The Ramsar Convention's resources on Wetland Restoration

The STRP Expert Working Group on Wetland Restoration

Restoration Approach: Increase of flood frequency in droughted floodplain wetlands

Wetland Type: Temporary floodplain wetlands droughted by reduced flood volumes and frequency due to river regulation and upstream storages.

Background: Upstream storages and regulation of river systems with variable flows have ensured water supply for domestic, irrigation, and industrial use. The changed water regime has greatly reduced flood frequency, volume, and duration, causing a major reduction in natural flood pulses which act as cues for breeding and regeneration of aquatic and riparian species. By lowering the threshold-to-flow for floodplain creeks, smaller floods can be directed onto the floodplain to fill temporary wetlands and have the same effect as a larger flood under natural conditions. When water flows onto the floodplain, natural regeneration processes are triggered by the simulated flood pulse.

Median flows to the Lower River Murray Valley in Australia have been reduced by 80% and over 100,000 ha of floodplain and associated wetlands are affected by this problem. Rehabilitation projects are identifying opportunities to lower flow inlet levels to allow flows to reach the floodplain more effectively when natural flow peaks occur in the river system.

Advantages: Uses natural processes to restore wetland biodiversity; simple action possible at many locations; quick local response in wetland health is visible to community and funding bodies.

Disadvantages: Need ongoing monitoring for most effective results.

Further information: Wetland Care Australia web site 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

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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.