There is a general consensus that improving environmental flows will also improve aquatic biodiversity and wetland health. But just how easy is the implementation of these flows and are they really effective? Do the people whose lives are directly affected by them, really want them?

For the past four years the NSW Murray Wetlands Working Group (MWWG) has had direct experience in implementing environmental flows into degraded wetland areas. In an unique project, irrigation infrastructure is used to deliver water to wetland areas on private properties in a large irrigation area of NSW. During its first year the project faced numerous scientific uncertainties compounded by public scepticism and a reluctance by some to engage with an environmental group. Through direct landholder participation, attitudes have changed resulting in an unbounded enthusiasm to be involved. Monitoring of birds and vegetation has demonstrated that biodiversity improvements can be achieved through the application of environmental flows. Methods, including photopoints, vegetation cover/abundance and 20 minute bird surveys are used to monitor changes in vegetation and bird communities throughout the wetting and drying phases.

To date, monitoring results have detected a substantial increase in the diversity and health of wetland vegetation and in the number and diversity of wetland birds as a result of the watering, with no significant surface water quality concerns. The project will assist the MWWG in developing a register of wetlands that cover a variety of hydrology and vegetation types (ie, redgum, black box, canegrass, spike rush etc.) that can be watered on a rotational basis with the frequency dependant on vegetation type.