The Daly River is a perennial river system in northern Australia that supports a highly diverse aquatic fauna and important recreational and commercial fisheries. The river, and its biota, also has significant cultural value to its Indigenous people. Agricultural development in the Daly Basin has been increasing over recent years, with concomitant increases in demand for its water resources. The NT Water Allocation Planning Framework (WAPF) currently allocates at least 80% of river flow or aquifer at any time, as environmental water (in the absence of science, or an agreed alternative under a Water Allocation Plan). This currently provides a high level of protection for environmental values and security for water licence holders. Previous studies have provided some knowledge of environmental water requirements in the river. However, more detailed evidence-based risk assessments on a range of ecological assets are needed to explore potential future water management scenarios. A current priority is the risk of reduced dry season flows to the river’s ecology.
This project aims to use a combination of existing knowledge and new targeted research activities to produce quantitative models that explore the relationships between flow and key environmental assets of the Daly River system. New research includes: studies on the movement and habitat use of sooty grunter and pig-nosed turtles; broad-scale modelling of fish habitat use; in-channel habitat mapping linked to hydrodynamic models; remote sensing of floodplain habitats; determination of dry season food webs, and; determination of hydrological spawning cues of fishes. This project is a collaboration between Charles Darwin University, NT Government and Griffith University; and, importantly, is a partnership between researchers, policy officers, managers and the Traditional Owners of the region.