Flowing water environments and the dependent communities within these habitats are vulnerable to natural and human induced river drying. Recovery of macroinvertebrate communities after drying is initiated by epilithon-browsers and filter feeders with shredders and predators late arrivals. Low flow access rules are designed to reduce anthropogenic drying and protect aquatic ecosystems from water extraction. The aim of this study is to assess recolonisation of macroinvertebrate communities following a drying event and test whether low flow access rules provide adequate protection for these communities. In order to understand what taxa are affected by inadequate low flow protection we will be measuring macroinvertebrate recolonisation after one or more drying events in five Murray Darling Basin intermittent streams. Quantitative macroinvertebrate samples (identified to genus), flow and water quality will be collected over a period of 24 months at three sites (riffles) within each of these streams. We will then identify the time required to reach a point of equilibrium or climax community and use this information to assess the ecological significance of low flow protection rules in providing refuge for flow dependent macroinvertebrates between periods of higher flows.