high water

March brought high rainfall to South-eastern Australia, with extensive flooding, especially along the east coast, and substantial falls to replenish inland waterways, floodplains, wetlands, lakes, swamps.

Here at Wandiyali~Environa Wildlife Sanctuary, Jerrabomberra Creek flows on its serpentine path to feed into Jerrabomberra Wetlands and Lake Burley Griffin. We had 111mm over 12 days, with 86mm of that in 4 days. The creek’s catchment includes Royalla to the south, at the foothills of the Tinderry Ranges, where there were higher falls, so the creek rose fast. As the rain eased, the creek levels fell, and continue to fall now, two weeks later.

Jerra Creek Big Bend, Tuesday afternoon 23.3.21

Jerra Creek Big Bend, Thursday morning 25.3.21

For comparison, Jerra Creek Big Bend just over a year ago 7.3.20

The restoration work along the creek, including riparian plantings and the removal of willows over a number of years, has allowed the Cumbungi (Typha sp) to flourish, great for creek bed stabilisation, nutrient control, trapping sediment and water filtration. It grows up to 2m tall, bending with the current to withstand significant water flows.

Good to see the new downstream conservation floodgate performing well. Thanks to Sanctuary landowner David Larcombe for this fantastic image looking south over the Sanctuary, also showing the confluence with Old Pop’s Creek coming down from the west.

The creek and its riparian ecosystems provide high value landscape connectivity, south-north from the Tinderry Range to Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, via the important Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

At the Sanctuary the creek also bisects the east-west habitat corridor from the Molonglo Range and coastal ranges beyond, to the Murrumbidgee River and Brindabella Ranges to the west. In Autumn and Spring, this east-west corridor forms part of the migration route for birds moving from the high country to the tablelands, coastal ranges and coast for Winter, and returning in Spring.

The Autumn birds are on the move now, large flocks of Yellow-eared Honeyeaters, White-faced Honeyeaters, and Silvereyes passing through, while some species such as Scarlet Robins and Flame Robins staying for Winter.

Cool patch burn

Kangaroo Grass