Q&A panel discussion: Fish and birds (TLM20 - Chowilla)
The Living Murray 20th anniversary celebration: Chowilla Floodplain Icon Site, Wednesday 10 April 2024, Renmark
Panel members:
Dr Grace Hodder
Floodplain Ecologist
Department for Environment and Water
Grace has been monitoring the ecological response to environmental watering at Chowilla Floodplain since 2021. Originally a terrestrial ecologist, she is now a full floodplain convert who has a newfound appreciation for mud (and all the cool critters that live in it).
Grace’s true obsession is birds and she has found the diverse communities of terrestrial and wetland birds at Chowilla Floodplain to be fascinating to study).
Dr Chris Bice
Research Scientist and Sub-program Leader, Aquatic and Livestock Sciences
South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)
Chris has 20 years’ experience researching fish ecology in the lower River Murray, with his major focus being the Riverland region and Chowilla Icon Site. Ultimately, Chris’s research seeks to inform river and water manage-ment to promote sustainable and increased fish populations for the benefit of the River Murray ecosystem.
Dr Brenton Zampatti
Principal Research Scientist, Environment
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Brenton works in the CSIRO’s Land and Water Aquatic Ecology Monitoring and Assessment Team, focusing on management of aquatic ecosystems and ecology and population dynamics of freshwater and estuarine fishes.
For 25 years, Brenton has worked extensively throughout south-eastern Australia, applying his knowledge to management of Chowilla Floodplain and to the southern Murray-Darling basin. His current research fo-cuses on the impacts of river regulation on native and invasive fishes.
Tony Herbert
Manager, Environmental Water
Department for Environment and Water
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The 20th anniversary celebration of The Living Murray
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In 2003, The Living Murray (TLM) was created in response to the declining ecological state of the River Murray, with the aim of restoring and sustain-ing the 6 TLM icon sites. The icon sites were selected due to their high ecological and economic value, as well as their cultural and heritage sig-nificance to Traditional Owners. All icon sites are regionally, nationally and internationally significant and are recognised under international agreements such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
The 6 icon sites include:
• Barmah-Millewa Forest (NSW)
• Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forests (Vic)
• Hattah Lakes (Vic)
• Chowilla Floodplains and Lindsay-Wallpolla-Mulcra Islands (SA/Vic)
• Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth (SA)
• River Murray Channel (SA)
TLM was an important precursor to the Basin Plan and has laid a strong foundation for the restoration of the Basin’s wetlands, floodplains and riv-ers. TLM’s robust ecological monitoring program also informs water plan-ning and delivery decisions.
Over the past 20 years, the health of the River Murray icon sites has im-proved through the operation of infrastructure, the recovery and delivery of almost 500 GL of water for the environment, and improved river man-agement.
TLM is a collaboration between the Australian Government, Basin states (South Australian, Victorian and New South Wales governments) and First Nations, coordinated by the Mur-ray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA).
For more information, visit environment.sa.gov.au/TLM