Two sites to receive environmental water at Yanga National Park
Water for the Future – Fact sheet
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
October 2009
PDF file
Two sites in the Murrumbidgee Catchment in New South Wales will receive environmental water in October 2009. This water has been obtained through the Australian Government's program Restoring the Balance in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Mercedes Swamp, 15 hours of flow (30 ML)
Photo: J. Maguire
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has allocated 1,904 megalitres (ML) of environmental water for use at Mercedes Swamp and Twin Bridges Wetlands in Yanga National Park on the Lowbidgee Floodplain in southern NSW. This water is a significant co-contribution to a watering action announced by the NSW Government.
The sites to receive environmental water were selected by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) based on input from NSW and advice from the Environmental Water Scientific Advisory Committee.
State delivery partners will manage the watering at each site and undertake monitoring of the ecological responses. Providing environmental water to protect or restore the environmental assets of the Murray-Darling Basin is an important part of Water for the Future, the Australian Government's 10-year, $12.9 billion plan to secure the long-term water supply for all Australians, including supporting healthy rivers. Watering at Yanga National Park brings the volume returned to the environment under this plan to almost 13 billion litres.
Mercedes Swamp and Twin Bridges Wetland
Egret feeding in residual pools at Twin Bridges Wetland
Photo: J. Maguire
Yanga National Park has significant ecological values, including having some of the largest populations of vulnerable Southern Bell frogs, and is an important drought refuge for many aquatic and water-dependent species.
Mercedes Swamp and Twin Bridges Wetland are located near Redbank Weir which is upstream of Balranald. Mercedes Swamp supports River Red Gum stands and wetland habitat, and is known to provide breeding opportunities for the Southern Bell Frog, listed as vulnerable under the national Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Twin Bridges Wetland is an important foraging area for colonial nesting waterbirds, with Egrets, Ibis, Spoonbills and Herons frequently observed on the wetland. These wetlands also provide a natural corridor for floodwater to enter the River Red Gum forests located within Yanga National Park.
These sites were watered by NSW during the Southern Bell Frog breeding season for the past two years. The watering resulted in frog and bird breeding, provided habitat for a number of birds, and improved the health of trees and other wetland vegetation.
The Commonwealth is contributing 1,904 ML to Mercedes Swamp and Twin Bridges Wetland. NSW is providing 2,000 ML to the watering action in the Lowbidgee.
More information
For more information about the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and environmental watering call 1800 218 478 or visit: www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/cewh
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