Wetlands Baseline Survey e-Tool

A Major Physical and Biological Survey of the Wetlands of the River Murray.

A Major Physical and Biological Survey of the Wetlands of the River Murray.
A partnership between the River Murray Catchment Water Management Board, Department for Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation and the riverine Local Action Planning Committees.

In a bid to learn more about the River Murray and its wetlands, a major biological and physical survey is being conducted in 38 wetlands along the river in South Australia, from the Victorian/New South Wales Border to the Murray mouth. The survey began in November 2003 and is due for completion in late 2004.

The information collected at each of the 38 wetlands includes data on physical site characteristics, water quality, groundwater, vegetation, fish, birds, frogs and macroinvertebrates. The data will be used to identify conservation values and management objectives for each wetland and to set a benchmark against which all future change will be measured.

On-going monitoring by wetland managers will identify the impacts and beneficial outcomes of the management of the wetlands. This feedback will be used to adapt management plans to keep pace with environmental change and help ensure long-term sustainable use of River Murray water resources.

Community involvement is crucial to the success of this project and there are a number of opportunities for community participation, which include:

Workshops and various information sessions
"Field Days" demonstrating the techniques used to collect the survey data
Briefing sessions detailing the findings of the survey and
On-going community wetland monitoring

The Hon John Hill, South Australian Minister for Environment and Conservation and Minister for the River Murray, officially launched the project at Swanport wetland, Murray Bridge in late January.