Flows for Moulamein swamp

Landholder Jeremy Morton runs an irrigated and dryland mixed farming operation, including rice, winter crops and livestock.

Mr Morton said Morton’s Swamp was used as a grazing area during drought and, in the past, to store irrigation water.

“I remember it having heaps of tall spike rush, which is now relatively rare in these parts,” Mr Morton said.

Morton’s Swamp is traditionally filled by high water and flood events, but since November 300Ml of environmental water has been deliberately diverted into the swamp.

“After just a few weeks of the environmental flows we are seeing a sea of tall spike rush emerge and the character of the swamp is being restored,” Mr Morton said.

“We are providing a more natural wetting and drying regime and have seen the health of the wetland improve.”

Mr Morton said he was pleased to see water for the environment being used locally to support outcomes in the Moulamein district.

“You can’t hear yourself think over the frogs,” he said.

“I’ve seen ibis nesting in the river red gums and eagles too. Quite often we see the birds returning to the wetland at night after feeding in the nearby rice crops during the day.”

The water was delivered to the private site by the Department of Planning and Environment’s Environment Energy and Science group.

DPE environmental water manager James Dyer said partnerships like this one were critical to achieve positive environmental outcomes like waterbird breeding and frog habitat expansion.

“Jeremy (Mr Morton) has done the work to make this flow happen,” Mr Dyer said.

“Tall spike rush need a similar flow regime to river red gums and they provide the ideal habitat for southern bell frogs which were once prolific throughout the Murray district.”

Water for this event was supplied by the NSW Government and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.