Wetland Management Technical Manual: Wetland Classification: January 1997

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WETLAND MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL MANUAL: Wetland Classiﬁcation
Technical Report · January 1997
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WETLAND MANAGEMENT
TECHNICAL MANUAL:
Wetland Classification
Dayle L. Green
Environmental Studies Unit
January 1997
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements _________________________________________________________ 1
Introduction ______________________________________________________________ 2
Management Issues ________________________________________________________ 2
Wetland Classification ______________________________________________________ 4
Developing a Classification Scheme ___________________________________________ 4
Level of Detail in the Classification Scheme_____________________________________ 6
Proposed Wetland Types ___________________________________________________ 10
Key to Wetland Types ______________________________________________________ 11
Mangrove and Saltmarsh Swamps _______________________________________________ 13
Estuarine Lakes and Lagoons ___________________________________________________ 14
Dune Swamps and Lagoons _____________________________________________________ 15
Coastal Floodplain Swamps and Lagoons _________________________________________ 17
Coastal Floodplain Forest ______________________________________________________ 18
Upland Lakes and Lagoons _____________________________________________________ 20
Upland Swamps ______________________________________________________________ 21
Permanent Inland Wetlands ____________________________________________________ 23
Reed Swamps ________________________________________________________________ 25
Inland Floodplain Lakes and Lagoons ____________________________________________ 26
Lignum Swamps ______________________________________________________________ 28
Inland Floodplain Forests and Woodlands ________________________________________ 29
Inland Floodplain Meadows ____________________________________________________ 31
Arid Wetlands ________________________________________________________________ 32
References_______________________________________________________________ 34
Personal Communications__________________________________________________ 35
Appendix A - Review of Wetland Classification _________________________________ 36
Appendix B - List of plant species referred to in the text __________________________ 38
Acknowledgements
This paper was prepared by the Ecological Services Unit for the Water Environments Unit of
the Department of Land and Water Conservation.
Several people reviewed the classification scheme. In particular, Geoff Winning (Shortland
Wetland Centre), Paul Lloyd (DLWC Murray Region) and Surrey Jacob (National
Herbarium) are thanked for their helpful comments.
Other people who have contributed to the preparation and review of this paper include:
Anne Brady Ecological Services Unit

Glenn Wallace Formerly Ecological Services Unit
Kerryn Richardson Ecological Services Unit
Margaret McDonald Office of Natural Resource Policy
Jeanine Murray Office of Natural Resource Policy
Anne Bell Communications Branch
Laura Torrible Water Environment Unit
Heather Campbell Parragraphics
Photography by Dayle Green, Adam King, Paul Wettin.
Figures on p15, 17, 21, 27, 29, 33, 37, 39 reproduced with permission from Sainty and Jacobs
(1994).
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WETLAND MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL MANUAL : WETLAND CLASSIFICATION 1
Introduction
This paper presents a classification for wetlands in New South Wales (NSW). The purpose of
the classification is to provide a basic framework for the presentation of wetland management
guidelines for specific wetland types and wetland issues. The guidelines are the subject of
separate chapters within this manual.
Three main criteria were considered during development of the classification:
1. The classification must result in wetland types that can be easily recognised by people
without a scientific background
2. The classification must be broad, reflecting the broad level of guidelines to be included in
the manual.
3. The classification must reflect wetland management issues so that wetlands with similar
management problems are included in the same wetland type.
Management Issues
Wetlands have many different values and uses including commercial, recreational,
hydrological, ecological and aesthetic. Brady and Riding (1996) provides a detailed
discussion of wetland values. The wide range of uses means that there are many, sometimes
conflicting, values of wetlands to achieve a sustainable habitat for all these uses.
Table 1 provides a list of wetland management issues that may need to be considered by
wetland managers.
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TABLE 1. WETLAND MANAGEMENT ISSUES
Water Management
! Water extraction (pumping impacts).

! River regulation (impacts of dams and weirs).
! Floodplain structures (impact of levees and blockbanks).
! Determining wetland water requirements.
! Design / construction of structures.
Land Management
! Sedimentation.
! Erosion.
! Sand and gravel extraction.
! Peat mining.
! Grazing.
! Lakebed cropping.
! Pesticide and fertilizer use
! Forestry.
! Commercial fishing.
! Urban development (clearing, draining and nutrient impacts).
! Fire.
! Rising groundwater tables.
! Acid sulphate soils.
Water Quality
! Nutrient cycling.
! Turbidity.
! Salinity.
! Nutrients.
! Irrigation tailwater.
Flora and Fauna Protection
! Fish habitat.
! Waterbird habitat.
! Other fauna habitat.
! Mammal pests.
! Exotic fish.
! Terrestrial weeds.
! Aquatic weeds.
! Rare/endangered species.
! Research and monitoring.
Management Planning
! Planning controls (SEPP 14, REP 2, REP 20).
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! Vegetation rehabilitation.
! Attracting fauna.
Recreation
! Hunting.
! Fishing.
! Boating.
! Camping.
! Picnics.
! Birdwatching.
Cultural Values
! Aboriginal heritage and significance.

! European heritage.
Wetland Classification
Wetland classification is an important first step in wetland management. Different wetland
types respond differently to management tools, and wetlands need to be managed for a variety
of reasons.
There are many existing classifications that have been used for describing wetlands within
Australia. A brief search revealed 12 classifications that use a variety of criteria for defining
wetland types. It was outside the scope of this study to undertake a thorough review of
wetland classifications, however a very brief review was completed to determine the main
criteria used in the existing classifications, and the usefulness of these classifications from a
management perspective. A summary of the review appears in Appendix A.
Developing a Classification Scheme

The classification scheme developed in this report focuses on wetland management. In order
to determine what characteristics of a wetland needed to be considered within the
classification, a three stage process was used.
The first phase involved identification and investigation of the criteria used in the existing
wetland classification schemes (Appendix A). Secondly, the relative importance of each of
these criteria in determining how a wetland is managed was investigated (Table 2). Thirdly,
consideration was given to each of the management issues with respect to their applicability
to certain wetland types and the degree of information known (Table 3).
From the review of classifications, the main criteria used in classifying wetlands are
hydrology, geomorphology, vegetation and geographic location. To determine the relative
importance of each of these criteria in relation to wetland management, a matrix was
compiled using the list of management issues in Table 1. This matrix is shown in Table 2
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and identifies the dominant factor, or factors, that are likely to affect each of the management
issues. When compiling Table 2, the question was asked “Would wetland management need
to vary for different hydrologic regimes, wetland morphologies, vegetation communities and
geographic locations?"
For example, Table 2 indicates that extraction of water from wetlands is dependent on
wetland hydrology and wetland morphology. This means that guidelines for water extraction
from wetlands would vary for different water regimes (such as permanent versus intermittent
flooding), and would also vary for different wetland morphologies (shallow wetlands being
less suitable than deep wetlands). For similar wetlands located in different parts of the state,
management of water extraction would be the same, and therefore geographic location is not
an important factor in determining how this issue is managed.
To give another example, fire is a very specific land management issue that is affected more
by the vegetation present at the wetland, than by any other factor. For different vegetation
types, guidelines for fire management are therefore likely to vary.
Table 2 shows that hydrology, whether it be frequency of inundation or water source is the
most important factor affecting each management issue. The remaining criteria appear to be
of equal importance as secondary factors. These results however assume equal importance to
each of the management issues, which is not necessarily the case. Also some issues are very
general, while others are quite specific. These points are discussed further in the following
section.
TABLE 2. FACTORS AFFECTING WETLAND MANAGEMENT ISSUES

! Will the guidelines need to vary for different wetland hydrology/ morphology/ vegetation/ geographic
location?
! What is the controlling factor / factors that affect each issue?
MANAGEMENT ISSUES Hydrology Morphology Vegetation Geographical.

Location
Water Management
water extraction Y Y
river regulation Y
floodplain structures Y
wetland water requirements Y Y Y
design/construction of structures
Land Management
sedimentation Y Y Y
erosion Y Y Y
sand and gravel extraction Y Y
peat mining Y
grazing Y Y
lakebed cropping Y Y
pesticide and fertiliser use
forestry Y
commercial fishing Y Y
urban development Y
fire Y
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rising groundwater
acid sulphate soils Y Y
Water Quality
nutrient cycling Y Y Y (temp)

turbidity Y
salinity Y Y
nutrients
irrigation tailwater Y Y Y
fish habitat Y Y
waterbird habitat Y Y Y
other fauna habitat Y Y Y
mammal pests Y Y (species)
exotic fish Y Y Y (species)
terrestrial weeds
aquatic weeds Y
rare/endangered species
research and monitoring
Management Planning
planning controls Y
vegetation rehabilitation Y Y
attracting fauna Y Y
Recreation
hunting Y Y Y
fishing Y Y
boating Y Y
camping/picnics/birdwatching
Cultural Values
aboriginal heritage and significance

European heritage
Level of Detail in the Classification Scheme

As noted, the level of detail to which the classification extends is dependent on the detail of
the management information available that could be included in the manual. There is no
point in finely subdividing wetland types, when it is only possible to give the same very broad
management guidelines for each type.
It is expected that some management guidelines will be necessarily broad, either because
there is little information on a particular management issue, or because it occurs across the
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state affecting a wide range of wetland types. On the other hand, there will be some issues
that affect only one type of wetland, or where research and available information allow more
detailed guidelines for a particular issue or wetland type. The wetland types should, to some
extent, take into account these differences, so that the maximum level of detail can be
included in the manual where this is possible. Table 3 provides comments on the amount of
information available for each management issue, whether the issue applies generally to all
wetlands or to specific wetland types only. It also shows the relative importance of each
management issue.
Many issues, particularly water quality and some land management issues, are fairly general
and apply to all wetland types. While they may be important, these issues are not, therefore,
particularly useful for grouping wetland types by management.
Many issues were identified as being specific to coastal wetlands or inland/riverine wetlands,
or encompassed variations (e.g. species) between coastal and inland wetlands. For this
reason a broad geographic division which reflects these differences is appropriate as the first
step in defining wetland types for the manual.
Management issues, such as peat mining, sand and gravel extraction, forestry and lakebed
cropping apply to fairly specific types of wetlands are therefore important in determining
wetland groups. Greater consideration also needs to be given to those issues considered
important, rather than those considered of “moderate importance”.
TABLE 3. COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT ISSUES

! Is the issue specific to particular wetland types?
! How much do we know about each management issue?
! How important is each issue (i.e. level of threat)?
MANAGEMENT ISSUES COMMENTS
Water Management
Effect of water extraction. Only open water wetlands, good information, important.
Effect of weirs and dams. Mostly riverine wetlands (but can apply to local catchments), good
information, important.
Effect of levees / block banks Mostly riverine wetlands, good information, important.
Est. wetland water req’ments All wetlands but requirements vary according to wetland type, variable
information, important.
Design/construction of Applies mostly to riverine and local catchment wetlands but site specific.
structures.
Land Management
Sedimentation General issue relating to all wetlands; little information; moderate

importance.
Erosion Mostly riverine wetlands and coastal wetlands; good information; moderate
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importance.
Sand and gravel extraction Mostly coastal wetlands; good information; important.
Peat mining Peat swamps only; moderate information; important.
Grazing. General issue relating to most wetland types; poor information; moderate
importance.
Lakebed cropping. Ephemeral lakebeds / lagoons (mostly inland but also tablelands), moderate
information; important.
Pesticide and fertilizer use. General issue relating to all wetlands; poor information; moderate
importance.
Forestry. Riverine forest/woodland; good information; moderate importance.
Commercial fishing. Mostly coastal estuarine but also some inland lakes; poor information;
moderate importance.
Urban development. Most relevant to coastal wetlands; good information; important.
Fire. General issue but relates more to tablelands and some inland wetlands; poor
information; moderate importance.
Rising groundwater. General issue but most relevant inland ; poor information; important.
Acid sulphate soils. Coastal wetlands only; poor information; important.
Water Quality
Nutrient cycling General issue relating to all wetlands; moderate information; moderate
importance.
Turbidity General issue relating to most wetlands; poor information; moderate

importance.
Salinity Mostly inland wetlands; moderate level of information; important.
Nutrients General issue relating to all wetlands; moderate information; important.
Irrigation tailwater General issue but relates mostly to riverine wetlands; poor information;
important.
Fish habitat Estuarine and riverine wetlands; good information; important.
Waterbird habitat Most wetland types but habitat varies between types; good information;
important.
Others fauna habitat Most wetland types but habitat varies between types; moderate information;
Mammal pests Applies generally to all wetland types but species vary between coast/
tablelands/ inland; poor information; important.
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Exotic fish Estuarine and riverine habitats but species vary between coast and inland
wetlands; moderate information; important.
Aquatic weeds Generally permanent lakes and lagoons; moderate information; important.
Terrestrial weeds General issue relating to all wetlands; little information; moderate
importance.
Rare/endangered species All wetlands but depends on occurrence of specific species; poor
information; important.
Research and monitoring General issue relating to all wetlands but specific topics for specific wetland
types.
Management Planning
Planning controls Applies to specific locations (SEPP 14 - coastal; REP2 - Murray wetlands) ;
good information; moderate importance.
Vegetation re-establishment Specific to each wetland type and species type; moderate information;
Attracting fauna Specific to each wetland type and species type; moderate information;
Recreation
Hunting Applies to most wetland types but varies according to species hunted (ducks
v pigs); poor information; moderate importance.
Fishing Mostly open water, usually permanent wetlands; poor information; moderate
importance.
Boating Open water, usually permanent wetlands; poor information; moderate

importance.
Camping/picnics/birdwatching General issue but is influenced by land tenure; poor information; moderate
importance.
Cultural Values Aboriginal heritage varies according to wetland type; poor information;
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Proposed Wetland Types
The wetland types are based on three geographic locations (coastal, tableland and inland).
Within these groups, wetlands are divided by broad hydrologic, geomorphic and vegetation
characteristics.
The following wetland types are proposed:
COASTAL
! Mangrove and saltmarsh swamps

! Estuarine lakes and lagoons
! Dune swamps and lagoons
! Coastal floodplain swamps and lagoons
! Coastal floodplain forest
TABLELAND
! Upland lakes and lagoons

! Upland swamps
INLAND
! Permanent inland wetlands
! Inland floodplain lakes and lagoons
! Inland floodplain meadows
! Reed swamps
! Lignum swamps
! Inland floodplain forests and woodlands
! Arid wetlands
A key for identifying the wetland types appears below. The key begins with the broad
geographic location.
The wetland types are generally unique to each geographic region, with the exception of
upland lakes and lagoons, and upland swamps. These two wetland types may occur in any of
the three geographic regions, although are most common on the tablelands. This is reflected
in the key, with these wetland types being included in all of the geographical regions.
The wetland types are described in detail in the following pages. Each description consists of
a simple definition of the wetland type followed by basic information on location (within the
landscape and within New South Wales), hydrology, vegetation, significance and
management issues. Specific names for all vegetation species are listed in Appendix B.
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WETLAND MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL MANUAL : WETLAND CLASSIFICATION
10
Key to Wetland Types
1. Identify your Geographic Region: COASTAL, TABLELAND or INLAND.
2. What is the main source of water for your wetland?
COASTAL WETLANDS
Water Source Description Wetland Type
Estuarine: Saline waterbodies Estuarine lakes and lagoons
Tidal flats dominated by vegetation Mangrove and saltmarsh swamps
Groundwater, Located on sand dunes or plains Dune swamps and lagoons

Rainfall or
Runoff: Not located on sand dunes or plains:
- mostly open water Upland lakes and lagoons
- mostly vegetation Upland swamp
River Mostly open water or aquatic Coastal floodplain swamps and

vegetation lagoons
Mostly Trees Coastal floodplain forest
TABLELAND WETLANDS
Groundwater, Mostly open water Upland lakes and lagoons

Rainfall or
Runoff:
Mostly vegetation Upland swamps
INLAND WETLANDS
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11
River Permanently flooded
(filled by low river flows or
impounded)
- Mostly open water Permanent inland wetlands
- Mostly reeds Reed swamps
Not permanently flooded (filled by

seasonal or intermittent flooding)
- Mostly open water Inland floodplain lakes & lagoons
- Mostly lignum Lignum swamps
Inland floodplain forest &

- Mostly trees
woodlands
- Mostly reeds Reed swamp
- Mostly grasses, Inland floodplain meadows

herbs, rushes or
sedges.
Groundwater, Located in far western New South Arid wetlands

Rainfall or Wales
Runoff:
Not located in far-western New South
Wales
- mostly open water Upland lakes and lagoons
-
- mostly vegetation Upland swamp
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12
Mangrove and Saltmarsh Swamps
Definition
Estuarine areas subject to tidal flooding which support mangrove and saltmarsh vegetation.
Also included here are non-tidal basins which occur on estuarine sediments adjacent to
mangrove and saltmarsh areas, as well as any mudflats and small creeks which occur within
or adjacent to the community.
Location
Mangrove and saltmarsh communities are found along tidal shorelines which are exposed to
seawater. They often extend up coastal rivers as far as the tidal limit. They often occur in
association with one another, with saltmarsh communities occurring on the landward side of
mangroves.
Hydrology
Mangroves and saltmarshes are dependent on periodic tidal inundation. In New South Wales,
mangroves dominate those areas inundated daily, whereas saltmarsh vegetation occurs in
areas less frequently flooded.
Vegetation
Grey mangrove (Avicenia marina) is the dominant species within New South Wales and is
present along the entire coastline. The river mangrove (Aegiceras corniculatum), a smaller
shrub-like species, occurs sporadically with the grey mangrove but reaches its southern most
limit at Batemans Bay on the south coast (Goodrick 1983).
Within saltmarsh communities there is often a distinct zonation of vegetation across the
wetland according to frequency of inundation from the sea. A typical zonation comprises
samphire, salt couch and salt rush in a progression from the sea to the land (Goodrick 1983).
Swamp sheoak may be found growing in or on the landward margins of the marsh (Jacobs
and Brock 1993).
Significance
Mangroves form a part of the food chain for estuarine animals via the breakdown of leaf and
other plant material. One square kilometre of mangrove forest contributes about 600 tonnes
of leaf litter each year to the detrital food chain (West 1985).
Mangroves and saltmarsh communities provide habitat and shelter for other plants and
animals. At Towra Point in Botany Bay, 176 birds species have been recorded, of which 30
are migratory species protected in international agreements between Japan and Australia
(West 1985). The mangrove forest floor also supports large numbers of benthic fauna such as
molluscs and crabs.
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13
Waterways associated with mangrove forests are important nursery areas for commercial fish
species such as bream, flathead, luderick, silver biddy and mullet, as well as for many non-
commercial species (West 1985).
Mangrove and saltmarsh communities act as visual screens along the shoreline, and act as a
buffer by reducing silt and nutrient loads in runoff from surrounding areas.
Management Issues
• Sedimentation (produced by clearing and erosion) alters and degrades wetland habitat.
• Commercial fishing activities are heavily reliant on mangrove areas.
• Urban development results in clearing of habitat and increased nutrients and stormwater
pollution.
• Conservation of habitat for waterbirds, waders and fish. Australia had obligations under
the JAMBA and CAMBA Agreements to conserve waterbird habitat.
• Many mangrove and saltmarsh wetlands are subject to controls on development activities
(SEPP 14).
• Mangroves and saltmarsh often occur in areas that are popular for recreation (fishing and
boating).
Estuarine Lakes and Lagoons
Definition
A large open body of saline or brackish water which has a relatively narrow permanent or
intermittent connection to the sea. The difference between a lake and lagoon is arbitrary,
lakes usually being the largest, however it depends more on the name by which each
waterbody is commonly known.
Location
Saline lakes and lagoons occur all along the New South Wales coast but are most extensive
on the south coast. They are separated from the estuary or ocean by a barrier sand dune, and
have a connection (usually intermittent) with the open water.
Hydrology
The water of coastal lakes and lagoons can vary from brackish to as saline as sea water.
Many coastal waterbodies are only open to the sea during floods or at very high tides. In
some cases, lagoons may be artificially opened (by dredging) in response to pollution
problems. Due to the irregular connections with the sea they are usually characterised by
changes in water levels.
Vegetation
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14
Lakes and lagoons that are more frequently open to the sea usually have submerged seagrass
beds such as Zostera capricorni in the north or Zostera muelleri in the south.
Less saline lagoons usually support species of sea tassel that often grows in association with
stonewort. Species of algae are also common (Jacobs 1983).
Shallow edges are usually dominated by emergent plants such as common reeds or sedges
(Bulboschoenus, Schoenoplectus or Baumea spp.) (Jacobs, 1983).
Significance
Shallow saline lakes have high value as waterbird habitat (Goodrick 1970).
Estuarine lakes are important areas for fish habitat and production (Green and King 1996,
Bady and Riding 1996).
Coastal lakes and lagoons form an important recreational resource for fishing, boating,
swimming and camping activities.
Management Issues
• Extractive industries and dredging can degrade or destroy seagrasses.
• Seagrasses are difficult to re-establish once destroyed.
• Commercial fishing industries are heavily reliant on estuarine lakes and lagoons.
pollution.
• Conservation of habitat for waterbirds, waders and fish. Australia had obligations under
the JAMBA and CAMBA Agreements to conserve waterbird habitat.
• Floodplain management (opening of lakes) to prevent flooding of adjacent urban and rural
areas.
• Many areas fringing estuarine lakes and lagoons are subject to controls on development
activities (SEPP 14).
• Recreational boating can disturb sensitive habitats and damage shorelines through wave
actions.
Dune Swamps and Lagoons
Definition
Any freshwater wetland occurring on coastal sand dunes or plains. Dunal wetlands include
lakes, lagoons, shallow vegetated basins, heaths and forests.
Location
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15
Dunal wetlands are found on prior dune systems which occur behind the present beach and
foredune. Dunal wetlands occur along the entire New south Wales coastline, but are most
numerous on the north coast between Myall Lakes and the Queensland border.
Hydrology
Dunal wetlands are dependant on groundwater and runoff from local catchments. The waters
of dunal lake and swamps are often tea-coloured and acidic as a result of dissolved organic
matter from peaty soils.
They can be found in a variety of situations and consequently can possess different
hydrologic characteristics (from Timms 1988 and Winning 1992):
1. Perched wetlands occur on top of dunes on an indurated sand layer that lies above the
regional groundwater table. They are formed by accumulation of organic matter in dune
depressions which makes them almost impermeable. They are therefore reliant on rainfall
and runoff as their source of water.
2. Watertable-window wetlands occur in the dune swales which lie below the regional
groundwater table, thus forming a ”window ” to the watertable.
3. Upland contact wetlands occur between a sand dune and adjacent bedrock and rely on both
runoff and groundwater.
4. Frontal dune ponds occur in small wind-created hollows in frontal dunes and would rely
mostly on rainfall.
Vegetation
The vegetation of dunal wetlands is distinctive although some species also occur on coastal
floodplains.
Seasonally flooded areas with a high watertable support a woodland or forest of broad-leaved
paperbark. Paperbarks may also be found in swamps behind the foredune and sporadically
around the perched swamps and lakes.
Other vegetation typical of dune wetlands include sedges, rushes and wet heathland. The
sedge species Lepironia articulata is common around the margins of perched lakes and may
grow in water up to 6m deep (Goodrick 1983).
Significance
Open water dunal wetlands, have significant value for recreation (Pressey and Harris 1988) as
they provide opportunities for boating, swimming and camping.
Open water dunal wetlands are considered of high value as waterbird habitat (Goodrick
1970).
Paperbark swamps are particularly important as a seasonal food source by migratory birds
during the winter period (species such as insect and nectar feeders). They also provide a
major food source for some bat species when in flower (Pressey and Harris 1988).
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16
Management Issues
• Extractive industries like sand mining can degrade or destroy wetland habitat.
pollution.
• Extraction of groundwater near dunal wetlands may affect wetland hydrology.
Maintaining the quality of groundwater is also important.
• Conservation of high value waterbird habitat.
• Fire is a natural occurrence, particularly in dunal heath swamps, but its role and impacts
are not well understood.
• Many dune swamps and lagoons are subject to controls on development activities (SEPP
14).
• Some dune swamps and lagoons are popular sites for recreation.
Coastal Floodplain Swamps and Lagoons
Definition
Any wetland located on the floodplain of a coastal river. This wetland type includes shallow
marshes and meadows vegetated by sedges and aquatic herbs, as well as deeper ponds and
billabongs which have large areas of open water.
Location
Coastal floodplain swamps and lagoons are associated with all the major rivers along the
New South Wales coast. They may occur in several different situations on the floodplain
(Pressey 1986, Winning 1992):
1. Where the floodplain gradually slopes away from the river and abuts an adjacent terrace or
hill on the edge of the floodplain (a “backswamp”).
2. As a ponded tributary where the river levee has dammed the junction of a smaller tributary.
3. As a billabong resulting from the cut-off and occlusion of a river bend.
4. As a floodway or some other form of flood channel which is not connected to the river
during normal flows.
Hydrology
Coastal floodplain swamps and lagoons rely on seasonal or intermittent flooding from a river
as their main source of water. Many of the rivers on the north coast of New South Wales
flood annually, with floods most likely in summer and autumn as a result of cyclonic
depressions.
Local runoff contributes to the maintenance of some lagoons between floods while small
ponds may fill after heavy rainfall.
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17
Vegetation
The vegetation in coastal swamps and lagoons is very dynamic and can change in response to
seasonal fluctuations in water depth (Winning and King 1995).
Marginal species of coastal floodplain lagoons include jointed twig-rush, Lepidosperma spp.,
spikerushes, cumbungi, water ribbon and frogsmouth (Jacobs 1983). Reasonably permanent
lagoons may support submerged species such as ribbonweed, bladderwort, watermilfoil, and
pondweed. Floating aquatic species include water primrose, swamp lily, waterlilies,
duckweed and azolla (Jacobs 1983).
Coastal floodplain meadows which are continuously flooded over summer and autumn
support a complex community including knotweeds, sedges and many emergent aquatic
species (Goodrick 1983). Although typically associated with dunal swamps, jointed twig-rush
dominates extensive areas of floodplain wetlands on the north coast of New South Wales
(Winning and King 1995).
Significance
Coastal floodplain swamps and lagoons have high value as waterbird habitat (Goodrick
1970). Freshwater lagoons provide a drought refuge function when inland wetlands are dry
(Pressey 1981) while flooded meadows and aquatic herb fields are important feeding areas for
waterbirds.
Coastal floodplain lagoons provide opportunities for recreation such as boating, swimming
and camping.
Management Issues
• River regulation alters the natural flooding and drying cycles of coastal floodplain
wetlands.
• Floodplain structures (such as levees and floodgates) also interfere with natural flooding
patterns.
• Grazing is common and may have impacts on wetland flora and fauna and water quality.
• Conservation of high value waterbird habitat.
• Pressure from urban and agricultural development may result in draining and clearing of
floodplain forests.
• Pesticides and nutrients from agriculture affect wetland water quality.
• Management of acid sulphate soils.
• Some coastal floodplain swamps and lagoons are subject to controls on development
activities (SEPP 14).
Coastal Floodplain Forest
Definition
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A wetland located on the floodplain of a coastal river which is dominated by trees. This
wetland type encompasses the paperbark forest and woodlands of the coast.
Location
Floodplain forests generally occur on the sandy sediments located on the lower reaches of
coastal floodplains. Extensive woodlands of paperbark previously occurred on river flats
subject to shallow seasonal flooding however many of these woodlands have been cleared
and the flats are now dominated by meadow grasses.
Hydrology
Coastal forests rely on brief seasonal flooding from rivers as their main source of water.
Many of the larger rivers on the north coast of New South Wales flood annually, with floods
most likely in summer and autumn as a result of cyclonic depressions.
Vegetation
Broad-leaved paperbark is the dominant species of coastal floodplain forests. Narrow-leaved

paperbark and northern narrow-leaved paperbark may occur as marginal species or as
scattered trees through the broad-leaved paperbark (Winning and King 1995).
Forests of swamp she-oak typically occur along the lower reaches of coastal rivers and
estuaries.
Understorey species typically include rushes (Juncus spp.), Villarsia spp., common reed,
water ribbon, Maundia triglochinoides and Persicaria strigosa (Jacobs 1983, Winning and
King 1995). Typical grasses include matgrass, spiney mudgrass, swamp rice grass and
watercouch (Jacobs 1983).
Significance
Paperbark swamps are particularly important as a seasonal food source by migratory birds
during the winter period (species such as insect and nectar feeders) (Pressey and Harris 1988).
Paperbark swamps provide a major food source for some bat species when in flower (Pressey
and Harris 1988).
Management Issues
• River regulation alters the natural flooding and drying cycles of coastal floodplain forests.
• Floodplain structures (such as levees and floodgates) also interfere with natural flooding
patterns.
• Conservation of fauna habitat (especially birds and bats which feed in the forests).
• Pressure from urban and agricultural development may result in draining and clearing of
floodplain forests.
• Management of acid sulphate soils.
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• Some coastal floodplain forests are subject to controls on development activities (SEPP
14).
Upland Lakes and Lagoons
Definition
Large or small bodies of freshwater usually occurring in low hills or mountains. Upland
lakes and lagoons consist predominantly of open water, with vegetation, if present, confined
to the margins of the wetland.
Location
Upland lakes and lagoons occur predominantly on the tablelands, however they also include
any waterbody on the coastal or inland plains (apart from arid wetlands) which fills though a
local catchment, groundwater or rainfall (i.e. is not flooded from a river).
Upland waterbodies may have a variety of geomorphic origins. They are found in
depressions formed by erosion of the underlying bedrock, in depressions associated with past
fault activity, and in depressions scoured by past glacial activity (Winning 1992).
On the tablelands of New South Wales upland lakes and lagoons occur in two main areas -
the New England Plateau and the southern tablelands including the Monaro region (Pressey
and Harris 1988).
In the New England area open lagoons have resulted from erosion of the underlying basalt
while in the Monaro region small lakes of glacial origin occur in the Snowy Mountains.
Large lakes such as Lake George and Lake Bathurst extensive local catchments and are the
result of fault activity.
Hydrology
Tableland lakes rely on groundwater, rainfall and runoff from local catchments as their water
source.
Most of the large lakes are perennial and subject to large reductions in area and depth during
dry periods.
Glacial lakes on the other hand are permanent as a result of high inflows from snowmelt and
rainfall runoff combined with low evaporation.
Vegetation
Large internally draining lakes do not support much aquatic vegetation, although at times may
have submerged growths of sea tassel, ribbonweed, Lepilaena spp. and water milfoils.
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Marginal vegetation is usually sparse and restricted to common reed, cumbungi, sedges and
rushes (Jacobs and Brock 1993).
Glacial lakes are generally devoid of any aquatic vegetation (Paijmans et al 1985).
In the smaller lakes and lagoons of the New England and southern tablelands, tall spikerush is
a common species in the more permanently inundated parts of the lake. A variety of species
may be found growing around the less frequently inundated edges, including blown grass,
knotweeds and water milfoil (Winning and King 1995).
Significance
Large upland lakes provide habitat and drought refuge for waterbirds when large inland lakes
have dried. Some also provide important breeding areas.
Large upland lakes provide a water storage / flood mitigation function within the catchment.
Glacial lakes in the Kosciusko area are important as they represent wetland types which are
not common within Australia.
Management Issues
• Conservation of waterbird habitat.
• Lakebed cropping occurs on some of the large upland lakes.
• Erosion and clearing in the catchment may result in degradation of the wetland habitat.
• Extraction of surface water and groundwater may have an impact on the hydrology of
upland lakes.
• Salinity and rising groundwater as a result of catchment clearing is beginning to affect
some upland areas.
• Conservation of significant habitats and plant biodiversity.
• Draining of lake beds alters wetland hydrology and habitat values.
Upland Swamps
Definition
Vegetated freshwater wetlands occurring in shallow basins located in low hills or mountains.
This wetland type includes shallow marshes, sedge swamps, “hanging” swamps, wet heaths
and peat swamps.
Location
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Upland swamps occur predominantly on or adjacent to the tablelands, however they also
include any vegetated wetland on the coastal or inland plains (apart from arid wetlands) that
fill though a local catchment, from groundwater or rainfall (that is, they are not subject to
flooding from a river).
On the sandstone plateau's surrounding Sydney and the granite plateau of the New England
area, “hanging swamps” of sedge and heath occur on valley sides. That is, where groundwater
discharge occurs as a result of impermeable layers in the bedrock. Swamps may also occur
on valley-fill deposits eroded from the surrounding ridges.
In other parts of the tablelands, such as the Monaro region, swamps are found within shallow
depressions formed through erosion of the underlying bedrock.
Swamps developed on peat beds may occur at any height, but are best developed in the sub-
alpine areas above 1000m (Paijmans et al 1985) where drainage is impeded. Peatbeds are
formed when the rate of accumulation of organic matter is greater than the rate of decay.
Hydrology
Upland swamps rely on groundwater, rainfall and runoff from a small local catchment for
their source of water. They may hold water permanently, or may fill on a seasonal or
intermittent basis.
Groundwater is the most significant hydrological influence on “hanging” swamps (Pressey

and Harris 1988).
Peat swamps rely on both groundwater and surface runoff, although groundwater seepage is
the most important component. They occur in areas of high water table where the water is
acidic and low in dissolved minerals (Goodrick 1983).
Vegetation
The hanging swamps of the sandstone and granite plateaus are dominated by a mix of sedges,
grasses and shrubs, generally with sedges occurring in the wettest areas.
Sedge swamps tend to be dominated by members of the Cyperaceae family. Common species
include razor sedge, button bog-rush, fringed cord-rush and slender yellow-eye. Common
shrub species include teatrees, bottlebrush, hakea banksia and melaleuca (Winning and King
1995, Keith and Myerscough 1993).
Other types of swamps, such as those in the New England area, support plant species similar
to those fringing the tableland lakes and lagoons. Tall spikerush is often the dominant
species occurring with a mixture of other sedges and grasses.
Whilst most tableland swamps have some degree of peat development, swamps with deep
peat beds are typically restricted to acid fens and bogs. Acid fens occur where the water has a
relatively higher mineral content and are dominated by sedges (usually Carex spp.).
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Where minerals are more deficient hummocks of sphagnum moss form valley bogs. On
sloping or uneven land, a sloping water table occurs in the peat layer resulting in raised bogs.
The bogs are characterised by an uneven surface due to alternate hollows and hummocks of
moss. The hummocks are formed above the water level by sphagnum moss or in less humid
environments Blindia spp. or Bryum spp. The wet hollows in between contain a carpet of
other mosses such as Polytrichum spp. and Breutelia. spp.
Significance
The hanging swamps of the Sydney sandstone have some of the highest species richness
values in the world for shrub/sedge dominated communities (Keith and Myerscough 1993).
Upland swamps, particularly peat swamps, are important parts of catchments because they
absorb water and allow runoff for long periods after rainfall has ceased.
Peat swamps have outstanding scientific value as sites for carbon dating and pollen analysis
that can provide valuable insights into climatic and ecological changes (Pressey and Harris
1988).
Management Issues
• Erosion and clearing in the catchment may result in degradation of the wetland habitat.
• Fire is a natural part of heath ecology but its role and impacts are poorly known.
• Peat mining may destroy scientifically important wetlands. The impacts of peat mining
and the ability of wetlands to recover from it are poorly understood.
• Salinity and rising groundwater as a result of catchment clearing is beginning to affect
some upland areas.
• Conservation of significant habitats and plant biodiversity.
• Clearing and draining of swamps alters wetland hydrology and habitat values.
Permanent Inland Wetlands
Definition
Any wetland dominated by open water which is filled from a river under regulated flow
conditions or which is permanently impounded by a structure. Permanent wetlands include
lakes, billabongs, and impounded channels. Permanent wetlands which do not have
extensive areas of open water (i.e. support reeds and cumbungi) should be considered under
the wetland type “Reed swamps.
Location
Permanent floodplain wetlands occur in a variety of situations including:
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• wetlands located within the weirpool created by a major structure on a river,
• lakes and basins which have water diverted or pumped to them for storage,
• wetlands used to store large amounts of drainage water from surrounding irrigation areas
or other type of effluent water,
• wetlands that have naturally low connections with the river and are therefore filled under
regulated flow conditions.
Hydrology
The dominant source of water for most permanent floodplain wetlands is from stream flows,
however for some wetlands tailwater is the dominant source.
Permanent floodplain wetlands are an impact of river regulation - there are no naturally
occurring permanent floodplain wetlands in inland New South Wales. Some large lakes in
western New South Wales may retain water for up to 5 years, or longer if further floods occur
in following years, but these are still considered as “non-permanent” or intermittent wetlands.
Vegetation
Most permanent floodplain wetlands are predominantly open water. Dead trees are often
present in the water or around the edges of the wetland. These indicate that the wetland has
been subject to a change in its natural water regime. The imposing of a permanent regime on
a previously intermittent wetland will usually result in a reduction in the ecological
productivity and diversity of flora and fauna species.
Common reed is common around the shoreline of permanent wetlands while cumbungi often
occurs in water up to 1.5m deep around the margins.
Submerged aquatic species may be present in smaller wetlands or around the margins of
larger wetlands where sheltered conditions exist. These may include ribbonweed,
watermilfoil and pondweed.
Floating aquatic plants may occur in some permanent wetlands, particularly where nutrient
levels are high. Common species include azolla, duckweeds and salvinia.
Significance
Permanent floodplain wetlands provide drought refuge for waterbird species when
surrounding wetlands are dry.
Large permanent lakes are important recreational areas for people living in inland areas.
Management Issues
• River regulation has affected the natural hydrologic regime of permanent wetlands.
• Management of permanent inland wetlands for water supply and water storage is often
inconsistent with the requirements of wetland flora and fauna.
• Provides a permanent habitat for aquatic weeds.
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• Wetlands supplied by irrigation tailwater are affected by high levels of nutrients,
pesticides and herbicides.
• Large permanent wetlands are often used for recreation (such as boating and water
skiing).
• Large permanent wetlands may raise local water tables and exacerbate salinity.
• Rehabilitation of some permanent wetlands is currently taking place in order to re-instate
a natural water regime.
Reed Swamps
Definition
A wetland located on the floodplain of a river which is subject to permanent or intermittent

river flows and is dominated by reeds. This includes wetlands vegetated by common reed and
cumbungi which do not have extensive areas of open water.
Location
Reed swamps occur in relatively deep channels or depressions on the floodplains of major
rivers. They often occur extensively at the end of the river system, such as in the Macquarie
Marshes at the end of the Macquarie River, and the Great Cumbung Swamp at the end of the
Lachlan River.
In some parts of the state, extensive cumbungi swamps have developed as a response to river
regulation (where channels are used to deliver regulated flows). An example of a cumbungi
swamp in this situation is the Wanganella Swamp north of Deniliquin.
Hydrology
Reed swamps rely on surplus or regulated flows from a river as their main water source.
Common reed requires fairly regular inundation although it can survive up to a year or more
without flooding.
Cumbungi requires almost permanent inundation, its minimum requirement being at least six
months flooding over the summer period. Cumbungi is a typical species of a regulated flow
regime.
Vegetation
The dominant species are common reed and cumbungi which usually occur as dense pure
stands depending on the specific hydrology of the site (cumbungi if wetter or common reed if
drier). Both species may occur at the one site with cumbungi occupying the wettest areas.
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In smaller wetlands common reed may occur as a mix with other species such as tall
spikerush, and various rushes (Juncus spp.) which occur on slightly higher or less frequently
inundated ground.
Significance
Reed swamps provide sheltered habitat for some bird species such as crakes, rails and reed
warblers which require dense vegetation.
Some reed swamps (such as those associated with the Murray River) provide important
breeding habitat for waterbirds such as ibis and spoonbills (P. Lloyd pers. comm.).
Common reed is probably the most productive emergent of temperate wetlands (Hocking
1989). Reed swamps are extremely efficient at removing and re-cycling nutrients from the
water.
Management Issues
• River regulation has decreased the natural flooding of some reed swamps, while others
have developed as a result of increased flows from regulation.
• Reed swamps provide dense habitat for feral animals, such as pigs.
• Grazing in reed swamps is common and may have impacts on wetland flora and fauna.
• Use of fire in land management of reed swamps.
• Provide sheltered habitat for refuge and breeding of waterbirds.
Inland Floodplain Lakes and Lagoons
Definition
A wetland dominated by open water which is located on the floodplain of a river, and which
is subject to a cycle of flooding and drying. This type of wetland includes lakes, lagoons and
billabongs and ponds where vegetation is restricted to the margins of the wetland.
Location
Intermittent lakes and lagoons occur on the lower part of the floodplain in several situations
depending on their geomorphic origins (Winning 1992, Pressey 1986):
1. Depression on the floodplain filled by overbank flooding.

2. A cut-off channel (oxbow or billabong) formed by occlusion of an old river channel.
3. Large rounded lakes (deflation basins) formed by wind erosion of alluvial sediments
(typically with dunes on their eastern margins).
4. Large wetlands which occur as the terminal basin for a river or creek system.
Hydrology
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Floodplain lakes and lagoons rely on seasonal or intermittent flooding from a river as their
main source of water. The most important characteristic which separates the intermittent
lakes and lagoons from those in the previous category is the drying and reflooding process
which occurs. Wetlands may:
• flood and dry on an annual basis

• be wet most years but dry for occasional periods
• be dry most years but flood occasionally.
Between floods rainfall and local runoff may result in brief inundation of the wetlands.
Vegetation
Intermittent floodplain lakes and lagoons have large areas of open water when flooded.
Vegetation is restricted to the margins of the wetland.
In large intermittent lakes, lignum is common around the edges of the wetland where the
water is not too deep. Floodplain woodlands of black box or coolibah usually occur in a
narrow fringe surrounding the lakes.
Oxbow lagoons are generally located within the zone of riverine woodland adjacent to the
river. They support river red gums along their banks, often in association with black box or
coolibah. Understorey species commonly include lignum or nitre goosefoot.
Common sedge species of intermittent lakes and lagoons (when flooded) include spikerushes,
knotweeds, nardoo, water primrose, and aquatic grasses such as watercouch and spiny
mudgrass.
Significance
The ephemeral nature of inland lakes and lagoons enhances nutrient cycling and makes them
valuable and productive areas for waterbird breeding and feeding.
Intermittent lakes and lagoons provide sheltered nursery areas for the survival of young fish
species.
Large intermittent lakes in western New South Wales play a significant role in flood
mitigation.
Management Issues
• River regulation has altered the natural hydrologic regime of most inland floodplain lakes
and lagoons.
• Floodplain structures may isolate wetlands, or alternatively, concentrate flows into other
wetlands.
• Opportunity cropping of lakes and lagoons may impact upon natural wetland values.
• Use of lakes and lagoons for water storage alters the natural hydrologic regime of wetting
and drying.
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• Disposal of irrigation tailwater into wetlands alters water regimes and affects wetland
water quality.
• Salinity and rising groundwater tables are affecting wetlands in some areas.
• Conservation of habitat for waterbird feeding and breeding and nursery areas for native
fish.
• Grazing of floodplain wetlands is widespread and may have impacts on wetland flora and
fauna.
Lignum Swamps
Definition
Extensive wetlands located on inland floodplains which are filled by surplus or flood flows
and dominated by lignum vegetation. Included here are floodways and overflow systems,
basins filled with lignum, and billabongs or other flooded areas supporting lignum which
occur adjacent to the river channel.
Location
Lignum is a typical species of the inland floodplains of New South Wales. Wetlands
dominated by lignum are typically found at the end of the river system. It is characteristically
found in extensive braided floodways or overflows associated with the rivers of central and
western New South Wales, but also occurs in smaller depressions and billabongs adjacent to
the river channel.
Extensive areas of lignum swamp occur in the overflow of the Paroo River, at the end of the
Warrego River, in the floodways of the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers and associated
with the Darling River.
Hydrology
Lignum swamps rely on intermittent flooding from rivers as their main source of water.
The frequency of flooding can vary from every one or two years, up to once every ten years
depending on the river system and the location of the swamp in relation to the river channel.
In the Murrumbidgee valley, extensive lignum swamps occur behind floodway banks
resulting in a more permanent, although fluctuating, water regime.
Vegetation
Lignum is the dominant species, often forming large rounded plants up to 2m in height and
forming a dense cover where inundation is more frequent.
After flooding, the shallow water and wet soil between the lignum bushes is colonised by a
variety of aquatic species including spikerushes, water primrose, nardoo, sedges (Cyperus
spp), knotweeds and buttercup (Jacobs and Brock 1993, Green 1992).
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Associated tree species include coolibah, black box, river red gum, yapunyah and river
cooba. These often occur around the margins of the wetlands or scattered throughout the
lignum.
Significance
Lignum wetlands provide valuable breeding sites for colonial waterbird species such as ibis
and spoonbills which trample the bushes to provide nests.
Lignum swamps are also favoured breeding grounds for endangered waterbirds such as the
freckled duck.
Extensive overflows and floodways have an important role in the catchment for the
dissipation of floodwaters.
Management Issues
• Pressure from agricultural development results in clearing and draining of lignum

wetlands for cultivation.
• River regulation has altered the natural flooding of many lignum wetlands.
• Floodplain structures alter natural water regimes by excluding or impounding
floodwaters.
• Grazing in lignum swamps is widespread and may have impacts on wetland flora and
fauna.
• Lignum wetlands have high value as waterbird breeding habitat.
• Provides habitat for feral animals, such as pigs and foxes, which poses problems for land
management.
Inland Floodplain Forests and Woodlands
Definition
Wetlands located on the river floodplain dominated by tree species which rely on shallow
flooding. This wetland type includes river red gum forests and coolibah and black box
woodlands.
Location
Floodplain forests and woodlands occur along all of the major inland river systems. The
Department of Land and Water Conservation has mapped some of the floodplain woodlands
associated with the inland rivers of NSW.
River red gum forests are typical of the southern rivers and occur extensively along the
Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan rivers.
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Coolibah generally occurs on the floodplains in the north and west of New South Wales
(Gwydir, Darling, Warrego, Paroo, Culgoa).
Black box generally occurs on the floodplains in the south and west of the state (Namoi,
Macquarie, Lachlan, Darling, Paroo, Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan).
Hydrology
Floodplain forests and woodlands rely on surplus flows or overbank flooding as their main
source of water.
River red gums are found in locations subject to more frequent inundation (up to once a year).
Germination and growth of seedlings generally requires flooding, and the rate of growth of
adult trees also tends to increase with greater frequency of flooding. Groundwater is
important in maintaining the health of river red gums in between flood events.
Coolibah and black box occur on parts of the floodplain which receive only brief or
infrequent flooding.
Vegetation
The understorey of river red gum forests and woodlands is usually dominated by plants which
can withstand inundation, particularly sedges, rushes, spikerushes and grasses such as
watercouch and spiney mudgrass.
Black box and coolibah woodlands usually support a more shrubby understorey of lignum,
nitre goosefoot, saltbush, and a variety of herbs and grasses.
Following flooding a variety of aquatic herbs can be found on the floor of the forest including
nardoo, buttercup and knotweeds.
Significance
River red gum forests (particularly those of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers) have
significant value for tourism and recreation.
River red gum forests form an economic resource for timber, grazing and honey production.
Floodplain forests and woodlands provide important habitat for fauna - tree hollows for
breeding by parrots and marsupials and branches for nesting by colonial waterbirds.
Floodplain forests and woodlands have important archaeological values including scarred
canoe trees, campsites, burials and middens from aboriginal occupation (Sommerville 1988).
Management Issues
• River regulation has altered the natural flooding of most floodplain forests and
woodlands.
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floodwaters.
• Balancing the management of forestry, recreation and habitat values.
• Use of fire in forest management, and the natural role of fire in riverine forests and
woodlands.
• Grazing is common in most forest and woodland areas.
Inland Floodplain Meadows
Definition
A shallow wetland located on the floodplain of an inland river which is dominated by grasses,
herbs, sedges or rushes. This wetland type includes the typical flat meadow of floodplain
grasses, as well as shallow depressions which may support a variety of emergent species
(rushes, sedges, spikerushes etc) and aquatic herbs.
Coastal floodplain meadows are considered within the wetland type “coastal floodplain
swamps and lagoons”.
Location
On inland floodplains meadow swamps occur in association with riverine forests and
woodlands, and in shallow depressions on the floodplain.
Meadows dominated by emergent species (rushes, sedges, spike rushes etc) occur in shallow
depressions throughout the floodplain.
Hydrology
Floodplain meadows rely on shallow seasonal or intermittent flooding from a river as their
main source of water. Between floods groundwater and rainfall can help maintain the water
levels in the wetlands.
The degree of reliance on groundwater and rainfall varies according to the location of the
wetland on the floodplain (i.e. those furthest away from the channel may rely more on these
water sources, but will have the potential to be flooded, at least occasionally, from river
flooding.
Vegetation
Dominant grass species include spiney mud grass, barnyard grass, mat grass and water couch.
Clumps of rushes (Juncus spp.) and sedges (Carex spp., Cyperus spp.) often occur in
association with the grass species above. Spikerushes are common in areas subject to fairly
frequent or seasonal flooding, and may form the dominant species in shallow basins.
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Herb species, which occur within floodplain meadows, are the same as those occurring on the
margins of floodplain lagoons. These include water primrose, nardoo, knotweed, buttercup,
and watermilfoil.
Significance
When flooded, freshwater meadows become important feeding habitat for a variety of
waterbirds, particularly ibis, herons, egrets, spoonbills and some ducks (Pressey 1981).
Large meadow wetlands provide dissipation and distribution of floodwaters from a

catchment.
Management Issues
• River Regulation has altered the natural water regimes of most floodplain meadows.
floodwaters.
• Draining of meadows for cultivation or grazing degrades wetland habitat values.
• Meadows provide important feeding grounds for waterbirds and provide nesting areas
when other suitable vegetation is also present (such as lignum or reeds).
• Management of grazing in ecologically sensitive wetlands.
Arid Wetlands
Definition
A wetland located in the arid areas of the state which is not located on a river floodplain, and
fills predominantly from rainfall, groundwater or a local catchment. This wetland type
includes salt lakes, saltpans, playa lakes and claypans. Overflow swamps dominated by
lignum should be considered under the wetland type “Lignum Swamps”.
Location
Arid wetlands occur on the alluvial sandplains and dunefields of western New South Wales.
They are generally located in the area north-west of the Darling River. Arid wetlands may
occur in a variety of geomorphic situations (Goodrick 1984):
• Terminal playas (lakes) of major streams receiving regional runoff via major and minor
streams.
• Claypans and playas of old drainage systems located in dunefields and sandplains. The
drainage systems are partly or completely occluded by dunes.
• Claypans receiving local runoff in dunefields and sandplains.
Hydrology
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Arid wetlands rely on local and regional runoff for inundation, although groundwater may
contribute to some wetlands.
Wetlands in arid regions characteristically have very high rates of evaporation. The duration
of inundation is therefore highly variable depending on inflows and seasonal evaporation
rates (Goodrick 1984). Most arid wetlands experience extended dry periods.
The salinity of arid wetlands varies from fresh to saline. The salinity of many playas and salt
lakes usually increases as the wetland dries.
Vegetation
In the large playas and saltlakes, vegetation is usually absent altogether. The lakebeds are
commonly bare when dry and also devoid of vegetation when flooded except for algae and
sea tassel which may grow in the more saline wetlands (Goodrick 1984).
The fringes of salt lakes and the beds of smaller saltpans are dominated by samphire,
saltbushes, copperburs and bluebush (Green 1992).
Claypans are typically vegetated with canegrass. In the more saline wetlands canegrass grows
in almost pure stands, while in other wetlands samphires and a variety of grasses, herbs and
copperburrs may also be present (Goodrick 1984, Green 1992).
Some terminal playas and claypans support fringing lignum swamps. Other floodplain species
such as river red gum, river cooba, black box, yapunyah and coolibah also occur around the
margins of the freshwater playas and claypans.
Significance
The large salt lakes and playas of north-western New South Wales support extremely high
waterbird populations when flooded, making this area of the state particularly important for
the conservation of waterbirds (Maher 1991, Kingsford et al 1994).
The wetlands have natural flooding and drying regimes and current land management
practices do not interfere with these regimes (Kingsford et al 1994). They therefore represent
some of the most “natural” wetlands remaining in the state.
Management Issues
• Grazing is widespread in arid wetlands.

• Feral animals, particularly pigs, goats and foxes, have an impact on wetland flora and
fauna.
• Extraction and management of groundwater may be an issue where surrounding wetlands
rely on this resource as their main source of water.
• Conservation of habitat for waterbird breeding and feeding.
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References
Beadle N.C.W. (1981) The vegetation of Australia. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Briggs S.V. (1981) Freshwater wetlands. In: Groves R.H. (Ed) Australian vegetation.
Cambridge University Press.
Cowardin L.M., Carter V., Golet F.C. and La Roe E.T. (1979) Classification of wetlands and
deepwater habitats of the United States. United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Cowling S.J. (1977) Classification of the wetland habitats of waterbirds. Australian Marine
Science Bulletin 58:15-16.
DWR (1990) Issues in wetland management. Department of Water Resources, Sydney.
Goodrick G.N. (1970) A survey of wetlands of coastal New South Wales. CSIRO Division of
Wildlife Research Technical Memorandum No. 5.
Goodrick G.N. (1983) A description of wetlands in New South Wales. In: Haigh C. (Ed)
Wetlands in New South Wales. National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Goodrick G.N. (1984) Wetlands of northwestern New South Wales. National Parks and
Wildlife Service, Occasional Paper No. 6.
Green D.L. (1992) Survey of wetlands of the Warrego River. Department of Water Resources,
Technical Services Division Report 92.081.
Green D.L. (1997). Wetland Classification. Ecological Services Unit. In Department of Land
and Water Conservation (Ed). NSW Wetland Management Policy - Management Guidelines.
Parramatta.
Hocking P.J. (1989) Seasonal dynamics of production and nutrient accumulation and cycling
by Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Stuedel in a nutrient-enriched swamp in inland
Australia. I. Whole plants. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 40:421-
44.
Jacobs S.W.L. (1983) Vegetation. In: Haigh C. (Ed) Wetlands in New South Wales. National
Parks and Wildlife Service.
Jacobs S.W.L. and Brock M.A. (1993) Wetlands of Australia: Southern (temperate)
Australia. In: Whigham D.F., Dykyjova D. and Henjy S. (Eds) Wetlands of the World. I:
Inventory Ecology and Management Handbook of Vegetation Science 15/2. Kluwer
Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
Keith D.A. and Myerscough P.J. (1993) Floristics and soil relations of upland swamp
vegetation near Sydney. Australian Journal of Ecology 18: 325-344.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_
WETLAND MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL MANUAL: WETLAND CLASSIFICATION APPENDIX A
Kingsford R.T., Bedward M. and Porter J.L. (1994) Waterbirds and wetlands in northwestern
New South Wales. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Hurstville.
Maher M.T. (1991) An inland perspective on the conservation of Australian waterbirds.

Ph.D. Thesis, University of New England.
Corrick A.H. and Norman F.I. (1980) Wetlands of Victoria I. Wetlands and waterbirds of the
Snowy River and Gippsland Lakes catchment. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria.
91:1-15.
Paijmans K., Galloway R.W., Faith D.P., Fleming P.M., Haantjens H.A., Heyligers P.C.,
Kalma J.D. and Loffler E. (1985) Aspects of Australian wetlands. CSIRO Division of Land
and Water Resources Technical Paper No. 44.
Pressey R.L. (1981) A review of literature on the floodplain wetlands of coastal New South
Wales. Report prepared for National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Pressey R.L. (1986) Wetlands of the River Murray below Lake Hume. River Murray
Commission Environmental Report 86/1.
Semeniuk C.A.(1987) Wetlands of the Darling System - A geomorphic approach to habitat

classification. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 69: 95-112.
Sommerville J. (1988) Conservation of river red gums in New South Wales. National Parks
Journal 32 (3): 31-33.
Timms B.V. (1988) Conservation of coastal dune freshwater lakes and ponds of eastern
Australia. In: Gilligan B., Maddock M. and McDonald K. (Eds) Proceedings of international
symposium of wetlands held at Shortland Wetlands Centre June 1986.
West R.J., Thorogood C.A., Walford T.R. and Williams R.J. (1985) Estuarine inventory for
New South Wales, Australia. NSW Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Bulletin No. 2.
Winning G. (1992) North Coast Wetlands Survey. Report prepared for Department of Water
Resources by Shortland Wetlands Centre.
Winning G. and King A.M. (1995) Upper Northeast Rivers region survey of freshwater
wetlands. Shortland Wetlands Centre and Department of Water Resources, Technical
Services Division Report 95.059.
Personal Communications
Paul Lloyd. Wetlands Officer, DLWC, Murray Region
Surrey Jacobs. Botanist, National Herbarium.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_
Appendix A - Review of Wetland Classification
Goodrick (1970) used water type (saline or fresh), permanence, depth and vegetation types to
classify coastal wetlands of New South Wales. Goodrick has also ranked the value of each
wetland type as waterfowl habitat, therefore making it useful for wildlife management.
DWR (1990) groups wetlands firstly by geomorphic origin and secondly by morphology. The
focus of the classification is on morphology rather than hydrology and hence wetlands in
different systems and sub-systems have similar management potential and threats. The
proposed classification derives some wetland types from this classification.
Corrick and Norman (1980) used water type, depth and permanence as primary criteria with
further sub-divisions based on vegetation type. It also includes two man-made wetland types
(sewage ponds and salt works). Sub-categories of vegetation used to describe freshwater
wetlands are not exclusive to the main wetland categories, and hence from a management
perspective there would appear to be some overlap.
Paijmans et al. (1985) groups wetlands into major geomorphic types and then sub-divides
these types on the basis of frequency of inundation. Groups can be further sub-divided by
vegetation type. Whilst the major geomorphic divisions form clear wetland types, the
hydrologic sub-divisions are too finely divided to enable the application of the broad
management guidelines which will be developed in the manual. Green et al (1992) trialed
this classification using wetland data from the Gwydir Valley. The classification resulted in
wetland types with different water management potentials, and hence it was concluded that it
was not particularly useful from the perspective of water management.
Jacobs (1983) uses a loose geographic and geomorphic wetland classification, which was
designed for the description of wetland vegetation. There is similarity between the coastal
and tableland wetland types used by Jacobs and those proposed in this paper, however
Jacobs’ inland wetland types do not incorporate any hydrologic criteria, which is a critical
issue in the management of these wetlands.
Cowling (1977) uses geographic location (inland or coastal) and water type (saline or fresh)
as the major criteria for classifying wetlands. Wetland types are further divided by a variety
of criteria including hydrology (frequency of flooding, depth), morphology and vegetation
type. The first level of classification only results in four wetland types and is far too broad to
apply management guidelines, and the next level is too finely divided. The classification was
developed with the purpose of classifying waterbird habitat.
The RAMSAR classification is adopted as the official classification for the Directory of
Important Wetlands in Australia. This classification includes man-made wetlands (water
storages, ponds, gravel pits, irrigation channels etc) and marine wetlands (reefs, beaches etc)
which are not relevant to the guidelines being prepared. Of the remaining categories,
wetlands are divided according to hydrologic regime, size and geomorphology although there
is no set structure to the classes.
Briggs (1981) developed a vegetation classification for freshwater wetlands. The

classification is useful in a botanical sense but management principles for many of the
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_
different wetland types would be similar (for example there would be no difference in the
management of a swamp forest to a swamp woodland of the same species).
Beadle (1981) classified wetlands according to vegetation alliances. As the classification is

Australia - wide many of the vegetation types are not relevant to New South Wales wetlands.
In addition, the level of classification (down to dominant species) is beyond the broad
management guidelines intended for the manual.
Semeniuk (1987) was developed for Western Australian wetlands and is a non-heirachical
system based on the primary criteria of water permanence and the cross-sectional shape of the
wetland. Descriptors may be attached to the seven main wetland types to describe salinity,
shape and size of the wetland. Green et al. (1992) trialed the classification on wetland data
for the Gwydir valley and concluded that in terms of water management the scheme was not
particularly useful in separating wetlands according to management potential as the
classification does not give any indication of a wetlands position in the landscape, only its
cross-sectional shape. It also does not include estuarine wetlands.
Cowardin et al (1979) is the official wetland classification of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service. The system is hierarchical, progressing from five major systems through to
subsystems, classes and subclasses. The main criteria are geomorphic origin, broad
hydrology and substrate type. Green et al. (1992) trialed this classification on wetlands in the
Gwydir Valley and found that the classification resulted in too many wetland groups, some of
which were not significantly different from others. It was also dependent on some threshold
values for wetland size and vegetation cover, which have questionable value for management
purposes.
Winning (1992) uses morphology and hydrology as the primary criteria for describing
wetlands. Winnings classification is based on 15 morphological classes which may then be
divided into various sub-classes according to hydrology or specific morphologic
characteristics. River and creek channels were deemed to be outside of the scope of the
technical manual and hence Winning’s four morphological classes relating to channels are
not appropriate for this study. The remaining classes however are useful for broadly dividing
wetland types according to their location within the landscape and broad water source,
characteristics, which are useful from a water management perspective. Some of Winning’s
wetland types are similar to those of DWR (1990) and have been used in the proposed
classification.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_
Appendix B - List of plant species referred to in the text
Common Name Scientific Name
Azolla Azolla spp.
banksia Banksia spp.
barnyard grass Echinochloa colonum
black box Eucalyptus largiflorens
bladderwort Utricularia spp.
blown grass Agrostis avenacea
bluebush Maireana appressa
bottlebrush Callistemon spp.
broad-leaved paperbark Melaleuca quinquenervia
buttercup Ranunculus spp.
button bog-rush Gymnoschoenus spaerocephalus
canegrass Eragrostic australis
common reed Phragmites australis
coolibah Eucalyptus coolabah
copperburrs Sclerolaena spp.
cumbungi Typha spp.
duckweed Lemna spp.
Wolfia spp.
Spirodella spp.
fringed cord-rush Restio fimbriatus
frogsmouth Philydrum lanuginosum
grey mangrove Avicenia marina
grey samphire Halosarcia pergranulata
hakea Hakea spp.
jointed twig rush Baumea articulata
knotweed Persicaria spp.
lignum Meuhlenbeckia florulenta
mat grass Hemarthria uncinata
melaleuca Melaleuca spp.
nardoo Marsilea spp.
narrow-leaved paperbark Melaleuca linarifolia
nitre goosefoot Chenopodium nitrariaceum
northern-leaved paperbark Melaleuca alternifolia
pondweed Potamogeton spp.
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razor sedge Lepidosperma limicola
ribbon weed Vallisneria gigantea
river mangrove Aegiceras corniculatum
river red gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis
saltbush Atriplex spp.
salt couch Sporobolus virginicus
salt rush Juncus maritimus
salvinia Salvinia spp.
samphire Salcornia spp.
sea tassel Ruppia spp.
slender yellow-eye Xyris gracilis
sphagnum moss Sphagnum spp.
spikerush Eleocharis spp.
spiney mudgrass Pseudraphis spinescens
stone wort Lamprothamnium spp.
swamp lily Otellia ovalifolia
swamp rice grass Leersia hexandra
swamp sheoak Casuarina glauca
tall spikerush Eleocharis sphacelata
teatree Leptospermum spp.
water ribbon Triglochin procera.
watermilfoil Myriophyllum spp.
water primrose Ludwigia peploides
waterlilies Nymphoides spp.
Nymphaea spp.
watercouch Paspalum paspalodes
yapunyah Eucalyptus ochrophloia
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_
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WETLAND MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL MANUAL: Wetland Classiﬁcation

Technical Report · January 1997

Dayle Lorraine Green

Snowy River restoration View project

Environmental flows View project

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Anne Brady Ecological Services Unit

Three main criteria were considered during development of the classification:

! Water extraction (pumping impacts).

Flora and Fauna Protection

! Planning controls (SEPP 14, REP 2, REP 20).

! Aboriginal heritage and significance.

Developing a Classification Scheme

TABLE 2. FACTORS AFFECTING WETLAND MANAGEMENT ISSUES

MANAGEMENT ISSUES Hydrology Morphology Vegetation Geographical.

nutrient cycling Y Y Y (temp)

Flora and Fauna Protection

aboriginal heritage and significance

Level of Detail in the Classification Scheme

TABLE 3. COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT ISSUES

MANAGEMENT ISSUES COMMENTS

Sedimentation General issue relating to all wetlands; little information; moderate

Peat mining Peat swamps only; moderate information; important.

Forestry. Riverine forest/woodland; good information; moderate importance.

Urban development. Most relevant to coastal wetlands; good information; important.

Acid sulphate soils. Coastal wetlands only; poor information; important.

Turbidity General issue relating to most wetlands; poor information; moderate

Salinity Mostly inland wetlands; moderate level of information; important.

Nutrients General issue relating to all wetlands; moderate information; important.

Flora and Fauna Protection

Fish habitat Estuarine and riverine wetlands; good information; important.

Boating Open water, usually permanent wetlands; poor information; moderate

The following wetland types are proposed:

! Mangrove and saltmarsh swamps

! Upland lakes and lagoons

2. What is the main source of water for your wetland?

Water Source Description Wetland Type

Estuarine: Saline waterbodies Estuarine lakes and lagoons

Tidal flats dominated by vegetation Mangrove and saltmarsh swamps

Groundwater, Located on sand dunes or plains Dune swamps and lagoons

- mostly open water Upland lakes and lagoons

- mostly vegetation Upland swamp

River Mostly open water or aquatic Coastal floodplain swamps and

Mostly Trees Coastal floodplain forest

Water Source Description Wetland Type

Groundwater, Mostly open water Upland lakes and lagoons

Water Source Description Wetland Type

- Mostly reeds Reed swamps

Not permanently flooded (filled by

- Mostly open water Inland floodplain lakes & lagoons

- Mostly lignum Lignum swamps

Inland floodplain forest &

- Mostly grasses, Inland floodplain meadows

Groundwater, Located in far western New South Arid wetlands

Estuarine Lakes and Lagoons

Dune Swamps and Lagoons

Coastal Floodplain Swamps and Lagoons

Coastal Floodplain Forest