vegetation management plan for targeted riparian areas along the river.
- Willow control and revegetation activities implemented in accordance with approved vegetation management plan
- Project on-ground works to achieve the following
- 500 metres of river/creek native riparian vegetation protected and enhanced along Jerrabomberra Creek.
- 1200 metres of native riparian vegetation established on Queanbeyan River.
The plan will also detail on-going maintenance activities proposed to be undertaken on these sites.
This project aims to preserve remaining biodiversity assets and increase vegetation cover and condition within targeted areas of the Queanbeyan urban landscape. In addition the project improves the condition of the targeted tributaries of the Murrumbidgee River. These objectives will be achieved through the implementation of actions identified within the Plans of Management:
- develop vegetation plans of management for targeted riparian areas within the catchments
- through the implementation of the vegetation plans of management improve the condition of the Queanbeyan River and Jerrabomberra Creek
- protect and actively manage high value native vegetation communities
- promote current recommended practise to enhance biodiversity within urban landscapes.
The Outcomes of this component are to:
- protect and enhance priority terrestrial vegetation sites
- protect riparian areas from degrading influences
- improve aquatic ecosystem function and improve in-stream habitat
- improve water quality by reducing in-stream sediment
- improve biodiversity values within terrestrial and riparian landscapes.
References
DECC - Department of Environment and Climate Change
Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2008a) NSW Scientific Committee—Final Determination, Alteration to the Natural Flow Regimes of Rivers, Streams, Floodplains and Wetlands—Key Threatening Process Declaration, NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 14 October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=20002
Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2008b) NSW Scientific Committee—Final Determination, Clearing of Native Vegetation—Key Threatening Process Declaration, NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 14 October 2008-10-14 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/ClearingNativeVegKTPListing.htm
Department of Primary Industries (NSW) (2008a) Removal of large woody debris from NSW rivers and streams, NSW Department of Primary Industries, viewed 10 October 2008 http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/habitat/publications/threats/removal-large-woody-debris
Department of Primary Industries (NSW) (2008b) Degradation of native riparian vegetation along NSW water courses, NSW Department of Primary Industries, viewed 10 October 2008
Department of Primary Industries (NSW) (2005a) Fisheries Scientific Committee Recommendation—Installation and Operation of Instream Structures and Other Mechanisms that Alter Natural Flow Regimes of Rivers and Streams, NSW Department of Primary Industries, viewed 11 August 2005, http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/5284/FR21_dams.pdf.
DPI - Department of Primary Industries
Office of the Commissioner for the Environment (2004) Australian Capital Region State of the Environment Report 2004, Office of the Commissioner for the Environment, Canberra (see Riparian Condition)
Queanbeyan City Council Council (2008) Queanbeyan River Corridor Plan of Management, Queanbeyan City Council Council, viewed October 14 2008 http://www.qcc.nsw.gov.au/page.aspx?page=3085
