> River Murray > Improving river health > Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth > CLLMM Recovery Project

Ecological monitoring – Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth

Ecological and abiotic monitoring is helping us assess the response of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) to flow conditions.

It allows us to improve our knowledge of the ecological character of the region in line with the 2011 CLLMM Monitoring Framework. See our fact sheet on the monitoring and adaptive management framework.

The framework's objectives include gathering information to:

detect changes, or likely changes, in the ecological character of the site, including monitoring significant biological components, and the extent and condition of wetland types
provide or improve the descriptions of Limits of Acceptable Change, including critical components, processes and drivers of the site.

You can download individual monitoring reports from the most recent or past years in the tables below, or view the monitoring sites on our interactive map.

Ngarrindjeri engagement

We have been collaborating with the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority (NRA) to support Ngarrindjeri engagement in our research and monitoring.

A Ngarrindjeri Research and Monitoring Statement of Commitment has been developed to support cultural heritage clearances for the CLLMM and The Living Murray’s programs, Ngarrindjeri involvement in monitoring activities, and increased awareness of Ngarrindjeri culture.

We meet regularly with the NRA to discuss CLLMM related updates and opportunities to collaborate in project implementation, as well as address cultural heritage matters related to the CLLMM and The Living Murray’s research and monitoring activities.

Monitoring in 2013-14

Ecological monitoring was done at numerous sites in the CLLMM between September 2013 and June 2014. View a summary of the ecological monitoring. It included a range of taxa, such as:

zooplankton
macroinvertebrates
birds
fish
vegetation
Ruppia tuberosa.

Abiotic monitoring included:

water quality monitoring (including nutrients, algae and benthic ecology)
groundwater monitoring
soil monitoring.

Monitoring reports

2013-2014

Theme	Report title
Monitoring summary	Ecological monitoring summary - Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert July 2013- June 2014.
Acid sulfate soils	An overview of changes in soil acidity in reflooded acid sulfate soil environments around Lakes Alexandrina and Albert, South Australia Report
Water quality, zooplankton & microalgae	Multivariate analyses of the microalgae, zooplankton and water quality monitoring data from the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth EPA Lower Lakes water quality updates
Birds	Condition monitoring of waterbirds in the Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth Icon Site, 2014
Fish	Assessment of the success of reintroductions of threated fish species in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region 2011-14 Assessment of threatened fish populations in the Lower Lakes, 2014 Condition monitoring of threatened fish species in the Lower Lakes, 2013-14 Fish assemblage structure, movement and recruitment in the Coorong and Lower Lakes, 2013-14
Frogs	Frog monitoring in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region
Macroinvertebrates	Benthic macroinvertebrate response monitoring in the Coorong and Murray Mouth, 2013-14 Survey of benthic macroinvertebrates in the Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth Icon Site, 2013-14
Vegetation	Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) wetland condition assessments, 2014 Lower Lakes vegetation condition monitoring, 2013-14 Intervention monitoring of Ruppia tuberosa in the southern Coorong, 2013-14

2012-2013

Theme	Report title
Acid sulfate soils	Acid sulfate soil neutralisation in re-flooded environments around lakes Alexandrina and Albert, South Australia; 2.5 to 3.5 years after re-flooding
Algae	Report on the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth 2012-13 microalgae and water quality monitoring data: A multivariate analysis in the context of the millennium drought
Birds	Response of waterbirds to environmental change in the Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth Icon Site Cryptic and colonial-nesting waterbirds in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth: distribution, abundance and habitat associations Condition monitoring of waterbirds in the Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth Icon Site, 2013
Fish	Fish response to flows in the Coorong during 2012/13 The critical fish habitat project reintroductions of threatened fish species in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region 2011 to 2013 Fish condition monitoring in the Coorong 2008-13 Condition monitoring of threatened fish species in the Lower Lakes in 2012-13 Monitoring upstream movement of lamprey at the Murray barrages in winter 2013
Frogs	Frog monitoring in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) region
Macroinvertebrates	Benthic macroinvertebrate response monitoring in the Coorong and Murray Mouth Patterns in biodiversity of macro-invertebrates in the littoral zones of lakes Alexandrina and Albert, South Australia 2003-2013 Survey of benthic macroinvertebrates in the Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth Icon Site, 2012-13
Ruppia	Annual monitoring of Ruppia tuberosa in the Coorong region of South Australia, July 2013 Response of Ruppia tuberosa in the Coorong South Lagoon to environmental water delivery over summer 2012-13
Vegetation	Habitat assessment monitoring of revegetated areas in the Lower Lakes: a pilot study in autumn 2013 Condition monitoring of vegetation at the Lower Lakes 2012-13
Water quality	Lower Lakes water quality reports Lower Lakes groundwater Acidification Risk Project monitoring report
Zooplankton	Zooplankton response monitoring: Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth

2011-2012

Theme	Report title
Acid sulfate soils	Recovery of re-flooded acid sulfate soil environments around lakes Alexandrina and Albert, South Australia
Algae	The response of suspended microalgae to barrage releases in the North Lagoon of the Coorong and Murray Mouth, February – June 2012
Birds	Coorong wader census February 2012
Fish	Fish response to barrage releases in 2011/12, and recovery following the recent drought in the Coorong
Macroinvertebrates	Benthic macroinvertebrate response monitoring in the Murray Mouth and Coorong, 2011/12
Ruppia	Annual monitoring of Ruppia tuberosa in the Coorong region of South Australia, July 2012
Water quality	Lower Lakes water quality reports to the department via the EPA website
Zooplankton	Zooplankton response monitoring: Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth. October 2011 – April 2012

2010-2011

Theme	Report title
Acid sulfate soils	Temporal variations in re-flooded Acid Sulfate Soils environments around Lakes Alexandrina and Albert South Australia
Algae	The response of water quality and phytoplankton communities in the Northern Lagoon of the Coorong and Murray Mouth to barrage releases from the Lower Lakes, November 2010 – May 2011
Biota	Monitoring the effect of the Clayton Regulator on the biota of the Goolwa Weir Pool: 18-month synthesis The effect of barrage release on the collective responses of biota of the Northern Lagoon of the Coorong and Murray Mouth
Birds	Waterbird responses to Goolwa Channel water-level management and Barrage releases, and developing habitat suitability models for waterbirds in the Coorong and Lower Lakes
Fish	Response of fish to the ‘Goolwa Channel Water Level Management Plan’: 2009-2011 Coorong fish monitoring during barrage release in 2010/11 Monitoring of estuarine and diadromous fishes in Mundoo Channel and Boundary Creek during high freshwater inflows
Frogs	Southern Bell Frog monitoring (Litoria raniformis) in the Lower Lakes
Macroinvertebrates	Benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring for the Goolwa Channel Water Level Management Project, year two, barrage releases within the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region
Vegetation	Lower Lakes vegetation condition monitoring 2010/11
Water quality	Lower Lakes water quality reports
Zooplankton	The response of zooplankton communities in the North Lagoon of the Coorong and Murray Mouth to barrage release from the Lower Lakes

Earlier reports

Theme	Report title
Acid sulfate soils	Monitoring and assessment of reflooded acid sulfate soil materials in Currency Creek and Finniss River region, South Australia, 2008/09