1.3.2 Ecological assets

Summary

The water-dependent asset register for the preliminary assessment extent (PAE) of the Maranoa-Balonne-Condamine subregion contains 2200 individual ecological assets. These assets were selected from a total of 2412 ecological assets listed in the assets database. The register consists of 489 assets within the ‘Vegetation’ subgroup, 23 within the ‘Groundwater feature (subsurface)’ subgroup and 1688 within the ‘Surface water feature’ subgroup. All surface water features located within the PAE (1688) are included in the register including several spring complexes, wetlands and lagoons. A total of 23 alluvial aquifers, geological formations, recharge areas and groundwater management areas are included in the water‑dependent asset register. The asset register includes the potential spatial habitat distribution of eight threatened ecological communities and 45 species listed under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and 23 species listed under Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Nature Conservation Act). Six wetlands listed in A directory of important wetlands in Australia (Environment Australia, 2001; Australian Government of the Environment, Dataset 2), including the Balonne River Floodplain, are also included in the register. Among the 73 water-dependent assets derived from protected and riparian areas, 17 are national parks and three are Important Bird Areas (IBAs) (Birdlife Australia, 2014; Birds Australia, Dataset 3). The register contains 313 assets classed as ‘Groundwater-dependent ecosystems’ of which 46 rely on the subsurface expression of groundwater and 267 rely on the surface expression of groundwater (Bureau of Meteorology, 2012; DSITIA, 2012; Bureau of Meteorology, Dataset 4).

Last updated:
9 October 2018