When the priorities were announced in July they anticipated dry to moderate conditions across the system.
MDBA Executive Director Environmental Management, Carl Binning, said several central and southern catchments in the basin are now experiencing wet conditions and these conditions may persist over coming months.
"This spring has been one of the wettest in 20 years, so the MDBA has developed five additional priorities to capitalise on the wetter catchments and greater water availability," Mr Binning said.
"The MDBA has been working closely with affected landholders during this wet time to manage peak flows and to also communicate how water storages are managed."
"The annual priorities are flexible. We use our science and modelling to present the best use of environmental water, helping to guide water managers on where to focus watering activities from a whole-of-basin perspective.
"We still want to ensure rivers and wetlands maintain their functions and resilience to support native plants, waterbirds and fish, but there are also now opportunities to go beyond this focus and help basin ecosystems to bounce back.
"The additional flows have been really important for native fish breeding, regeneration of native vegetation of floodplains and we are also seeing early signs of waterbird breeding."
The five additional priorities include:
- Maintaining inundation of floodplain areas to refresh groundwater, reduce soil salinity, support mature trees, and promote long-term vegetation.
- Capitalise on waterbird breeding opportunities at sites in the Lachlan, Macquarie and Murray catchments in the coming months through maintaining inundation.
- Helping the long-term recovery of threatened fish, including the silver perch, through expanding range and increasing populations in Victorian tributaries.
- Protecting aquatic habitat in the Coorong and support native fish movement by optimising flows.
- Preventing further deterioration of Moira grass in the Barmah-Millewa Forest.
Environmental water holders and managers use these priorities when planning watering activities in consultation with local water managers, river operators, and scientists engaged in monitoring as well as members of local environmental water advisory groups and committees.
"The Basin Plan is about striking a balance between the environment and communities. We also aim to ensure damage does not occur to third parties when maintaining inundation of floodplains," Mr Binning said.
Updates to the priorities are posted online at www.mdba.gov.au.
ENDS
For more information, contact the MDBA Media office at media@mdba.gov.au or 02 6279 0141
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