Wivenhoe VMA Bio-Condition Monitoring 2018

Specifications

• Client: Seqwater
• Scope:

  Seqwater engaged Verterra to undertake photographic monitoring and bio-condition assessment of the VMA watercourse offset at Wivenhoe Dam, located on freehold title 241/SL11000 owned by Seqwater and established in 2013.

• Challenge:

  Capital works to raise the Hinze Dam (2008) water level impacted on local native vegetation and required an offset in compliance with the Vegetation Management Act (VMA) 1999. Appropriate offset locations were identified on Seqwater-owned land and Wivenhoe Dam and on privately-owned land in the Numinbah Valley. The VMA watercourse offset was established in 2013, and the project aims to re-establish riparian vegetation to remnant status within 20 years (2033).

  The Vegetation Management Plan for the Watercourse Offset at Wivenhoe Dam prepared by Ecofund in 2011, describes the management area and identifies required management actions, including monitoring and reporting.

• Solution:

  Verterra has adapted the Eye et al method for biocondition assessment of native vegetation which was based on natural forest randomised vegetation distribution, on order to fit a planted format, regular array. Verterra’s methodology assesses an artificially constructed (planted) landscape to determine its progression towards remnant status (QLD Environmental Offsets Regulation, 2014).  This adapted methodology has been accepted by the Regulator.

• Benefit to Client:

  Verterra’s proven field monitoring approach, data management and analysis capability provides client confidence that the field team members are skilled, data is quality controlled, outputs are relevant to requirements and the process is repeatable in future assessments.

• Market Sector: Water and Wastewater
• Capabilities:
  • Environmental surveys, benchmarking and biodiversity assessment
• Location: Queensland
• Year: 2018