DARLING RIVERINE PLAINS BIOREGION Background Report

16/08/02 Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion Background Report
8.3.6 Salinity Management Plans
The New South Wales Salinity Strategy (DLWC 2000) has established a series of targets
aimed at reducing the effects of salinity in the state. A river-based end-of-valley salinity
target program has been established to monitor overall salinity conditions. Six of these are
located within the DRP. They are on the:
Namoi River at Goangra;
Macintyre River at Mungindi;
Gwydir River near Collarenebri;
Macquarie River at Carinda;
Bogan River at Gongolgon; and
Barwon-Darling River at Menindee.
These end-of-valley salinity targets will measure the cumulative impact of past actions and
the effects of future actions across each valley. Some of the management targets will include:
no net loss of vegetation;
revegetation of 20% of salt affected land;
revegetation of 30% of recharge areas;
introduction of deep rooted perennial pastures on 20% of pastures;
development of and adherence to mid-catchment salinity targets to protect wetlands;
changes in a variety of farming practices; and
engineering solutions.
A variety of pilot projects and government initiatives have been proposed and recommended
as a part of the New South Wales salinity strategy.
8.4 AREAS OF BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
8.4.1 Key areas
Twenty key conservation areas and two corridors within the DRP were identified by Morgan
and Terry (1992). Five of these are mainly located in adjoining bioregions but extend into the
DRP. These areas cover 5 040 km 2 and are:
Key area 1: Cowal State Forest (~ 500 ha) - the largest forested area remaining in the
southern part of the Bogan-Macquarie province;
Key area 2: A western extension of the northern section of the Macquarie Marshes Nature
Reserve, containing Flindersia maculosa and Acacia pendula woodlands, in the Bogan-
Macquarie province (350 km 2 );
Key area 3: Overlapping the boundary of the Bogan-Macquarie and Castlereagh-Barwon
provinces, incorporating wetlands on a tributary of the Castlereagh and Eucalyptus populnea
subsp. bimbil ridge country (270 km 2 );
Corridor: A major corridor along the Macquarie River downstream of Warren, connecting
the Macquarie Marshes with Narran Lakes including the most reliable riverine environment
in the sub-region;
Key area 4: On the lower floodplain and channels of the Barwon River below Collarenebri,
and including some higher areas of grey clays, in the Castlereagh-Barwon province (440
km 2 );
145