2010
More than 400 waterbirds are breeding at wetlands in Yanga National Park, southern NSW, after receiving 10.9 billion litres of water from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and the NSW Government.
Video transcript
V/O: Yanga National Park in the Murrumbidgee catchment is an important ecological site but like much of the southern Murray-Darling Basin has been affected by years of low river flow and infrequent flooding, putting stress on wetlands, rivers and floodplains.
Two sites in the park, Mercedes Swamp and the Two Bridges Wetland complex, received environmental water in late 2009 to provide drought refuges, sustain waterbird breeding, support the Great Egret rookery and flood River Red Gum forests.
The sites were allocated a combined total of 10.9 billion litres of water by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and the New South Wales Government.
By January, some four hundred waterbirds were breeding, including Great Egrets, cormorants, spoonbills, ibis and herons. Tadpoles of the nationally vulnerable Southern Bell frogs were also observed.
The last of the allocated water is being delivered to maintain water levels to sustain the egret breeding event to completion.
The Australian Government, working in cooperation with the Basin states, carries out such waterings to protect or restore the ecological health of the Murray-Darling Basin.
LOGOS: Australian Government Water for the Future and NSW Government/Dept of Environment, Climate Change and Water
CREDITS: Vince Bucello Midstate Video Productions