Northern and Yorke
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Environmental and Cultural Flows

Environmental and Cultural Flows

The Environmental and Cultural Flows project aims to restore flows in three priority catchment areas in the Northern and Yorke region - Baroota, Beetaloo (Crystal Brook) and Barossa. Increasing pressure from resource use and climate change is impacting the health of the environment within these areas.

This project provides an opportunity to restore environmental and cultural flows to these systems to bring back ecosystem health in collaboration with First Nations, landholders and government agencies.

It builds on previous work to deliver environmental water releases from Beetaloo Reservoir in 2021 and 2022, and Baroota Reservoir in 2022. In the Barossa, the project aims to address key issues and recommendations identified during consultation on water management as part of the Water Security Strategy and the amendment of the Barossa Water Allocation Plan.

Project update

View a snapshot of the latest project activities:

Aug 2024: Water releases planned from Baroota and Beetaloo reservoirs

Apr 2024: Drone imagery and groundwater surveys paint picture of waterways

Mar 2024: Fish surveys reveal alien species dominate Barossa waterways

Nov 2023: Annual health check of river red gums

Oct 2023: Citizen scientists look for water bugs in Barossa BioBlitz

Sep 2023: Ongoing testing of permanent pools in the Barossa

Aug 2023: Collaboration at heart of Environmental and Cultural Flows project

Jul 2023: Fish, frogs and all things water up for discussion with landholders

What is an environmental flow?

Environmental flows involve the use of water resources to support the health and condition of water-dependent ecosystems, including the plants and animals, and the people that rely on them.

What is a cultural flow?

Cultural flows, or cultural water, are the water resources and water condition determined by First Nations that is required to sustain and benefit their spiritual, cultural, environmental and economic needs.

Environmental and Cultural Flows

The project aims to:

  • Restore flows to the three catchment areas through scheduled water releases
  • Increase knowledge of the flow regime requirements of water-dependent ecosystems
  • Increase knowledge of surface water and ground-water interactions
  • Support First Nations access to important cultural sites and involvement in monitoring
  • Support community involvement and increase knowledge in the importance of restoring flow regimes

Key project outcomes:

  1. Progress the development of an Environmental Watering Plan (EWP) for the Barossa to address climate and human-induced pressure on water resources, as recommended by the Barossa Water Security Strategy 2022
  2. Identify the current riparian health of each catchment through monitoring activities
  3. Identify the flow regime characteristics (e.g. volume, season) needed to meet environmental requirements and cultural obligations in all three focus areas
  4. Develop and implement managed reservoir water release programs to deliver environmental and cultural outcomes
  5. Deliver increased flows and improved flow regimes to support environmental and cultural outcomes
  6. Facilitate the involvement of First Nations communities in the delivery of project activities, providing opportunities for training and employment in monitoring activities. Also, in collaboration with landholders, enable visits to cultural sites and restoration and areas of cultural value and significance.

Lead agency

Northern and Yorke Landscape Board

Funding partners

This project is funded through the Landscape Priorities Fund. It is funded from landscape levies collected by Green Adelaide in the Adelaide metropolitan area that are redistributed to South Australia’s regional landscape boards.

Project partners

  • First Nations - Nukunu, Ngadjuri, Peramangk and Kaurna
  • Flinders University
  • Department of Environment and Water
  • SA Water
  • Riverwater Life Pty Ltd
  • Barossa Australia
  • Barossa Improved Grazing Group
  • Regional Development Australia – Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains
  • Barossa Council
  • Light Regional Council
  • District Council of Mt Remarkable
  • Port Pirie Regional Council

Related links