The Ramsar Convention's resources on Wetland Restoration

The STRP Expert Working Group on Wetland Restoration

Restoration Approach: Reintroduction of the drying cycle in drowned temporary wetlands

Wetland Type: Former temporary wetlands drowned by higher water levels due to regulation

Background: Regulation of river systems with variable flows has produced stable higher water levels to ensure water supply for domestic, irrigation and industrial use. The changed water regime has lost variability and natural flood pulses which act as cues for breeding and regeneration of aquatic and riparian species. By installing a flow control structure on a drowned wetland, water can be excluded to allow evaporative drying to the point where the bed of the wetland dries out and cracks. When the wetland is re-filled, natural regeneration processes are triggered by the simulated flood pulse.

43% of floodplain wetlands along 800 km of the Lower River Murray Valley in Australia are affected by this problem. Demonstration projects indicate a powerful positive response from the first drying cycle, which continues to expand with a second cycle. Wetting and drying cycles are managed to coincide with natural flow patterns in the river system.

Advantages: Uses natural processes to restore wetland biodiversity; quick local response in wetland health is visible to community and funding bodies.

Disadvantages: Limited to wetlands able to be controlled by small structures; need ongoing management and monitoring for most effective results.

Further information: Wetland Care Australia Web site http://www.wetlandcare.com.au  for case studies and wetland rehabilitation techniques

Rehabilitation References

de Jong, M (1997). Register of Wetland Restoration Projects in Australia and New Zealand. For the Specialist Group on Wetland Restoration. South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Wetlands International. The Department: Adelaide.

Jensen, A (1999). ‘Wetland Rehabilitation in Australasia.’ In Streever, W (Ed) An International Perspective on Wetland Rehabilitation, 19-28. Kluwer Academic Publishers: The Netherlands.

Jensen, A, Lloyd, L & Bennett, M (1994). ‘Rehabilitation Techniques for Wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin.’ In Sharley, T & Huggan, C (Eds) (1994). Murray-Darling Basin Floodplain Wetlands Management. Proceedings of the Floodplain Wetlands Management Workshop, Albury NSW 20-22 October 1992. Murray-Darling Basin Commission: Canberra.

Jensen, A, Paton, P, Mowbray, T, Simpson, D, Kinnear, S & Nichols, S (1996). Wetlands Atlas of the South Australian Murray Valley. A summary of current knowledge of Murray Valley wetlands as a basis for integrated catchment management. SA River Murray Wetlands Management Committee. Department of Environment and Natural Resources: Adelaide.

Seaman, R (1998). Register of Wetland Restoration Projects in Australia and New Zealand. Second edition. For the Specialist Group on Wetland Restoration. South Australian Department of Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs and Wetlands International. The Department: Adelaide.

Streever, W J (1997). 'Trends in Australian Wetland Rehabilitation'. In Streever, W J (Ed) Wetland Rehabilitation in Australia. Wetlands Ecology and Management 5:5-18.

Streever, W J (1998). ‘Australian Wetland Rehabilitation.’ In Jensen A (Ed) Keeping Wetlands Alive. Proceedings of Wetland Care Australia seminar, Renmark 25 July 1997. Wetland Care Australia: Barmera, South Australia.

-- Contributed by Stephen Hunter and Anne Jensen

Return to STRP Wetland Restoration index page

For further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ). Posted 8 January 2001, updated 15 February 2002, Bill Streever and Dwight Peck.