Molonglo River Rescue

Draft Action Plan (download...)

Executive Summary

The Molonglo River is an iconic river, flowing through New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and forming the centrepiece of Canberra in Lake Burley Griffin. The Molonglo River lies within the Upper Murrumbidgee River Catchment, and is a major contributor to the water quality and biodiversity of the Murrumbidgee River.

The Molonglo River has been highly modified. Water quality is often poor, exhibiting high nutrient and sediment loads, as well as heavy metal pollution from previous mining activities. The riparian zone, like much of the catchment, has been extensively modified, and in many places it is subject to considerable infestations from Willows and other woody weeds. Despite this, the river is home to a number of endangered ecological communities as well as numerous threatened species including the largest known population of the vulnerable Pink-tailed Worm Lizard (Aprasia parapulchella), the threatened Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii) and Macquarie Perch (Macquaria australasica), and the only known population of the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea) in the Southern Tablelands. Consequently, the Molonglo River has high conservation values and requires immediate and long-term attention to rehabilitate and restore riparian vegetation and water quality, now and into the future.

This Action Plan describes the river profile including:

The historic condition of the Molonglo River;

• Land use and recreation;
• People, including population growth and land use changes, and indigenous heritage;
• Water discharge and flow;
• Geology, soils and geomorphology;
• Climate; and
• Biodiversity including flora, fauna, threatened species, connectivity and areas of high conservation value.

The Plan then describes existing and future threats to the Molonglo River including:

• Declining water quality (from heavy metal leachate, eutrophication, and erosion and sedimentation);
• Habitat destruction and urban expansion;
• Invasive species (plants and animals);
• Water extraction and low flows;
• Salinity;
• Climate change; and
• Key knowledge gaps.

The Action Plan highlights opportunities for the rehabilitation of the Molonglo River through best practice management, community engagement and partnerships between government, business, landholders, interested community organisations and others. The Plan identifies key actions in priority reaches along the Molonglo River:

• Reach One: Headwaters to Hoskinstown Road;
• Reach Two: Hoskinstown Road to Briars Sharrow Road;
• Reach Three: Briars Sharrow Road to Burbong Bridge;
• Reach Four: Burbong Bridge to Molonglo Gorge;
• Reach Six: Molonglo Gorge to Lake Burley Griffin; and
• Reach Eight: Scrivener Dam to the Lower Molonglo River Corridor Nature Reserve.

Riparian restoration activities proposed include weed removal, fencing and exclusion of stock, off-stream watering points and revegetation. The Plan also highlights other opportunities such as recreational improvements, improvement of habitat for flora and fauna, storm-water management, education, and engagement with the wider community.

Finally, the Plan describes a proposed monitoring program to ensure actions implemented are successful and / or adapted as necessary. Monitoring includes community-focussed activities like Waterwatch, Frogwatch and Platypus Count. Measures of restoration activities will also be taken e.g. kilometres of riparian areas protected and / or enhanced etc. Waterwatch and revegetation sites will also include appropriate photo points to track progress. Also proposed is using blue-green algae blooms in Lake Burley Griffin (i.e. a reduction in blooms) as a river health indicator. A social survey including a program to monitor community attitude change to the River and restoration works is also proposed.

Rivers are an integral part of the landscape and their appropriate management is necessary to maintain all the assets that they provide. The Molonglo River is the key water course running through urban Canberra and its restoration must form part of any vision for the city which prides itself on being the “Bush Capital”.

Download

The draft Action Plan can be downloaded in two parts:

Part 1 ( 1.5MB):

1. Introduction
2. The Molonglo River Catchment Profile
3. Major Threats to the Molonglo River
4. The Molonglo River at a Reach Scale including Targeted Actions in Priority Reaches
   1. Goals
   2. Prioritisation of Reaches

Part2 ( 3.86MB):

4. The Molonglo River at a Reach Scale including Targeted Actions in Priority Reaches
   3. onwards. Reach 1 onwards
5. Partnership and Engagement
6. Monitoring and Evaluation
7. Conclusion
8. References
9. Appendices A-C

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Last modified: 25/02/2010