WetlandUpdate September 2020

Southern Gulf Catchment Aquatic Conservation Assessment

The Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Methodology (AquaBAMM) was developed in 2006 to provide a robust and repeatable method for assessing the biodiversity values of Queensland's wetlands[1].

The Southern Gulf Aquatic Conservation Assessment summarises the methods and results for the Aquatic Conservation Assessments completed for the Settlement Creek, Nicholson River, Leichhardt River, Morning Inlet and Mornington Island (Wellesley Islands group) hydrological basins. Freshwater riverine and non-riverine systems have been assessed.

This report completes the ACA series for Queensland.

Catchment Stories: Endeavour catchment, Jeannie catchment, and Lake Eyre Basin including the Georgina, Diamantina and Cooper Creek catchments

To effectively manage a catchment it is important to have a collective understanding of how it works. Catchment stories use map journals, integrated spatial information, photographs, animations and an informative narrative to demonstrate the features of catchments.

These stories describe the location, extent and values of the Endeavour catchment, Jeannie catchment, and Lake Eyre Basin including the Georgina, Diamantina and Cooper Creek catchments. The stories demonstrate the key features which influence water flow, including geology, topography, rainfall and run-off, natural features, human modifications and land uses. The stories also contain key information on the values of the catchment.

The information was compiled using the walking the landscape process, where experts systematically work through a catchment in a facilitated workshop, incorporating diverse knowledge of the landscape, to develop catchment stories.

The links below takes you to the transcript page, click the link at the top of the transcript page to go to the Map Journal.

Intertidal and Subtidal Products

The Queensland Intertidal and Subtidal Ecosystem Classification scheme (the scheme) provides the understanding and classification of the biological, physical and chemical factors determining the nature and extent of ecosystems that underpin the mapping and ecosystem type descriptions.

Four modules are available covering different aspects of the scheme. Module 4: A method for providing baseline mapping of intertidal and subtidal ecosystems in Queensland, applies the framework of Module 1 to mapping.

Wetlands of Queensland Factsheet

The Wetlands of Queensland book and online information factsheet highlighting the beauty and accessibility of Queensland's Wetlands is now available.

Updates

WetlandMaps and WetlandSummary 

New layers on WetlandMaps: Updated catchment stories and Aquatic Conservation Assessment areas, Roads and tracks, Railway lines, Suburb/Population Centre names, Cadastre and Bores x 2 (Groundwater Database layer and mining bores layer).

Updated layers on WetlandMaps and WetlandSummary: Updated catchment stories and Aquatic Conservation Assessment areas.

The Assessment Toolbox 

• Investment Framework for Environmental Resources (INFFER)
• Marxan
• New Zealand Monitoring and Assessment Kit (WETMAK)
• Vulnerability - Pressure - State - Impact - Risk and Response (VPSIRR) Assessment Tool
• A landscape hazard assessment for wetlands in the Great Barrier Reef catchment
• Q Catchments

Legislation toolbox

The programs, policies and legislation pages have been updated to reflect changes to Queensland’s planning programs, policy and legislation relating to wetlands, aquatic ecosystems and species.

Wetland projects search tool

Additional projects have been added to the wetland projects search tool including a number from Community Sustainability Action grants

Additional links

• Green Infrastructure Practices and Benefits Matrix can be found on the Wetlands and disaster management page.
• Resilient Rivers Hub can be found on the Wetland management tools and guides page.
• Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan can be found on the Legislation pages.
• Bureau of Meteorology – Indigenous Weather Knowledge on the Climatic processes and Traditional Owner values pages.
• Data collection protocol for mapping and monitoring mangrove communities in Queensland on the Inventory and Mangrove pages.
• Blue carbon links:
  • Blue Carbon in the Great Barrier Reef Catchments on the Wetlands and the carbon cycle and Changes in climate pages
  • Blue Carbon Initiative on the Wetlands and the carbon cycle and Changes in climate pages
  • Towards an Emissions Reduction Fund Method for Blue Carbon on the Wetlands and the carbon cycle and Changes in climate pages
  • Technical review of opportunities for including blue carbon in the Australian Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund on the Wetlands and the carbon cycle and Changes in climate pages
  • Australian Government initiatives for blue carbon on the Wetlands and the carbon cycle and Changes in climate pages

WetlandUpdate

The WetlandUpdate is a regular bulletin sent to subscribers to provide you with the latest WetlandInfo resources and tools, as well as case studies, video information and new project fact sheets.

View previous WetlandUpdates

WetlandInfo feedback and improvements

Contact us via email for feedback, information or questions about wetlands.

WetlandInfo feature species - Blue Spiny Crayfish

Blue Spiny Crayfish (Euastacus sulcatus).

Photo by Harry Hines.

Our September feature species is the Blue Spiny Crayfish. The colour of the Blue Spiny Crayfish varies depending on its location e.g. Lamington and Springbrook crayfish are vibrant blue or blue-green contrasting with white; northern NSW animals are red and white; western populations are green-brown with less contrast.

They are restricted to freshwater streams bordered by rainforest and sometimes wet eucalypt forest at more than 300 m altitude. They forage on detritus and water weeds and are often found walking on rainforest tracks after rain. When encountered, they can be very aggressive, waving their claws and hissing audibly, however they are not dangerous, unless you put your fingers in the way.

Additional information

• Species profile
• Atlas of Living Australia.

 

This section is updated regularly, so stay tuned for more!

References

1. ^ Clayton, PD, Fielder, DP, Howell, S & Hill, CJ (2006), Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Method (AquaBAMM): a conservation values assessment tool for wetlands with trial application in the Burnett River catchment, Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane.

Last updated: 23 September 2020