Lachlan River EEC

The Lachlan River. Photo: DLWC

Title

The aquatic ecological community in the natural drainage system of the lowland catchment of the Lachlan River.

Description

The Lowland Catchment of the Lachlan River is part of the Murray-Darling Basin. The lower Lachlan River endangered ecological community includes all fish and aquatic invertebrates within all natural rivers, creeks, streams and associated lagoons, billabongs, lakes, wetlands, paleochannels, floodrunners, effluent streams (those that flow away from the river) and the floodplains of the Lachlan River within the State of New South Wales, and including Lake Brewster, Lake Cargelligo and Lake Cowal. This area includes:

  • The main channels and tributaries of the Lachlan River from Wyangala Dam (33°58'S; 148°57'E) to the convergence with the Murrumbidgee River (34°20'S; 143°54'E).
  • The Boorowa River, the Belubula River downstream of Carcoar Dam (33°36'S; 149°11'E), Mandagery Creek, Goobang Creek and Crowie Creek.
  • Lake Cowal (33°36'S; 147°25'E), Bland Creek and its tributaries.
  • Lake Brewster (33°27'S; 145°58'E) and Lake Cargelligo (33°16'S; 146°24'E).
  • The effluent waters of Willandra Creek, Moolbang Creek and Merrowie Creek.
  • The Great Cumbung Swamp.

Excluded from this recommendation are the man-made canals, off-stream reservoirs, water distribution and drainage works, and farm dams. Specifically, Mirrool Creek including Barren Box Swamp, and its catchment west of the township of Mirrool (34°18'S; 147°04'E) is excluded because under the current regulated system, the majority of water entering Barren Box Swamp is from the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Other watercourses above an altitude of 500m not specifically named in this recommendation are excluded.

Fisheries Scientific Committee determination

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