1.1.7.6 Assets


Within the framework for bioregional assessments of coal seam gas and coal mining development, assets are explicitly defined as ‘those characteristics (ecological, economic, or cultural) of the bioregion to which can be ascribed a defined value (whether quantitative, semi quantitative or qualitative) and which can be clearly linked, either directly or indirectly, to a dependency on water quality or quantity and be impacted by coal resource development’ (SEWPaC, 2012). Throughout formulation of the Namoi Catchment Action Plan (Namoi CMA, 2013a), expert workshops were used to define assets within the river basin as part of the process for understanding the resilience of the social, economic and environmental institutions and values within the Namoi. Where available, conceptual models of the processes that regulate the function of these assets were presented. These provide a general overview of the main processes involved in the functioning of the assets but were generally not quantitative or semi quantitative and it was not clear that these were used in any qualitative modelling (Dambacher et al., 2007) to assess future risks or trends. As part of the Bioregional Assessment programme a comprehensive list of water dependent assets will be compiled and stored in an asset register.

In accordance with the philosophy adopted in the Namoi Catchment Action Plan (Namoi CMA, 2013a) and adopting the format of Eco Logical Australia risk assessment for assets of the Namoi CMA (Eco Logical Australia, 2011) assets were divided into themes of Biodiversity, Land and Water. Previous studies have identified many assets within each of these categories. Here we summarise this previous work and in particular Supplementary Document 1, associated with the Namoi Catchment Action Plan (Namoi CMA, 2012). However, this does not represent a comprehensive list of assets that might be considered as part of the bioregional assessments process. This is an overview of assets relevant to each of the asset classes, and a useful classification of assets that may help to reduce the complexity of addressing a vast list of assets and identifying useful receptors. Although it is convenient to divide the assets into themes, for most assets there will be strong relationships and interconnectivity among assets from all themes.

1.1.7.6.1 Land assets

Expert workshops were used as the basis for forming definitions of landscape assets, during formulation of the Namoi Catchment Action Plan. It was decided that land management units (LMUs) were an appropriate scale for the assets under consideration (Namoi CMA, 2012). These landscape assets are summarised in Table 19. More detailed descriptions of land management units are presented in Table 13, and detailed descriptions of each asset given in Namoi CMA (2012).

Table 19 Landscape assets of the Namoi river basin


Asset type

State

Trend

Primary threats

Conceptual model

Liverpool Plains red earths

Good

Stable

Sheet erosion/overgrazing

nil

Duri hills

Good

Stable

Sheet erosion

nil

Recent western floodplains

Good

Improving

Wind erosion

nil

High western floodplains

Good

Improving

Wind erosion, soil carbon decline soil structural decline

nil

Central black earth floodplains

Good

Improving

Soil salinity associated with Agriculture and shallow saline groundwater

nil

Colluvial black earths

Good

Improving

Soil salinity and sheet erosion

nil

Central mixed soil floodplains

Good

Improving

Organic carbon decline and sheet erosion

nil

Flat Pilliga outwash

Fair

Stable

Soil Structural decline

nil

Peel floodplain

Not reported

N/A

N/A

N/A

*Basaltic swamps and hills

Not reported

N/A

N/A

N/A

*Steep basaltic swamps

Not reported

N/A

N/A

N/A

Other soils general

Poor

Decreasing

Wetting and drying cycle changing due to climate change, inappropriate land use, invasive species

nil

The Riparian corridor and Upland Bogs and swamps land management units are listed as Water related assets

* Significant for river basin hydrology-major recharge source

1.1.7.6.2 Water assets

The Namoi CMA ran two expert workshops with groundwater, surface water, riparian vegetation and biodiversity experts to identify assets within the water theme.

Table 20 Water assets of the Namoi river basin


Asset type

State

Trend

Primary threats

Conceptual model

Groundwater availability

Not reported

Declining

Extraction rates recharge rates policy, climate change

Yes

Groundwater recharge

Not reported

Unknown

Land use, climate change changed hydrology

Yes

Optimal level of groundwater quality

Variable

Down

Extraction rates, recharge rates climate change, bed and bank incision, pollution from chemical and salt

Yes

Surface water quantity

Poor

Declining

Extraction, climate change, declining rainfall, afforestation, land use change, urbanisation

Yes

Surface water availability environment

Stable

Increasing (possibly)

Not reported

No

Surface water available to people

Not reported

Declining

Climate change, policy, declines in quality, changed land management, extraction rates

Yes

Floodplain flows

Not reported

Declining

Extraction, afforestation, changes in rainfall pattern, land use change, urbanisation, development of infrastructure, changes to river geomorphology

Yes

In stream flows

Not reported

Declining

Water extraction, afforestation, climate change, changes in rainfall pattern, land use change, urbanisation

Yes

Local flows

Not reported

Declining

Draining, grazing, damming, extraction, drying climate

Yes

Hydrological connectivity

Variable

Declining

Incision of streams, declining rainfall, changed flow regimes, aquifer drawdown, extraction

Yes

River geomorphology

Not reported

Declining

Changed flow regimes, increased runoff and floods, removal of in stream structures, reduced riparian vegetation, gravel and sand extraction

Yes

Aquatic species

Not reported

Declining

Species extinctions, reduced genetic stock

Yes

Riparian buffers

Poor

Stable

Clearing, invasive species, degradation of geomorphology, change in hydrological regime, climate change

Yes

Riparian vegetation

Not reported

Declining

Water regulation, vegetation age, poor quality of vegetation lack of recruitment, loss of geomorphological integrity

Yes

Optimal level of surface water quality

Not reported

Declining

Land use change, agricultural practises leading to diffuse pollution, point source pollution, in stream erosion, salinity)

Yes

Source data: Namoi CMA (2012)

1.1.7.6.3 Biodiversity assets

Biodiversity in the Namoi Catchment Action Plan is defined as ‘the variety of life forms, the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystems they form’. Again, expert workshops were conducted to identify assets within the biodiversity theme’s known thresholds and to develop conceptual models that provide an understanding of key ecosystem resilience parameters. The workshops identified assets and considered appropriate conceptual models for each.

Table 21 Biodiversity assets of the Namoi river basin


Asset type

State

Trend

Primary threats

Conceptual model

Local scale connectivity

Not reported

Declining

Tree decline, clearing

Yes

Regional landscape connectivity

Not reported

Declining

Tree decline

Yes

Total native woody cover

Not Reported

Declining

Utility clearing, mining and development, agricultural practices, disturbance events, approved clearing, natural attrition, illegal clearing climate change

Yes

Species populations

High Risk

Declining or stable

Habitat disturbance, habitat loss, feral animals, invasive weeds, climate change

Yes

Large area of conserved habitat

Not reported

Stable

Not reported

nil

Intact native vegetation communities

Very Poor

Declining-stable

Habitat disturbance, invasive species, fragmentation

Yes

Waterways connected

Not reported

Declining-stable

Climate change, water regulation, grazing, vegetation removal, weeds, introduced fish species, intensification of agriculture and urban development

Yes

Waterways unconnected

Poor

Declining

Climate change, draining, grazing, vegetation removal weeds, intensification of agriculture and urban development

Yes

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems

Poor

Unknown or declining

Climate change, groundwater extraction declining groundwater quality, grazing, vegetation clearing, weeds, intensification of agriculture and urban developments

Yes

Source data: Namoi CMA (2012)

Last updated:
5 January 2018