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43. Currawinya Lakes
Information in the Ecological Character Description (ECD) (BMT WBM, 2008) and the latest version of the RIS for the Currawinya Lakes Ramsar site were
reviewed to identify threats to the ecological character of the site. Terminology from these key Ramsar documents was aligned to be consistent with the
approach of the Ramsar Rolling Review (see Table 1).
The Ramsar Rolling Review uses the IUCN threat classification to standardise terminology across sites. All threat categories identified at the Currawinya
Lakes Ramsar site are listed in Table 2.
The critical components, processes and services (CPS) specified in the ECD are reproduced in Table 3Error! Reference source not found.. Threats which
have the potential to change one or more of the critical CPS within a 10 year timeframe are defined as imminent threats to the ecological character of the site
(labelled IMM in Table 3Error! Reference source not found.). Consultation with site managers was undertaken to ensure the correct identification of current
and imminent threats (see Table 1).
A stressor model is presented to illustrate the major pathways by which imminent threats effect the critical CPS. For clarity, the model does not attempt to
show non-imminent threats, weak linkages or feedbacks.
Threat, stressor, and indicator terminologies have been standardised for comparison across all Australian Ramsar sites under the Rolling Review. For
Queensland Ramsar sites the Queensland Wetlands Program terminology has been cross referenced against the terminology of the Rolling Review for
imminent threats (see Table 4Table). Where an appropriate indicator from the QLD program matches the stressors identified in the Rolling Review they have
been included in the model.
Table 1: Notes regarding alignment of terminology and additional information sourced from site managers to aid in the development of the sites
threat conceptual model.
Notes:
The ECD has focused on critical services and did not seek to identify critical components and process, with the primary approach to describing
services has been to articulate Ramsar criteria as the Services.
Critical components were not specifically identified in the ECD. The approach taken in this work was to review the ECD and make professional
judgments on which Components were critical. Critical Processes were identified in the ECD (Table 4-1 “Summary of critical services/benefits”)
and are reproduced in Table 3.
Seven critical supporting and two cultural services were identified in the ECD:
(S1) Unique diversity of habitats with many different wetland types represented in a ‘natural’ (unmodified) wetland (Supporting service: Near
natural wetland ecosystems).
(S2) Wildlife refuge in drought conditions for amphibians, fishes, reptiles and birds (Supporting service: Special ecological, physical or
geomorphic features).
(S3) Supports waterbird diversity, abundance and habitat value (Supporting service: Priority wetland species and ecosystems).
(S4) Supports Threatened wetland dependent fauna (painted snipe, grey snake and freckled duck) (Supporting service: Threatened wetland
species, habitats and ecosystems).
(S5) Supports a notable diversity of native wetland fauna of bioregion (Supporting service: Biodiversity)
(S6) Supports Threatened Ecological Community (Artesian mound springs) (Supporting service: Threatened wetland species, habitats and
ecosystems).
(S7) Supports Threatened plant species (Sclerolaena walkeri and others) (Supporting service: Threatened wetland species, habitats and
ecosystems).
(C1) Contains indigenous cultural heritage values (Cultural service: Cultural heritage and identity)
(C2) Contains research and education values (Cultural service: Science and education)
The ECD notes that there are several key threatening processes that were acting before the site was listed. These related to:
 long term changes to vegetation type and cover
 reduction in the flow of groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin into the mound springs on the site
 long term sedimentation of Lake Karatta and Lake Wyara.
ECD identifies threats as:
 Change to existing (hydrological) management regime (7. Natural System Modifications - 7.2. Dams & water management/use)
 Lake sedimentation (2. Agriculture & Aquaculture - 2.3. Livestock farming & ranching)
 Climate change (11. Climate Change & Severe Weather - 11.4. Storms & flooding)
 Non-native fish (8. Invasive & Other Problematic Species & Genes - 8.1. Invasive non-native/alien species)
Local expert advice was used to help identify imminent threats.
Stressors were identified on the basis of information in the ECD.
Table 2: Major categories and subcategories of current threats for the Ramsar site
43. Currawinya Lakes
2. Agriculture & Aquaculture
2.3. Livestock farming & ranching
8. Invasive & Other Problematic Species & Genes
8.1. Invasive non-native/alien species
7. Natural System Modifications
7.2. Dams & water management/use
11. Climate Change & Severe Weather
11.4. Storms & flooding
Wetland habitats
IMM
Waterbirds
IMM
Fish
IMM
Threatened species
IMM
Vegetation
IMM
Biological processes
IMM
Geomorphologic processes
Hydrological regime
Nutrient cycling
IMM
IMM
IMM
11.4. Storms & flooding
8.1. Invasive nonnative/alien species
7.2. Dams & water
management/use
processes green, services yellow)
2.3. Livestock farming &
ranching
Table 3: Matrix of all current threats against critical components, processes, and services showing those considered to be an imminent threat to
the ecological character of the Ramsar site.
Components, Processes and
Services (CPS) (components blue,
Water quality
Supporting Service: Near natural
wetland ecosystem
IMM
Supporting Service: Special
ecological, physical or geomorphic
features (drought refuge)
IMM
Supporting Service: Priority wetland
IMM
species and ecosystems
Supporting Service: Threatened
wetland species, habitats and
ecosystems (various species and
artesian mound springs)
IMM
Supporting Service : Biodiversity
IMM
Cultural Service: Science and
education
IMM
Cultural Services: Cultural heritage
and identity
IMM
IMM
IMM
Table 4: Rolling review terminology for imminent threats cross referenced against relevant QLD EPA Wetlands Program indicators (Scheltinga &
Moss In Prep).
Ramsar Rolling Review (RRR)
QLD Wetlands Program equivalent/potentially relevant indicators
IUCN Threat
Category and
Subcategory
Stressor and associated
indicator
Pressure Indicator (PI)
Condition indicator (CI)
7. Natural System
Modification
7.2 Dams & water
management/use
Stressor: Reduced base
flows to mound springs from
groundwater
Indicator: Groundwater
levels
Stressor: Hydrology
 PI 26: % of median annual flow
impounded and extracted (surface and
ground water)
Stressor: Hydrology
 CI 9: change in wetland habitat extent
 CI 10: change in extent of wetland
waterbody
 CI 11: change in composition of wetland
‘wet’ and ‘dry’ species
Ramsar Rolling Review (RRR)
QLD Wetlands Program equivalent/potentially relevant indicators
IUCN Threat
Category and
Subcategory
Stressor and associated
indicator
Pressure Indicator (PI)
Condition indicator (CI)
7. Natural System
Modification
7.2 Dams & water
management/use
Stressor: Frequency, timing
and duration of inundation
Indicator: Volumes of
inflows, changes to the Water
Resource Plan
Stressor: Hydrology
 PI 26: % of median annual flow
impounded and extracted (surface and
ground water)
7. Natural System
Modification
7.2 Dams & water
management/use
Stressor: Increased
suspended sediments
Indicator: Total suspended
solids
8. Invasive & Other
Problematic Species
& Genes
8.1. Invasive nonnative/alien species
Stressor: Invasive species carp
Indicator: Abundance of
invasive species
Stressor: Aquatic sediments
 PI 1: % of wetland disturbed by livestock
and feral pigs
 PI 8: % difference between pre-European
sediment load and current load
 PI 27: % of catchment modified
Stressor: Pest species (carp)
 PI 33: presence of ‘key’ aquatic pest
species (carp) in the site and adjoining
areas
Stressor: Hydrology
 CI 9: change in wetland habitat extent
 CI 10: change in extent of wetland
waterbody
 CI 11: change in composition of wetland
‘wet’ and ‘dry’ species
Stressor: Aquatic sediments
 CI 9: change in wetland habitat extent
 CI 10: change in extent of wetland
waterbody
Key to shapes used in conceptual model.
Stressor: Pest species (carp)
 CI 20: presence of key pest (animal, plant)
species
References:
BMT WBM. (2008). Ecological Character Description of the Currawinya Lakes Ramsar Site. Prepared for the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency.
Brisbane.
Scheltinga, D.M. and Moss, A. (In Prep). A framework for assessing the health of, and risk to, Queensland’s lacustrine (lake) and palustrine (swamp)
wetlands. 6th May 2009, Ver. 1.3. WL EPA 17: Queensland Wetland Indicators and Monitoring Tools project report.
43. Currawinya Lakes
8. Invasive & Other Problematic Species &
Genes
8.1. Invasive non-native/alien species
7. Natural System Modifications
7.2. Dams & water management/use
Increased suspended
sediments
Indicator: Total
suspended solids
Invasive species - fish
Indicator: Abundance of
invasive species
Increased
competition
Mortality of
fauna
Component:
Fish
Services: Biodiversity;
Cultural heritage and
identity
Process:
Biological processes
(bird breeding and
food webs)
Reduced
faunal
richness
Component:
Wetland habitats
Service:
Near natural wetland
ecosystems, Cultural
heritage and identity
Frequency, timing and duration
of inundation
Indicator: Volumes of inflows,
changes to the Water
Resource Plan
Reduced base flows to
mound springs from
groundwater
Indicator: Groundwater
levels
Change in
wetland type
(loss of
mound
springs)
Change in
wetland type
(reduced
depth)
Component:
Waterbirds, vegetation
Service: Special ecological,
physical or geomorphic feature,
Threatened spp, Biodiversity,
Priority wetland species,
Cultural heritage and identity
Process:
Hydrological regime
Component:
Wetland habitats
Service:
Threatened ecosystem
(mound springs), Cultural
heritage and identity