The Ramsar Convention's resources on Wetland Restoration

The STRP Expert Working Group on Wetland Restoration

Restoration Approach: Increase of effective flooding across floodplains

Wetland Type: Temporary floodplain wetlands receiving less effective flooding due to blockages in floodplain flow paths.

Background: Development on floodplains includes many features that create barriers to flow in floodplain flow paths. These include flood levees, road causeways, fences, farm tracks, and earth banks. By modifying or removing these barriers in floodplain creeks, floods can be directed more effectively across the floodplain to fill temporary wetlands and have the maximum effect similar to natural conditions. When water flows across the floodplain, natural regeneration processes are triggered by the simulated flood pulse.

In the Lower River Murray Valley in Australia all of the floodplain has been subject to pastoral, irrigation, and urban use, with associated infrastructure creating barriers to cross-floodplain flows. Over 100 000 ha of floodplain and associated wetlands are affected by this problem. Rehabilitation projects are identifying opportunities to remove or modify barriers 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 coordination of entire flow path among multiple landholders; 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

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.