Our plan for Freshwater Ecosystems
Like land-based ecosystems, surface freshwater systems in our region are extremely diverse, complex and intricately connected with all the other assets and ourselves. Their health impacts ours as well as land-based native plants, animals and ecosystems, those in groundwater aquifers and in downstream coastal and marine areas. Because so much of our region has been modified through agriculture, mining and urban development, and demands on freshwater resources have increased to support our growing population, waterway function and health across our region has changed, and not for the better. Changing weather patterns are also impacting how our waterways function and how well they supply and support the systems around them. While we have a fairly good understanding of their location, extent and water quality, there is a pressing need to identify how we can better protect and preserve all their services and values to safeguard threatened species, broader ecosystem services, and ensure sufficient water of suitable quality for ourselves.
Key attribute – Landscape waterway patterns
Key attribute – Waterway ecosystems
Goal 1– Freshwater flows and connectivity across the landscape sustains human use and natural values
- Target 1: Environmental flows required to support critical ecosystem functions (e.g. connectivity, spawning, refugia etc.) are maintained
- Target 2: Freshwater hydrological regimes and spatial extent are maintained or improved
Strategies:
| 4. Improve our understanding of linkages between freshwater and coastal/marine and ground water systems. |
| 6. Promote and support management practices that protect/maintain /restore critical refugia, riparian ecosystems and wetlands. |
| 7. Promote and support integrated water resource planning (ground and surface water) |
| 8. Reduce the impact of barriers to aquatic connectivity within and between freshwater and coastal waterways. |
| 10. Promote and support management practices that reduce demands on water resources manage salinity risk and avoid contamination of water sources. |
| 15. Understand and prepare for changes in sea level and tidal/storm surges |
| 13. Understand and prepare for changes in sea temperatures, ocean acidity and coastal currents |
Achieving this target also benefits these assets and drivers:
Strategies:
| 4. Improve our understanding of linkages between freshwater and coastal/marine and ground water systems. |
| 6. Promote and support management practices that protect/maintain /restore critical refugia, riparian ecosystems and wetlands. |
| 7. Promote and support integrated water resource planning (ground and surface water) |
| 8. Reduce the impact of barriers to aquatic connectivity within and between freshwater and coastal waterways. |
| 10. Promote and support management practices that reduce demands on water resources manage salinity risk and avoid contamination of water sources. |
| 15. Understand and prepare for changes in sea level and tidal/storm surges |
| 13. Understand and prepare for changes in sea temperatures, ocean acidity and coastal currents |
Achieving this target also benefits these assets and drivers:
Goal 2 – Extent and function of freshwater ecosystems are maintained or improved
- Target 1: Extent of waterway vegetation is maintained
- Target 2: No additional freshwater aquatic species that rely on our region's freshwater ecosystems added to the EPBC or NCA lists
- Target 3: Trajectory of known listed threatened species that rely on freshwater ecosystems is stable or improved
- Target 4: Extent and function of critical refugia located in freshwater ecosystems is maintained and/or improved
- Target 5: The overall aquatic ecosystem health score for all sub catchments is assessed as good or very good (reported annually)
Strategies:
| 4. Improve our understanding of linkages between freshwater and coastal/marine and ground water systems. |
| 33. Increase green spaces in populated areas |
| 6. Promote and support management practices that protect/maintain /restore critical refugia, riparian ecosystems and wetlands. |
| 7. Promote and support integrated water resource planning (ground and surface water) |
| 8. Reduce the impact of barriers to aquatic connectivity within and between freshwater and coastal waterways. |
| 31. Promote and support management practices that minimise the impacts of weed and pest species. |
| 10. Promote and support management practices that reduce demands on water resources manage salinity risk and avoid contamination of water sources. |
| 15. Understand and prepare for changes in sea level and tidal/storm surges |
| 13. Understand and prepare for changes in sea temperatures, ocean acidity and coastal currents |
Achieving this target also benefits these assets and drivers:
Strategies:
| 5. Identify and protect priority species/ecosystems and critical refugia to maintain viable populations and key ecosystem services |
| 6. Promote and support management practices that protect/maintain /restore critical refugia, riparian ecosystems and wetlands. |
| 8. Reduce the impact of barriers to aquatic connectivity within and between freshwater and coastal waterways. |
| 10. Promote and support management practices that reduce demands on water resources manage salinity risk and avoid contamination of water sources. |
| 31. Promote and support management practices that minimise the impacts of weed and pest species. |
| 33. Increase green spaces in populated areas |
| 15. Understand and prepare for changes in sea level and tidal/storm surges |
| 13. Understand and prepare for changes in sea temperatures, ocean acidity and coastal currents |
Achieving this target also benefits these assets and drivers:
Strategies:
| 5. Identify and protect priority species/ecosystems and critical refugia to maintain viable populations and key ecosystem services |
| 6. Promote and support management practices that protect/maintain /restore critical refugia, riparian ecosystems and wetlands. |
| 8. Reduce the impact of barriers to aquatic connectivity within and between freshwater and coastal waterways. |
| 10. Promote and support management practices that reduce demands on water resources manage salinity risk and avoid contamination of water sources. |
| 31. Promote and support management practices that minimise the impacts of weed and pest species. |
| 33. Increase green spaces in populated areas. |
| 15. Understand and prepare for changes in sea level and tidal/storm surges |
| 13. Understand and prepare for changes in sea temperatures, ocean acidity and coastal currents |
Achieving this target also benefits these assets and drivers:
Strategies:
| 4. Improve our understanding of linkages between freshwater and coastal/marine and ground water systems. |
| 5. Identify and protect priority species/ecosystems and critical refugia to maintain viable populations and key ecosystem services |
| 6. Promote and support management practices that protect/maintain /restore critical refugia, riparian ecosystems and wetlands. |
| 7. Promote and support integrated water resource planning (ground and surface water) |
| 8. Reduce the impact of barriers to aquatic connectivity within and between freshwater and coastal waterways. |
| 10. Promote and support management practices that reduce demands on water resources manage salinity risk and avoid contamination of water sources. |
| 31. Promote and support management practices that minimise the impacts of weed and pest species. |
| 15. Understand and prepare for changes in sea level and tidal/storm surges |
| 13. Understand and prepare for changes in sea temperatures, ocean acidity and coastal currents |
Achieving this target also benefits these assets and drivers:
Strategies:
| 4. Improve our understanding of linkages between freshwater and coastal/marine and ground water systems. |
| 6. Promote and support management practices that protect/maintain /restore critical refugia, riparian ecosystems and wetlands. |
| 7. Promote and support integrated water resource planning (ground and surface water) |
| 8. Reduce the impact of barriers to aquatic connectivity within and between freshwater and coastal waterways. |
| 10. Promote and support management practices that reduce demands on water resources manage salinity risk and avoid contamination of water sources. |
| 31. Promote and support management practices that minimise the impacts of weed and pest species. |
| 15. Understand and prepare for changes in sea level and tidal/storm surges |
| 13. Understand and prepare for changes in sea temperatures, ocean acidity and coastal currents |
Achieving this target also benefits these assets and drivers:
On-ground Action
Gladstone Region Economic Transition Roadmap 2022-2032
Plastic Free CQ
Protecting Biodiversity since ’73!: Capricorn Conservation Council
Bringing Nature back to Frenchmans Creek, Rockhampton: CQUniversity
