Table 8: Research Program

Table 8: Recommended Research Program

• Undertake a bathymetric survey combined with hydrodynamic and water quality monitoring at key locations within the lower catchment/estuary and develop a baseline condition hydrodynamic and water quality model for all future research and planning.

• Fine-scale prioritisation of coastal wetlands for conservation based on size, perimeter to area ratio, condition, pressures, extent within the catchment and more broadly in NSW, as well as listing status

• Finalise development of a prioritisation scheme for riparian vegetation in the catchment and estuary

• Quantification of the impact that proposed entrance training works will have on tidal inundation and the distribution of salinity throughout the estuary and its interaction with sea level rise

• Impacts of instream sediment accumulation on flow and ecosystem health over time

• Impact of climate change on catchment hydrology, diffuse pollutant transport, biodiversity, salinity distribution patterns, overtopping of levees

• Undertake e-DNA research to characterise aquatic fauna abundance, diversity and presence of exotic species.

• Develop prioritisation, indicators, stressors and thresholds for aquatic fauna

• Model sediment inputs from significant sources across the catchment to better prioritise management actions

• Distribution of seagrass and analysis of activities, stressors and impacts

Table 8: Recommended Research Program Continued

• Economic valuations: value of habitat for commercial and recreational fisheries, aquaculture and shorebirds; value of river and estuary for tourism and recreation

• Oral history study on the history, ecology and use of the Manning River fishery

• Aboriginal knowledge to guide conservation

• Broad-leaved Paperbark dieback and mitigation strategy

• Hydrology of the tidal pool

• Hydrodynamics and impacts of extraction on freshwater system and inflows to the estuary

• Minimum flow requirements to maintain freshwater refuge pools

• The ecology and hydrology of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems, including wetlands in Crowdy Bay National Park. Risk to wetlands and GDEs from current and/or increased groundwater demand